How to feel like a schmuck:
1. Plan a trip to Hong Kong Disney well in advance to secure cheap airfare. Non-refundable, non-transferable tickets are really best for this exercise. You'll need to purchase plane tickets so far in advance that your kid's school schedule will not have been published for the month you will be at Disney. Timing is crucial.
2. Tell your kids all about the trip and how fabulous it's going to be. Really talk it up big so they'll be extra excited. Tell your oldest child that she'll get to miss one day of school and add the comment, "how important can one day of school be anyway?" Cue the foreboding music.
3. When the school calendar is finally released just ignore it. Don't bother looking at the month you'll be at Disney because your kids are NEVER sick and NEVER miss a single day of school so missing one random Monday is no big deal. Raise the volume on the foreboding music.
4. Three weeks before the trip you will want to realize that your oldest child - who is super excited about the trip and never, ever asks for anything - has a major exam on the Monday that you will be at Disney. You may need to check to be sure your child's school has a very strict policy against make up exams in advance.
5. Tell your child she will NOT be going to Disney. If you think this step is the hardest you're wrong because now you will tell your child that you and brother are still going.
6. Now, if you've survived to the end of step 5, you already know how it feels to be a schmuck. If you want to take the experience to the next level you'll need to have an amazing oldest child. The last step is also what will make this a particularly lasting memory. If you do not have a amazing oldest child you're in luck because said child will throw a snot-slinging fit and you can at least have the peace of knowing they "didn't deserve to go to Disney anyway" while on your way to the mall to buy back their affection. If, like me, your child has a grace and dignity beyond her years she will tell you it's ok, she understands, and she hopes you have a great time anyway. Don't fling yourself off the top of a building just yet. The fun isn't over. Then hope that your child tells you that she understands how hard it must have been for you to have to tell her she couldn't go. Dante's version of Hell was a walk in the park compared to this torture. Last but not least have your oldest child stay home studying all weekend so she can do well on her test while you are at Disney with her brother and without her.
7. At this point you may not want to be left alone for fear of hanging yourself with your "World's Greatest Mom" t-shirt.
Hong Kong Disney was the perfect size for two four year olds. It's not nearly as large as the park in Orlando and the majority of the rides were for smaller kids which made me feel a little better that BGC couldn't come. We could make it from one character appearance to the next without having to hop on a train or kill ourselves sprinting from one end of the park to the other. The lines weren't anything like they are in Orlando either. On Day 1 we arrived in Hong Kong, checked into our hotel, and hit the park. We stayed in the Disney Hollywood Hotel and I was really happy with our choice. First, they let two families share a room which a lot of places don't allow. Second, the buffet breakfast was well done and had something for everyone. Third, nothing beats a free shuttle to the front door of the park. Day 2 (Halloween) we hit the park early and didn't leave until they were about to lock the gates. Because it was Halloween we let the kids wear their costumes all day and I would estimate that strangers took roughly 80 bazillion picturs of the kids that day. Day 3 we took the kids to the character breakfast and caught our flights back to Singapore.
Leah and I decided before we left Singapore that we would tag team parent. If either child acted up when their parent was occupied the other adult had permission to lay down the law. The kids were excellent so it wasn't an issue but it's good to have things like that agreed upon beforehand. We also each put a specific amount of money in an communal envelope that paid for things we all used like taxis and tips which was so much easier than trying to split things or keep up with who paid for what.
If I had it all to do over again I wouldn't change a thing. I would stay in one of the two Disney hotels, stay at the park until it closed (after the parade the park cleared out and we could ride the rides as many times as we wanted to), and attend the character breakfast. The characters did a good job of visiting each and every table during the breakfast which helped to keep the kids in their seats and not fighting for a chance to pull Pluto's tail.