WARNING: This is gonna be quite a long post that will scream with colors, shades and happiness. Aha, you've been warned. :)

I finally got the time to do this looooong overdue post. The hardest part on doing this was choosing on what pictures to share. I must say, I took a gazillion of photos. Haha! But who wouldn't be, I was on the happiest place on Earth filling my heart with Disney's magic star dust. :)

While I was planning this trip, I almost always got excited even by just the mere thought of going to Disneyland. I grew up reading and watching Disney stories. I used to have those big books and VHS tapes at home that I could watch over and over again. Lol Old school pa nuon. :)

So finally, I, Lorraine Angelique Tiglao, 23 years of age, made my childhood dream came true of visiting the magical place of Disneyland.

We took the MTR going to Disneyland and I was surprised to see the Disney train with Mickey Mouse windows and handles. Such a cutiee!

Serves as entrance to the park, Main Street, U.S.A. surrounded with American-like townhouses and exteriors.

It was the start of the holiday season during our visit, so there was this BIG Christmas tree in the middle and operatic singers singing Christmas songs. So lovely!

The four Disney princesses!! True Story: I was a bit teary eyed while I was watching this four. It was so surreal, childhood dream come true. I told myself, "Wow. I'm really in Disneyland."

"It's A Small World" from the outside. I totally don't had an idea what the ride was about but there were a lot of people lining inside, that's why we try. Lol

Turns out, It's A Small World is a whimsical boat ride that features more than 300 brightly-costumed dolls that sing It's A Small World in many different languages. There were Filipinina dolls singing "Oh kay liit ng mundo."  They were all but cute!

Teehee! Mama and I got a new friend in the name of Minnie Mouse. :) (We waited in the line for about 30-40 minutes just to get this picture done. Definitely worth the time though :) 

Since I'm with Mama, we weren't able to try the thrilling rides especially that of located at Grizzly Gulch.

The Mystic Manor mansion house! I thought this is a haunted house, sadly it wasn't. Lol

The latest addition to the theme park is the Toy Story land with big Woody right there! It resembles more of a local carnival where everything were so festive.

What better way to end the night than a spectacular display of fireworks? Though it got really cold during that night, we waited under the pouring chilly weather just to watch the fireworks display. The lights were bursting high above the Sleeping Beauty castle to the tune of some Disney music. After the show, I can't help but sing "Shining, Shimmering, Splendid". Lol

Crossing out an item from my bucket list could really be one of the most liberating things and visiting Disneyland took an item from that list. :) Even so, I made a promise to myself that I would definitely go back here to try those thrilling rides I missed. I seriously can't wait for that next time! :)

Check out these personal tips I made when visiting HK Disneyland.

Planing is always crucial when traveling, more so when visiting some place for the first time. To maximize the fun at Hongkong Disneyland especially for first timers, I made this personal tips that I would indeed take note on my next visit.

1. Commuting to Disneyland.

There are many ways on how to get to Disneyland - by bus, private car, taxi or of course, by the ever convenient, MTR. If you are coming from the airport, there are private car and coaches that you can rent going to the resort but this would be more expensive.

On our case, we took the MTR, boarding the Disneyland Resort Line at Sunny Bay Station. Trains runs every few minutes from early in the morning until late at night. Train schedules can be found here on the MTR website. I'm sure, kids would enjoy this short ride because the Disney train is indeed a Disney train with so many Mickeys.

2. Check the weather and wear appropriate clothes.

Hongkong's weather can sometimes be a little bipolar, meaning it can get cold today then it can be humid the next day. During our trip, it was cold the day before our visit so I wore my tights but when we arrived there, it was sunny and a little humid then it got cold again throughout the night. So here's the list of the HK's season and average temperature:

March to May: Spring – Temperature and humidity are rising. Evenings can be cool. Average Temperature: 17oC – 26oC

June to August: Summer – Hot, humid and sunny, with occasional showers and thunderstorms. The temperature can exceed 31°C but high humidity levels can make it feel even hotter. Average Temperature: 26oC – 31oC

September to November: Autumn – There are pleasant breezes, plenty of sunshine and comfortable temperatures. Many people regard these as the best months of the year to visit Hong Kong. Average Temperature: 19oC – 28oC

December to February: Winter – Cool, dry and cloudy, with occasional cold fronts. The temperature can drop below 10°C in urban areas. Average Temperature: 12oC – 20oC.

3. Look for discounted tickets.

Standard ticket prices can be found here. We were lucky enough that the guesthouse's caretaker where we are staying were selling discounted tickets for Disneyland. There are a lot of online services where you can book or buy discounted tickets such as Klook, CTS and TicketMark HK.

