MiceChat - Shanghai Disneyland

News: Shanghai plans to spend RMB 6 billion for relocation of residents

HongKongDisneyland — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 07:57:55 GMT

according to finet.hk news

A government official said the Shanghai municipal government has completed the required registration of residents relocation compensation. Phase 1 of Shanghai Disney Project will occupy an initial area of about 4 square kilometers.

The official said the amount of compensation and relocation time of the details remain to be determined.

The report, citing industry sources as saying that RMB 6 billion of compensation is an estimate.

News: Shanghai schools sending students to the US Walt Disney Internship

HongKongDisneyland — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 07:19:03 GMT

Quote:

上海院校派學生往美國迪士尼實習

上海有大學於數年前、迪士尼興建計劃未落實時，已經派學生到美國迪士尼樂園實習，規模由最初的 11 人，增至現時超過 150 人。

Source : RTHK News

Translation:

Shanghai schools sending students to the United States Walt Disney Internship

Some universities at Shanghai already sent students to US for traning at Walt Disney a few years ago, before the plan for Disney Shanghai was confirmed. The number of students being sent increased from 11 to now over 150.

News: Don't be overly optimistic, Sina News

HongKongDisneyland — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:24:44 GMT

Quote:

上海政府不能過分樂觀，因為迪士尼純粹是一個以賺錢為目的的商業專案，而且遊樂專案更新速度緩慢。應該注意到香港迪士尼的前車之鑒，否則上海將成為下一場投資災難的主角。

Source : Sina News

Translation:

The Municipal Government of Shanghai should not be overly optimistic, because Disney Shanghai is a commercial project for the purpose of making money. Periodic update to the project for attractions additions/renewal is slow.
We should give special attention to HKDL which has set an example that we need due care and diligence, otherwise Shanghai might be the next victim of serious financial or investment disaster.

Why oh why???

TDLFAN — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 16:50:13 GMT

Why build yet another unneeded DL park in Asia?? Boo hoo!!!

Why not call it SuperDL and add a supermarket to it, and pharmacy.

Did they not learn from the European fiasco?

News: The Mouse�s Surprise: Hong Kong Rival, NY Times

HongKongDisneyland — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 13:11:22 GMT

Quote:

The Mouse's Surprise : Hong Kong Rival

HONG KONG — As Mickey Mouse heads north from Hong Kong to Shanghai, he runs the risk of being followed by his Asian nemesis: Whiskers the Sea Lion.

Whiskers is the mascot of Ocean Park (Hong Kong Ocean Park), a 32-year-old Hong Kong theme park that was widely expected to wither with the opening of Hong Kong Disneyland four years ago. But Ocean Park has unexpectedly thrived instead and is now reviewing requests for franchised theme parks from cities across Asia and the Middle East — including Shanghai, where the Walt Disney Co. has just obtained permission to open its next theme park.

Hong Kong Disneyland has stumbled repeatedly, starting as Disney’s smallest theme park and disastrously miscalculating the dates of the Chinese New Year during a promotion. Disney even took the unusual step of forgoing some fees at the theme park, a joint venture with the Hong Kong government, when attendance fell short of expectations. Ocean Park has emphasized its Hong Kong and Chinese ties and gained attendance even in the first year after Mickey Mouse arrived in Hong Kong, when it had budgeted for a 25 percent slump in visitors.

“I wasn’t really trying to kill the Mouse, but I think they didn’t really understand the culture and got it wrong,” said Allan Zeman, the 61-year-old chairman of Ocean Park, who has repeatedly grabbed the spotlight from Hong Kong Disneyland with stunts like d being shot out of a cannon.

Cities in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia and across China have asked Ocean Park to open theme parks, Mr. Zeman said. Ocean Park is less likely to consider Shanghai until after the new Disneyland has been built and its performance can be assessed, he added.

Overseas expansion of Ocean Park would also require the Hong Kong government to change an ordinance governing the park, which was built for the city by a local nonprofit group. The government is reviewing the ordinance.

