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Shanghai Disneyland

Coordinates: 31°08′38″N 121°39′25″E / 31.1440°N 121.6570°E / 31.1440; 121.6570
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Shanghai Disneyland Park
The Enchanted Storybook Castle in April 2016
LocationShanghai Disney Resort, Pudong, Shanghai, China
Coordinates31°08′38″N 121°39′25″E / 31.1440°N 121.6570°E / 31.1440; 121.6570
OpenedJune 16, 2016; 8 years ago (June 16, 2016)[1]
OwnerThe Walt Disney Company (43%)[2]
Shanghai Shendi Group (57%)[2]
Operated byWalt Disney Parks and Resorts[2]
Shanghai Shendi Group[2]
ThemeFairy tales and Disney characters
WebsiteShanghai 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 and Resorts and Shanghai Shendi Group, through a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and Shendi.[2] Construction began on April 8, 2011.[3][4] The park opened on June 16, 2016.[1]

History

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

Opening and construction cost

A satellite view of the resort in 2015.

On March 8, 2013, the company announced that the park would open in late 2015.[5] On February 2, 2015, the opening date was pushed back to early 2016.[9] On January 12, 2016, the park's opening date was announced as June 16, 2016.[1] According to some reports, this was due to construction delays and quality control problems. The final opening date is 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).[5] This rose to around USD $5.5 billion before delays,[10] which was due in part to additions to the number of attractions open to the public on opening day, which added USD $800 million to the cost.[11][12] The added cost doesn't take into account lost revenue from the lost admissions fees.

In addition to the attractions and two hotels, the company is building a high-speed rail system to get visitors to and from the site.[12]

Disney owns 43% of the property while the state-controlled Shanghai Shendi Group owns the remaining 57%.[5]

On May 7, 2016, Shanghai Disneyland Park had started soft openings.[13]

Disney aired the live broadcast of the grand opening show on their 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.[14]

Ticket pricing

Tickets for the park went on sale on March 28, 2016, with a two-tiered pricing scheme.[15] On most days, one 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 one-day adult ticket).[15] During busier periods, including the first two weeks of the park's operation, adult one day tickets will cost CN¥ 499,[15] while child and elderly tickets will cost CN¥ 375.[16] The park will be the first Disney park to feature tiered pricing.[16]

According to the International Business Times (IBT), the US dollar equivalent of park ticket pricing will cost about $75 for adults and $60 for children on holidays and weekends, and around $60 for adults and $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."[17]

Opening day tickets sold out in a few hours after going on sale at midnight, March 28. However, more tickets were put on sale several days before the official opening day.[18]

Lands

Unlike other Disneyland-style parks around the world, several traditional themed-lands, attractions, and park features are redesigned or absent from Shanghai Disneyland Park. The park does not feature a steam train railroad surrounding the park's perimeter nor does it have an earthen berm to obscure the outside world from guest view. As a replacement for a central spoked-hub, the center of the park features an 11-acre collection of gardens called the Gardens of Imagination.[19] Conventional-themed lands such as Adventureland and Main Street U.S.A. are reinspired into Adventure Isle and Mickey Avenue, whereas other lands, such as Frontierland, are omitted entirely.[20] The Enchanted Storybook Castle, the largest and tallest Disney castle ever designed, features an underground boat ride.[21]

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 classic 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.[22] Avenue M Arcade, the largest gift shop in the park,[23] is modeled after the Carthay Circle Theater.[24] The Storytellers statue, which depicts a young Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse, is located 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 11 acres (4.5 ha) Chinese gardens with each of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac represented by Disney characters.[24][25] 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.[23][26] Mickey’s Storybook Express, a parade with a musical soundtrack and colorful performers on the longest parade route in a Disney park.

Fantasyland

Main article: Fantasyland

Fantasyland is the park's largest land themed to classic Disney animated films. The land features the "Enchanted Storybook Castle", themed to Disney princesses.[22] The castle is the largest in any Disney theme park, and features a the Royal Banquet Hall restaurant, a boutique,[24] and Voyage to the Crystal Grotto —a boat ride, located beneath the castle, that takes guests past scenes from films including Tangled, Aladdin, Mulan, Fantasia, The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast.[24] 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-thru 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.[24]

Treasure Cove

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.[24][27][27] The land's marquee attraction is Pirates of the Caribbean – Battle for the Sunken Treasure, a water-based dark ride based on the Pirates of the Caribbean films.[27] 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.[24]

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 3-story interactive play area set aboard a wrecked French galleon.[22][24] 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

Main article: Tomorrowland

Tomorrowland is the park's futuristic-themed land. Unlike other Tomorrowlands, this version does not feature a traditional Space Mountain, and instead is home to TRON Lightcycle Power Run, an indoor Tron-themed roller coaster. Similarly, instead of a classic spinning rockets 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.[28]

Major complaints and controversies

Ticket issues

According to news reports from Zhejiang Television, during the first few days of the operation, some visitors who hold the tickets sold from third-party partner websites couldn't receive their entry, because their tickets were not recognised by the turnstiles at the front gate. Therefore, they were forced to queue for two more hours at the Service Centre in order to exchange for the physical tickets, or purchase them. [29]

Pricing

During the period of trial operation, many visitors complained about the high costs and prices of Shanghai Disneyland. According to estimates by some news reporters, if a family of three (two adults accompanied with a child) from Beijing decided to visit Disneyland, it would cost the family roughly RMB 5,300 (approx. US$806, €711, HK$6,256 or £550) for spending one day in it (including all the fares and round-trip railway tickets between Beijing and Shanghai), RMB 8,500 (US$1,292, €1,140, HK$10,033 or £882) for a two-day travel to it.

