Apparently, an important announcement about Shanghaî Disneyland will happen on April 8th! This time, my friends, it seems to be the right one, the big final official announcement we're all waiting for! More details below from the very serious New York Times:
Disney Said to Have Cleared Hurdle for Shanghai Park
It appears that the Walt Disney Company has cleared the final hurdle in its decades-long bid to build a theme park on the Chinese mainland.
Invitations were sent late Friday to reporters for “a special event” to be held at a hotel in Shanghai on April 8. The invitation, sent jointly by Disney and a development company called the Shanghai Shendi Group, does not say more than that. A Disney spokeswoman declined to give more information.
A consultant working on the project said the company and Chinese officials would formally announce the beginning of construction on Shanghai Disneyland, which is expected to cost $3.7 billion to build and expected to open by 2016.
Disney wants to make Shanghai Disneyland into a megaresort on a par with Walt Disney World in Florida. But the initial phase will be more modest: a “Magic Kingdom-style” park with a castle surrounded by themed areas, like Tomorrow Land, two hotels, a shopping district and a lake.
The park will include replicas of well-known Disney rides, including Space Mountain and It’s a Small World, along with and new attractions based on Chinese history.
“It will be the Disney that people know but with a very strong Chinese cultural presence,” “said the consultant, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid conflict with Disney."
Text: copyright Brook Barnes
|
|
|
|
|
|---|
Showing posts with label Shanghai Disneyland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shanghai Disneyland. Show all posts
Friday, April 1, 2011
Sunday, March 13, 2011
A closer look to the Shanghaî Disneyland Resort map
Last week you discovered the first map of Shanghaî Disneyland Resort. The first version of the map was in black and white but since then i've found it in color as you can see above. And the colors reveal something extremely interesting.
If you remind what was written in the text of last week article you probably remember this quote: "Water will be a prominent feature of the amusement park. A river, about 10 kilometers long and 60 meters wide, is being created around the park area...". Now that we see the map in color you can see clearly on it this "60 meters wide river", in light blue on the plan, making a square all around SDL resort. It looks unusual, and it's true that this "river" going all around the resort is a premiere for a Disney Resort.
When i first saw this it reminded me something and i had the feeling that it was more than simply a river going all around the resort. However, technically, practically, that's what it is, a kind of water barrier which both indicates the limits of the resort and also prevents too easy intrusions inside Shanghaî Disneyland Resort. But we are in China, a country where symbolism always had a lot of importance, so i knew this square of water was meaning something else.
First, you must remember the importance of wall/barrier for Chineses. All along the centuries Chinese Empire took great care to protect the country by building walls and the most famous wall is of course the Great Wall of China, which was built to protect the Empire from invasions but also, almost by definition, to mark the limits of the Empire. And a nation which is able to build a 6700 km long huge wall definitely attach some importance and a symbolic value to it.
For instance, in the Mah Jong - China's most famous game - the players begin the game by building a square of four walls which symbolize...the Great Wall of China - and also the walls around the Forbidden City where was living the Emperor. Since centuries each time that millions on chineses were playing Mah Jong they've repeated symbolically the Great Wall of China. As you will see soon this have some importance.
And, talking about Beijing famous Forbidden "Imperial" City, have a closer look at the picture below. As you will see the Forbidden City was not only protected by a wall but also by...moats filled with water, all around the Imperial City!
Now, look back to the SDL plan and its water "river". That's right, it's making a square all around the resort just like the moats around the Forbidden City. Interesting also to note that, just like the Forbidden City, SDLR has also a "right in the middle" south entrance. But when you'll know that in chinese energetic science the water element is linked to dream time and also to early years of childhood - the famous "Peter Pan" years - you'll understand the symbolic thrust of this "square of water". By creating this "river" going all around the resort - a subconscious reminiscence of the moats filled with water around the Imperial City - the Imagineers signify to Shanghaî Disneyland future visitors that the ones who will come will enter a kingdom - in this case a MAGIC KINGDOM - where DREAMS come true.
Frankly, i don't know who at WDI had this idea but it's pure genius. You can believe me, the chineses will get instantly the symbolism, it will "talk" to their subconscious. And this time the water won't be a barrier around a Forbidden City where no one is allowed to enter. This time, everyone will be invited to come, to enter and enjoy the "Kingdom"!
Pure genius idea, really.
Edited 3/17: According to one of Screamscape sources: "The moat seen surrounding the Shanghai Disney resort area on the above map image will very likely not be built. According to this source, that map image is old and the man-made perimeter river has long since been cut from the plan". If that's true, that's too bad as it was a good idea.
Always about Asia: Don't miss today's article about Tokyo Disneyland and to what could happen if the Fukushima nuclear plant problems goes totally out of control. It's HERE.
Picture: copyright Disney
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Official Shanghaî Disneyland Plan Unveiled
An official map of Shanghaî Disneyland resort was made public yesterday and you can see it above. Four hotels are indicated on the plan, and one of them is so close to the theme park that it may be another hotel with "view on the park" like the Miracosta at TDS or the Disneyland Hotel at DLP. Also, no need to be a genius to understand that SDL second gate will be build in the future where the white space is, on the right of the first park.
I think we are close to the big final announcement during which the whole project should be unveiled! In the meantime you can read below what Shanghaî Daily reports about this SDL plan:
"The planned area covers 7 square kilometers, with the location of the theme park, hotels and parking areas clearly marked.
Two Metro lines, Line 2 and Line 11, will converge at the area. Line 11 is included in the project's first phase while the Line 2 stretch will be introduced later. They will share a station inside the area, according to the plan.
The 24.5 billion yuan (US$3.73 billion) phase 1 will cover 3.9 square kilometers, while the rest is listed as reserved land for future development.
Four plots in the phase one project are marked as hotel compounds, but the plan doesn't specify how many hotels it will contain. Two hotel compounds will be built by the southern side of the inner lake.
The amusement facilities and the inner lake are separated by support facilities including a parking lot, a hotel and recreational facilities.
Water will be a prominent feature of the amusement park. A river, about 10 kilometers long and 60 meters wide, is being created around the park area and a 0.39-square-kilometer lake will be inside.
The theme park is close to the Zhangjiang High-Tech Park, Kangqiao Industry Zone and the International Medical Zone, according to the blueprint.
The park will have two main entrance boulevards - Xiupu Road will lead to the western entrance and Liufeng Road to the southern entrance.
The theme park, in the southeast of Shanghai, is about 21 kilometers from People's Square, 18km from Lujiazui, 12km from Pudong International Airport and 30km from the Hongqiao transport hub."
Text: copyright Shanghaî Daily
Thursday, January 27, 2011
China's first Disney Store to open in 2012 - Plus Last News from Shanghaî Disneyland
Here is my (almost) weekly article about Shanghaî Disneyland last news. But first, another interesting news as Disney just announced they will open their first Disney Store in China in 2012. It's obviously part of Disney's strategy not only to sell Disney's merchandise to Chineses but also to introduce to them little by little the Disney characters which will be important for the opening of Shanghaî Disneyland, as they are less known in China than in occidental countries - except the characters from the latest Disney-Pixar animated features:javascript:void(0)
"Walt Disney Company said Thursday it planned to open its first store in mainland China by the middle of next year as it moves to further expand its presence in the fast-growing market.
The US entertainment giant said its strategy would be to secure locations in upscale shopping centres and department stores, where it will open Disney Stores similar to those in Europe and North America.
"The kids? branded retail market in China is growing and we are uniquely positioned to provide a family shopping environment," Stanley Cheung, Disney's Greater China executive vice president and managing director, said in a statement.
"Our Disney Stores aim to deliver the best 30 minutes of a child's day," he added.
The company did not say how many stores it aimed to open in China.
Outside China, Disney said it was on track to add more than 25 new and remodelled stores this year and ultimately planned to refresh its more than 350 locations worldwide."
About Shanghaî, now: "Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng said in his annual report earlier this month that the city would push to start work this year on a Disney Park that is reportedly scheduled to open in 2014.
However, Disney has said although its discussions with the Shanghai government were advancing, China's central government has yet to approve the joint venture companies and regulatory requirements for the project."
But, in another news called "Shanghai plans to avoid a 'Mickey Mouse' operation" we can read that the financial debate is not over yet and that political consultants wants "to try to lower the risk of building a money-losing park". Here is the full China Daily article:
"Political consultants to the Shanghai municipal government urged the city to get more deeply involved in its joint venture with Walt Disney Co before signing the final agreements on Shanghai Disneyland.
Tu Haiming, president and general manager of Shanghai Hodoor Real Estate Development Company and a member of Shanghai People's Political Consultative Conference, said the city should avoid a similar scenario to that which occurred at Hong Kong Disneyland, which took five years to turn a profit.
"We need to try to lower the risk of building a money-losing park and the solution lies in participating in more of Walt Disney's most profitable businesses such as the Disney Channel, the Disneyland Hotel and Disney's English teaching program in China," said Tu in a proposal to the city's political consultative body.
In the same proposal, Tu noted that Shanghai's upcoming Disneyland is 57 percent owned by Shanghai Shendi Group, a State-owned company specifically established for the project in August, and 43 percent owned by Walt Disney Co.
"The distribution ratio between US and Chinese investors (in the project) is exactly the same as it was with Hong Kong Disneyland," said Tu.
