The rain did not surprise the visitors who waited for opening the gates of the first Disney park in China. Experts say that the park could become the most visiting the world attracting between 15 million and 50 million people a year. After the ribbon cutting , dozens of dancers and classic Disney characters presented in front of the castle, a symbol of the brand, which is the highest and the most interactive of all the parks around the world.
Disneyland Shanghai had $ 5.5 billion investment for this first phase, which includes the park, parking and hospitality areas. Disney is already planning an expansion, because according to surveys million chinese want to visit the new attraction. This is a concern of the company, as the area where the park is located may become small to accommodate so many people.
Exactly a decade ago, negotiations began for the construction that lasted five years. The park in Shanghai consists of six theme lands that surround the Enchanted Storybook Castle, inspired by the layout in the Magic Kingdom, Orlando, USA. The Shanghai Disney Resort complex also features two themed hotels: Shanghai Disneyland Hotel, with 420 rooms and the Toy Story Hotel, with 800 rooms. The Disneytown is an area with shops, restaurants and entertainment.
The complex opened months prior to the testing phase and received about one million visitors. “The most important thing is that it is an authentic experience of Disney and distinctly Chinese”, said Bob Iger, the chief executive of the company. Attractions, restaurants and shows celebrate the culture and history of China.
In the week of the complex opening in China, the company faced a case that shocked the world. In the complex of Orlando, a boy of two years was dragged by an alligator into a lake of Disney’s Grand Floridian Hotel. Despite the incident, security is one of Disney’s priorities. Disneyland in China opened for testing months before to predict potential problems.
The inauguration took place in a difficult context for the Chinese economy, which recorded a low economic growth in the last 25 years. but the company sees the greatest opportunity to further raise the brand as the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.
