Hong Kong - How long to spend there with a family?

[k3nnis]

Thanks for the tips. I will be going in winter..... Xmas time. Probably 7 days, hopefully this is not too long of a stay for the 2 year old?? I was thinking to also add in HKG-KUL-HKG which is a 4 hour flight one way. Do you think this is too much for the little one? i.e. SYD-HKG layover for 7 days, then HKG-KUL layover for a week and then KUL-HKG maybe layover for 2 or 3 days then HKG-SYD. The HKG-KUL-HKG will be on coach while SYD-HKG-SYD will be in business on VS....

I'd take the stroller for a few reasons:-

If you go shopping the centres are HUGE.....therefore, you can spend quite a bit of time there....including eating at the many great restaurants that inhabit shopping malls
Many places are linked with overhead bridges....easy to walk between places.
Easy spot for the little one to catch a nap and for you to easily carry on doing other things

Depending on the time of the year you intend going, definitely stay somewhere with a good pool.

 

[yo yo ma]

I think your 11 and 8 year olds might be a little bored with Hong Kong Disneyland so I wouldn't book two whole days there. As others have said, compared with Anaheim it's Disneyland-lite.

We went to DisneyWorld in Orlando last year so will just book the one day there.

 

[Homer]

Probably 7 days, hopefully this is not too long of a stay for the 2 year old?? I was thinking to also add in HKG-KUL-HKG which is a 4 hour flight one way. Do you think this is too much for the little one?

Only you can judge as you know your child. Lisa spent six weeks travelling all over the US at nine months old and was a WP before she turned three and we're about to take three month old Maggie on SYD-SIN-DPS-SIN-SYD over a two-week period. If you're calm and plan things well then it can be a lovely trip for the family.

 

[k3nnis]

Ok. I won't know until I fly with my 2 year old She has never flown before. Maybe I should take her on a SYD-MEL-SYD trip first and test

 

[amaroo]

Thanks for the tips. I will be going in winter..... Xmas time. Probably 7 days, hopefully this is not too long of a stay for the 2 year old?? I was thinking to also add in HKG-KUL-HKG which is a 4 hour flight one way. Do you think this is too much for the little one? i.e. SYD-HKG layover for 7 days, then HKG-KUL layover for a week and then KUL-HKG maybe layover for 2 or 3 days then HKG-SYD. The HKG-KUL-HKG will be on coach while SYD-HKG-SYD will be in business on VS....

I don't see any issues, every time we've taken the kids to HGK or other cities we have also kicked on to other destinations. From watching my kids over the years traveling is a big adventure for them & they enjoy every single aspect of it

7 days is HGK is not that long & you won't see it all - IMO don't worry about that.

 

[k3nnis]

Ok What do you guys provide for 2 year olds when travelling on the plane? What sort of gadgets

 

[Homer]

Need to know what do you guys provide for 2 year olds when travelling on the plane? What sort of gadgets

We usually take simple craft activities for Lisa but these won't occupy her for an entire flight. They only serve to ease our conscience . Someone else may have a brilliant idea but, for us, sadly we resort to choosing some children's programming for her from the in-flight entertainment system. I still remember a flight on EK a couple years ago where Marge and I went to sleep but Lisa stayed up for what must have been 8 hours or more watching program after program. It's not good for all sorts of reasons but if you don't do it often and it gets you through...can it be that bad?

 

[k3nnis]

Ok thanks We will see how the little takes it Only time will tell!

 

[amaroo]

Ok What do you guys provide for 2 year olds when travelling on the plane? What sort of gadgets

At the time we didn't take any digital games (now they have DSI, Ipad etc) we took colouring books, small toys & turned the IFE on. As Homer has posted....it's a great entertainer:shock:

Kids never seem to worry about how long the flights are.

 

[djfuzz]

Re stroller / pram: Definitely worth taking for most of the time, as most places have lifts / special access of some sort, but there may also be times / places where you would want to carry or use a sling or Baby Bjorn of some sort - certain MTR stations and subways have quite inconveniently places lifts, and a few of them are missing a crucial link here or there.

It helps to have some flexibility as you might find you're spending a lot of time looking and waiting for lifts, and there are quite a lot of people with baggage or who would simply rather the lift than stairs / escalators that can clog things up around the precious few lifts.

 

[11sjw]

Ok What do you guys provide for 2 year olds when travelling on the plane? What sort of gadgets

We've invented stories of FA's having presents for the well behaved kids. When she's not looking small games, dolls, activity books etc have shown up out of the blue. The fact that she had to unwrap it and it is something new holds their attention for a while.

Now that she is 5 going on 15 we might have to entertain her using Mum or Dads iPod touch to watch some of her movies/TV shows.

 

[k3nnis]

How about the cabin pressure that affects the ears, do your little ones complain or cry due to this?

 

[djfuzz]

How about the cabin pressure that affects the ears, do your little ones complain or cry due to this?

Feed them (bottle, breast, water, or anything else if they can chew) during take off and landing. Does wonders.

 

[Homer]

Yep, feed them.

 

[k3nnis]

Thanks will do

 

[jukebox333]

How about the cabin pressure that affects the ears, do your little ones complain or cry due to this?

My 8 year old is a seasoned traveller, but still suffered quite badly on a CX A330 flight a few years back - even I was not comfortable, but it's not nice to see the young ones in obvious pain with little you can do....

If your children are old enough to do so safely, a sweet that you suck rather than chew can be a big help to encourage swallowing, to balance inner ear pressure. Butterscotch, LifeSavers etc are what I mean. Our hotel in FRA had a huge bowl of Werthers in the lobby, so we were well stocked for the return leg!

 

[yo yo ma]

What do you guys provide for 2 year olds when travelling on the plane?

Always good to have a lollipop in case of emergency!

 

[AVC]

Ok What do you guys provide for 2 year olds when travelling on the plane? What sort of gadgets

2 is a bit tougher. But the iPad is a godsend. There's even a colouring in app.

I don't think the IFE would hold my daughter's (4) attention for any appreciable length of time (we're about to try this theory in July). We generally have the TV on most of the time (usually on Disney Channel or Nick Jr) so it's not really a novelty.

We had a birthday party and the TV was on. One of the girls came in and was instantly glued to the TV as she was only allowed 1 hour per WEEK of TV. The IFE would sure work on her.

 

[Homer]

We had a birthday party and the TV was on. One of the girls came in and was instantly glued to the TV as she was only allowed 1 hour per WEEK of TV. The IFE would sure work on her.

Lisa would be that girl . We don't even allow her one hour per week!

 

[serfty]

Always good to have a lollipop in case of emergency!

Except when it becomes associated with flying:

Lollypop = Flying

Board Plane = lollypop

See plane = lollypop

hear plane = lollypop

lollypop = lollypop

aahhhh ...

mini is now 20yo - needs are more than a lollypop