If you pay any attention to Disney news (as I do), then you undoubtedly heard of the recent “topping off” ceremony of Sleeping Beauty Castle over at Hong Kong Disneyland. Reading through the coverage of this event prompted me to take a visit to the official website of Hong Kong Disneyland to find out just a little more about how Disney’s latest “Magic Kingdom” will compare to the others that have come before.

To be fair, let me first state that I have only had the privilege to visit Disney’s stateside parks. I have not yet made it to the Tokyo Disney Resort, or Disneyland Resort Paris. That being said, I have researched both destinations, and think I can draw some accurate comparisons and conclusions.

Let’s first examine the philosophy behind the original Magic Kingdom, Disneyland. Disneyland was Walt’s personal creation – in fact, it is the ONLY Disney theme park in which Walt Disney ever walked. It was Walt’s creative insight, leadership, and passion that created Disneyland. Back in those days, Walt was essentially inventing the modern day theme park. There were no rules, and there were no precedents. Walt wanted to create a place where people could find quality, family entertainment, and when finances were trim, he even mortgaged his own home to make sure it got done – and done right! In Disneyland, Walt was able to make fantasy into reality by transporting his guests to magical realms. While the Disneyland of 1955 is a far cry from the Disneyland of today, the ideals were still the same, and the experience it delivered was truly unique.

Fast forward sixteen years later to the opening of Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. Walt Disney World was Walt’s last dream, and although what has been built there is largely different from what Walt had envisioned, the Magic Kingdom was always in the plans. After Walt’s untimely death, his brother and longtime business partner Roy took on “The Florida Project.” It was Roy’s wish that his brother’s last great dream become a reality. As a result, at the time of its construction, Walt Disney World was the largest private construction project ever undertaken in the United States. The result was a park similar in design to Disneyland, but much bigger, and much more spectacular. Again, the focus was on creating magical realms to which guests would be transported. Attention was paid to every detail, and nothing less than the best quality experience was acceptable. Just as Disneyland had been a work of love for Walt, Walt Disney World was a work of love for Roy.

In 1983, something that neither Walt nor Roy likely ever dreamed would happen became a reality. The third of the “Magic Kingdom” style parks also became the first Disney theme park to open outside of the United States. Tokyo Disneyland drew from both Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom to bring the best features of both parks together. By almost all accounts, Tokyo Disneyland seems to be on par, if not slightly better than its older US cousins.

But when Imagineers got word that a fourth Magic Kingdom would open in Europe in 1992, they really decided to raise the bar. Disneyland Paris (originally named Euro Disneyland) is the most ornate and detailed of the Magic Kingdoms to date. Almost every aspect of the park was re-invented and re-imagined from the Haunted Mansion becoming Phantom Manor to Space Mountain becoming the first Disney coaster to feature a thrilling launch and inversions. Even the Sleeping Beauty Castle, although sharing the same name as Disneyland’s castle, was completely re-invented into what I think is the most beautiful and fanciful of the Disney theme park castles. Even Tokyo Disneyland only got a clone of Walt Disney World’s Cinderella Castle.

All of the Magic Kingdoms to date have been built in the image of the original Disneyland. Each has a Main Street, Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland (although in Tokyo, Main Street is called “World Bazaar,” and Frontierland has become “Westernland;” and in Paris, Tomorrowland has transformed into “Discoveryland.”) All of these parks share seemingly signature attractions like It’s a Small World, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, The Haunted Mansion/Phantom Manor, and Pirates of the Caribbean.

But folks, all of that is about to change…

When Hong Kong Disneyland opens in 2006, there will be no It’s a Small World. There will be no Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. There will be no Haunted Mansion or Phantom Manor. There will be no Pirates of the Caribbean. And for the very first time, there will be no version of Frontierland whatsoever. That’s right. There will only be a Main Street, Adventureland, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland.

What’s more is that the castle that was just recently celebrated with a “topping off” ceremony is nothing more than a clone of the original Sleeping Beauty Castle as it stands at the original Disneyland in California. That’s not to say that I don’t admire the original castle. In fact, that castle has a lot of meaning to me as it was the first. But as time progressed, the castles got bigger and more spectacular as did the parks in which they were constructed. Not only do I see this as taking a step backwards, but I’m also not completely sure that this “Magic Kingdom” is deserving of having the same castle that graces the original (and in my opinion, still the best) Disney theme park.

So what is going on in Hong Kong? Unfortunately, this seems to be a continuation of the declining quality of new Disney theme parks under the current, misguided management of the company. Which is sad, really, because if you take a look at the pictures of where the newest Disney theme park is being built, you will see that the setting is nothing less than breathtaking. This could quite possibly be the most beautiful location ever for a Disney theme park.

The good news? If the rumor mills are true, then it sounds like the executives in the Parks & Resorts division already know they may have another disappointment on their hands, which is why rumors are already surfacing about a “Phase 2” which might include some of our favorites like the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean. Let’s just hope for everyone’s sake that this ‘Phase 2” doesn’t go the way of the “Beastly Kingdom” section of Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

But although the executives of the Parks & Resorts division may know that problems could be brewing, ultimately, the success (or failure) of this park could rely just on what happens with the succession plans and exit strategy for Michael Eisner. It would be an understatement to say that the coming year will be interesting at the Walt Disney Company…

Until next month, I’ll see ya real soon!