Shanghai Disneyland in 2012

[HongKongDisneyland]

I'd say there are more people with access to a train to Shanghai Disneyland than people with access to a train or airplane and a visa to visit the SAR of Hong Kong and HKDL.

The population in Hong Kong SAR with Shenzhen is comparable to the population of Shanghai (approx 20 million). Shenzhen is so close to Hong Kong SAR that both cities could be called Twin Cities.

Guangdong province (over 110 million) might be the most populated Province in Mainland China. GuangDong Province is the Neighbour of Hong Kong SAR.

The argument that more people with access to Shanghai Disneyland than Hong Kong Disneyland is definitely NOT TRUE.

Hong Kong and Shanghai are 2 different Markets. Hong Kong serves Southern China or Greater PRD Region (Greater Pearl River Delta Region), Shanghai serves North Eastern China or YRD (Yangtze River Delta Region). PRD and YRD are 2 distinctly different markets in China.

Weatherwise, Hong Kong is more suitable as a base for theme parks with all year round operations as Hong Kong is subtropical climate. Shanghai is too cold to stay outdoors in Winter.

For Air Travel, Hong Kong is the Mega Hub in Asia.

The following is the 2006 chart for top 10 Airport by International passengers (according to Airport Council International):
1. London (Heathrow)
2. Paris
3. Amsterdam
4. Frankfurt
5. Hong Kong
6. Tokyo
7. Singapore
8. London (Gatwick)
9. Bangkok
10.Dubai

A Regional Express Train (China's own version of Bullet Train) is under planning in Hong Kong. Hong Kong Government has already announced that a dedicated line would be adopted for the Regional Express Train service. It will link up Hong Kong with GuangZhou and the terminal will be built at West Kowloon.

[Coheteboy]

That's if they can all afford the entry fee. If they can't afford to travel, then what makes you think they can afford the entry fee and all the other Disney charges?

You speak as if air travel doesn't cost that much?

[HongKongDisneyland]

You speak as if air travel doesn't cost that much?

affordability is one issue.

willing to pay is another issue.

Even though there are many people who can afford air travel, theme parks etc. but are they willing to pay for the ticket to Disneyland?

Look at the attendance figures for all those theme parks in Mainland China, None of them have attendance higher than Hong Kong Ocean Park. Don't forget China has over 1.3 billion population and Hong Kong only got 7 million.

Hong Kong particularly with Macau, still have an edge over Shanghai.

[Sir_Cliff]

This does seem one of those ideas that may sound good on paper but ignores many hard realities. Sure, a park in Shanghai may have access to a potential market of hundreds of millions of people only a short train or bus journey away but, as Asa points out, how many of them can afford to visit a Disney park and spend up on Disney merchandise? Although it is growing quickly, mainland China still has quite a low GDP per capita, lower than other highly-populated countries like Brazil and Russia according to the IMF, and 46.7% of the population live on less than $2 US a day. So maybe the market really has a long way to go before it can support a Disney park.

HongKongDisneyland also makes the point that even if there are tens of millions of people who could afford to visit a park and spend generously (as would seem to be the case for HKDL), that doesn't necessarily mean they will. Part of the great success of Disney parks in America is that visiting DL or WDW is a quintissentially American experience while part of TDL's success is due to a Japanese fascination for Americana. Both DLP and HKDL, however, seem to have come up against some local rejection of a big American theme park moving in. Maybe the drive to visit these kinds of places just isn't as strong outside of certain markets.

[CaliforniaAdventurer]

"Every penny counts!" is kind of a Chinese slogan, isn't it? Even those who can afford to go may think hard about whether they think it will be worth their money once they get there. Maybe Ocean Park does better because they don't charge as much? Do they sell individual ride tickets, or all-attractions access pass like Disney?

Also, sorry HongKongDisneyland I guess I was making assumptions.

[CheriBibi]

Shangai Disneyland is undoubtebly happening... Only when should be questionned. Disney is not gonna let the Chinese Entertainment Business to its competitor.
They have every reasons to make it happen, and make it happen big, more like a WDW counterparts there in ASIA.

