This is the Least Visited Disney Park in the World

Hong Kong Disneyland, one of the smallest Disney theme parks, has faced consistent challenges with attendance since its opening in 2005. Despite being situated in one of the world’s busiest cities, the park has had to navigate a variety of hurdles that have affected the number of guests that visit the park each year.

So why does this park struggle to draw in crowds, and what are the underlying factors behind its attendance records that are lower than expected? Some of these include smaller local populations, political unrest, as well as financial struggles and ownership issues. It extremely unfortunate that it is not as widely popular, especially because Hong Kong Disneyland offers some amazing attractions, dining, and exclusive shopping and merchandise. Hong Kong Disneyland has always been on my bucket list and I hope I am lucky enough to visit this beautiful park one day. If Hong Kong Disneyland is also on your bucket list, check out our breakdown of their ticket prices here.

Despite the park being just as incredible as the other Disney theme parks around the world, let's dive into some of the reasons why Hong Kong Disneyland is the least visited Disney park in the world.

Hong Kong Disneyland Overview

Hong Kong Disneyland is located on Lantau Island, Hong Kong, and is one of the six Disney theme park locations around the world. It opened on September 12, 2005, and is known for blending classic Disney magic and new and immersive attractions, including the first Marvel attraction at any Disney park. The park is divided into seven themed lands, each offering a distinctive experience for visitors of all ages.

The most famous attraction at Hong Kong Disneyland is Mystic Manor, which is similar to the Haunted Mansion attraction at Disney World and Disneyland. This trackless dark ride attraction is one of the most technologically advanced attractions at any Disney park. Guests explore the mysterious mansion of Lord Henry Mystic, with a mix of illusions, animatronics, and other special affects.

Other famous attractions at Hong Kong Disneyland include the Iron Man Experience attraction which is a 3D simulator attraction following Iron Man on an action-packed adventure, and their own version of Space Mountain. Although the small park may not allow for as many attractions as you see at other parks, they do not lack in imagination and adventure.

Why is Hong Kong Disneyland the Least Visited Disney Park?

Honestly, I was pretty surprised to learn that Hong Kong Disneyland is the least visited Disney Park. Although it remains the least visited, attendance has grown since the opening of Hong Kong Disneyland's newest expansion, World of Frozen, which opened in November 2023. The World of Frozen takes guests into a real life Arendelle Village including the clock tower, Elsa's Ice Palace, and Arendelle Castle. It introduced new dining, character experiences, and two new attractions: Wandering Oaken's Sliding Sleighs and Frozen Ever After.

Additionally, although Hong Kong Disneyland is small, it has a great mix of classic and new Disney attractions. Unfortunately, the main reasons behind this park's lack of popularity includes the size, competing Disney parks, ownership struggles, and political unrest.

Smaller Park and Local Populations

While Hong Kong is a major global city and densely populated, the local population is smaller compared to other Disney destinations like Tokyo, Shanghai, and the US. Hong Kong’s population is just over 7.5 million, and any ideas of park expansion is automatically limited due to the sheer size of Hong Kong. The park’s location also competes with other entertainment and tourist attractions that are also located in Hong Kong. For example, one of these popular tourist destinations is theme park called Ocean Park. The nearby city of Macau also is home to several popular destinations that compete with Hong Kong Disneyland. Overall, unfortunately this all means that Disney World and Disneyland in the United States, or even Shanghai Disneyland, might seem like more compelling choices for tourists looking for a grander Disney experience.

One of the key challenges of Hong Kong Disneyland is its size. At around 310 acres, the park is much smaller compared to the other Disney parks worldwide. For comparison, Walt Disney World in Florida covers over 27,000 acres! The recent D23 event announced tons of amazing park expansions for some of the other Disney parks, however Hong Kong Disneyland is often not included in these announcements due to it's size. Because Hong Kong Disneyland lacks the expansive grounds seen in Disney’s other parks, it has fewer attractions, parades, and shows to entice repeat visitors. This limits the number of experiences available to guests, which can contribute to a perception of the park as being too “small” or not as exciting for those who have visited larger Disney parks.

Additionally, Hong Kong Disneyland's primary audience has been domestic visitors and tourists from mainland China. The political and economic environment in Hong Kong has fluctuated over the years, with issues such as the ongoing political unrest and the COVID-19 pandemic affecting tourist numbers and local spending power. This has created periods of instability and unfortunately, attributes to the lack of visitors compared to other Disney theme parks.

