One of the things I can’t get used to in Hong Kong is adults waiting in line – for up to an hour – to get a photograph taken with Goofy, Mickey, Minnie, Sleeping Beauty and other Disney characters and royalty. And I’m not talking about those of us escorting little ones. No, adults actually wait in these lines without children!
Let me be clear: if not for my four-year-old daughter’s sole aspiration when visiting Hong Kong Disneyland to spend a precious moment or two with Cinderella, I definitely would not be a part of the princesses’ receiving line. While it’s nice that adults in Hong Kong extend their youth in this way, it’s also frustrating to wait in a line full of grown ups for one’s child to say hello to a princess. And since my daughter is not reading this, I will add – not even a real princess!
Then again, I shouldn’t be surprised at finding myself in a queue full of childless adults who want to snuggle up to Mickey. We experienced the same conundrum at Christmas when we waited 45 minutes to see Santa. A quick review of our fellow visitors to Santa’s cottage revealed a shockingly small number of children. Most in line were singles and couples – young and old – who would sit with Santa, smile broadly, and make peace signs while the photographer captured the moment on film.
Honestly, I wouldn’t care about this particular Hong Kong passion, I might even find it sweet, except for that it forces small children to exercise patience that many just don’t yet have. Wouldn’t it seem sensible to offer a special line for those under 6 – or 12 – or even 21 – who wish to see Snow White or Mickey or Santa? In the meantime, I’m sure on our next trip to the Magical Kingdom, my daughter will – once again – be in good company with the crowd of adults waiting with bated breathe to catch Snow White’s eye.