Hong Kong Disneyland, which opened in 2005, reported its first pre-tax profit on Tuesday, after more than five years of operation.
Its pre-tax profit for the 2010 fiscal year, which ended on Oct 2, was HK$221 million ($28.4 million), compared with a loss of HK$70 million in the previous fiscal year, the company said in a statement.
"The concept of cost-control should be built into the Shanghai project right from the initial stage," said Tu. "Shanghai Disneyland should be a good compromise between the needs of its Chinese customers and being pure American.
Chang Qing, another member of Shanghai People's Political Consultative Conference, said: "We don't need to import an American theme park to Shanghai - if Disney wants to stay here, it needs to be creative in terms of including Chinese culture".
Compared with Hong Kong's Disneyland, the Tokyo Disneyland model has instead proven to be a winner.
Oriental Land Company, Walt Disney Co's Japanese partner, has entered into a licensing agreement with the US-based company at a cost of $51 million a year.
Disney licensed its names and characters and acted as a consultant in the park's construction and operation. It is also involved in the associated hotels.
Qi Xiaozhai, director of Shanghai Commercial Economic Research Center, said Tu's proposal provides valuable insights.
Facilities for meetings, conferences and exhibitions in the nearby area will be promoted in Shanghai's southeast corner as the upcoming theme park finds its home in Pudong, said Qi.
Shanghai Disneyland, which will be finished in 2014, will be the US entertainment giant's third theme park in Asia after Tokyo and Hong Kong."
And one last news for the road: "Plans for Shanghai Disneyland could include a major media agreement between Walt Disney Co and the Shanghai government that could give the company unrivalled access to the market, documents obtained by Reuters show.
The joint venture agreement would give Disney a huge advantage over U.S. media rivals by allowing it to bypass foreign film import quotas and summer and holiday blackout periods, as well as television censorship, both imposed by the central government."
See you soon for more SDL news!
Text: copyright AFP and China Daily
"Walt Disney Company said Thursday it planned to open its first store in mainland China by the middle of next year as it moves to further expand its presence in the fast-growing market.
The US entertainment giant said its strategy would be to secure locations in upscale shopping centres and department stores, where it will open Disney Stores similar to those in Europe and North America.
"The kids? branded retail market in China is growing and we are uniquely positioned to provide a family shopping environment," Stanley Cheung, Disney's Greater China executive vice president and managing director, said in a statement.
"Our Disney Stores aim to deliver the best 30 minutes of a child's day," he added.
The company did not say how many stores it aimed to open in China.
Outside China, Disney said it was on track to add more than 25 new and remodelled stores this year and ultimately planned to refresh its more than 350 locations worldwide."
About Shanghaî, now: "Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng said in his annual report earlier this month that the city would push to start work this year on a Disney Park that is reportedly scheduled to open in 2014.
However, Disney has said although its discussions with the Shanghai government were advancing, China's central government has yet to approve the joint venture companies and regulatory requirements for the project."
But, in another news called "Shanghai plans to avoid a 'Mickey Mouse' operation" we can read that the financial debate is not over yet and that political consultants wants "to try to lower the risk of building a money-losing park". Here is the full China Daily article:
"Political consultants to the Shanghai municipal government urged the city to get more deeply involved in its joint venture with Walt Disney Co before signing the final agreements on Shanghai Disneyland.
Tu Haiming, president and general manager of Shanghai Hodoor Real Estate Development Company and a member of Shanghai People's Political Consultative Conference, said the city should avoid a similar scenario to that which occurred at Hong Kong Disneyland, which took five years to turn a profit.
"We need to try to lower the risk of building a money-losing park and the solution lies in participating in more of Walt Disney's most profitable businesses such as the Disney Channel, the Disneyland Hotel and Disney's English teaching program in China," said Tu in a proposal to the city's political consultative body.
In the same proposal, Tu noted that Shanghai's upcoming Disneyland is 57 percent owned by Shanghai Shendi Group, a State-owned company specifically established for the project in August, and 43 percent owned by Walt Disney Co.
"The distribution ratio between US and Chinese investors (in the project) is exactly the same as it was with Hong Kong Disneyland," said Tu.
Hong Kong Disneyland, which opened in 2005, reported its first pre-tax profit on Tuesday, after more than five years of operation.
Its pre-tax profit for the 2010 fiscal year, which ended on Oct 2, was HK$221 million ($28.4 million), compared with a loss of HK$70 million in the previous fiscal year, the company said in a statement.
"The concept of cost-control should be built into the Shanghai project right from the initial stage," said Tu. "Shanghai Disneyland should be a good compromise between the needs of its Chinese customers and being pure American.
Chang Qing, another member of Shanghai People's Political Consultative Conference, said: "We don't need to import an American theme park to Shanghai - if Disney wants to stay here, it needs to be creative in terms of including Chinese culture".
Compared with Hong Kong's Disneyland, the Tokyo Disneyland model has instead proven to be a winner.
Oriental Land Company, Walt Disney Co's Japanese partner, has entered into a licensing agreement with the US-based company at a cost of $51 million a year.
Disney licensed its names and characters and acted as a consultant in the park's construction and operation. It is also involved in the associated hotels.
Qi Xiaozhai, director of Shanghai Commercial Economic Research Center, said Tu's proposal provides valuable insights.
Facilities for meetings, conferences and exhibitions in the nearby area will be promoted in Shanghai's southeast corner as the upcoming theme park finds its home in Pudong, said Qi.
Shanghai Disneyland, which will be finished in 2014, will be the US entertainment giant's third theme park in Asia after Tokyo and Hong Kong."
And one last news for the road: "Plans for Shanghai Disneyland could include a major media agreement between Walt Disney Co and the Shanghai government that could give the company unrivalled access to the market, documents obtained by Reuters show.
The joint venture agreement would give Disney a huge advantage over U.S. media rivals by allowing it to bypass foreign film import quotas and summer and holiday blackout periods, as well as television censorship, both imposed by the central government."
See you soon for more SDL news!
Text: copyright AFP and China Daily
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Breaking News : Shanghai city officials disclosed that Shanghai Disneyland will include three theme parks
Major news about Shanghai Disneyland today, and apparently coming "from the horse's mouth" i.e Shanghai officials who revealed that three theme parks are envisioned for Shanghai Disneyland. In the future, of course, not all three opening in 2015. The two others are supposed to be an Epcot and an Animal Kingdom! An Epcot in Shanghai? Considering how chineses love new technologies that may happen...and Shanghai temperatures may also allow to build an Animal Kingdom park... Also, SDL will also have a special Metro line! More about all this in the Shanghai Daily article below:
"It's all aboard the Disneyland express, after the city announced that a special Metro line will take visitors to the theme park when it opens in 2015.
The route of the 9.2-kilometer line was published online by Shanghai's environmental authorities yesterday to solicit public opinion on environment issues. Work on the dedicated Metro line, which is expected to cost 3.992 billion yuan (US$606.3 million), is set to begin in September. Trains will start running in July 2015.
The line will connect to Metro Line 11 at Luoshan Road Station, providing passengers from downtown Xujiahui area and suburban Jiading District with subway access to the much-anticipated park in Pudong. Its final stop - Disneyland station itself - will connect with the Metro Line 2 via shuttle bus lines.
The Disneyland metro line has three new stations: the elevated Kangqiao Road E. station, Hengxin Road station, and Disneyland station, which will be underground. The route will pass Zhoukang area before reaching Chuansha town.
Meanwhile, city officials disclosed that Shanghai Disneyland, the first Disneyland on China's mainland, will include three theme parks.
Details had been made public of one of the parks, "Magic Kingdom." The possible choices for the other two theme parks are "Epcot" and "Animal Kingdom," delegates at Shanghai People's Congress were told yesterday.
Dai Haibo, deputy director of Pudong New Area government and a congress deputy, said he was deeply impressed by the Orlando Disneyland which includes four theme parks, including Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom and Disney's Hollywood Studios. He promised that Shanghai Disneyland will provide entertainment for both adults and children.
Large-scale construction on phase 1 of the project is expected to get under way in May. There is no start date for the other parts."
But that's not all about SDL as some people are beginning to complain that Shanghai City should get bigger Disney cash share:
"To make Shanghai Disneyland profitable for the city, local government must ensure that Walt Disney Co gives it a bigger share of the income, a member of the city's top political advisory body proposed yesterday.
"Shanghai should try to negotiate with the Walt Disney Co to earn more sources of income from the project rather than just ticket sales," said Tu Haiming, a member of the Shanghai Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
"It's the biggest lesson Shanghai should learn from Hong Kong, which hardly makes any profit from the Disneyland project, so far."
According to Tu, the Hong Kong government only takes home part of the proceeds from ticket sales.
Other more profitable sources of income, such as sales of Disney products, accommodation in its hotels, TV channels and English teaching projects, all belong to the Walt Disney Co.
Although the Hong Kong government paid more than 90 percent of total investment, it has gained little from the project, said Tu."
"It's all aboard the Disneyland express, after the city announced that a special Metro line will take visitors to the theme park when it opens in 2015.
The route of the 9.2-kilometer line was published online by Shanghai's environmental authorities yesterday to solicit public opinion on environment issues. Work on the dedicated Metro line, which is expected to cost 3.992 billion yuan (US$606.3 million), is set to begin in September. Trains will start running in July 2015.
