Shanghai DL - now from an official source

[tasman]

Sorry if anyone has already mentioned this somewhere, but now the official Shanghai Securities News is saying Shaghai DL will open by 2013. I think this is the first news from a government source? Several American news sites reported this. Here's one:

Shanghai Disney theme park seen operational by 2013 -report - Forbes.com

[CheriBibi]

and a new boardroom for MiceAge : Shangai Disneyland ! Hehe, i'm so excited !

[Fukai]

The Walt Disney Company has a decades-long history of under-building parks. Unless they drop 3 billion bucks on Shanghai, you will get another Hong Kong Disneyland. Pardon me if I don't go.

[TimmyTimmyTimmy]

I wonder if there will be alot of spitting on Mainstreet?:/

[tokyomark]

The Chinese not only have to learn more about Disney's characters
but they may hv to learn how to queue, where to spit, hygiene ....
no offense but this is truth

will prefer staying at HKDL....really dun wanna go Shanghai's ones

[iluvHKDL]

^^ my thoughts are same as you, and also they are facts

Most of them are afraid of thrill rides, you can see they just ride Dumbo, tea cups and carousel. Or maybe IASW Therefore, I don't think they'll get Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, PoTC, etc etc.

Have you guys ever seen a Chinese kid urinating into the wishing well?

[GUYNYC]

While I am excited about this. I'm very hesitant. And will just have to wait and see what they create. I think what is interesting is this will be a first for the new Disney Management (if I'm not mistaken) to show their stuff and create a Park from start to finish and not have to retrofit ideas or correct past mistakes and short-comings. I do believe that this new Park will show us the direction that Disney will be taking in the future and we'll see if they are able to bring back the quality of the brand that we all came to love in the old days from Disney. I'm excited, yet scared of being disappointed at the same time.

[tasman]

All the buzz on the net points to this being a full scale magic kingdom, not starting out small like HKDL, so I'm excited. Also, the general rumour is for a much heavier Pixar presence...but then that's hardly a big leap of faith. Shanghai is definitely on my long-term travel list, so this will make a nice detour. I wouldn't worry about guest behaviors, they will change as China becomes more modernized. If we built a Disney park in circa 1900 New York I bet we would have seen some less-than-sanitary behaviors as well. This is the phase of development that mainland China is today.

[RandySavage]

I was under the impression that the above was the proposed Shanghai park under development... a mix of Magic Kingdom and DisneySea. From the painting you can see the Castle, Mermaid Lagoon, Tomorrowland, a Lost River Delta/Adventureland, a fantasy or pirates village and some kind of rollercoaster (Incredibles?) in the background.

[tasman]

^^ No, that was just concept art for a hypothetical park released at a meeting last year ...I think it was a shareholders' meeting or something like that. If anything it is a variation on the DisneySea idea and is highly unlikely to be the primary park at a Disney resort.

[RandySavage]

It was part of the "Dreaming" concept art released in the 2007 (FY 2006) Annual Report. Every piece of art in that section was for an in-the-works project that had not yet been officially announced (Carsland, World of Color, the cancelled asian urban entertainment center, etc.). Why would Disney waste money/resources on a "hypothetical" park they have no intention of ever attempting to develop. It's a safe bet that the artwork represents a project in early stages of development - and where else if not Shanghai. It was probably part of the materials that were used in bargaining with the city officials.

There may also be pressure from HKDL execs (or anyone with a brain) who do not want to see a clone of their park (but more filled out) in Shanghai. Granted they are different markets now, but in 20 years the Chinese may be much more mobile.

It's not unlikely that Shanghai will see something like the artwork - a park that does not strictly adhere to the standard Magic Kingdom style layout.

Larger Version:
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[disneygeek@sc]

i think that if HKDL is not fixed b4 this one opens that all hell will break lose. but the artwork from the prior post would be incredible to see. maybe a 2nd gate 4 HKDL

[malice]

Expected to open 2014:

Disney Plans for Theme Park in Shanghai - WSJ.com

[CheriBibi]

Originally Posted by Fukai

Unless they drop 3 billion bucks on Shanghai, you will get another Hong Kong Disneyland.

3.6 Billion is what they're expected to spend according to the LA Times.

I'm am excited. They now know from experience that the "underpark" doesn't work, they know it can only be massive, and it will be.

[RandySavage]

Hopefully this announcement will buoy expansion of HKDL as the Chinese owners may see SDL as a potential competitor.