Shanghai Disneyland is a go!

[lighttragic]

If this park opens in 2014-15 it will give enough time for Hong Kong to properly build itself as a destination as I believe the last new attractions from the major expansion will open in 2013 with Mystic Manor being the last. Additionally people forget china is such a dense country with over a billion people to boot... 3 theme parks in asia , if done and marketed properly they will have plenty of people to visit... They just cant start small as they have with new disney parks these past two decades

[CaliforniaAdventurer]

Originally Posted by lighttragic

Why So Weary? Visiting Shanghai or china in general?

For me, it's China in general.

[Coheteboy]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaAdventurer

For me, it's China in general.

If it were the 80s or even 90s, I may share your sensibilities. But right now, things are very different. There are, pardon my terminology, *** loads of Americans going to Shanghai and Beijing constantly. Tourists and businessmen alike.

English isn't the primary language there but more people than you know that can understand and speak a little as well.

I visited Shanghai in 2005 and it was definitely a place I wanted to see more of. I might have to do the Asian triple threat Disney tour when Shanghai Disneyland opens.

[Marko50]

Possibly some have confused "weary" with "wary". Weary means that maybe you're a little too tired from traveling (for instance) to do it now.

[Dustysage]

Originally Posted by Coheteboy

There are, pardon my terminology, *** loads of Americans going to Shanghai and Beijing constantly. Tourists and businessmen alike.

Absolutely! I've been there on business myself. Shanghai and Hong Kong are both international hubs of business and trade. However, to be successful, the park will need to capture the local audience as well. Hong Kong Disneyland had the same problem. They counted on tourists to flood the park, but they didn't. Why visit Disneyland in Hong Kong when there were bigger and better Disneylands elsewhere in the world. To be successful, Shanghai Disneyland simply needs to be a great park. If they build it well, on a huge scale, and with lots of unique attractions it will be a success. The Chinese aren't that much different from people anywhere else in the world. They understand entertainment, value, and quality as well or better than anyone.

-Dusty

[CaliforniaAdventurer]

I would feel really weird trapsing into China, not speaking a word of Mandarin, and heading straight for Disneyland. Getting behind the berm and back into a slice of Americana. It feels very ugly American to me. It's not like going to Orlando and blowing off the local culture and staying on property. But even there it's fun to head off property at least once and see some Florida sights.

No, I think a proper visit to a foreign Disney park should involve spending most of your time seeing the local culture plus a visit to the park. That's how I feel about Disneyland Paris and Tokyo Disneyland and even Hong Kong Disneyland. That they are cosmopolitan Westernized cities with wealth and freedom. Shanghai is more exotic, and although it's probably more modern than New York, it's in a very particular place. Where the police can lock you up for 14 days if they suspect you have swine flu. It just doesn't seem quite as welcoming a place. I wouldn't feel as safe, as free or able to move independently. I'd be less comfortable about being abroad while I was there.

Then again, maybe that would be good for me to get out of my comfort zone and spend some time soaking up Chinese culture in Shanghai, but it's not something I've ever cared to do before.

[Dustysage]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaAdventurer

maybe that would be good for me to get out of my comfort zone and spend some time soaking up Chinese culture in Shanghai, but it's not something I've ever cared to do before.

Absolutely! China can be wonderful. Just like anywhere, there are areas that aren't so great (and very 3rd world), but there is so much culture and unique environments to explore. When this park is finished, I absolutely plan on taking another trip to China - and not just to see the new park!

The Chinese really seem to enjoy interacting with Americans and I've always found them willing to help me get beyond the language barrier, so don't let that hold you back. You won't need to take a crash course in Chinese to enjoy a visit to China.

[JerrodDRagon]

OMG now I'll have another Disney Resort to visit in my life time, this is a good and bad thing.

[CaliforniaAdventurer]

It's a little scary, mostly because it's not a democratic country with the freedoms we enjoy. But I'm very excited to see concept art, plans, and watch another Disney land park grow into existence. Especially if the lands are all little islands connected by bridges and it's a whole new take on the Magic Kingdom concept.