The line will connect to Metro Line 11 at Luoshan Road Station, providing passengers from downtown Xujiahui area and suburban Jiading District with subway access to the much-anticipated park in Pudong. Its final stop - Disneyland station itself - will connect with the Metro Line 2 via shuttle bus lines.
The Disneyland metro line has three new stations: the elevated Kangqiao Road E. station, Hengxin Road station, and Disneyland station, which will be underground. The route will pass Zhoukang area before reaching Chuansha town.
Meanwhile, city officials disclosed that Shanghai Disneyland, the first Disneyland on China's mainland, will include three theme parks.
Details had been made public of one of the parks, "Magic Kingdom." The possible choices for the other two theme parks are "Epcot" and "Animal Kingdom," delegates at Shanghai People's Congress were told yesterday.
Dai Haibo, deputy director of Pudong New Area government and a congress deputy, said he was deeply impressed by the Orlando Disneyland which includes four theme parks, including Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom and Disney's Hollywood Studios. He promised that Shanghai Disneyland will provide entertainment for both adults and children.
Large-scale construction on phase 1 of the project is expected to get under way in May. There is no start date for the other parts."
But that's not all about SDL as some people are beginning to complain that Shanghai City should get bigger Disney cash share:
"To make Shanghai Disneyland profitable for the city, local government must ensure that Walt Disney Co gives it a bigger share of the income, a member of the city's top political advisory body proposed yesterday.
"Shanghai should try to negotiate with the Walt Disney Co to earn more sources of income from the project rather than just ticket sales," said Tu Haiming, a member of the Shanghai Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
"It's the biggest lesson Shanghai should learn from Hong Kong, which hardly makes any profit from the Disneyland project, so far."
According to Tu, the Hong Kong government only takes home part of the proceeds from ticket sales.
Other more profitable sources of income, such as sales of Disney products, accommodation in its hotels, TV channels and English teaching projects, all belong to the Walt Disney Co.
Although the Hong Kong government paid more than 90 percent of total investment, it has gained little from the project, said Tu."
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Shanghai officials : Total investment amount in Shanghai Disneyland project still undecided
No surprise, Shanghai authorities reacted yesterday at all the articles announcing a Shanghai Disneyland cost "bigger than the Shanghai World Expo". They've released a statement saying that "the total investment amount remains undecided" because "they're still studying the project"... and it might be the truth. More about this official statement below:
SHANGHAI, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- Shanghai authorities are still studying the Disneyland project and the total investment amount remains undecided, a government statement said Saturday.
Shanghai has established committees for it but we are still in the research and policy-making stage, said Jiang Xujie, an official in charge of the city's construction work, in the statement posted on the municipal government's website.
The investment will be properly arranged and the amount will be made public after officially approved, said Chen Qiwei, spokesman of the city government.
Chen said Shanghai Shendi Group Co. Ltd., a state-owned company that signed the deal with Walt Disney Co. for the theme park November last year, will set up a joint venture with Disney.
The construction timetable is being examined by Chinese authorities and will be made public as soon as it's signed off, he said.
Disney and the Chinese authorities have been negotiating on and off for more than a decade over the project, and the last round of negotiations took months.
The project is expected to cover a relatively small 4 square kilometers in the heart of a planned "international tourism resort" that covers 20 square kilometers in Shanghai's Pudong New District.
Earlier reports said the first-phase construction will cost 25 billion yuan (3.6 billion U.S. dollars).
SHANGHAI, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- Shanghai authorities are still studying the Disneyland project and the total investment amount remains undecided, a government statement said Saturday.
Shanghai has established committees for it but we are still in the research and policy-making stage, said Jiang Xujie, an official in charge of the city's construction work, in the statement posted on the municipal government's website.
The investment will be properly arranged and the amount will be made public after officially approved, said Chen Qiwei, spokesman of the city government.
Chen said Shanghai Shendi Group Co. Ltd., a state-owned company that signed the deal with Walt Disney Co. for the theme park November last year, will set up a joint venture with Disney.
The construction timetable is being examined by Chinese authorities and will be made public as soon as it's signed off, he said.
Disney and the Chinese authorities have been negotiating on and off for more than a decade over the project, and the last round of negotiations took months.
The project is expected to cover a relatively small 4 square kilometers in the heart of a planned "international tourism resort" that covers 20 square kilometers in Shanghai's Pudong New District.
Earlier reports said the first-phase construction will cost 25 billion yuan (3.6 billion U.S. dollars).
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Shanghai Disneyland : an "exhorbitant" cost ?
This week we had almost daily news about Shanghai Disneyland, and today it's about the price of the whole project! More about this in the China Daily article below:
"Mickey Mouse and Company are coming to Shanghai, but they're going to have to contend with a bit of debate over the exorbitant cost of a Disneyland that is predicted to cost more than the World Expo.
Citing the Shanghai government, the 21st Century Business Herald reported Thursday that the total cost of the 107-square-kilometer project - which began construction in November and will finish in 2015 - will exceed 100 billion yuan ($15 billion).
The core area of the theme park, covering seven square kilometers, costing about 25 billion yuan, the newspaper added.
However, a Shanghai-based investment fund manager, who is working closely on the project, told the Global Times on condition of anonymity that the reported budget is a very conservative estimate.
"Based on the experience of other Disney parks, it is safe to say that the project requires a lot of financing, and a one-time investment may not be enough," he said.
According to the Herald, developing the park's 13.6-square-kilometer supporting area will require about 40 billion yuan, and most of that cost will be covered by the Shanghai government.
If the reported budget is true, the park's 100-billion-yuan price tag will be significantly larger than the 23.6 billion yuan spent on infrastructure for the World Expo.
The massive park will be located in the Chuansha area of Pudong district. Dong Qinfa, deputy director of the Pudong New Area's Financial Services Bureau, told the Global Times that the theme park is going to be the most important project in Shanghai since the World Expo, and it will propel the city into a period of economic growth."
Text: copyright China Daily
"Mickey Mouse and Company are coming to Shanghai, but they're going to have to contend with a bit of debate over the exorbitant cost of a Disneyland that is predicted to cost more than the World Expo.
Citing the Shanghai government, the 21st Century Business Herald reported Thursday that the total cost of the 107-square-kilometer project - which began construction in November and will finish in 2015 - will exceed 100 billion yuan ($15 billion).
The core area of the theme park, covering seven square kilometers, costing about 25 billion yuan, the newspaper added.
However, a Shanghai-based investment fund manager, who is working closely on the project, told the Global Times on condition of anonymity that the reported budget is a very conservative estimate.
"Based on the experience of other Disney parks, it is safe to say that the project requires a lot of financing, and a one-time investment may not be enough," he said.
According to the Herald, developing the park's 13.6-square-kilometer supporting area will require about 40 billion yuan, and most of that cost will be covered by the Shanghai government.
If the reported budget is true, the park's 100-billion-yuan price tag will be significantly larger than the 23.6 billion yuan spent on infrastructure for the World Expo.
The massive park will be located in the Chuansha area of Pudong district. Dong Qinfa, deputy director of the Pudong New Area's Financial Services Bureau, told the Global Times that the theme park is going to be the most important project in Shanghai since the World Expo, and it will propel the city into a period of economic growth."
Text: copyright China Daily
Bad news : Oriental Land Co won't be in charge of Shanghai Disneyland management
Some weeks ago, strong rumors announced that Oriental Land Co might be in charge of Shanghai Disneyland management. Considering that OLC Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disney Sea are known to have an excellent management - and definitely the best maintenance of all Disney Theme Parks - the arrival of OLC in the SDL project was an excellent news. Sadly, Oriental Land denied yesterday being involved in Shanghai Disneyland management. More about this in today's China Daily article:
"Oriental Land Co Ltd, the operator of Tokyo Disney Resort, on Thursday denied local media reports that it is negotiating with Walt Disney Co to participate in the running of a planned Disneyland theme park in Shanghai. The total investment could top 100 billion yuan ($15.09 billion), according to the reports.
"We have approached neither Walt Disney Co nor the Shanghai municipal government about jointly running the Shanghai Disneyland theme park," Hiroshi Suzuki, director of public relations at the leisure and tourism company, told China Daily on Thursday, adding that "media reports are not true".
A report in the 21st Century Business Herald claimed Oriental Land has entered into talks with the US-based Walt Disney Co to participate in the operation of the Pudong, Shanghai-based theme park.
The report said Walt Disney Co is pleased with Oriental Land's daily operation and personnel training at its Disneyland theme park in Japan and wants it to bring its experience to Shanghai.
Akiyoshi Yokota, executive-director of Oriental Land, was quoted by Bloomberg in January 2010 as saying "there's a possibility we may work together with Disney in Shanghai".
Infrastructure work on the park is set to begin this year, said a Jan 4 statement by the Shanghai Pudong New Area Construction and Transportation Commission."
Text: copyright China Daily
"Oriental Land Co Ltd, the operator of Tokyo Disney Resort, on Thursday denied local media reports that it is negotiating with Walt Disney Co to participate in the running of a planned Disneyland theme park in Shanghai. The total investment could top 100 billion yuan ($15.09 billion), according to the reports.
