Shanghai Disneyland Park

Shanghai Disneyland Park
The Enchanted Storybook Castle, landmark of the Shanghai Disneyland
Location Shanghai Disney Resort, Pudong, Shanghai, China
Coordinates 31°08′38″N 121°39′25″E / 31.1440°N 121.6570°E / 31.1440; 121.6570
Theme Fairy tales and Disney characters
Owner Shanghai Shendi Group (57%)[1]
The Walt Disney Company (43%)[1]
Operated by Shanghai Shendi Group[1]
Walt Disney Parks, Experiences and Consumer Products[1]
Opened June 16, 2016 (June 16, 2016)[2]
Website Shanghai Disneyland Park

Shanghai Disneyland Park is a theme park located in Pudong, Shanghai, that is part of the Shanghai Disney Resort. The park is operated by Walt Disney Parks, Experiences and Consumer Products and Shanghai Shendi Group, through a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and Shendi.[1] Construction began on April 8, 2011.[3][4] The park opened on June 16, 2016.[2] The park operated in its first half-year with a visitor attendance of 5.60 million guests.[5]

The park covers an area of 3.9 square kilometres (1.5 sq mi), costing 24.5 billion RMB, and including an area of 1.16 square kilometres (0.45 sq mi). In addition, the Shanghai Disneyland Resort has a total of 7 square kilometres (2.7 sq mi), except for the first phase of the project which is 3.9 square kilometres (1.5 sq mi), there are two more areas for expansion in the future.

Walt Disney Company and Shanghai ShenDi Group jointly invest in the Shanghai Disneyland Resort project. As part of the agreement, two owners will be set up, including Shendi holding 57% and Disney holding the remaining 43%.

The park has seven themed areas: Mickey Avenue, Gardens of Imagination, Fantasyland, Treasure Cove, Adventure Isle, Tomorrowland, and Toy Story Land.

History

Preparations

The Chinese government approved the resort on November 4, 2009.[6] The Walt Disney Company announced on November 5, 2010 that it had signed an agreement with Shanghai Shendi Group to build the resort and park in Shanghai, with a planned opening in 2015.[7] On April 7, 2011, groundbreaking began at the Shanghai Disneyland Resort site.[8] On June 29th, 2013, construction on the Enchanted Storybook Castle began.[9]

Construction

A satellite view of the resort in 2015.

Major construction work started in April 8, 2011, targeting a 2016 spring opening.[4] The resort is planned to cover an area of 4 km2 (1.5 sq mi) and it is expected to cost CN¥ 25,000,000,000 (US$3,660,000,000).[10] The project is financed by several large Chinese state-owned enterprises in Shanghai forming a joint venture with the Walt Disney Company.[10] The Oriental Land Company has not confirmed any connection to this venture with Disney on the Shanghai Disneyland project. "The first-phase of the project will be to the South of Huanglou Area, an area in Chuansha Town, the southeast suburbs of Shanghai's Pudong area; the second phase will extend further southwest," an urban developer from Shanghai stated.[11] DeSimone Consulting Engineers were the structural engineers behind the construction work.[12]

On March 8, 2013, the company announced that the park would open in late 2015.[6] On February 2, 2015, the opening date was pushed back to early 2016.[13] On January 12, 2016, the park's opening date was announced as June 16, 2016.[2] According to some reports, that was due to construction delays and quality control problems. The final opening date was June 16, 2016.

The cost was initially estimated at 24.5 billion yuan (USD $3.7 billion) for the theme park and an additional 4.5 billion yuan (USD $700 million).[6] That rose to around USD $5.5 billion before delays,[14] which was partly due to more attractions opening to the public on the first day, which added USD $800 million to the cost.[15][16] The added cost does not take into account lost revenue from the lost admissions fees.

In addition to the attractions and two hotels, a high-speed rail system is being built to get visitors to and from the site.[16]

Disney owns 43% of the property, and the state-controlled Shanghai Shendi Group owns the remaining 57%.[6]

Opening

On May 7, 2016, Shanghai Disneyland Park had started soft openings.[17]

Disney aired the live broadcast of the grand opening show on its Facebook page on the night of June 15, 2016. Bob Iger, chairman and chief executive officer of The Walt Disney Company was joined by nearly 3,000 distinguished guests and celebrities for a showcase of choreography, acrobatics, costumes, and technology in grand scale, with dazzling lights, Disney music, pageantry, special effects, and fireworks. The show featured world-renowned pianist Lang Lang, who performed a custom arrangement of the musical sensation “Let It Go” (from Disney’s “Frozen“) and China’s television and movie superstar Sun Li who took center stage. The historic event included the debut of an original song, “Ignite the Dreamer Within,” written especially for the grand opening of Shanghai Disneyland. Acclaimed composer and conductor Tan Dun, widely known for his stirring scores for the films “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” and “Hero,” led the Shanghai Symphony with an original composition of the new song.[18]

