China approves plans for a new Disney theme park
Featured, Jason Garcia, News — By Jason Garcia on November 3, 2009 at 9:17 pm
Villagers watch the TV journalists doing news broadcasting on an empty field which plans for a Disney theme park at the eastern Pudong district of Shanghai, China. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
The Walt Disney Co. announced Tuesday evening that it has received approval from the central government of China to move forward with plans for a new theme park in Shanghai.
The approval brings Disney closer toward its longstanding goal of building a new resort on mainland China. The world’s most populous country is a huge potential growth market for Disney, both for its theme parks and its broader entertainment offerings.
“China is one of the most dynamic, exciting and important countries in the world, and this approval marks a very significant milestone for the Walt Disney Co. in mainland China,” Disney President and Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger said in a prepared statement.
Disney says the approval clears the way for it and the Shanghai government to finalize an agreement to build and operate a new theme park, which would be the company’s sixth, including another Chinese theme park in Hong Kong. The first phase of Shanghai Disneyland, which would reportedly cost $3.6 billion to build, would include a Magic Kingdom-style park “with characteristics tailored to the Shanghai region.” It would also have hotels and a shopping district and could be expanded if the initial park is a success.
Disney would reportedly hold a 43 percent stake in the resort. The Shanghai government would own 57 percent.
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23 Comments
I think that would be great to have a China based park at Disney and I love chinese food.
Very cool news. As an American, I can’t wait to visit. This should be a great mutual cooperation between two countries. It’s going to be fabulous… Being a Disney fan, I’m all excited.
Unfortunately, this park will only be visited by a small percentage of Americans. Traveling to China is expensive and is also not easy to obtain Visas and other travel docs that will be needed to visit. I feel it is a waste of time. The next thing you know, Disney will build a park in India and one in Africa. Makes absolutely no sense.
China is not expensive to visit. a flight costs about $1000. good Hotels can be found for well under $100 a night and food is much cheaper than the Us. Plus the people are really nice. Visaa are not that hard to get and besides a passport no other travel docs are needed. I have been their 9 times for work and enjoy Shanghai a lot.
I would never entertain a visit to Disney in China, let alone a visit to China, itself, even though my son and his family live and work there. Never been, won’t go. Let them visit the USA! Our country is fortunate to have two Disney theme parks.
It is so sad that there are so many people that think this way. There is more to the world than the USA. China is a beautiful country and the people I met there were very friendly. I hope the new Disney park is very succesful. I know I will be booking a return visit to China to see it. I find it hard to believe that your son and family live there and you refuse to visit. Very sad.
I lovwe Shanghai also. I want to visit as many countrys as possible before I die.
Agreed. Sad comment.
If you don’t want to travel outside of the good ole’ USA, then donate travel money to an organization that helps people who want to travel for educational purposes do such a thing. I would love to travel abroad and learn what this world has to offer.
I wonder if the Micky Mouse character is going to have chinese eyes.
Will all the merchandise sold in the park be made in the United States?
Oh, Bill D., bless you and your hysterical mid-90s Tripod website. You’re so funny. This is not about a China-based themepark at Disney in Orlando. It’s about a brand-new Disney themepark IN China.
And John Doe, what exactly does NOT make sense about Disney building in India or Africa? While I’m sure Disney would be thrilled for Americans to travel to China to go to their park, or for the few Americans living in China to go visit the park in Shanghai, you DO realize that their primary target customers are Chinese people IN China, don’t you?
Spending LOTS of money to build in China ……..but laid off so many here.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm just saying
“L. Scott and Sam”–do you really think that I would pour the rest of my story into your narrow minds. Comment about yourselves and not others. Yes, it IS a very sad story which I would never consider sharing with either one of you. Have a nice day, and oh, enjoy your trip, Scott.
Obviously you do not know me so I will let you know that I am an incredibly open minded person and would probably even sympathize with your story if you had shared it. Your comment came off, however, as a typical closed minded comment that many Americans sadly share: that the USA is the only place in the world worth visiting, which just is so far from the truth it is pathetic. Also, while I do not know your relationship with your son, it sounded as if you have shut him out of your life for moving to China. Life is way too short and family is way too important for petty differences. I apologize if I have offended you, but your comment was such that it seemed very sad to me.
HA! I knew about this 3 months ago.
With a one-day one-park pass costing $80 here in the States and 40 British pounds = $66, HOW IN THE WORLD are they going to get Chinese people to come? The average Chinese person does not have anywhere near the “disposable income” that we do here.
SORRY, LEFT OUT A FEW SALIENT WORDS: With a one-day one-park pass costing $80 here in the States and a Disneyland Paris one-day one-park past costing 40 British pounds = $66, HOW IN THE WORLD are they going to get Chinese people to come? The average Chinese person does not have anywhere near the “disposable income” that we do here.
I have visited China, Shanghai specifically and even the Pudong area, but this seems crazy to me. Sad that the march of westernization of indigenous world cultures is led by Disney, such that Disneyland Paris now receives more visitors than the Eiffel Tower or the Musee Pompidou.
Cool! The usual anti-Disney crowd is now merging with the anti-American crowd. That’s a development I hadn’t expected, but on second thought, it does make sense to criticize the, ahem, “westernization of indigenous world cultures” in a general sense the same way people criticize Disney for its greed in a more local sense. (And thus people like Jane Doe think there’s some contradiction between laying off a tiny number of employees in some locations while building another.). How very narrow-minded to imply that “cultures” should remain in some sort of stasis and that nations and peoples should steadfastly resist any business and interaction with foreign entities or forces. Funny how foreign entities doing business in America are never accused of, say, the “Easternization of America” or the “Europization of America”. Americans get accused (as always…) of betraying their country by buying foreign goods, but those nations never get accused of taking over OUR indigenous culture. But I du
suppose that’s just a reflection of the spreading belief that America is the lone source of evil in the world, while every other nation and culture in the world except ours is pure, original, noble, innocent, and authentic.
LOOKS LIKE THE MOUSE IS TURNING INTO A RAT ? VARY SAD
Sound great.
I am planning on taking a trip this december, but im not sure where yet.
Anny suggestions?
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