Disneyland resort also has special offers to be found here.

4. Dedicate at least one whole day for your visit.

Need I say more? Maybe a day still isn't enough. Disneyland is 28 hectares big with seven classic themed areas. So rest and sleep well the night before as surely, your energy will be exhausted. But everything will all be worth it. :)

5. Get a copy of the HK Disneyland Guide Map and Times Guide.

I believe, this is an unwritten rule when visiting a theme park for the first time. There's no Free WIFI at the resort so using Google maps is not an option. Lol. Also, the Times Guide will tell you when and where to wait for the next parade or event. It also has the recommended viewing locations. Both of these are available at the entrance and in every souvenir shops there is. Just ask the staff and they will give you one.

6.  Don't miss the Disney in the Stars Fireworks display. DON'T. MISS. IT.

There is nothing much better way to end the night than the amazing Disney in the Stars Fireworks. If you're a first timer, you will miss half of your life if you don't watch the display. Enough said.

7. Where to Eat

Food inside are actually expensive compare to the selling price outside the park. It could get doubled or tripled, so be prepared for the budget. I suggest eating at food court-like eateries such as the Royal Banquet Hall in Fantasyland and Tahitian Terrace in Adventureland. Eating at the vending carts located throughout the park could also save you a lot of money.

8. Opt to stay at Disneyland Hotel if you have the budget.

To have a full Disney experience, I guess staying at the resort's hotel could be an option. Plus it will allow yourself to have a shorter travel time and more than a day to tour the park. Visit their website here to know more about the rates.

So there you go, I'm sure my future self will thank me for writing these all down. I hope it will help you too! Enjoy! :)

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Check out my HK Disneyland stories and photos here! It will surely get you hype and excited. :)

When I told a friend that I am going to HK with my mom, the first thing he told me was that "You have to go to Nan Lian Garden! Your mom would really like it, it's so relaxing." So I did my research and made sure that it was included on our itinerary. He said it would be better to visit on a morning so that's what we did. :)

Located in the  midst of the modern residential district of Diamond Hill, Nan Lian Garden is a public park that occupies an area of 3.5 hectares. It is mostly maintained by the Hongkong government so the entrance is free! They say the garden was structured following the Tang style principle.

This tea house located in the middle of the pond is called Song Cha Xie.

The main entrance to the garden was this classic and elegant wooden archway gate decorated with lotus, patterns of the sun, moon and clouds.

Lush greenery is everywhere and it's really, really relaxing even by just looking at it. And the place was so quiet and peaceful, mahihiya ka talaga pag nag-ingay ka. Lol

I was really amazed to see this. Imagine a serene garden like this with a backdrop of skyscrapers. Ancient meets modern. Another juxtaposition.

The artificial waterfall houses the Chi Lin restaurant that serves vegetarian dishes.

In addition to the breath-taking views, a Rockery museum was also built inside Nan Lian that exhibits indoor display of rocks taken from some ancient pond. And take note, entrance is also for free!

At first I thought it wasn't allowed to sit on any of the rocks, but the sign actually says "No scratching" instead of "No sitting". Lol

Adjacent to the public garden is the Chi Lin Nunnery, a large Buddhist temple complex which was also built according to the Tang principle. It also includes a series of small temples, garden and lotus ponds.  Inside the temple, you would hear and see people worshipping to this large, golden Buddha relics.

Strange Fact: When we were strolling around the place, a Chinese security guard approached us (in a very nice way) and showed us this mini pamphlet. The picture shows that using a monopod was prohibited in the area but taking pictures with phone and cameras is allowed. (He doesn't speak English.) I find it very weird though. Lol

On our way out, we saw these group of elderly with their caregivers (I think) waiting outside for their turn to stroll the park. Aren't they so cute? :)

Anyway, I think Mama did really like Nan Lian Garden. (Because she kept on saying "Ang ganda dito." Lol) We almost forgot that we are in the middle of an urban city. It felt like every corner, every structure, every hill, rocks, body of water, plant were built according to some Chinese principle. And seriously, it really is so relaxing and tranquil. You won't hear the city noise hustle and bustle inside the park. Worth a visit and admission is for free.

How to go to Nan Lian Garden

Ride the MTR and get off at Diamond Hill station via the Kwun Tung Line. Then exit at C2 (Plaza Hollywood). On the right side are tourist directions signs ponting to Nan Lian Garden and Chi Lin Nunnery. In less than ten-minute walk, you'll be there with no hassle.

Nan Lian Garden

60 Fung Tak Road, Diamond Hill, Kowloon, Hongkong

Admission is for free

Open from 7:00 AM to 9:00PM daily