So much american businesses already in china (shanghai, Macau etc...), one big Disney resort has to be next, and all the efforts of the Walt Disney Company and Chinese Government put in place to achieve this try out gesture that was HKD cannot be in vain, certainly not on the parts of the WDC.

I'm all for SHANGHAI cuz I know it's not gonna disapoint Disneyfans. HDL was just a first step, SHANGHAI is gonna be it.

[CaliforniaAdventurer]

Pourquoi?

Especially if the weather is better in Hong Kong. Wouldn't it make more sense to make it happen there?

Why not build Euro Disney II in Greece, Malta or Southern Spain?

[disneyreporter]

According to China Daily, preparations for a Shanghai Disneyland are back on. I, however, think this is doubtful. With Hong Kong Disneyland floundering, I think another Asian park (with the exception of Russia) would saturate the market.

This news is brought to you by MiceChat site partner, Disney Reporter.

[Bernstein229]

I believe that HKDL will get a boost of attendance when the 2008 olympics in Beijing get started. With all the people coming to see this event there will be people visiting Hong Kong and HKDL.

[Asa]

I think Disney will find it hard to justify investing in Shanghai NOW, when HKDL is still losing money and from where I am, I think they don't fully understand why it is not as successful as they had planned.

Building in Shanghai is a big risk, considering most Chinese citizens never heard of Disney or its characters before. They really are starting from 0 or very near 0.

[Coheteboy]

Building in Shanghai is a big risk, considering most Chinese citizens never heard of Disney or its characters before. They really are starting from 0 or very near 0.

Is that true at all?? Everyone knows Mickey Mouse. EVERYONE. This is Shanghai, not some 3rd World Country.

In China you can walk down the street and buy Cars, Ratatouille... all the disney movies on DVD. Legal or otherwise... mostly otherwise.

[HongKongDisneyland]

Shangai Disneyland is undoubtebly happening... Only when should be questionned. Disney is not gonna let the Chinese Entertainment Business to its competitor.
They have every reasons to make it happen, and make it happen big, more like a WDW counterparts there in ASIA.

So much american businesses already in china (shanghai, Macau etc...), one big Disney resort has to be next, and all the efforts of the Walt Disney Company and Chinese Government put in place to achieve this try out gesture that was HKD cannot be in vain, certainly not on the parts of the WDC.

I'm all for SHANGHAI cuz I know it's not gonna disapoint Disneyfans. HDL was just a first step, SHANGHAI is gonna be it.

Everyone says Shanghai is the right place to be, but it is highly doubtful....

Even Saks Fifth Avenue had a deal with a Hong Kong Retail Group "I.T" to license Saks Fifth Avenue name in China. But according to latest news released in Hong Kong, Senior Management at "I.T" told reporters that they were unable to open any Saks Fifth Avenue stores in Shanghai due to the unsatisfactory sales performance in Mainland China, when the conditions in Shanghai improve they might open a La Fayette store in shanghai instead. You might see a Saks Fifth Avenue Store in Macau but Not Shanghai in the near future.

Hong Kong based upscale retail group "Lane Crawford" closed down all stores in Shanghai due to poor sales performance and instead they have opened a brand new store in Beijing.

Believe it or not, Shanghai winter is extremely Cold. very doubtful if Shanghai Disneyland could be WDW of China.

[Asa]

Is that true at all?? Everyone knows Mickey Mouse. EVERYONE. This is Shanghai, not some 3rd World Country.

In China you can walk down the street and buy Cars, Ratatouille... all the disney movies on DVD. Legal or otherwise... mostly otherwise.

Disney's counterfeit products are there in China, not because people like Disney, but because it is easy to counterfeit an easily available product.

[disneyreporter]

I believe that HKDL will get a boost of attendance when the 2008 olympics in Beijing get started. With all the people coming to see this event there will be people visiting Hong Kong and HKDL.

I didn't even think about that, but I bet you're correct. The Olympics will surely bring in a big crowd.

[Coheteboy]

Disney's counterfeit products are there in China, not because people like Disney, but because it is easy to counterfeit an easily available product.

Liking and completely having no knowledge about are two different things.