Ticket pricing

Tickets for the park went on sale on March 28, 2016, with a two-tiered pricing scheme.[19] On most days, day adult tickets will be CN¥ 370, while child and elderly one day tickets will cost CN¥ 280, roughly 20% cheaper than Hong Kong Disneyland (which charges HK$539 for a day adult ticket).[19] During busier periods, including the first two weeks of the park's operation, adult day tickets will cost CN¥ 499,[19] while child and elderly tickets will cost CN¥ 375.[20] The park will be the first Disney park to feature tiered pricing.[20]

According to the International Business Times (IBT), the equivalent of park ticket pricing will cost about US$75 for adults and US$60 for children on holidays and weekends, and around US$60 for adults and US$45 for children on weekdays. IBT notes that "a two-day weekend ticket for two adults and one child comes close to China's average urban monthly wage."[21]

Opening day tickets sold out in a few hours after they had gone on sale at midnight, March 28. However, more tickets were put on sale several days before the official opening day.[22]

Dedication

To all who come to this happy place, welcome. Shanghai Disneyland is your land. Here you leave today and discover imaginative worlds of fantasy, romance and adventure that ignite the magical dreams within us all. Shanghai Disneyland is authentically Disney and distinctly Chinese. It was created for everyone, bringing to life timeless characters and stories in a magical place that will be a source of joy, inspiration, and memories for generations to come.

— Robert A. Iger, June 16, 2016

Layout

Upon the company's promise that the Shanghai resort would be "authentically Disney and distinctly Chinese," Chinese architects and designers and teams of researchers were hired to find ways to incorporate Chinese cultural elements.[23] Many usual Disney park features have been redesigned or are absent from Shanghai Disneyland Park to cater for Chinese visitors' penchants. The park does not feature a steam railroad surrounding the park's perimeter and has no earthen berm to obscure the outside world from guest view. As a replacement for a central-spoked/hub, the center of the park features a 4.5-hectare (11-acre) collection of Chinese zodiac gardens called the Gardens of Imagination.[24] Main Street U.S.A. has given way to Mickey Avenue, which introduces Chinese visitors to Disney characters.[23] Conventional-themed lands such as Adventureland are reimagined into Adventure Isle, and other lands, such as Frontierland, are omitted entirely.[25] Several staple attractions, such as Space Mountain, Jungle Cruise, and It's a Small World, are excluded as Disney wanted to avoid criticism of cultural imperialism.[26] Restaurants seating has been revised upwards after studies found that Chinese guests take longer over meals, and extensive picnic areas are better adapted to extended families with grandparents. Also, there is more live entertainment as many Chinese patrons prefer that to thrill rides.[23]

Mickey Avenue

The entrance to the park, which leads onto Mickey Avenue.

Mickey Avenue, the entrance of the park, is the park's equivalent to Main Street, U.S.A.. The area is inspired by the personalities of Disney cartoon characters such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, and Chip 'n' Dale as well as Disney films, including Ratatouille, The Three Caballeros, and Lady and the Tramp.[27] Avenue M Arcade, the largest gift shop in the park,[28] is modeled after the Carthay Circle Theater.[29] The Storytellers statue, which depicts a young Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse, is at the end of Mickey Avenue and in front of the Gardens of Imagination.

Gardens of Imagination

The hub of the park, this land features seven 4.5-hectare (11-acre) Chinese gardens with each of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac represented by Disney characters.[29][30] Attractions include Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Fantasia Carousel, and Marvel Super Heroes at Marvel Universe, a meet-and-greet pavilion featuring Marvel characters. Entertainment includes castle stage shows as well as the nightly Ignite the Dream, A Nighttime Spectacular of Magic and Light.[28][31] Mickey’s Storybook Express, a parade with a musical soundtrack and colorful performers on the longest parade route in a Disney park.

