Photos : Hong Kong Disneyland Devastated By Super Typhoon Mangkhut

Super Typhoon Mangkhut severely hit Hong Kong yesterday ( see previous post below ) with winds of 173 kilometers per hour (107 miles per hour) and gusts up to 223 kilometers per hour (138 miles per hour) and, as feared, it also hit Hong Kong Disneyland located on Lantau Island.

The park was closed yesterday and is still closed ( see below HKDL announcement on their website ). And there is a good reason why HKDL is always closed today as HKDL is devastated, specially the trees and vegetation but also some electrical poles which fell down, as you'll see on the pictures below. 

The pictures below shows mainly the long promenade which goes either from HKDL hotels to the park entrance or from the parking lot / train station to the park entrance. It is hard to recognize the promenade but in two days when fallen trees will be cut and all leaves and branches removed it should get back more or less to normal.  As for the park itself, according to HKDL message the park is closed "in the aftermath of severe typhoon Mangkhut which has caused tree falls and other damage". I will do another article when i'll find pictures showing inside the park.

In the meantime have a look at these pictures posted on Facebook by Hong Kong Main Street Gazette and Disney Magical Kingdom Blog so make sure to check their Facebook pages HERE and HERE 

This is the hard to recognize lovely promenade going from park entrance to HKDL hotels...

An electrical pole down near the park entrance...

More trees destroyed here and there, picture below near HKDL entrance, in the background left.

Unbelievable...

Lot of work for sure for HKDL gardeners and cast-members... Below, the part of the promenade going from the train station to park entrance and Mickey fountain.

Editing with new pictures shot by D&M faithful reader Diane Richmond, showing the damages in the area near HKDL hotels. The amount of fallen trees is unbelievable.

Next picture shows the entrance of the new Explorers Lodge hotel...

BREAKING: Hong Kong Disneyland just announced on its website that HKDL park will reopen tomorrow Sept 18. BUT with this note: "In the aftermath of severe typhoon Mangkhut, part of the park areas and facilities are suspended for repair. Inspiration Lake Recreation Centre ( D&M: located outside of the park ) is closed until further notice.”

In two words some HKDL lands - or part of the lands and attractions - may be closed tomorrow. For instance, i wouldn't be surprised if Jungle Cruise was closed ( just my guess ) or some of the "gardens" parts in Fantasyland. Both having a lot of vegetation which are supposed to be the ones which have suffered the most from the high winds of super typhoon Mangkhut which is now officially Hong Kong’s most intense storm since records began, with sustained winds of 250km/h.

The part TWO of this article showing pictures inside the park is now on line HERE.

Thanks again to Diane Richmond, Hong Kong Main Street Gazette and Disney Magical Kingdom Blog, make sure to check their Facebook pages HERE and HERE!

Disneyland Paris Pictorial Update - Part One !

Here we go for a new Disneyland Paris update and it's such a big one that it will come in three parts! So, first part today, and thanks as usual to Max, D&M contributor and DLPWelcome webmaster. for his great pictures for a DLP pictorial report under the sun of September!

Sunday, September 9th was the last chance to see the 25th anniversary shows. It was time to say goodbye to « Mickey present: Happy Birthday Disneyland Paris » and Max has filmed the very last show.











While waiting for the beginning of the Halloween season on Monday October 1st, DLP parks enter in a low period. The perfect time to take a look at the works being done in the parks. All aboard the Molly Brown to have a look at the two main construction sites in Frontierland.












It's always to see how Frontierland trees have grown up since opening day...






The works on the new Chaparral Theater are progressing well, the readying of the floor was done to support the new theatre which will be completely closed.





You can see the aesthetics of the new Theatre on the blueprints above and below. The used colors are warmer than those of Frontierland other buildings, which is not surprising as, as announced since DLP opening in 1992, Splash Mountain is expected since 1994 in this part of the land to move DLP guests to the back of Frontierland and Adventureland. Don't expect, though, to have Splash Mountain at DLP anytime soon as i can tell you that it's not on the program for the coming years.
















I have a "one more thing" for you as Disneyland Paris did last week a special evening to end the 25th Anniversary celebration. Robert Stallard, faithful D&M reader was here and filmed everything, and specially the Grand Finale from the front row! You have the video below and you can see others videos of the evening on Robert Facebook page HERE.




Part two of the  update will come soon and in the next part we will talk about Phantom Manor! In the meantime for those who have missed the Summer special offer on the Disneyland Paris "From Sketch to Reality" book this is a last chance to get one of the last copies of the book at a reasonable price, in fact at the best price ever, so don't miss it!

Note: The French edition is totally out of stock but if you're French, and wish to purchase the book in its English edition i will send you a PDF file of the full French text of the French edition. The other option for French readers is to pre-order the eBook edition, see HERE. Note that the eBook edition exist for now in French language only.

Here is all you need to know to order a copy of the "Disneyland Paris From Sketch to Reality" book with the special offer. First, it's a 320 pages book with 750 pictures of the park including 250 WDI artworks! It's also probably the best gift you can find for a Disney Parks fan - and it is true! Have a look below to the mosaic pictures showing a selection of pages of the book.

To place your order for the DLP book, please send me an email at: amplittaye@gmail.com with your shipping address. The price during the special offer is 60€ ( instead of 85€ ) and shipping worldwide is 22€ ( except Belgium and Italy for which it is 29€ ).

For French readers a PDF file of the full French text of the French edition will be sent.
Lecteurs Français: Etant donné que l'édition française est épuisée, un fichier du texte complet original en Français sera envoyé aux acheteurs Français ne comprenant pas l'anglais. Ou commandez la version eBook en Français ICI.

Also, each order will receive GREAT surprise gifts!

You can pay with Paypal, credit card or bank transfer. For Paypal payments please send directly the full amount  including shipping, i.e 82€ worldwide, except for Belgium and Italy for which it is 89€ at: nme4@wanadoo.fr  If you wish to pay by credit card and bank transfer, send me an email at: amplittaye@gmail.com   and i'll tell you how to do.









If you've never seen the book before, don't miss the video below showing the full 320 pages of the book!



Pictures: copyright DLP Welcome, Disney

Videos: Super Typhoon Mangkhut Hit Hong Kong and Hong Kong Disneyland With 225 Km/h Winds

Super Typhoon Mangkhut has hit Hong Kong today with winds on 225 Km/h and when you'll see the video below you'll understand why there is good reasons to fear that HKDL will be seriously damaged, somethi,g we will know soon. The short video below show the waves in Hong Kong harbor. And i can tell you that you really need strong winds to see waves like this in HK harbor as on this side Hong Kong is protected by Kowloon on China main land, right in front, and Lantau Island on the left.

Mangkhut was recorded packing sustained winds of 173 kilometers per hour (107 miles per hour) and gusts up to 223 kilometers per hour (138 miles per hour) as the storm's eye passed south of the territory in the early afternoon, according to Hong Kong Observatory. In neighbouring Macau, for the first time in its history the territory's famous casinos were ordered to close, and all fishing boats from Guandong province have been called into port.We’ll know tomorrow or so what damages the typhoon did at HKDL located on Lantau island...

In the meantime, have a look at these videos showing Hong Kong devastation today by Super Typhoon Mangkhut and its winds of 225 Km/h. I really have a bad feeling for Hong Kong Disneyland park and resort on Lantau Island... Does anyone living in Hong Kong intend to go to the park once the Typhoon will be over and can shoot pictures and video of the damages for Disney and more? Please send me a FB message if one of you can do it, and of course don't go at the park until it's perfectly safe to go. Thanks!