Disney is already taking steps that suggest it has learned lessons from its experience in Hong Kong. The Shanghai theme park is slated to be enormous when it opens — 400 hectares, or 1,000 acres — instead of starting small and gradually adding one or two attractions a year, as Hong Kong Disneyland has done. The Shanghai park also has a somewhat less remote location than Hong Kong Disneyland — although neither can rival Ocean Park, a 10-minute drive from the Hong Kong business district.

A spokeswoman for Hong Kong Disneyland said that design work for the new Shanghai theme park, announced late Tuesday in Burbank, California, would probably be done separately from Hong Kong Disneyland. She declined to discuss competition with Ocean Park.

When Hong Kong Disneyland opened in September 2005, it had an image as the Wal-Mart of theme parks — the American Goliath that would put local competitors out of business.

But organizers of mainland Chinese tour groups complained that the park was expensive, while Hong Kong residents groused that the park was aimed mainly at very young children. It has only one fairly large roller coaster, Space Mountain, while Ocean Park has three and is building more; Hong Kong Disneyland does not have animal attractions like the dolphin shows at Ocean Park or its four giant pandas.

Hong Kong Disneyland’s most memorable miscue came when it failed to allow for the full length of the mainland’s Chinese New Year holiday five months after it opened and made it possible to use discount tickets on the last three days of the holiday. Faced with throngs of visitors who were flooding the park, Disney security guards shut the front gates so quickly to halt the flow that a very unhappy young child was separated from his family and passed by the crowd over the green spikes atop the gate. The scene replayed over and over on local television.

Ocean Park had 3.68 million visitors in 2004, the last full year before Hong Kong Disneyland opened, and 5.03 million last year. Hong Kong Disneyland does not report annual figures but said it had seen over 17 million visitors from its opening through the end of May 2009 — or an average of about 4.5 million visitors a year.

Ocean Park has stressed its combination of exhibits of pandas and other Chinese wildlife and more exciting rides than Hong Kong Disneyland’s.

National Geographic Kids magazine rated Ocean Park several years ago as the second “wildest” theme park outside the United States, trailing only a rival in Queensland, Australia.

“Ocean Park is more fun — Disneyland is more for kids,” said Frankie Tong as he admired the pandas at Ocean Park on Wednesday morning while celebrating his 38th birthday at the park with his wife, Mandy Ma. “Disneylands are more or less the same in places all over the world — Disney is more American.”

But Disneyland continues to enthrall the very young. Sam Wong, a 40-year-old civil servant, took his 5-year-old son, Keith, to Ocean Park because he thought it would be educational. Keith Wong said he would rather go to Disneyland, adding wistfully, “Disney has Mickey Mouse.”

Source : NYTimes

Mouse is old: Making Money is difficult at Shanghai Disney

HongKongDisneyland — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 11:02:22 GMT

Quote:

米老鼠已老:上海迪士尼赚钱难

对于一些喜爱迪士尼动漫的国人来说，上海迪士尼项目获批是个好消息，可以终于不用远赴日本或香港，就可以跟米老鼠等卡通角色面对面了。当然，望眼欲穿的不止是动漫迷，更多的是看好迪士尼商机的政府和商界人士。

但上海迪士尼是否肯定前景乐观，起码目前还需要保持谨慎的态度。根据香港特区政府和立法会的相关资料，香港迪士尼乐园开张三年以来，入场人数似乎并未达到预期。第一年人流量为520万人次，但第二年便出现一定幅度下滑，在访港旅客数字飙升的同时，2006年10月至2007年9月的人流量仅为400多万，比预期少了三成，远低于开园首年。事实上，迪士尼已经在走下坡路,目前迪士尼乐园在全球已建了5家，除了美国本土两家和日本一家经营尚好之外，其余都是惨淡经营。香港迪士尼至今还没有扭转亏损的状况。迪士尼乐园投入大、赚钱难已成为了共识。