Fantasyland

Fantasyland is the park's largest land themed to Disney animated films. The land features the 197 ft (60 m) Enchanted Storybook Castle, themed to Disney princesses.[27][32] The castle is the largest in any Disney theme park and features the Royal Banquet Hall restaurant, a boutique,[29] and Voyage to the Crystal Grotto: a boat ride around and under the castle that takes guests past scenes from films including Tangled, Aladdin, Mulan, Fantasia, The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast.[29] Attractions include Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Peter Pan's Flight, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, and For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration. The area features unique attractions such as the Alice in Wonderland Maze, a walk-through hedge maze inspired by the 1951 and 2010 versions film adaptations, and the Hunny Pot Spin, a spinning Teacups-style ride themed to The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.[29]

Treasure Cove

Treasure Cove, featuring Shipwreck Shore and one of the Explorer Canoes.

Treasure Cove is themed to an 18th-century Spanish harbor town located on a Caribbean island that has been captured by Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean.[29][33][33] The land's marquee attraction is Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure, a dark ride based on the films.[33] Guests, riding in magnetically propelled boats, travel past audio-animatronic and projected depictions of Jack Sparrow and Davy Jones as the two battle against each other in attempt to seize the cove's sunken riches.[29]

The land also is home to Eye of the Storm: Captain Jack’s Stunt Spectacular, a stunt show inspired by the films and Siren's Revenge, a shipwreck-themed three-story interactive play area set aboard a wrecked French galleon.[27][29] The land also has Explorer Canoes, a canoe ride in Treasure Cove.

Adventure Isle

Adventure Isle is the park's counterpart to Adventureland. Focused around a mysterious lost world full of hidden treasures, the land features Roaring Rapids, a river rapids ride through the land's towering Roaring Mountain and Soaring Over the Horizon, a hang gliding flight experience across the world. Additionally, the land features Tarzan: Call of the Jungle, a live acrobatic stage show, and Camp Discovery.

Tomorrowland

The entrance to Tomorrowland, with Jet Packs and Tron Lightcycle Power Run visible in the background.

Tomorrowland is the park's futuristic-themed land. Unlike the other Tomorrowlands, this version does not have Space Mountain and instead is home to TRON Lightcycle Power Run, an indoor Tron-themed roller coaster. Similarly, instead of an Astro Orbiter attraction, Shanghai's park includes a spinning Jet Packs ride. Other attractions include Star Wars Launch Bay, Stitch Encounter, and Buzz Lightyear Planet Rescue, a differentiated version of previous Buzz Lightyear dark rides.[34]

Toy Story Land

This Toy Story franchise-themed land, the park's first expansion,[35] opened on April 26, 2018.[36][37] The original plans for Shanghai Disneyland called for a Toy Story area with three rides, two restaurants, a show, and a gift shop.[38] The Celebration Café, a restaurant that opened on opening day, was meant to be in Toy Story Land. Additionally, the nearby bathrooms are the same as the Toy Story Green Army Men attractions found at the other parks.[39]

