Disney opens ‘distinctly Chinese’ Shanghai park

Chinese are not cutting back on tourism despite the weak economy, said Shaun Rein, managing director of China Market Research in Shanghai.

“I just can’t wait to see how they combine Disney with traditional Chinese elements”, Wen said. “It’s going to be a huge success”.

Some analysts predict that Shanghai’s Disneyland will attract between 15 and 50 million guests a year, which would make it the world’s most-visited theme park.

“When we open, we will continue the construction to expand what is on the opening-day menu and we are already discussing what to do next year”, he told media assembled at the jungle-themed Adventure Isle attraction at Shanghai Disneyland.

Disney doesn’t normally give figures for park attendance, but Iger said 1 million had visited the resort during a six-week trial period earlier this year.

Located in Pudong district, the 3.9 sq.km resort is the first Disney destination on the Chinese mainland and the sixth globally, Xinhua news agency reported.

The entrance of the park is called “Mickey Avenue” instead of “Main Street USA”.

The resort’s “Garden of the Twelve Friends” mixes characters like Remy the rat from “Ratatouille” and Tigger from “Winnie the Pooh” as animals of the Chinese Zodiac. But Iger said he hopes the park will create stronger bonds with Chinese consumers, helping to revive its struggling global theme parks business.

Iger yesterday said the Shanghai Disney project needs to show “great respect” for the Chinese people and culture, calling Disney an “invited guest” of the Chinese government. Ltd., which owns 57 percent of the 7.5-square-kilometer (2.9-square-mile) park, will get the lion’s share.

Hopes are high for the Shanghai park, Disney’s sixth one worldwide, as the company’s global parks in Paris, Hong Kong and Tokyo have been struggling to attract visitors in recent years.

China is a challenging environment in other ways, with official controls on business activities and on taking profits out of the country.

Disney’s DisneyLife direct-to-consumer online movie and book offering was closed in April, five months after opening, amid a Chinese regulatory review.

And so reports that DIS is developing plans for further investment in Disney Shanghai is a good omen for Disney stock.

One big risk is that the park will prove so popular potential visitors may be put off by the crowds.

Among the first group of visitors, Shanghai resident Wan Wenqiang visited the theme park with her mother and seven-year-old son.