上海迪士尼虽然有广袤的大陆市场作后盾，但大陆相关的主题公园也有不少，如何在同类市场中抢客成功也是个难题。如今乐园规划、投资规模等关键细节仍是雾里看花，但楼市和资本市场又在刮“迪士尼旋风”，如此炒作概念，“见光死”的惨剧也就不可避免。

更重要的是,米老鼠和唐老鸭虽然是经典卡通，但已经60岁了,中国的的90后和新世纪出生的孩子们是否认同这两个60岁的卡通形象还是个未知数，更何况，这些年各类卡通形象层出不穷。从《灌篮高手》《魔神英雄坛( 传)》《数码宝贝》《一休哥》《变形金刚》《兔八哥》等等。近几年电视上反复播的不少中国动漫公司自制的幼稚动画片，如《喜羊羊与灰太郎》也很不错的，还有就是麦兜了。当下的孩子们可能在喜羊羊灰太郎的影响下，早都决定“做人要做喜羊羊，嫁人要嫁灰太郎”了，还能认全迪士尼乐园里谁是谁么？如果，让喜羊羊与灰太郎统治乐园，迪士尼干嘛还要吃中国这块大蛋糕呢？

还有随着网络发展，各种网络游戏层出不穷，现在的孩子在虚拟网络世界里可以找到许多游戏乐趣，还有多大的兴趣花很高的费用去看人造的以米老鼠和唐老鸭为主题的童话世界呢？

孩子们多样化的选择无疑对迪士尼乐园是一个很大的挑战。

当然我们都希望未来的上海迪士尼乐园能赚钱，但从目前情况及未来的发展来看，也不得不为其“钱景”担忧，希望决策者和投资者们不要盲目乐观。

Source : Blog Sohu

Google Translation (might not be too accurate, but i am just too tired to do the translation myself, so sorry about that)

Mouse is Old and Shanghai Disney is difficult to make money

or some of the people who loved Disney animation, Shanghai Disneyland project approval is good news, you can finally do not have traveled to Japan or Hong Kong, they can face to face with Mickey Mouse and other cartoon character had. Of course, there is not just waiting to no avail some fans, and more optimistic about Disney's business is government and business people.

But Shanghai Disney is certainly optimistic about the prospects, at least, is still the need to maintain a cautious attitude. According to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the Legislative Council of the relevant information, the Hong Kong Disneyland opened in three years, attendance does not seem to meet expectations. During the first year for 520 million passengers flow of people, but the next year there will be a certain level of decline in visitor numbers soaring at the same time, from October 2006 to September 2007 of just over 400 million flow of people is less than expected into three, well below the park opened in the first year. In fact, Disney has been on the decline, the current Disneyland around the world have been built five, in addition to the United States and Japan, a two local business were good, the rest are hard going. Hong Kong Disneyland has yet to reverse the loss-making situation. Disneyland into big, difficult to make money has become the consensus.

Shanghai Disneyland Although the vast mainland market backed by the mainland-related theme park, there are many, how to succeed in the same market over customers is a challenge. Now park planning, investment and other key details of the scale is still smoke and mirrors, but the property market and capital market is stirring up the "Disney whirlwind," the concept of such a speculation, "Jianguang Si", it is inevitable tragedy.

More importantly, although the classic Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck cartoons, but it has been 60 years old, China's 90-and post-born children in the new century agree that these two 60-year-old is still a cartoon image of the unknown, let alone , over the years all kinds of cartoon image of an endless stream. From the "Slam Dunk" "devil-hero altar (Biography)" "Digimon," "one off Costa Rica" "Transformers," "Bugs Bunny" and so on. Repeatedly broadcast on television in recent years, many Chinese-made childish cartoon animation companies, such as "Pleasant Goat and Big Taro" also very good, there is a McDull. The moment the children may be in Hei Yang Yang ash Taro under the influence of the decision already made "a man to do hi Yang Yang, married marry gray Taro", and also to identify where the whole Disneyland Mody who is who? If, for the rule of Pleasant Goat and Big Taro Park, Disney would also like to eat Chinese Why does this big cake?