Attendance

20162017Worldwide rank
5,600,000[5]11,000,000[40]8

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Brzeski, Patrick (June 8, 2016). "Shanghai Disney Resort Finally Opens After 5 Years of Construction and $5.5B Spent". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on June 9, 2016. Retrieved June 9, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 Smith, Thomas (January 12, 2016). "Opening Date Set for Shanghai Disney Resort, Disney's Newest World-Class Destination". DisneyParks Blog. Archived from the original on June 18, 2016. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Disneyland Shanghai to open 2016". The Independent. April 8, 2011. Archived from the original on November 19, 2014. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
  4. 1 2 "Disney and Partners Break Ground on Shanghai Disney Resort" (Press release). Shanghai Disneyland Press Room. April 8, 2011. Archived from the original on June 12, 2011. Retrieved May 26, 2011.
  5. 1 2 "TEA/AECOM 2016 Theme Index and Museum Index" (PDF). Themed Entertainment Association. 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 2, 2017. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Rapoza, Kenneth. "Shanghai Disney To Open 2015". Forbes. Archived from the original on April 19, 2016. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  7. ↑ "Disney signs agreement for Shanghai theme park". Reuters. November 5, 2010. Archived from the original on February 17, 2017.
  8. ↑ "Shanghai Disney Resort Website « About the Resort". Disney Parks. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
  9. ↑ "Construction Begins on Shanghai Disneyland Castle". Disney Parks Blog. Archived from the original on January 21, 2016.
  10. 1 2 "Shanghai Disneyland gets approval, land price up". Xinhua/China Daily. November 4, 2009.
  11. ↑ "Shanghai Disneyland Project gets State approval". Global Times. November 4, 2009. Archived from the original on April 13, 2010.
  12. ↑ "Shanghai Disney Resorts Hotel 2 – Schematic Design – DeSimone". www.de-simone.com. Retrieved 2015-12-16.
  13. ↑ Ben Fritz in Los Angeles and James T. Areddy in Shanghai (February 3, 2015). "Shanghai Disneyland Opening Pushed to First Half of 2016". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on January 12, 2017.
  14. ↑ Fritz, Ben; Areddy, James T. "Shanghai Disneyland Opening Pushed to First Half of 2016". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on April 2, 2016. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  15. ↑ "MiceAge Disneyland Update: Shanghai Surprise". MiceAge. Archived from the original on April 4, 2016. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  16. 1 2 Block, Alex Ben (February 2, 2015). "Disney's $5.5 Billion Shanghai Disneyland to Open In Spring 2016". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 16, 2016. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  17. ↑ Daniel, Ren (May 7, 2016). "Shanghai Disneyland trial run hit by lengthy queues". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on May 9, 2016. Retrieved May 7, 2016.
  18. ↑ Glover, Erin (June 14, 2016). "Tune in for 'Grand Opening Celebration of Shanghai Disney Resort' Television Special, June 16 and 17". Disney Parks. Archived from the original on June 17, 2016. Retrieved June 15, 2016.
  19. 1 2 3 Rachel Chang (February 3, 2016). "Disney Prices Shanghai Park Tickets Cheaper Than Hong Kong's". Bloomberg L.P. Archived from the original on September 5, 2016.
  20. 1 2 "Shanghai Disneyland will be the first Disney Park to adopt demand pricing". DisneyExaminer.
  21. ↑ "Inside Shanghai Disneyland: How Walt Disney's $5.5 Billion Theme Park Is Taking A Big Risk In China". June 16, 2016. Archived from the original on June 17, 2016.
  22. ↑ Chang, Rachel (March 27, 2016). "Opening Day Tickets Sold Out Online in Hours". Archived from the original on April 4, 2016. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  23. 1 2 3 "How Disney made sure Shanghai Disneyland doesn't put off Chinese visitors". Archived from the original on July 14, 2016.
  24. ↑ "Disney Gathers Local Friends for First Shanghai Disneyland Attraction". Variety. December 6, 2013. Archived from the original on February 20, 2015. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
  25. ↑ Frater, Patrick (June 14, 2016). "Shanghai Disney Opens With a Distinctly Chinese Focus Amid Stiff Competition". Variety. Archived from the original on June 16, 2016. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
  26. ↑ David Barboza; Brooks Barnes (June 14, 2016). "How China Won the Keys to Disney's Magic Kingdom". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 25, 2016. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  27. 1 2 3 "Additional details revealed about Shanghai Disneyland: Tangled restaurant, Jack Sparrow stunt show, Tim Burton: Alice in Wonderland maze". Inside the Magic. Archived from the original on August 26, 2015. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  28. 1 2 "Shanghai Disneyland Themed Lands to Include New Attractions, Live Shows". Disney Parks Blog. Archived from the original on August 18, 2015. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  29. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "D23 Expo: Disney Parks & Resorts Pavilion takes you to Shanghai". MiceChat. Archived from the original on August 21, 2015. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  30. ↑ "Shanghai Disney Resort Announces Alliance Agreement and Details of the 'Garden of the Twelve Friends'". The Walt Disney Company. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  31. ↑ "Shanghai Disneyland Unveiled: What To Expect from the New Resort". Disney Blogs. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  32. ↑ Barnes, Brooks (June 16, 2016). "Shanghai Disneyland Opens Amid Rain and Pageantry". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 20, 2016. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  33. 1 2 3 "'Pirates of the Caribbean' Themed Land to Open at Shanghai Disneyland". Variety. March 18, 2014. Archived from the original on October 30, 2014. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
  34. ↑ "上海迪士尼度假区" [Shanghai Disney Resort] (in Chinese). Archived from the original on October 11, 2015.
  35. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on November 11, 2016. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
  36. ↑ Frater, Patrick (April 26, 2018). "Disney Opens Toy Story Land at Shanghai Theme Park". Variety.
  37. ↑ Bevil, Dewayne (April 26, 2018). "Toy Story Land debuts in Shanghai Disneyland". Orlando Sentinel.
  38. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on November 11, 2016. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
  39. ↑ "Toy Story Land Headed to Shanghai Disneyland? Photographic Proof - Theme Park University". May 26, 2016. Archived from the original on November 11, 2016.
  40. ↑ "TEA/AECOM 2017 Theme Index and Museum Index" (PDF). Themed Entertainment Association. 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 17, 2018. Retrieved May 17, 2018.

Coordinates: 31°08′38″N 121°39′25″E / 31.1440°N 121.6570°E / 31.1440; 121.6570

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.