Commissioner for Tourism Eva Cheng says Hong Kong Disneyland is all clear to open September 12, with trial runs proving transport, crowd management and immigration arrangements are effective.

Ms Cheng said the Government is well prepared for the opening with departments and organisations refining arrangements after learning from experience gained during the park's rehearsal days.

To cater for the visitor upsurge, all 50 immigration counters at Lok Ma Chau will open during rush hours. Almost 190 immigration officers will be redeployed from other divisions to reinforce air, land and sea control points. Among them, 152 will be deployed to land checkpoints.

All-set: Commissioner for Tourism Eva Cheng says the Government is well-prepared for the opening of Disneyland.

Joint command centre

Assistant Director of Immigration Simon Peh said a joint command centre has been built at Lo Wu to monitor passenger flow. He called on visitors to use Lo Wu, which is larger than Lok Ma Chau.

Bus and rail services have started operation to allow passengers to get used to the services. Transport Department Principal Transport Officer Lo Yat-cheung said the services in general can cope with passenger demand.

Sixty quotas have been issued for operation of cross-boundary services. The KCRC will offer a one-stop service for rail passengers to take buses from Sheung Shui Station to Disneyland, and similar arrangements with taxis are being explored.

40% to take train

MTRC Head of Operations Wilfred Lau said the Disneyland Resort Line is running smoothly and has sufficient capacity. Up to 40% of park visitors are expected to take the train.

The Emergency Transport Co-ordination Centre will monitor traffic and transport services, and make adjustments if necessary.

Police Lantau District Commander Keith Chau said crowd management measures are in place to ensure the smooth operation of the park and nearby facilities. One organisation has applied to stage a protest at the park on September 12, and an area will be assigned outside the Sunny Bay MTR Station.

Economic benefits

Ms Cheng said all 16,000 tickets for September 12 have been sold, with a third bought by Mainland visitors.

A commission survey conducted on the Mainland in August found 52.5% of the 3,000 interviewed have applied or will apply for the Individual Visit Scheme to visit Disneyland in September or October.

They will each bring about three relatives. Their spending in Hong Kong will be on average $3,590 per person, and over 90% will stay in the city for more than one day.

Ms Cheng said the results show the theme park will bring Hong Kong an economic boost and promote family tourism.