"We have approached neither Walt Disney Co nor the Shanghai municipal government about jointly running the Shanghai Disneyland theme park," Hiroshi Suzuki, director of public relations at the leisure and tourism company, told China Daily on Thursday, adding that "media reports are not true".
A report in the 21st Century Business Herald claimed Oriental Land has entered into talks with the US-based Walt Disney Co to participate in the operation of the Pudong, Shanghai-based theme park.
The report said Walt Disney Co is pleased with Oriental Land's daily operation and personnel training at its Disneyland theme park in Japan and wants it to bring its experience to Shanghai.
Akiyoshi Yokota, executive-director of Oriental Land, was quoted by Bloomberg in January 2010 as saying "there's a possibility we may work together with Disney in Shanghai".
Infrastructure work on the park is set to begin this year, said a Jan 4 statement by the Shanghai Pudong New Area Construction and Transportation Commission."
Text: copyright China Daily
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Breaking news: Disney signs agreement for Shanghai Disneyland
Right now from Reuters Press Agency: - The Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) has signed an agreement with a Shanghai company for the establishment of a Disneyland theme park in the city, bringing its long-planned park in mainland China closer to fruition.
The deal was reached with Shanghai Shendi Group, which was specifically created for the development of the Disneyland project, the official Xinhua news agency said on Friday.
Disney confirmed the Xinhua statement and said it was still awaiting final approval from China's central government regarding the incorporation of the related joint venture companies and the completion of regulatory procedures.
"For quite some time, we have been involved in discussions with the Shanghai government about building a Disney theme park. We can confirm the statement from the Shanghai government that we have taken another step forward in the approval process," a Disney spokeswoman said in an emailed statement to Reuters.
Shanghai's Disneyland is expected to cover around 4 sq km and cost about 25 billion yuan ($3.75 billion), Xinhua said. Disney itself gave no further details.
It was not clear what the ownership structure of the park would be like, but state media reported last year that an investment company controlled by the Shanghai municipal government would own a majority stake in the park.
Disney received approval to build a Disney theme park in Shanghai a year ago, but discussions about the specifics have been ongoing and few details have been released publicly.
Disney has long sought to build in Shanghai, a wealthy city of about 20 million people that is ringed by the prosperous Yangtze River Delta, home to tens of millions more potential visitors.
It was less enthusiastic about building near Beijing, which has fewer large population centers in the immediate vicinity.
Disney's foray into the China market has been mixed so far, with its Hong Kong Disneyland park reporting a loss last year.
Copyright Reuters
The deal was reached with Shanghai Shendi Group, which was specifically created for the development of the Disneyland project, the official Xinhua news agency said on Friday.
Disney confirmed the Xinhua statement and said it was still awaiting final approval from China's central government regarding the incorporation of the related joint venture companies and the completion of regulatory procedures.
"For quite some time, we have been involved in discussions with the Shanghai government about building a Disney theme park. We can confirm the statement from the Shanghai government that we have taken another step forward in the approval process," a Disney spokeswoman said in an emailed statement to Reuters.
Shanghai's Disneyland is expected to cover around 4 sq km and cost about 25 billion yuan ($3.75 billion), Xinhua said. Disney itself gave no further details.
It was not clear what the ownership structure of the park would be like, but state media reported last year that an investment company controlled by the Shanghai municipal government would own a majority stake in the park.
Disney received approval to build a Disney theme park in Shanghai a year ago, but discussions about the specifics have been ongoing and few details have been released publicly.
Disney has long sought to build in Shanghai, a wealthy city of about 20 million people that is ringed by the prosperous Yangtze River Delta, home to tens of millions more potential visitors.
It was less enthusiastic about building near Beijing, which has fewer large population centers in the immediate vicinity.
Disney's foray into the China market has been mixed so far, with its Hong Kong Disneyland park reporting a loss last year.
Copyright Reuters
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Shanghaî Disneyland Construction begins ! First Pictures by Stefan Zwanzger
Thanks to Stefan Zwanzger - aka "the Theme Park Guy" - you will discover the very first pictures of Shanghaî Disneyland construction. Yes, that's right, works already began on the land reserved for the SDL Resort. Don't expect, though, to see on the pictures below the Shanghaî Disneyland castle rising from rice fields as we are at the very very very beginning of the works and we'll have to wait at least two or three years before something more sexy than cranes appears on the pictures.
Still, Stefan did a good job, not only in finding the right place where the park will be build but also by providing these first pictures. Here is a selection that i did from his post and you'll find many more pictures including some of village and villagers living around the SDL area on his blog HERE. And, as Stefan is travelling often in Asia you better bookmark his blog and have a look at it regularly as he will be the one who will have new Shanghaî Disneyland updates in the next years!
So, what about works on the Shanghaî Disneyland site? Well, on the top image you can see the first cranes and according to Stefan "A huge swathe of Shanghai suburbia has been flattened to make way for the future Shanghai Disneyland site and a wall just over half the height of the Berlin Wall protects the new depopulated hole that gapes in the area and separates the remaining Chinese villages from the Disney site. The on-site construction office is currently taking shape, supplied by armies of trucks that race through small village roads, blowing the winds of change through the thinning hair of old Chinese men on bicycles."
Below, a picture of the "wall" which runs all around the SDL site...
And here the Disney site with the separation wall in the back.
The SDL construction office is almost built and work is going on around it...
Below, the SDL construction office from above, on the other side of the river.
Considering the huge land on which SDL will be build some people were living on this land and according to Stefan the villages he pictured on his previous update have completely vanished. You will see on his blog pictures of demolished houses. It seems that the government offered relocation package to villagers and although i perfectly agree that it is really sad for villagers who were living here to leave their land one of them who didn't moved yet told Stefan that if they ask him to leave he'll be okay to take the relocation package.
As you know the Shanghaî World's Fair ended three days ago and i think we can expect an official announcement later this month or in December. And all we're asking for is to have the first renderings released! The Shanghaî Disneyland design is a well kept secret and just like you i'm very curious to see the final design of the project. Normally we shouldn't have to wait too long, now.
All pictures: copyright Stefan Zwanzger - The Theme Park Guy site
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Disney could start building Shanghai Disneyland in November
The latest news about Shanghai Disneyland released today says - if it's a real one - that "Disney could start building Shanghai Disneyland as early as November". The date is interesting as i always thought that Shanghai will wait for the end of the World's Fair - currently happening in Shanghai - to make a new announcement about the future park. Of course it's also good news as it means that a final concept for the park has been approved......and that renderings will be released which is what we're all waiting for, isn't it?
So, let's quietly wait for November and in the meantime here is the full news, of course not officially confirmed by Disney, but that's not a surprise:
"Disney could start building its planned theme park in Shanghai as early as November, a year after Chinese authorities gave the green light for the project, a report said Tuesday.
"Talks on the Disney project are in the final stages and the construction is expected to start as early as November," the China Business News reported, citing an unnamed source.
The park would be Disney's fourth outside the United States and its third in Asia, after Paris, Tokyo and Hong Kong -- the last to open in 2005.
All major construction in Shanghai has been suspended until after the World Expo ends on October 31 as part of efforts to improve the city's air quality during the six-month event.
The Shanghai government announced its long-awaited approval for the project in November last year after authorities in Beijing approved Disney's application.
Neither side disclosed any figures or gave a timeframe for the project, but previous reports have said the US entertainment giant will invest 3.6 billion dollars in the 10-square-kilometre (four-square-mile) park.
When asked about the report, Disney said it looked forward to being able to announce a final deal and a timeline for opening in the future."
So, let's quietly wait for November and in the meantime here is the full news, of course not officially confirmed by Disney, but that's not a surprise:
"Disney could start building its planned theme park in Shanghai as early as November, a year after Chinese authorities gave the green light for the project, a report said Tuesday.
"Talks on the Disney project are in the final stages and the construction is expected to start as early as November," the China Business News reported, citing an unnamed source.
The park would be Disney's fourth outside the United States and its third in Asia, after Paris, Tokyo and Hong Kong -- the last to open in 2005.
All major construction in Shanghai has been suspended until after the World Expo ends on October 31 as part of efforts to improve the city's air quality during the six-month event.
The Shanghai government announced its long-awaited approval for the project in November last year after authorities in Beijing approved Disney's application.
Neither side disclosed any figures or gave a timeframe for the project, but previous reports have said the US entertainment giant will invest 3.6 billion dollars in the 10-square-kilometre (four-square-mile) park.
When asked about the report, Disney said it looked forward to being able to announce a final deal and a timeline for opening in the future."
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Why this small news about Shanghaî Disneyland may be more important than it seems
Yesterday, thanks to my Google news alert, i didn't missed what seems to be at first sight a small news about the future Shanghaî Disneyland.
The title was: "Oriental Land Says It May Cooperate With Disney on Shanghai Theme Park" and the news just said: "Oriental Land Co., operator of the Tokyo Disney Resort, said it may cooperate with Walt Disney Co. on a planned Shanghai theme park. “There’s a possibility we may work together with Disney on Shanghai,” Akiyoshi Yokota, executive director, said in an interview at the company’s headquarters in Chiba prefecture, a Tokyo suburb. No details on cooperation were decided, he said. Oriental Land has been talking about the planned theme park and exchanging information with Disney, Yokota said, without elaborating. Disney last year won Chinese government approval for a park in Shanghai that may be completed by 2014. The Japanese theme park operator, aiming to post a record profit for the second straight year, is looking to expand its business outside Japan while trying to attract tourists from China and other countries, as domestic customers spend less amid falling wages."
