AP - Mainland Chinese tourists visiting Hong Kong Disneyland on its debut day smoked in non-smoking areas, went barefoot and even let children urinate in public. The Apple Daily described the behaviour of mainland tourists as "disgraceful" while acknowledging that they "brought good business" to the park as it opened its gates on Monday to 16,000 visitors. The park estimated that about a third were from mainland China. Although Hong Kong, a former British colony, returned to Chinese rule in 1997, many locals regard themselves as more refined and educated than their mainland Chinese counterparts. The Ming Pao Daily reported Tuesday that visitors from mainland China disregarded the theme park's rules and smoked cigarettes in restaurants and other nonsmoking areas. It ran a photo showing a woman in a Minnie Mouse cap smoking in an open area. The newspaper carried another photograph showing a woman from the southern Chinese province of Guangdong helping a young child loosen his trousers to urinate beside a flower bed. The Apple Daily had a similar photograph of a child urinating near one of the park's restaurants and another shot of four mainland Chinese women resting on the ground barefoot. A cleaner at the park complained that there were more cigarette butts to pick up Monday compared to pre-opening rehearsal days, when visitors were mostly local Hong Kongers, the report said. Hong Kong Disneyworld spokeswoman Esther Wong declined to say whether she thought the reports would tarnish the park's image. She said the rules require that all guests wear shoes within the park. "All our cast members are trained to handle different guest situations," she said. "Cast members" is Disney lingo for its employees. http://news.ninesn.com.au/article.aspx?id=62379
It's unfortunate that HKers have that stereotype, and I think it's even more unfortunate that the stereotype is continually reinforced in situations like these. On an off-tangent, though, I really want to visit HK, esp. with the Disneyland!
well- that is the culture of things, you need to have service, and cater to the people, not mickey mouse and donald duck!
I'm not surprised. One time at our night market here in Vancouver my friend almost tripped over a girl who was peeing right in the open
how one culture was tought when they where growning up is hard to change right away to the world. this is unfortunate.
Yeah I even read that they closed the gate when the park is full, causing lots of people with tickets to be locked outside
LOL quite funny, but when I went there I didnt see no such acts...-shrug Yeh the park is tiny compared to themeparks and there aint much to do there, except queue, I think one of the pooh bear rides had a queue listed as 3 hours -ohmy
