Iger talks about Shanghai Disneyland

[HongKongDisneyland]

On theme parks, Iger said Disney would like to build in mainland China, in Shanghai, but the process is complicated for a variety of reasons and he can't say when or whether it will happen.


Disney's Tokyo park, now 25 years old, is solidly profitable. Disneyland Resort Paris, which opened in 1992, isn't yet in the black "but is close," he said. The newest venture, the 2-year-old Hong Kong park, launched with a splash but had a rocky second year.


"No matter how much research you do on a market, you just can't understand everything until you open the park. They become works in progress when you open," Iger said.


One flub is that Disney anticipated that parkgoers would take 20-minute meal breaks, based on U.S. stats, but the average in Hong Kong ended up being twice as long, "so we had half the capacity. There were longer lines to eat than to ride Space Mountain," he admitted.

Source : Variety

[Anatole69]

Interesting stuff. I don't know how Tokyo Disney fits in with how the US company does abroad, since it is run by the OLC. Different company, different mentality.

Also wouldn't the Paris park be profitable by now if not for the second park disaster?

So I guess the company gets mixed marks for how it operates in the different markets.

Personally I think it is too soon for them to open Shanghai.

- Anatole

[Coheteboy]

agreed. iger's wise to make that announcement. well... i'm glad he did anyway.

[Malin]

Also wouldn't the Paris park be profitable by now if not for the second park disaster?

Disneyland Resort Paris was profitable for a number of years back before Disney opened the second park.

[Anatole69]

Ahh... that doesn't surprise me. The article says "it isn't profitable yet" which implies it has never been profitable.

Anyways, the economics of the parks is probably too complicated to summarize for a brief news clipping. Sounds like they have it down with opening the main parks, minus the rough first few years when they better learn the marketplace, but that they are still working out how to routinely open a second park successfully.

Also the cost cutting of the 90's and early 00's seems to have hurt them as well.

So given all this, I don't see it being wise for them to open Shanghai until HK is settled, which will be awhile still.

- Anatole

[nish221]

...So given all this, I don't see it being wise for them to open Shanghai until HK is settled, which will be awhile still.

- Anatole

Completely agree.

BTW. is anybody else pleasantly surprised on how to-the-point Bob
Iger comes across as being esp. considering the previous regime at the
end of its tenure?