When i read that news i thought: "Hmmm, that's interesting...in fact it would be a clever move from Disney to have Shanghaî Disneyland managed by Oriental Land". As you may ask why, here is why: the understanding of other countries culture is something which is always hard for big American corporations. They think they can understand but in fact they don't. Let's take the example of Hong Kong Disneyland. The project was decided and built under Eisner era and there is no doubt that they knew how different chinese and american culture can be, but because the parks in Japan are so successful they probably thought it will be the same in China. That was the big mistake and it's only when HKDL opened that they finally understood how different Japanese and Chinese can be. For sure they're both living in Asia and have things in common, but the mental structure of a Japanese is totally different than the one of a Chinese. It's subtle, and anyone who understood the roots of the Chinese thought could have told Disney they were going to be surprised, but it's definitely too subtle for any big American corporation which generally don't like too much to acknowledge their own limits.
And that's why having Oriental Land taking care of Shanghaî Disneyland management could be a very clever move from Disney. As i've said Japanese and Chinese are different but they do have in common the Asian vision of the world, not to mention Buddhism culture, etc... In two words, the Japanese guys of Oriental Land will probably understand better - and be in better "cultural" position - to deal with the Chinese than any American.
There is another reason why it could be great that Oriental Land takes the job: the maintenance problem. Anyone who have been at TDL or TDS will tell you how amazing the maintenance is. The parks looks brand new all the time. Japanese have a desire of daily perfection and i wish they'll have the same at DLP! There is no doubt - if Oriental Land is in charge of SDL management - that they will push for the same quality standards than the one they have at TDL and TDS.
Oriental Land now have a long experience of Disney parks management, and they do it very well. The only question which remain is: will the Chineses accept easily to work under Japanese orders? A corporate answer could be that "Chinese people will be happy to work in one of the biggest entertainment company in the world" but, although it might be true, it also sounds like wishful thinking. Chineses also have bad memories about Japanese and although WW2 is now over since 65 years they hardly accept Japanese domination. In this affair all will be a matter of subtlety, and we'll see if this will be the case... or not.
The title was: "Oriental Land Says It May Cooperate With Disney on Shanghai Theme Park" and the news just said: "Oriental Land Co., operator of the Tokyo Disney Resort, said it may cooperate with Walt Disney Co. on a planned Shanghai theme park. “There’s a possibility we may work together with Disney on Shanghai,” Akiyoshi Yokota, executive director, said in an interview at the company’s headquarters in Chiba prefecture, a Tokyo suburb. No details on cooperation were decided, he said. Oriental Land has been talking about the planned theme park and exchanging information with Disney, Yokota said, without elaborating. Disney last year won Chinese government approval for a park in Shanghai that may be completed by 2014. The Japanese theme park operator, aiming to post a record profit for the second straight year, is looking to expand its business outside Japan while trying to attract tourists from China and other countries, as domestic customers spend less amid falling wages."
When i read that news i thought: "Hmmm, that's interesting...in fact it would be a clever move from Disney to have Shanghaî Disneyland managed by Oriental Land". As you may ask why, here is why: the understanding of other countries culture is something which is always hard for big American corporations. They think they can understand but in fact they don't. Let's take the example of Hong Kong Disneyland. The project was decided and built under Eisner era and there is no doubt that they knew how different chinese and american culture can be, but because the parks in Japan are so successful they probably thought it will be the same in China. That was the big mistake and it's only when HKDL opened that they finally understood how different Japanese and Chinese can be. For sure they're both living in Asia and have things in common, but the mental structure of a Japanese is totally different than the one of a Chinese. It's subtle, and anyone who understood the roots of the Chinese thought could have told Disney they were going to be surprised, but it's definitely too subtle for any big American corporation which generally don't like too much to acknowledge their own limits.
And that's why having Oriental Land taking care of Shanghaî Disneyland management could be a very clever move from Disney. As i've said Japanese and Chinese are different but they do have in common the Asian vision of the world, not to mention Buddhism culture, etc... In two words, the Japanese guys of Oriental Land will probably understand better - and be in better "cultural" position - to deal with the Chinese than any American.
There is another reason why it could be great that Oriental Land takes the job: the maintenance problem. Anyone who have been at TDL or TDS will tell you how amazing the maintenance is. The parks looks brand new all the time. Japanese have a desire of daily perfection and i wish they'll have the same at DLP! There is no doubt - if Oriental Land is in charge of SDL management - that they will push for the same quality standards than the one they have at TDL and TDS.
Oriental Land now have a long experience of Disney parks management, and they do it very well. The only question which remain is: will the Chineses accept easily to work under Japanese orders? A corporate answer could be that "Chinese people will be happy to work in one of the biggest entertainment company in the world" but, although it might be true, it also sounds like wishful thinking. Chineses also have bad memories about Japanese and although WW2 is now over since 65 years they hardly accept Japanese domination. In this affair all will be a matter of subtlety, and we'll see if this will be the case... or not.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Shanghai Disneyland's project is " ahead of schedule "
According to the Digital Journal, "Shanghai Disneyland's project is ahead of schedule". Happy to learn this, but i will be even more happy when Disney will introduce to the world the final design of the park, with artwork and all the details we're all waiting for. Anyway, in the meantime, here is the article from Digital Journal :
"Disneyland is coming to the booming Chinese city of Shanghai. The central government gave its approval in November, since when preparations have been gathering pace.
Disneyland Shanghai will be in the Pudong area of the city, and the Shanghai Daily reports the Pudong New Area government has almost completed the relocation of residents from the 3.9 square kilometre area, a month ahead of schedule. Construction of apartments to receive them has begun, and they are expected to be ready for occupancy by August 2012. More than 2,000 households and 297 enterprises will be relocated in total. The new residential site is in Pudong’s Chuansha Town, and will have more than 6,500 apartments.
The land for the theme park is due to be handed over at the end of June when construction will begin.
The first phase of the theme-park project has been estimated to cost about 25 billion yuan (US$3.66 billion). The Chinese have made a habit in recent years of building large infrastructure projects at breakneck speed, but Pudong New Area Director Jiang Liang told the Shanghai Daily it may take five or six years for the park to be opened to the public.
There is already a Disneyland theme park in Hong Kong, and there has been speculation about the effect a park in Shanghai would have on the park in Hong Kong. Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Rita Lau told Chinese news agency Xinhua that the two parks should complement each other. The Chinese market was growing fast, and should be big enough to accommodate two theme parks".
From the Digital Journal
"Disneyland is coming to the booming Chinese city of Shanghai. The central government gave its approval in November, since when preparations have been gathering pace.
Disneyland Shanghai will be in the Pudong area of the city, and the Shanghai Daily reports the Pudong New Area government has almost completed the relocation of residents from the 3.9 square kilometre area, a month ahead of schedule. Construction of apartments to receive them has begun, and they are expected to be ready for occupancy by August 2012. More than 2,000 households and 297 enterprises will be relocated in total. The new residential site is in Pudong’s Chuansha Town, and will have more than 6,500 apartments.
The land for the theme park is due to be handed over at the end of June when construction will begin.
The first phase of the theme-park project has been estimated to cost about 25 billion yuan (US$3.66 billion). The Chinese have made a habit in recent years of building large infrastructure projects at breakneck speed, but Pudong New Area Director Jiang Liang told the Shanghai Daily it may take five or six years for the park to be opened to the public.
There is already a Disneyland theme park in Hong Kong, and there has been speculation about the effect a park in Shanghai would have on the park in Hong Kong. Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Rita Lau told Chinese news agency Xinhua that the two parks should complement each other. The Chinese market was growing fast, and should be big enough to accommodate two theme parks".
From the Digital Journal
Monday, November 30, 2009
Last news about Shanghaî and Hong Kong Disneyland
Last news about Shanghaî and Hong Kong Disneyland:
At Shanghaî, the WDC has already began an advertising campaign - may be to learn to those who don't know Disney characters who they are - with a huge ad (picture above) showing Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy and Pluto. The park won't open before 2014 but apparently it's never too soon to introduce to Shanghai inhabitants the Disney characters.
After news was released about SDL arriving in Shanghai, a piece of land in Chuansha New Town was sold at a record high of 1.19 billion yuan ($175 million) at a land auction. Several stocks related to the Disneyland venture are now hotspots for market speculation, and this is only the beginning!
At Hong Kong, HKDL on Monday "dismissed a report that it is mulling a further expansion in a bid to compete with a planned new park in Shanghai.
The Hong Kong Economic Times cited an unnamed source as saying that Disneyland is considering a further enlargement, after it announced a deal in July to expand the venue by almost one quarter.
But a Disneyland spokeswoman said there was no such plan: "The current position is to implement the extension plan as agreed in July with the development of the three themed areas in phases. There has been no discussion on further expansion".
In two words: HKDL is still building the three new lands previously announced, but no further expansion is scheduled, which of course doesn't mean that there won't be new attractions after Grizzly Trail, Mystic Point and Toy Story Land.
