Disney Theme Park approved in Shanghai

[queenie82]

Even within China there are such broad ranges of cultures and differences in income levels and outlook.

Indeed
People from Shanghai don't really like Beijing and vice versa. This is partly a cultural and partly and economic thing.
People from Shanghai are generally more "sophisticated" and their Architecture more diverse with more modern high rise by world renowned architects.

I hope the time spent on negotiations and so on means that there is a well thought out park that really meets the desires of the Chinese.
The history of DisneySea is actually quite fascinating because it was originally planned to be built in the US. But they have really made it work for the Japanese market.

 

[*BTMRR*]

It's going to be interesting to see how this all plays out. I hope to visit someday.

In the meantime, I'm trying to figure out why this thread was moved to the Hong Kong Disneyland page. Like previous posters have said, Shanghai is very, very far away from Hong Kong in many ways.
Perhaps we need a page for "Shanghai Disney in Development."

 

[ChrisFL]

It's going to be interesting to see how this all plays out. I hope to visit someday.

In the meantime, I'm trying to figure out why this thread was moved to the Hong Kong Disneyland page. Like previous posters have said, Shanghai is very, very far away from Hong Kong in many ways.
Perhaps we need a page for "Shanghai Disney in Development."

I agree

 

[ChrisFL]

Well said.
Reading the first bunch of posts I was thinking...huh

Shanghai and Hong Kong are different in SO many ways. Culturally it is significantly different. Yes it is all China NOW...but 90? years of British rule in HK made it a very different place.
I have a friend from Mainland China and her mother will NOT go to Hong Kong. So to think that Shanghai and surrounds would just go there is very incorrect.
And as to Tokyo. No...MOST Chinese won't travel to the Tokyo park. Proximity does not determine where you go.

A co worker from Shanghai also has MOST of his family back in Shanghai and so we have learned quite a bit about it there and a significant factor is that they only get VERY few days off from work so if they can get to a Disney park close by they will go there...and I suspect it will be very well attended.

It is correct that most of Tokyo's visitors are the Japanese (I saw maybe 1 or 2 western families over the 5 days). But they are starting to try and attract more and more westerners. NEVER have they advertised directly to the Australian tourist until this year.
The Tokyo Disneyland Hotel also finally has rooms that cater for more than 2...as in FAMILIES. There is a range of room types.

As to Paris...the studios are fantastic now

Thanks for the insight...the only Disney parks I haven't seen are the Paris ones, so I definitely want to see them, but I know the Studios park was nothing special when it first opened, I'm glad I am hearing good things about it now

 

[thelittlemermaid83]

HOPEFULLY they've learned finally from the disasters of DCA, HKDL and Disney Studios Paris

Walt Disney Studios in Paris is a fab park with lots of potential. Might of been bland when it first opened but its gradually improving year by year. I don't think it's a disaster as you claim it is.

 

[caribbean12cruises]

wow. happy to hear that the number of Disney Land theme parks in Asia is growing.

 

[Dina Monster]

I agree with the comment about the attendance at TDR being mostly Japanese. I have been to TDR and TDS 5 times since I lived there for 6 years. Out of all those times I went there I might be able to count on my fingers and two the amount of times I didn't hear Japanese language and I speak decent Japanese so I'd know if someone wasn't speaking it. I actually bumper into more Australians then any other kind of westerner there. Which was shocking, I think they were just as shocked to bump into us as we were to them.

As for HKDL and the Shanghai do you know how far away HK is from the rest of China? I mean I know for a fact traveling outside of America is more expensive than anywhere else. Just to fly to Hong Kong from Japan was going to cost me $1200. So to ask people that don't really make that much money to begin with to go all the way to Hong Kong where they don't even speak the same dialect is kind of crazy. I mean I live in AZ so which park do you think I visit the most? The 8 hour drive to DL or the 4 hour $800 plane ride to WDW? Seriously, I think some of the comment here were a little off color. I'm sure the park in Shanghai will be successful as long as Disney is will to adapt to the ways of the people it will be bringing into the parks. It won't be aimed at westerners and I think that is something Disney really needs to think about, when it begins opening up there.

It's a fact of life a whole group of people are not going to change for you just because you expect them to adapt your culture. I got used to it living in Japan and Disney will get used to it when it begins to hit the ground in Shanghai. HKDL will do better when it opens more lands I agree with that comment as well.