Hong Kong Disneyland is a magical kingdom located on Lantau Island in Hong Kong. It is the first Disneyland which incorporates the local culture into the park and its surroundings, and also has the first metro line in the world designed to serve a Disney theme park – the MTR Disneyland Resort Line.
Operationally, the MTR Disneyland Resort Line acts as a shuttle on a short branch line, connecting Sunny Bay on the main Tung Chung Line to Disneyland Resort, but this transfer kick starts your Disney visit with a feeling of time travel from modern Hong Kong to the Magical World of Hong Kong Disneyland.
From the main Hong Kong city area, there are a few options that you can choose from to travel to Disneyland Resort. Here are my suggestions:
- If you are coming from Hong Kong Island, you may take the Island Line to Central station and change to the Tung Chung Line at Hong Kong station to get to Sunny Bay station for the Disneyland Resort Line.
- From Kowloon area, you may hop straight on to the Tung Chung Line at Kowloon, Olympic or Nam Cheong stations, or get on the Tsuen Wan Line from stations along Nathan Road (Jordan, Yau Ma Tei, Mong Kok, Prince Edward stations etc.) and change to the Tung Chung Line at Lai King station to get to Sunny Bay station for the Disneyland Resort Line.
- From Tsim Sha Tsui area, you may take the West Rail Line from East Tsim Sha Tsui station and change to the Tung Chung Line at Nam Cheong station to get to Sunny Bay station for the Disneyland Resort Line.
At Lai King, it is a simple cross-platform transfer from the Tsuen Wan Line from the city to the Tung Chung Line for Sunny Bay station.
At the futuristic Sunny Bay station, it is another simple cross-platform transfer* from the Tung Chung Line to the Disneyland Resort Line.
*One way only from the Tung Chung-bound train to the Disneyland Resort-bound train. For the city-bound train, you need to cross the overhead bridge to the opposite platform.
The Disneyland Resort Line operates with a dedicated fleet of driverless Disney-themed M-Trains.
Boarding the Disney-themed M-Train at Sunny Bay.
As this is a driverless train, you can look out the front window to the tracks ahead. An MTR staff member may still be present in the cab just as a standby.
The Disney-themed M-Train has soft, padded longitudinal seating as compared to the hard, metallic seats on the MTR urban lines.
There are also bronze statues of well-known Disney characters such as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck in the train.
Handgrips and windows are shaped like the iconic Mickey Head logo.
After Sunny Bay, the line turns right and goes through the Tai Yam Teng tunnel, making the journey seem like a teleport between real life and the Magical World.
After the tunnel, the train enters the dynamic passing loop. This dynamic passing loop allows the single-track Disneyland Resort Line to operate with two trains. Also, as the line is automated, the two trains can pass non-stop as the train crossing and setting of the points are set precise to the second.
The opposing M-Train heading back to Sunny Bay on the main line. Unlike the Peak Tram where the train only runs on its own side of the Abt passing loop as it is fixed depending on the wheel flange on the individual tram vehicle, the trains on the Disneyland Resort Line always pass each other on the left as per the normal driving direction.
Crossing back onto the main line.
The catch point ahead is used for the signalling system to allow the train to run at a normal speed on the loop line (as the extra track allows for a safe stopping distance based on the running speed) before the point is switched over to the main line (where the stopping distance is all the way up front at Disneyland Resort station). Should the catch point be occupied by a spare train, the speed of both trains running on the Disneyland Resort Line is reduced within the dynamic loop line area as the train running on the loop line has a shortened stopping distance.
The trains runs at an average of 65km/h along the line.
Approaching Disneyland Resort station.
The train heads back to Sunny Bay shortly after arriving at Disneyland Resort station.
If you’ve been on the front portion of the train, the lifts will be in front of you. But if you can, you should use either the staircase or escalators up to the concourse level to see Disneyland Resort station in its entirety.
Disneyland Resort station is a spacious station, designed in a Victorian style and with the Disney theme in mind to act as a gateway to Hong Kong Disneyland.
From Disneyland Resort station, it is just a short 3-minute walk to Hong Kong Disneyland, or if you prefer to have a look around the Disneyland Resort Hotels, hop on board the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort Hotel Shuttles at the Disneyland Resort Public Transport Interchange (PTI) adjacent to the station. The shuttles get you to Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel, Disney’s Hollywood Hotel and Disney Explorers Lodge.
As Disneyland Resort station is part of the MTR network without special conditions, you can use the 3-Day MTR Airport Express Travel Pass or the 1-Day MTR Tourist Day Pass to hop onboard the Disneyland Resort Line at no extra charge, even if it’s just to experience a short magical train journey, without the need to enter Hong Kong Disneyland.
To save even more, you can pre-purchase your Airport Express Travel Pass here at a discount and pick it up at the designated airport counter!
Also, you can pre-purchase your discounted Hong Kong Disneyland ticket here and proceed straight to the turnstiles of Hong Kong Disneyland! No need to double-queue at both the counters and the entrance!
If it’s your first booking through Klook, get a FREE $4.30*/RM12.90* voucher for your first purchase when you sign up here!
*subject to exchange rate
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