From AFP and Beijing Review
Picture: copyright Beijing Review.com.cn
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Shanghaî Disneyland smaller than Hong Kong Disneyland ?
Second article today about Shanghaî Disneyland, and this time it's hard to believe but all news coming from Chinese newspapers today are saying that Shanghaî Disneyland may be smaller on opening day than Hong Kong Disneyland! Can you believe THAT?
From Shanghaî Daily.com: "China's first state-level announcement on building a Disneyland in Shanghai indicated that the park's initial size may be much smaller than widely expected.
Its growth potential and contribution to the city's economy will still be substantial, according to analysts.
The news, however, disappointed some local Disneyland fans, who had hoped the Shanghai park could immediately bring more choices of rides and games than counterparts in Hong Kong and Tokyo.
The National Development and Reform Commission said late on Monday that in October it approved Shanghai's Disneyland project, which will occupy 116 hectares, or 1.16 square kilometers, in Chuansha Town in the Pudong New Area.
Comparatively, the size of the Disney park in Tokyo is 201 hectares while that of Hong Kong Disneyland is 126 hectares.
The Shanghai project will include an amusement park, logistics and public utility areas as well as a parking lot, the NDRC said in a statement.
It will be funded by Chinese and United States companies, it said, without offering details."
If we stop here the reading of the Shanghaî Daily.com article this news is for sure the biggest disappointment for Disney fans who expected the park to be - from opening day - as big as TDL or DLP. Let's go further in the Shanghaî Daily article:
"The NDRC did not say whether the land approved is for the initial phase or the whole project.
Earlier media reports said that Shanghai Disneyland would have three phases with a combined area of up to 10 square kilometers.
The Shanghai government in September started a relocation project to make way for the Disneyland.
A notice on the Website of the city's land regulator showed that initially 4.09 square kilometers of land would be requisitioned.
The Walt Disney Company said yesterday that it could not comment as it had yet to reach a final deal with the city government on the project.
Officials at the NDRC were not available for comment.
"The project will only be developed step by step in line with market response," said Wu Ke, a Zhongtian Investment Consulting Co analyst.
"Thanks to the city's prime location and economic dynamics, Shanghai Disneyland has great growth potential even if its initial size is small," Wu said.
The 1.16-square-kilometer area may just be the core area of project, the Xinmin Evening News reported yesterday, citing sources familiar with the matter.
Nearby facilities would include a hotel, a huge shopping mall and other service facilities, it said...
"The initial size is not that important as people's curiosity could help boost attendance," said Zheng Jianyu, a Bank of Communications analyst. "But long-term performance will hinge on the pricing strategy and the park's new elements."
Okay, so it seems that it's not only a rumor, that the park could be smaller than HKDL on its opening day. But where exactly is the truth in all this? Could it be possible that the WDC will do again (and again) the same mistake, the kind of mistake they're still paying for because they've built too small theme parks at HKDL and Paris WDS? Did someone forgot to tell them that 1.3 Billion people are living in China? And 20 Million in Shanghaî only?
Frankly, i can't believe this - and i think i won't believe that SDL will be on opening day smaller than HKDL until the WDC do an official announcement. Now, we must not forget that the WDC have only 42% of the shares and so Shanghaî government may have the "final cut". And, as they've probably heard about HKDL difficulties they may think that they should go little by little instead to build a full size Magic Kingdom like the one in Tokyo or in Paris. I know, it's a big mistake, it's exactly what they must not do, but there is a possibility that they think like this...
Hopefully, soon we will know more about the real size of SDL on its opening day, but in the meantime here wi reaction of Lu Zhen, a chinese manager, when he learned that SDL could be smaller than HKDL:
"I'm a bit disappointed about the size (that was announced)" said Lu Zhen, a 28-year-old sales manager."If the park is bigger, I will go there twice or even more, but now I may go only if there is a price discount. I've already visited the Hong Kong park."
Frankly, i never thought i would hear something like that on this highly awaited Shanghaî Disneyland! If people start to think like this five years prior to the park's opening - even before they lay the foundation stone, then it's a bad omen for the future...
UPDATE: Last news about all this from Chinese newspaper The Standard:
The National Development and Reform Commission said the Shanghai project at Pudong New Area's Chuansha town will initially be built on 116 hectares of land - 10 hectares smaller than Hong Kong Disneyland.
There had been widespread concern over competition in August after a Walt Disney document showed Shanghai Disneyland would cost 24.48 billion yuan (HK$27.76 billion).
The document also said the first stage of the park would cover 150 hectares.
The mainland commission said the project to be jointly developed by mainland and American companies will include logistics support areas, a public utilities area and a parking lot.
A Hong Kong tourism insider said the similar size of the Shanghai and Hong Kong theme parks would put them on an equal footing initially.
He said it was Disneyland's policy to expand parks gradually after their opening.
"It will not use all the 400 hectares [in Chuansha town] at once," he said. The insider also said Hong Kong people should not worry about the size of the local park as the second expansion phase will add another 128 hectares.
"The agreement between Disney and the Hong Kong government said Disneyland cannot gain anything if the park does not make a profit," he said.
"Disney wants to expand the park more than anyone else to make more money."
Hong Kong Association of Travel Agents chairman Michael Wu Siu-ying said it would be "fair competition" if the two theme parks are of similar size as they can attract different types of visitors.
"The Shanghai theme park will be for visitors from eastern and northern China and the Hong Kong park for international visitors and those from Southeast Asia," he said.
He also said the Hong Kong park might have some advantages over Shanghai even if they were of similar size.
"Hong Kong Disneyland will expand and have more facilities in the coming three years.
"It will have some advantages over Shanghai as its park will not open until 2014."
UPDATE 11/25: Have a look to Randy savage comment in the comments section. If Randy is right, then may be all this is not necessarily bad news.
Thanks to leave a comment or discuss this interview on D&M english forum on Mice Chat
Text: copyright Shanghaî Daily.com
From Shanghaî Daily.com: "China's first state-level announcement on building a Disneyland in Shanghai indicated that the park's initial size may be much smaller than widely expected.
Its growth potential and contribution to the city's economy will still be substantial, according to analysts.
The news, however, disappointed some local Disneyland fans, who had hoped the Shanghai park could immediately bring more choices of rides and games than counterparts in Hong Kong and Tokyo.
The National Development and Reform Commission said late on Monday that in October it approved Shanghai's Disneyland project, which will occupy 116 hectares, or 1.16 square kilometers, in Chuansha Town in the Pudong New Area.
Comparatively, the size of the Disney park in Tokyo is 201 hectares while that of Hong Kong Disneyland is 126 hectares.
The Shanghai project will include an amusement park, logistics and public utility areas as well as a parking lot, the NDRC said in a statement.
It will be funded by Chinese and United States companies, it said, without offering details."
If we stop here the reading of the Shanghaî Daily.com article this news is for sure the biggest disappointment for Disney fans who expected the park to be - from opening day - as big as TDL or DLP. Let's go further in the Shanghaî Daily article:
"The NDRC did not say whether the land approved is for the initial phase or the whole project.
Earlier media reports said that Shanghai Disneyland would have three phases with a combined area of up to 10 square kilometers.
The Shanghai government in September started a relocation project to make way for the Disneyland.
A notice on the Website of the city's land regulator showed that initially 4.09 square kilometers of land would be requisitioned.
The Walt Disney Company said yesterday that it could not comment as it had yet to reach a final deal with the city government on the project.
Officials at the NDRC were not available for comment.
"The project will only be developed step by step in line with market response," said Wu Ke, a Zhongtian Investment Consulting Co analyst.
"Thanks to the city's prime location and economic dynamics, Shanghai Disneyland has great growth potential even if its initial size is small," Wu said.
The 1.16-square-kilometer area may just be the core area of project, the Xinmin Evening News reported yesterday, citing sources familiar with the matter.
Nearby facilities would include a hotel, a huge shopping mall and other service facilities, it said...
"The initial size is not that important as people's curiosity could help boost attendance," said Zheng Jianyu, a Bank of Communications analyst. "But long-term performance will hinge on the pricing strategy and the park's new elements."
Okay, so it seems that it's not only a rumor, that the park could be smaller than HKDL on its opening day. But where exactly is the truth in all this? Could it be possible that the WDC will do again (and again) the same mistake, the kind of mistake they're still paying for because they've built too small theme parks at HKDL and Paris WDS? Did someone forgot to tell them that 1.3 Billion people are living in China? And 20 Million in Shanghaî only?
Frankly, i can't believe this - and i think i won't believe that SDL will be on opening day smaller than HKDL until the WDC do an official announcement. Now, we must not forget that the WDC have only 42% of the shares and so Shanghaî government may have the "final cut". And, as they've probably heard about HKDL difficulties they may think that they should go little by little instead to build a full size Magic Kingdom like the one in Tokyo or in Paris. I know, it's a big mistake, it's exactly what they must not do, but there is a possibility that they think like this...
Hopefully, soon we will know more about the real size of SDL on its opening day, but in the meantime here wi reaction of Lu Zhen, a chinese manager, when he learned that SDL could be smaller than HKDL:
"I'm a bit disappointed about the size (that was announced)" said Lu Zhen, a 28-year-old sales manager."If the park is bigger, I will go there twice or even more, but now I may go only if there is a price discount. I've already visited the Hong Kong park."