In addition, the prices for services and the food in the restaurants and food stands are "extremely expensive", according to complaints on major websites and WeChat. Even worse, the park cannot provide invoices, and visitors have no official ways to complain. [30]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Smith, Thomas (January 12, 2016). "Opening Date Set for Shanghai Disney Resort, Disney's Newest World-Class Destination". DisneyParks Blog. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d e Brzeski, Patrick (June 8, 2016). "Shanghai Disney Resort Finally Opens After 5 Years of Construction and $5.5B Spent". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 9, 2016.
  3. ^ "Disneyland Shanghai to open 2016". The Independent. independent.co.uk. April 8, 2011. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
  4. ^ "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. {{cite press release}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ a b c d Rapoza, Kenneth. "Shanghai Disney To Open 2015". Forbes.com. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  6. ^ Reuters Editorial (November 5, 2010). "Disney signs agreement for Shanghai theme park". Reuters. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  7. ^ "Shanghai Disney Resort Website « About the Resort". Disney Parks. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
  8. ^ "Construction Begins on Shanghai Disneyland Castle". Disney Parks Blog.
  9. ^ Ben Fritz in Los Angeles and James T. Areddy in Shanghai (February 3, 2015). "Shanghai Disneyland Opening Pushed to First Half of 2016". WSJ.
  10. ^ Fritz, Ben; Areddy, James T. "Shanghai Disneyland Opening Pushed to First Half of 2016". wsj.com. Dow Jones Company. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  11. ^ "MiceAge Disneyland Update: Shanghai Surprise". MiceAge. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  12. ^ a b Block, Alex Ben (February 2, 2015). "Disney's $5.5 Billion Shanghai Disneyland to Open In Spring 2016". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  13. ^ Daniel, Ren (May 7, 2016). "Shanghai Disneyland trial run hit by lengthy queues". South China Morning Post. Retrieved May 7, 2016.
  14. ^ Glover, Erin (June 14, 2016). "Tune in for 'Grand Opening Celebration of Shanghai Disney Resort' Television Special, June 16 and 17". Disney Parks. Retrieved June 15, 2016.
  15. ^ a b c Rachel Chang (February 3, 2016). "Disney Prices Shanghai Park Tickets Cheaper Than Hong Kong's". Bloomberg.com.
  16. ^ a b "Shanghai Disneyland will be the first Disney Park to adopt demand pricing". DisneyExaminer.
  17. ^ http://www.ibtimes.com/inside-shanghai-disneyland-how-walt-disneys-55-billion-theme-park-taking-big-risk-2382418
  18. ^ Chang, Rachel (March 27, 2016). "Opening Day Tickets Sold Out Online in Hours". Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  19. ^ "Disney Gathers Local Friends for First Shanghai Disneyland Attraction". Variety. December 6, 2013. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
  20. ^ Frater, Patrick (June 14, 2016). "Shanghai Disney Opens With a Distinctly Chinese Focus Amid Stiff Competition". Variety. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
  21. ^ "Shanghai Disneyland". Shanghai Disney Resort. Disney. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
  22. ^ a b c "Additional details revealed about Shanghai Disneyland: Tangled restaurant, Jack Sparrow stunt show, Tim Burton: Alice in Wonderland maze". Inside the Magic. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  23. ^ a b "Shanghai Disneyland Themed Lands to Include New Attractions, Live Shows". Disney Parks Blog. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  24. ^ a b c d e f g h "D23 Expo: Disney Parks & Resorts Pavilion takes you to Shanghai". MiceChat. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  25. ^ "Shanghai Disney Resort Announces Alliance Agreement and Details of the 'Garden of the Twelve Friends'". The Walt Disney Company. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  26. ^ "Shanghai Disneyland Unveiled: What To Expect from the New Resort". Disney Blogs. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  27. ^ a b c "'Pirates of the Caribbean' Themed Land to Open at Shanghai Disneyland". Variety. March 18, 2014. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
  28. ^ "上海迪士尼度假区" [Shanghai Disney Resort] (in Chinese).
  29. ^ "上海迪士尼正式开园 想进园区不容易" (in Chinese). Zhejiang Television. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  30. ^ "上海：物价贵服务差管理混乱 上海迪士尼遭游客集体"吐槽"" (in Chinese). Anhui Television. Retrieved June 21, 2016.

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

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