Hong Kong
CNN
—
There are a variety of princesses at Hong Kong Disneyland, however not those you assume. As a substitute of your Cinderellas, Elsas and Annas of their royal greatest, it’s a fuzzy pink fox that’s inspiring the princess-esque outfits of Disney-goers of their teenagers and 20s.
LinaBell is the most recent addition to a line of plush toys known as “Duffy and Buddies,” created by Disney for the Asian market. She has by no means made it onto the massive display, however she and her furry companions have resonated with followers within the area, turning into one of many firm’s best-selling franchises within the metropolis’s theme park. Younger ladies particularly are drawing inspiration from the pastel-colored characters, creating coquettish seems to be.
“LinaBell is my favourite,” mentioned Liang Xiaoyu who was visiting from the Chinese language metropolis of Guangzhou. The 18-year-old was wearing a pink-trimmed white frock, her hair in two free ponytails, and was carrying a LinaBell backpack and keychain.
Others noticed throughout a wet June day channeled CookieAnn (a yellow canine who likes to bake), by carrying canine ear headbands in addition to ShellieMay and Duffy, the road’s two bears.
Dressing up is common at Disney theme parks internationally — not only for children, however for adults as effectively. Often called “Disneybounding,” the phenomenon sees guests circumvent guidelines on carrying full Disney costumes (some masks, as an example, are banned to keep away from any confusion with the parks’ personal costumed staff) through the use of clothes and accessories that evoke their favourite characters.
Qin Wuxiao, dressed from head to toe as Jessie the cowgirl doll from the “Toy Story” franchise, was taking pictures together with her mom in entrance of the Fort of Magical Desires. The 23-year-old scholar mentioned it’s grow to be common for younger folks to decorate up like characters and publish photos of themselves on Chinese language social media apps like Xiaohongshu.
Charmy Chan and her buddy Yanni Chung dressed for the day as Officer Judy Hops and Nick Wilde from “Zootopia.” The Hong Kong Baptist College college students grew up watching Disney films and now that they’re in faculty they discover themselves with extra time to go to. “We often come to the park as soon as a month,” mentioned Chan, in entrance of the park’s bakery on Principal Avenue USA.
And at Hong Kong Disneyland, Disney characters aren’t the only real trend inspiration for devoted followers. Throughout the park, there have been friends like 27-year-old Li Mengru from China’s Fujian province and 16-year-old Chen Xinyu from Guangdong province, dressed as Lolitas.
Not a Nabokovian Lolita, however ladies who costume in an unabashedly female model of clothes popularized in Japan within the mid-Nineteen Nineties. Assume petticoats, dainty sneakers and equipment. Li wore a lightweight child blue costume with assertion bows and elaborate crystal nails, whereas Chen went with a extra gothic look.
Linda Lee, in the meantime, wore a daring striped black and white costume adorned with cherries and pink ribbons.
Within the age of Instagram and TikTok, the park lends an ideal background for Disneybounders and cosplayers to immerse themselves in a fantasy world.
There’s the World of Frozen that opened in November final 12 months, the place influencers will be discovered taking pictures in entrance of a snowflake fountain on the streets of Arendelle. Tomorrowland lends itself as a futuristic backdrop for Marvel and “Star Wars” followers whereas Toy Story Land with its outsize picket blocks, inexperienced military males and race vehicles make for some playful pictures.
For the reason that pandemic, the town – which imposed a number of the world’s strictest journey restrictions – has been seeking to increase tourism numbers by launching a “Hiya Hong Kong” marketing campaign, that included gifting away free flights. Although most guests to the park are native residents, the bulk government-owned Disneyland Resort is among the key points of interest being promoted to vacationers.
The Hong Kong Tourism Board’s exit survey of round 93,000 folks in 2023 confirmed the park was the third most visited attraction within the metropolis. The procuring district of Tsim Sha Tsui and scenic spot The Peak have been the 2 prime spots respectively.
Most of the non-local guests to Hong Kong Disneyland stay in mainland China or nations in Southeast Asia just like the Philippines, Thailand and Singapore, with some coming from Japan and South Korea as effectively.
Wandering into Adventureland from Grizzly Gulch, 34-year-old Kris Yang and 35-year-old Jimmy Redinger stopped to speak with CNN. “He’s loopy about Disney,” mentioned Yang who’s from mainland China of his accomplice, who’s from america. The 2 main faculty academics have been visiting from the northern Chinese language province of Hebei. They wore shirts from “Zootopia” and “Hercules” and have been decked out in Disney paraphernalia.
“When you like my outfit right this moment, it’s best to have seen me yesterday,” mentioned Redinger who proudly recognized himself as a “Disney grownup,” a time period that may include some baggage in america, given a number of the extremes followers have gone viral for. “I used to be in a full Goofy film get-up.”
“I embrace the thought of a ‘Disney grownup’,” he added. “It’s within the title. Adults who love Disney. Somebody who actually has that connection to the corporate and parks.”
In Asia, the penchant for child-like issues as adults broadly carries much less social stigma than within the West. China’s “meng” and Japan’s “kawaii” cultures embrace cuteness.
Many, like 37-year-old Mariko Otomo kitted out in Disney equipment, have been there as a type of escape. “Normally we work very exhausting. We go workplace and again, workplace and again,” she mentioned. “Once we lastly come to Disney we neglect the every day stuff.”
“Even simply strolling right here, (I) have an excellent feeling,” mentioned Ankh Wong a 24-year-old saleswoman who has visited the park greater than 20 instances over the previous six years. As quickly as she obtained her first job, she purchased a ticket to the park.
“It’s a spot for happiness and I can put down my worries,” mentioned 16-year-old Deng Chundan.
Ways like themed staycations and particular occasions, collaborations with manufacturers like Le Creuset, Godiva and native jeweler Chow Tai Fook and cultivating profitable franchises reminiscent of Duffy and Buddies are a part of the park’s technique to enchantment to Gen Z and millennials. In recent times, the park has invested a reported $1.4 billion in increasing a few of its points of interest, which included a brand new “Frozen” themed part of the park. (“Frozen” which got here out in 2013, is probably going one of many first Disney movies Gen Z would have watched as kids).
Disney declined CNN’s request for data on the ages of its annual guests, nevertheless it’s clear the Hong Kong park attracts many grown up followers.
Redinger mentioned nostalgia brings him again time and time once more. “Because the parks develop, we develop with the parks, reliving that point with our households (that) we had.”