Frankly, i never thought i would hear something like that on this highly awaited Shanghaî Disneyland! If people start to think like this five years prior to the park's opening - even before they lay the foundation stone, then it's a bad omen for the future...
UPDATE: Last news about all this from Chinese newspaper The Standard:
The National Development and Reform Commission said the Shanghai project at Pudong New Area's Chuansha town will initially be built on 116 hectares of land - 10 hectares smaller than Hong Kong Disneyland.
There had been widespread concern over competition in August after a Walt Disney document showed Shanghai Disneyland would cost 24.48 billion yuan (HK$27.76 billion).
The document also said the first stage of the park would cover 150 hectares.
The mainland commission said the project to be jointly developed by mainland and American companies will include logistics support areas, a public utilities area and a parking lot.
A Hong Kong tourism insider said the similar size of the Shanghai and Hong Kong theme parks would put them on an equal footing initially.
He said it was Disneyland's policy to expand parks gradually after their opening.
"It will not use all the 400 hectares [in Chuansha town] at once," he said. The insider also said Hong Kong people should not worry about the size of the local park as the second expansion phase will add another 128 hectares.
"The agreement between Disney and the Hong Kong government said Disneyland cannot gain anything if the park does not make a profit," he said.
"Disney wants to expand the park more than anyone else to make more money."
Hong Kong Association of Travel Agents chairman Michael Wu Siu-ying said it would be "fair competition" if the two theme parks are of similar size as they can attract different types of visitors.
"The Shanghai theme park will be for visitors from eastern and northern China and the Hong Kong park for international visitors and those from Southeast Asia," he said.
He also said the Hong Kong park might have some advantages over Shanghai even if they were of similar size.
"Hong Kong Disneyland will expand and have more facilities in the coming three years.
"It will have some advantages over Shanghai as its park will not open until 2014."
UPDATE 11/25: Have a look to Randy savage comment in the comments section. If Randy is right, then may be all this is not necessarily bad news.
Thanks to leave a comment or discuss this interview on D&M english forum on Mice Chat
Text: copyright Shanghaî Daily.com
Shanghaî Disneyland's final location announced
Shanghaî Disneyland will be located at the Chuansha town of Pudong New Area, covering 116 hectares, according to the theme park's final plans announced on the National Development and Reform Commission website yesterday. China National Development and Reform Commission has also declared that the Shanghai Disneyland project has been formally approved by the State Council. Shanghaî Disneyland is expected to open within five years and is expected to cost 3.5 billion US dollars.
Note: A french version of the first part of this article is available HERE. Also, the picture above was not released yesterday but is a SDL first project draft layout.
From china.org.cn: "The Shanghaî Disneyland project, which will be jointly developed by Chinese and United States companies, will include an amusement park, a logistics support area, a public utilities area and a parking lot, the commission said.
The announcement is the first time authorities have officially confirmed the location of Shanghai Disneyland, even though previous media reports have pinpointed the area. The news has pushed Chuansha's home prices to 12,000 yuan ($1,760) per sq m from 3,000 yuan from three years ago.
The Shanghai government received the green light from authorities late last month to build Shanghai Disneyland Park in partnership with media giant Walt Disney Co.
"Many business-savvy people are making the Disney theme park a profit-driven project, seeking opportunities to make every penny of it," said Gu Xiaoming, professor from the tourism department at Fudan University.
By contrast, the villagers who live in the area are likely to benefit the least from the park.
And Li Zhengfang, a 58-year-old villager in Zhaohang, even gave her life when clamoring for benefits for some of the elderly, whose homes were "unluckily" not partitioned into the Disneyland division, Li's daughter said.
"My mother along with other four delegates had negotiated with the village committee in August in hopes of incorporating all the elderly into the Disneyland beneficiaries," said Li Ying, the late Li Zhengfang's daughter.
A widespread rumor had circulated in Zhaohang that the pension level for female villagers older than 55 or males older than 60 will be raised to the township level of 910 yuan from the current level of 385 yuan, if they were going to be relocated for Mickey, junior Li said.
On Aug 6, on her way to make an appeal for more benefits for the elderly, the senior Li died of high blood pressure, leaving the negotiations unsolved.
"Generally speaking, the government must subsidize farmers who lose their land for commercial or industrial projects, but the allowance range could be varied according to different conditions," said Gui Shixun, professor at the Population Research Institute, East China Normal University based in Shanghai.
Based on current regulations, farmers will be transferred to the "small-town social insurance system" from the rural pension as one of their compensations for losing their plots of land.
The system in Shanghai is a compulsory social insurance mainly targeting residents living in Shanghai's suburban areas who are registered as permanent residents in the city, aiming to guarantee their basic needs for life.
Officials from Shanghai Human Resources and Social Security Bureau said no specific policies have been announced to resettle the people to make way for the park.
Local officials said earlier that the government has started preliminary plans to resettle more than 4,000 residents in a 4-million-sq-m area in Pudong New Area that covers Zhaohang.
"Past experience has showed that the government must build residential buildings for the resettled residents, given the high price of commercial properties in Shanghai. The prices are so high that those villagers cannot afford to buy one," Gui said.
"From a long-term perspective, getting the residents in and training them to be staff of the Disneyland will benefit them more than merely giving them a sum of money as a compensation," Fudan University's Gu said."
Also, the Orlando Sentinel announced recently that "The Walt Disney Co. plans to bring a delegation from Shanghai to Orlando early next month for a series of briefings with executives at Walt Disney World, as the company accelerates design of its first resort on mainland China.
The meetings, which will include tours of Disney World’s fire and emergency-response operations and water-quality-monitoring labs, come with Disney attempting to finalize an agreement to build Shanghai Disneyland in the world’s most populous country.
Studying Disney World’s infrastructure may be important as Disney is believed to be planning a multi-park destination resort in Shanghai that could ultimately rival its Orlando property in size — much larger than Disney’s other theme-park resorts in California, Paris, Tokyo and Hong Kong."
Also, from chinadaily.com: "In recognition of the notorious competitiveness of high school life in this country, Disney is going to shift the setting of the Chinese version of High School Musical to the first year of college.
Disney announced on Sunday that it would co-produce a Chinese version of the smash musical with local partners Shanghai Media Group and Huayi Brothers Media Corporation, about two weeks after the company won the government's approval to build a Shanghai Disneyland.
Titled Disney High School Musical: China, the new film has a storyline close to that of the HSM series' first installment, launched in 2006. With their friends' support, two new students overcome the odds to win a singing competition.
Disney, having co-produced two films with Chinese companies, knows the importance of localizing a story.
"In China, students in high school are so focused on academics that it wasn't realistic to portray them singing and dancing in the way that American high school students have time for," says Jason Reed, general manager of Walt Disney Studios International Production.
Also, the main love interest has become a poet, instead of the basketball star in the American films.
"Our partners think that in China you might be more attracted to the smart and thoughtful guy," Reed told China Daily via telephone interview. "He (the protagonist) is a thoughtful, intelligent and studious young man who is really defined by his skill and academics."
Music and choreography for the new film are the work of local talents, except for the hit melody, We're all in This Together, which is from the original film. It is now matched with Mandarin lyrics.
The classic values conveyed by the teen tale, allied to the story's emotional connection with Chinese audiences, have built up Disney's confidence in the new film.
"A lot of the themes in the HSM series, such as the sense of self-discovery, communal support, optimism and friendship are universal values that work in all countries," Reed says.
"Also, one of the fundamentals common to our two countries' strengths is people coming together to achieve greatness. That is a great affinity between the two cultures."
As an Emmy Award-winning film series with more than 500 million viewers globally, HSM is not new to Chinese youth. The stage show of its first installment kicked off in Shanghai this summer, before which two films of the trilogy had been aired on CCTV.
As for Disney's two previous co-productions in China, The Secret of the Magic Gourd (Baohulu De Mimi) was co-produced with China Film Group and Hong Kong Centro Digital Pictures. It was adapted from a folk tale and grossed $2.7 million at the Chinese box office in 2007 - a fair performance for a children's film.
The 2009 co-production Trail of the Panda (Xiongmao Huijia Lu), in co-operation with Chinese filmmakers Castle Hero Pictures and Ying Dong Media, was also favorably received.
The latest co-production may even feature at Shanghai's Disney park.
"My personal goal is to create a Chinese character, or a set of characters, that are so compelling and local audiences love so much that they end up in that park and parks all over the world," says Reed. "I tend to dream big."
The companies will work together on production, while Huayi Brothers will handle the film's distribution in China, and Disney outside the country.
The film is expected to be released in the summer of next year. It is being filmed in Shanghai and features six new young stars drawn from across China. Chen Shizheng, one of China's leading stage and film directors, directs it."
Thanks to leave a comment or discuss this interview on D&M english forum on Mice Chat
Text: copyright china.org.cn and chinadaily.com
Pictures: copyright Disney
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Bob Iger announces that Shanghaî Disneyland has been officially approved by Beijing Central Government !
The day we were waiting for has come! Yes, it's now official, Beijing Central government has officially approved the Shanghaî Disneyland project!