There are as network development, a variety of online games after another, today's children in the virtual online world where you can find many fun games, there is much interested in spending the high cost of man-made in order to see Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck as the main theme The fairy tale world?

Diverse selection of children's undoubtedly Disneyland is a great challenge.

Of course, we all hope that the future of the Shanghai Disneyland can make money, but the present situation and future development point of view, also had its "Money King" concerns about the hope that policy makers and investors should not blindly optimistic.

My Shangai Park Centerpiece

RandySavage — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 08:03:56 GMT

Just for fun, I put together a very rough photoshop of a centerpiece idea for the Shanghai park:

It incorporates the following ideas:

and

So the idea is to have a centerpiece mountain with a masculine fortress at its base. The rockwork of the mountain takes the subtle shape of dragons, like DCA's Grizzly Peak. This is of course in deference to the dragon's place in Chinese mythology. The fortress chambers could be explored and the mountain itself would contain a super-E ticket thrill ride.

Here it is:

The matte paintings I shopped are from Prince Caspian (castle), Dylan Cole (waterfall), and Blizzard Entertainment (dragons).

Thoughts?

Disneyland in Shanghai: A Second Try in China, Time

HongKongDisneyland — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:14:35 GMT

Quote:

Disneyland in Shanghai: A Second Try in China

Up until now, Disney's foray into China has been anything but magical. Its Hong Kong theme park, opened in 2005, has had a bumpy ride due to early missteps and competition — in its first year, attendance fell 400,000 short of an initial 5.6 million target. The following year, the number of visitors dropped to 4 million. To add insult to injury, the company in 2007 discovered an amusement park near Beijing that was filled with knockoff Disney characters.

But you don't throw in the towel in a market with 1.3 billion potential customers. After more than a decade of negotiations, Disney has received clearance to build its second Disneyland in China, this one in Shanghai. The company announced on Tuesday that China's top planning agency had approved plans to build the new theme park, which will join the existing parks in Anaheim, Calif.; Orlando, Fla., Tokyo, Paris and Hong Kong.

Disney officials wouldn't say when the park will open or how much it will cost. The company stated in a press release that the Shanghai park will include "characteristics tailored to the Shanghai region," but a spokesperson declined to elaborate on what types of rides or attractions might be on offer. The Shanghai government has already reserved an estimated 1,000 acres near Shanghai's international airport in the city's Pudong district.

Some speculate that the Chinese government's sudden announcement that Disney could go ahead may be timed to precede U.S. President Barack Obama's first visit to China Nov. 15-18, which will include a stop in Shanghai. "It's a huge investment," says Shaun Rein, managing director of China Market Research Group in Shanghai. "By allowing this now, it gives face to Obama and really shows that China and the U.S. need to work together to get out of this financial malaise."

Quote:

Since mainland Chinese make up a third of visitors to Hong Kong Disneyland, some fear that the Shanghai park will siphon tourists away from the former British colony, which is part of China but has a semi-autonomous government (mainland tourists must obtain visas to visit Hong Kong). Since opening four years ago, Hong Kong Disneyland has underperformed due to its small size — at 300 acres, it's the smallest of any Disney park — as well as high ticket prices and competition from a nimble competitor called Ocean Park.

Source : Time (<----to read more click here)

How Should Shanghai Disneyland Incorporate Chinese Culture?

DarkSideoftheMouse — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:59:51 GMT

There's no denying the fact that the Magic Kingdom style Disneyland park as we know it was designed to cater to Walt's 1950's American audience. While it has certainly stood the test of time, and still reflects to a certain extent the feelings of its modern audience, does it really have that same appeal to a Chinese audience. Even though I think, if itwere to be done well, the Disneyland that we love would still appeal to the Chinese. But that being said, I think it would be a wise decision for Disney to look for influence from the Chinese culture when building this park.

