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Chief Executive CY Leung
The word "explorers" usually brings to mind exotic travel - unfamiliar paths followed for discovery, adventure and excitement. Well, in my case, the journey to Disneyland was just fine. And the destination - this exotic new Disney hotel - is all worth the travel.
Like everything else at Disneyland, the Disney Explorers Lodge was dreamed up to amaze and to add pleasure, joy and discovery to our lives. And all brought to life in an unforgettable, one-of-a-kind experience.
Beginning with the hotel's design, which captures cultural elements of Asia, Oceania, South America and Africa. You see it in the grand sweep; you see it, too, in the distinctive details - antique toys, craft, textiles, jewellery and artefacts. The gardens, each with their own theme with a Disney or Pixar character, are lush with greenery.
Let me just say how confident I am that it will help reinforce Hong Kong's position as a premier tourist destination.
The hotel, with 750 rooms, will definitely attract more overnight stays to Hong Kong. Indeed, this new lodge, together with Disneyland's two existing hotels, brings the resort's room total to 1,750.
And when you step out from any of those rooms, you will find that Hong Kong Disneyland is continually evolving, and expanding, bringing wonder to Hong Kong and the world beyond.
It was only a few months ago that I was here to help open the Iron Man Experience. And, with funding approval by the Legislative Council earlier this month, we are taking forward a multi-year expansion and development plan of the resort. Hong Kong Disneyland will begin unveiling exciting new attractions starting next year: "Elsa & Anna", more Marvel superheroes, "Moana" and a more magnificent castle will be rolled out one after another.
The expansion project, together with the completion of major cross-boundary infrastructure in the next few years, will bring in more visitors from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area, the whole of the Mainland of China and the world beyond. These projects include one of the longest bridges in the world, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge that will provide a road link between Lantau Island - where we are - and the west bank of the prosperous Pearl River Delta area. Incidentally, this bridge should be open to traffic before the end of next year.
All these will present enormous opportunities for Hong Kong Disneyland, for our tourism sector, and for Hong Kong as a whole.
Chief Executive CY Leung made these remarks at the opening ceremony of Disney Explorers Lodge on May 16.
