Mobile Internet in Hong Kong Disneyland Guide

Mobile Internet at Hong Kong Disneyland cover

Staying connected to the internet while you’re in Hong Kong Disneyland (HKDL) is now more crucial than ever. You need it to access your park tickets, dining reservations, meal coupons, premier access passes, and early park entry passes. You also need it to use the Hong Kong Disneyland app, which shows you attraction wait times, showtimes for entertainment offerings, and the locations for different services and amenities around the park. Because of this, I’ve decided to write a Mobile Internet in Hong Kong Disneyland Guide to help you assess the best way to stay connected while at the park and resort.

There are a plethora of options you can choose from to stay connected while at Hong Kong Disneyland and in other areas of Hong Kong. I will be covering options from tourist SIM cards to eSim options and, of course, the wifi at the park and the different resort hotels. This will hopefully be an informative post that will go over all of my recommendations for mobile internet while you’re in Hong Kong

Without further ado, let’s get into it!

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Mobile Internet Options

There are three kinds of mobile internet options available for you to use in Hong Kong: SIM Cards, eSIMs, and Pocket Wifis. I’ll be explaining each one in this section, as well as giving my recommendations for specific companies, brands, and services that I’ve used in previous trips to Hong Kong that worked very well for me in a later section.

The first option, which is the most traditional option, is the physical SIM Card. I’m not well-versed in the tech sphere so I actually don’t know if they still make phones with physical SIM card slots, but I do know that you can usually buy an iPhone with a SIM Card slot. This option essentially means that you will insert a physical tourist SIM into your phone.

The SIM card can include a phone number, which can be helpful in using certain apps, but sometimes they can just be cellular data only. The downside is if you need to use your old number to, for example, approve transactions, you’re going to have to keep switching SIM cards.

The next option is to use an eSIM. This is the option I recommend you use. What this means is that you will get a virtual SIM which you can easily download and install on your phone. eSIMs are sold in various online platforms and are relatively easy to set-up.

This also makes switching between a physical SIM and an eSIM easy as you can do it in your settings instead of physically removing the SIM card. The downside is that it usually doesn’t come with a phone number, so it’s purely used for mobile data and internet only.

Finally, the last option is to rent a pocket wifi. This is an option for you if you’re planning on visiting multiple countries and need one plan that ties them all together. You can usually purchase plans that work across multiple countries.

The best part is you get to keep your SIM card in your phone as your internet will be coming from an external device. The only negative to this is that you’ll need to charge it every so often and it’ll take up space in your bag.

Those are the three internet options for your trip to Hong Kong. Now the question you probably have at the front of your mind is if all your apps and websites will work in Hong Kong given that Hong Kong is part of China, meaning it could be subject to the Great Firewall. I’ll be answering that question in the next section.

Are Western Apps Blocked in Hong Kong?

In short, Hong Kong is not affected by The Great Firewall that all of Mainland China is subject to. Websites and apps like Facebook, Instagram, X, and Reddit will all work in Hong Kong. While there are some websites that are blocked, none of them should concern the normal tourist visiting Hong Kong.

There is one notable exception to this, and that’s Tiktok. Tiktok isn’t banned in Hong Kong but rather the company that runs Tiktok has decided to block access to the app from Hong Kong. Because of this, you won’t be able to use the app as long as you are in the city. But as far as I know, this is the only social media or streaming platform that you cannot access from Hong Kong.

Options for Mobile Internet Options in Hong Kong Disneyland

I’ll be giving my recommendations for each option for mobile internet in Hong Kong Disneyland below. I have personally used all these options so you can rest assured that they are field tested and I liked how they worked.

SIM Cards

For SIM cards, I recommend booking this plan. Some people might think it’s overkill to buy 80GB of data that is valid for 30 days, but I always say it’s better to have it and not need it then need it and not have it. Plus given that it costs less than US$10 I think it’s a really good deal.

You can buy this SIM card on Klook and then pick it up at the arrival area of the Hong Kong International Airport. Simply go to desk A13 and it should be there waiting for you. You may encounter a line to claim the SIM card, but after filling out some paperwork, you’ll have your new SIM in no time.

eSIM

For eSIMs I always use Airalo. Airalo is an app that sells eSIMs for most countries around the world. All you have to do is purchase it, follow the steps to install it on your device, and then turn on the eSIM once you get to Hong Kong. Plus the more you buy with them, the more Airmoney you earn which you can put towards future eSIMs.

You can buy eSIMs that give you a certain amount of data or others that offer unlimited data. You will need wifi to install the eSIM. Before purchasing, always check when the clock begins for the installed eSIM, whether it be upon installation or upon connection to networks in Hong Kong. I recommend installing it on the day you intend on arriving in Hong Kong so you don’t need to worry about connecting to the internet at the airport. Remember to turn on data roaming for the eSIM to get it to work.

Pocket Wifi

For pocket wifi, I recommend getting this device from Klook. It’s a pocket wifi device that you can rent from a stall at the airport. It gives you 4G internet speeds and you can either buy a 500mb per day version or an unlimited version. The battery lasts for 6 hours and comes with a charger. You will have to pay a HK$500 deposit that will be refunded once you return it.

Returning it is easy as you just drop it off at a box in the same counter. The counter number is A16 in Arrival Hall A of Terminal 1. This is the pickup and drop off location, meaning upon departing HK, you will have to return to this counter. You can also rent devices that will work in Macau or Mainland China.

Wifi in the Parks and Hotels

Now it is worth noting that Hong Kong Disneyland does have public wifi in certain areas of the resort, including at the park and at the three hotels. However, while the hotel wifi is good, the park wifi is both slow and lacking in coverage area.

Wifi is generally only available at the main entrance, at most shopping and dining locations, as well as along the parade route. For more info on the wifi situation at the resort, click here. The wifi at the park tends to be unreliable, and so I would highly recommend buying a SIM, eSIM, or renting a pocket wifi to use while you roam the park, especially because it isn’t available in some areas. Remember that a good internet connection is key to a HKDL day now. You cannot survive a Disney day without the internet, so be sure to get a reliable source for it before or during your Hong Kong Disneyland trip.

Mobile Internet in Hong Kong Disneyland Conclusion

And that’s all my tips for Mobile Internet in Hong Kong Disneyland. I hope I was able to give a good summary of your data options when visiting Hong Kong and was able to answer your questions. In case you have any more questions, feel free to contact me on my socials!

Duffy and Friends are a cultural phenomenon, and you can thank the Asian Disney fans for making them as big as they are. The fans are the heart and soul of the Duffy brand, and without them Duffy wouldn’t be nearly as special as he is today. I hope I was able to orient you on everything about Duffy and Friends at HKDL. If you have any questions, feel free to DM me on my socials!

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