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Lack of Culture Within the Park

Although Disney has tailored some of its offerings to better suit local tastes, Hong Kong Disneyland has faced cultural challenges. Some critics argue that the park’s approach has been too Westernized, with fewer references to Chinese culture and traditions. While Disney’s iconic characters and franchises are beloved by fans around the world, it can often be hard to translate at other international parks. It took Disney years to introduce more culturally relevant elements into the park, such as the new seasonal events celebrating Chinese holidays, but these efforts came after the park had already lost momentum in the early years.

When Shanghai Disneyland opened in 2016, Disney promised more Chinese cultural references while also keeping the magic of Disney. Disney even hired Chinese architects, designers, and researchers to ensure this promise was kept. For example, even the way reservations for table service dining was adapted to Chinese culture, as research showed Chinese families typically take more time to enjoy meals. Overall, it seemed Shanghai Disneyland did a better job of preserving culture within their park compared to Hong Kong Disneyland.

Overall, with more cultural references in Shanghai Disneyland compared to Hong Kong Disneyland, it is another reason why Hong Kong Disneyland is the least visited Disney park.

Financial Struggles and Ownership Issues

Hong Kong Disneyland has also faced financial challenges, particularly in its early years. The park struggled to turn a profit in its first decade of operation. Disney owns a 47% stake in the park, with the remaining 53% owned by the Hong Kong government. There have been ongoing tensions regarding how much the government should support the park financially, especially during downturns in attendance or after significant events like the 2008 global financial crisis and the 2019 protests in Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong government has been hesitant to pour in too much funding, and this has meant that Hong Kong Disneyland has sometimes been slow to invest in necessary upgrades, attractions, or expansions, which has affected its ability to attract and retain visitors. For instance, major expansions like the Marvel and Frozen themed areas, which are designed to enhance appeal, took longer to materialize compared to other Disney parks. As a result, the park has lagged behind in terms of new, exciting offerings that can draw tourists and keep returning guests engaged. None of the other Disney parks have had to deal with these types of ownership issues, allowing them to draw in more crowds and excitement about visiting their parks.

Competition from Other Disney Parks, Disney Cruise Line, and Resort Destinations

Disney is arguably the global leader of theme parks, but in Asia, the competition is fierce. With Shanghai Disneyland opening in 2016, the proximity to Hong Kong became another factor affecting attendance at Hong Kong Disneyland. Shanghai Disneyland, with its larger size, state of the art attractions, and stronger Chinese cultural influence, has rapidly grown in popularity, drawing many visitors away from Hong Kong Disneyland. It’s closer for most mainland Chinese tourists, and with its tailored experiences and larger scope, it is seen as a more exciting and modern destination in comparison.

In addition to Shanghai Disneyland, it goes without saying that the US Disney parks overwhelmingly draw in the most visitors. Although the US is on the side of the world as Asia, there are more tourists drawn to the US Disney parks. The Disney Cruise Line has also drawn even more visitors to set sail on incredible Disney-themed ships to popular destinations around the world.

Political Unrest and the Pandemic

Over the past decade, Hong Kong has faced significant political unrest and uncertainty, including protests and social movements that began in 2019. The political unrest, protests, and law changes unsurprisingly have had a direct impact on tourism, as visitors from mainland China and other regions became wary of visiting Hong Kong. Protests disrupted local businesses, transportation, and general safety, leading to a decline in tourists visiting the city. While Disney World and Disneyland in California remained relatively insulated from such events, Hong Kong has been unfortunately the center of these events.

In addition, the global COVID-19 pandemic led to months of closures and travel restrictions, both in Hong Kong and globally. Hong Kong Disneyland had to close three separate times throughout 2020 and 2021 due to resurgences of COVID-19 outbreaks. This contributed to a further decline in attendance and financial challenges for the park, which took years to recover. Luckily, the attendance has seen growth the Hong Kong Disneyland has been able to introduce new attractions and excitement to their park. However, the political unrest and pandemic were two big reasons why Hong Kong Disneyland is the least visited Disney park.

Future Potential of Hong Kong Disneyland

Despite these challenges, there are signs that Hong Kong Disneyland is working hard to address its struggles. The park has made significant investments in recent years, including the World of Frozen and other Marvel-themed attractions. Additionally, profits in Hong Kong Disneyland hit all time records for the part in the first quarter of 2024. Managing director Michael Moriarty stated ““The strong momentum continues. The first quarter of 2024 was our most successful quarter ever, achieving record levels of revenue and net income.”

Additionally, the attendance at Hong Kong Disneyland significantly increased from 3.4 million visitors in 2022 to 6.4 million visitors in 2023, very likely due to the World of Frozen opening. Although still the least visited Disney theme park, I highly doubt the team at Hong Kong Disneyland will stop imagining new ways to bring tourists to this amazing theme park. The park will hit it's 20th anniversary in 2025, and hopefully we will continue to see the success and other fun events planned for this event!

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