Do you agree, and if so, how do you believe it should be done?

Interesting Article about Shanghai-Disney

coachnancy — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:18:45 GMT

Jeffrey Wasserstrom: Shanghai Disney/Shanghai Expo

Resort transport?

Hathaway Browne — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:09:00 GMT

Given that they're talking about the resort being such a huge size, what kind of resort transport will there be?

Monorails perhaps? PRT? or just buses?

Shanghai Disney park size

mclubber — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:40:16 GMT

TVB a Hong Kong channel reported that the Shanghai Disneyland Resort will be 1000 acres. However, the park size duriing at opening will only be 100 acres. This tells me its gonna be a small park when it opens if the news media is reporting it true. We know that Hong Kong Disneyland Resort is only 320 acres means that Shanghai Disneyland park is 1/3 the size of Hong Kong Disneyland Resort.

Should the castle be a Beauty and the Beast Castle?

dogtherock — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:26:21 GMT

Should the icon of the new park be Beauty and the BEast themed. Possibly being the entrance to a dark ride?

What should be built at Shanghai Disneyland?

stitchrulz — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:17:17 GMT

I was just wondering, what do you want to see built at Shanghai Disneyland? We know there is going to be a Magic Kingdom style park, but what other parks, if any, would you want to see built? Any hotels? What rides should go in the Magic Kingdom park? Fantasmic? World of Color? What castle should be used? etc.

Shangha� Disneyland officially approved by Beijing Central Government !

loaloa55 — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 03:41:25 GMT

Shangha� Disneyland officially approved by Beijing Central Government !

The day we were waiting for has come! Yes, it's now official, Beijing Central government has officially approved the Shangha� Disneyland project!

An excellent New York Times article will give you more details about it, but first, the WDC official press release:

THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY REACHES ANOTHER MAJOR MILESTONE ON SHANGHAI THEME PARK PROJECT

BURBANK, Calif. � November 3, 2009 � The Walt Disney Company today announced that the Project Application Report (PAR) for a Disney theme park in the Pudong district of Shanghai has received approval from the relevant authorities of the central government of China.

"China is one of the most dynamic, exciting and important countries in the world, and this approval marks a very significant milestone for The Walt Disney Company in mainland China," said Robert A. Iger, president and CEO of The Walt Disney Company.

The PAR approval will enable Disney and its Shanghai partners to move forward toward a final agreement to build and operate the park and begin preliminary development work. Upon completion of the final agreement, the project's initial phase would include a Magic Kingdom-style theme park with characteristics tailored to the Shanghai region and other amenities consistent with Disney's destination resorts worldwide.

About The Walt Disney Company China

The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS), together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a diversified international family entertainment enterprise with five business segments and is a Dow 30 company with revenues of nearly $38 billion in its most recently reported fiscal year. Our first animation screened in China in the 1930s and today our long association continues with offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou with over 600 employees."

Now, i'm not sure we can expect the first Shangha� Disneyland artwork tomorrow as it seems that the park concept still may have some changes, but the NYT article confirms some points i have been told like the fact that Shangha� Disneyland Magic Kingdom will of course have WDI classic rides but also new rides that will "incorporate Chinese stories and history".

Always from the NYT: "The initial resort, with a mix of shopping areas, hotels and a Magic Kingdom-style theme park, will sprawl across 1,000 acres of the city�s Pudong district � with the theme park occupying about 100 of those acres. It would be a little bigger than Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., and on par with the parks in Paris and Tokyo. It is expected to open in five or six years".

A park as big as the one we have in Paris or in Tokyo, that's what i call a real theme park, and obviously WDI Imagineers will have plenty of land to create a park that will amaze the guests. All we have to do now is to be a little bit more patient for the details which hopefully will be revealed soon!