[RandySavage]

Originally Posted by Dustysage

To be successful, Shanghai Disneyland simply needs to be a great park. If they build it well, on a huge scale, and with lots of unique attractions it will be a success. The Chinese aren't that much different from people anywhere else in the world. They understand entertainment, value, and quality as well or better than anyone.

Bingo.

I'm optimistic that it will be for a few reasons. First, TWDC has hopefully learned its lessons on underestimating the required scope/scale/quality of recent parks, as it is right now paying dearly in Cali and Hong Kong for past mistakes.

Second, the recent blockbuster success of Tokyo DisneySea (specifically its Halloween 09 season) may also show that the first necessity for great fiscal returns is having a great park.

Third, the Chinese partners are going to look very closely at everything that went wrong in HK and make certain that SDL corrects those mistakes. It is obvious to even casual observers that perhaps first among HKDL's problems is that it charges premium prices for a park with little to do/too few attractions.

Iger doesn't seem to opposed to investing lots of money in parks ($500m for HKDL, $1bn for DCA), if the New York Times is accurate ($3.5 billion for the park alone, not resorts/infrastructure) than I am hopeful Shanghai will open as a great park.

[Baloo]

Originally Posted by Barbossa

I'm hoping they design a uniqur castle too and don't pull a Hong Kong with a carbon-copy of Anaheim's. Anaheim's should've been exclusive to Anahaeim and not used anywhere else.

I would not mind seeing a castle inspired by Beauty and the Beast. If done correctly the inside of the castle could easily become a very unique attraction. A nice entertaining restaurant inside along with a clever walkthrough or ride based on the movie.


Another castle that might be interesting to see built could be one based on the little mermaid movie. A full scale under the sea adventure. they could make it look like the whole thing just rose out of the water.

[40 mph]

Am I the only one who feels like the more Disney parks they build throughout the world the less special and unique the existing ones get?

[Athlonacon]

Originally Posted by 40 mph

Am I the only one who feels like the more Disney parks they build throughout the world the less special and unique the existing ones get?

That is EXACTLY what I was thinking! Just looking at the Hong Kong Disneyland castle makes our castle so less special and unique. It's becoming a franchise chain, whereas before it was THE Disneyland with a minor clone in Florida. But now it's like a name brand and Disneyland just happens to be in the mix. If Disney wants to build a theme park in another country, great! Just don't clone Disneyland and share rides with every single park in the entire world.

It's interesting to note that this will be the first all-new park since the Pixar Push began sometime in the mid-2000's. Frontierland is going to be a Woody-infested joke and Tomorrowland might as well call itself Lightyear-land right now. I hope and pray that I am wrong, but just look at what the modern Disney and Pixar has done to our Tomorrowland. There is no accounting for appropriate themes (or escapism) anymore, it's Pixar or nothing nowadays.

[Wolak The Warlock]

Well, the Disney company sure has come a long way from outing alleged communists for the government!

[40 mph]

Originally Posted by Athlonacon

That is EXACTLY what I was thinking! Just looking at the Hong Kong Disneyland castle makes our castle so less special and unique. It's becoming a franchise chain, whereas before it was THE Disneyland with a minor clone in Florida. But now it's like a name brand and Disneyland just happens to be in the mix. If Disney wants to build a theme park in another country, great! Just don't clone Disneyland and share rides with every single park in the entire world.

It's interesting to note that this will be the first all-new park since the Pixar Push began sometime in the mid-2000's. Frontierland is going to be a Woody-infested joke and Tomorrowland might as well call itself Lightyear-land right now. I hope and pray that I am wrong, but just look at what the modern Disney and Pixar has done to our Tomorrowland. There is no accounting for appropriate themes (or escapism) anymore, it's Pixar or nothing nowadays.

Yup, It's almost as if the Disney parks are going to be cookie cutter. There's one in every backyard.