An excellent New York Times article will give you more details about it, but first, the WDC official press release:
THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY REACHES ANOTHER MAJOR MILESTONE ON SHANGHAI THEME PARK PROJECT
BURBANK, Calif. – November 3, 2009 – The Walt Disney Company today announced that the Project Application Report (PAR) for a Disney theme park in the Pudong district of Shanghai has received approval from the relevant authorities of the central government of China.
"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 Company in mainland China," said Robert A. Iger, president and CEO of The Walt Disney Company.
The PAR approval will enable Disney and its Shanghai partners to move forward toward a final agreement to build and operate the park and begin preliminary development work. Upon completion of the final agreement, the project's initial phase would include a Magic Kingdom-style theme park with characteristics tailored to the Shanghai region and other amenities consistent with Disney's destination resorts worldwide.
About The Walt Disney Company China
The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS), together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a diversified international family entertainment enterprise with five business segments and is a Dow 30 company with revenues of nearly $38 billion in its most recently reported fiscal year. Our first animation screened in China in the 1930s and today our long association continues with offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou with over 600 employees."
And today, the Shanghai municipal government confirmed that the Chinese government officially approved the Shanghai Disneyland Project, so it is now confirmed from both sides.
Now, i'm not sure we can expect the first Shanghaî Disneyland artwork tomorrow as it seems that the park concept still may have some changes, but the NYT article confirms some points i have been told like the fact that Shanghaî Disneyland Magic Kingdom will of course have WDI classic rides but also new rides that will "incorporate Chinese stories and history".
Always from the NYT: "The initial resort, with a mix of shopping areas, hotels and a Magic Kingdom-style theme park, will sprawl across 1,000 acres of the city’s Pudong district — with the theme park occupying about 100 of those acres. It would be a little bigger than Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., and on par with the parks in Paris and Tokyo. It is expected to open in five or six years".
A park as big as the one we have in Paris or in Tokyo, that's what i call a real theme park, and obviously WDI Imagineers will have plenty of land to create a park that will amaze the guests. All we have to do now is to be a little bit more patient for the details which hopefully will be revealed soon.
And what Hong Kong Disneyland think about all this today? As you'll see, the announcement was received with mixed feelings:
Hong Kong Disneyland Resort Managing Director Andrew Kam said the announcement marked "another significant step for Disney" in China, an important and dynamic market.
"We at Hong Kong Disneyland are focused on getting our exciting project underway as soon as possible," he said, referring to an expansion project on Hong Kong Disneyland.
Margaret Fong, commissioner for tourism, said she was confident that the Hong Kong Disneyland will remain attractive and competitive, adding that the Hong Kong park attracts visitors from not only mainland but also southeast Asia and other places.
Local business people and visitors said they expected the desire for the Chinese mainland visitors to visit Hong Kong Disneyland to be reduced but the Hong Kong park, with some unique attractions, should remain attractive to visitors from nearby."
BUT "News that Shanghai is to have its own Disneyland theme park was greeted Wednesday with mixed feelings in Hong Kong. Tourism chiefs felt the Shanghai park would not adversely affect Hong Kong Disneyland while others felt it was bad news for the park, which has been dogged by controversy since it opened in September 2005.
However, Democratic Party vice chairwoman Emily Lau said the Shanghai park was bad news for Hong Kong. Speaking on government radio RTHK, Lau said: "This will deal a very devastating blow to the Hong Kong theme park. I have said so in Legco [the Legislative Council] for some time".
"The original decision to put the theme park here was a big mistake,' she added. 'We have committed tens of billions of dollars, and now I just don't know how we will recoup that money". The Hong Kong government has encountered strong criticism for shouldering most of the cost of the park.
China's huge market is capable of supporting two Disneyland theme parks, Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Rita Lau says, adding Disneyland theme parks in Hong Kong and Shanghai could cooperate for mutual benefits. In response to Walt Disney's plan to build a theme park in Shanghai, Mrs Lau today said the theme parks in Shanghai and Hong Kong could complement each other, creating more benefits for the two cities.
Noting Hong Kong Disneyland's expansion plan has been finalised, she said the work will start by the end of the year and the new theme areas will come on stream in phases in the next few years. The secretary said Hong Kong will continue to develop new tourist attractions, citing the Hong Kong National Geopark as an example. Mrs Lau said Hong Kong's geographic location allows it to cooperate with other places to develop more diversified tourism products, including cruise tourism services and multi-destination itineraries. The Government will work on this with concerned parties.
In the meantime, let me know what you think of this awaited announcement in the comments or on the D&M english forum on Mice Chat
Picture: copyright Disney
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Will Shanghaî Disneyland be the first Disney theme park to have WDI Marvel super-heroes attractions ?
According to the always good Screamscape web site their sources told them that "Disney has asked the Imagineers to start studying up the huge collection of Marvel Comics characters and stories" and "that the first Disney park that could get new Marvel based attractions will likely be the new Shanghai park."
Although it's still a rumor, it's an interesting news and here is why it could eventually really happen at Shanghaî Disneyland before any other Disney theme park.
I'm not aware of the contracts signed between Marvel and Universal before the Disney deal with Marvel, but i won't be surprised that an "exclusivity clause" was asked by Universal to Marvel. At least for each country where the attractions are already built, i.e America and Japan where Universal Studios have theme parks, and the Spiderman ride in two of them.
Now, although Universal do have a theme park project near Beijing - which awaits China officials approval just like Disney for Shanghaî Disneyland - they still don't have a park in China. And, bad news for Universal, Disney now owns the Marvel rights, which basically means that Disney is doing what he wants as long as they're not stuck with previous contract clauses signed before they own the rights.
So which Disney theme park could be better than Shanghaî Disneyland to introduce the first WDI Marvel super-heroes attractions? But there may be also another reason: from what i've been told Imagineers intend to pay tribute to Chinese mythologies in Shanghaî Disneyland. Which is a pretty good idea as chinese are generally not aware of European mythologies - that's one of the reason you don't find any Snow White, Pinnochio or even Peter Pan dark rides at Hong Kong Disneyland. Chinese know more Pixar characters as these are coming from recent animated films but for the old Disney classics it's another problem...
On this angle, Marvel super-heroes mythologies thanks to recent movies - and one dollar pirate Dvds that anyone can find in most Chinese cities! - are probably well known by young chinese generations - and we can count on Disney to have check this with a marketing research!
So, for all these reasons, and although the Screamscape news must still be consider as a rumor, i would bet on it - not only for the fun but also because, as i often say, there is always a logic behind corporate decisions and in this case we can catch a glimpse of the logic who could decide WDI Imagineers to create Marvel super-heroes attractions for the awaited Shanghaî Disneyland.
Thanks to leave a comment or discuss this article on D&M english forum on Mice Chat
Pictures: copyright Marvel
Monday, September 21, 2009
Shanghaî Disneyland project draft layout
We're all waiting for the big announcement expected for this fall, but according to today's China Daily, i'm sorry to say that the Shanghaî Disneyland project is still in negociations!
According to the newspaper: "The Disneyland project planned for Shanghai is still undergoing negotiations, Xu Lin, top local official of the Pudong New Area District in Shanghai said yesterday, as reported by China Securities Journal.
Relevant departments of the district have reportedly been urged to carry out comprehensive cooperation to move the project forward. A timeline for the project was reported before but the local official gave no comment."
In two words, the Chinese officials have not signed yet. At least not all of them, as the deal is believed to have been given the green light in June by the powerful National Development and Reform Commission, the economic planning agency of the Chinese government. All that is missing now is the approval of the State Council.
As a Shanghai-based analyst Zhu Lianqing said early this month: "Everything is in place except the East Wind". It's a famous Chinese saying which means that a move is imminent, but for one final missing ingredient.
Shanghaî Disneyland is one of the most secret WDI project and we don't have any details about its theming, but the park will be build in Chuansha Town, Pudong New Area, close to Shanghaî.
And for those of you who like maps i found on the Impossible Zone blog what is supposed to be the "engineering draft layout" - picture above - for the Shanghai Disneyland project. You can see on it the location of the future park, and it seems that a lake area is also envisioned.
Thanks to leave a comment or discuss this article on D&M english forum on Mice Chat
Picture: copyright Disney - ARUP
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
More infos about the Al Weiss - Mack secret meeting at Europa Park
Remember this very intriguing August 28th meeting between Al Weiss (Walt Disney Parks and Resorts), Philippe Gas (CEO Euro Disney), Georges Kalogridis (Chief Operative Officer), Andrew de Csilléry (Vice President Strategic Planning) and MACK ride manufacturer at Europa Park in Germany - supposedly for an "exchange of experience"? If you've not read the part one of the story, you can read it HERE.
Well, i have more news about it, and it's even more intriguing! It seems that Disney executives were interested by different flume rides technologies developed by Mack. Last time, i told you about the flume-ride-with-no-splash-in-the-winter which could be perfect for a Disneyland Paris Splash Mountain. Well, they may have been at Europa Park for that, which mean that Mack no-splash technology could have been looked at for a Splash ride in Paris. But there was something else in Mack flume rides that Disney executives were interested by.
You see, one of Mack flume rides include a "turning table" with a backward drop. In two words, at some point the boat stops on the turning table, is turning, and just like at Epcot Norway Maelstrom's attraction, the boat goes down backward. Then there is another turning table where the boat is turn again and there is a new drop, forward this time. By the way, back at the time they built the Norway ride, WDI imagineers liked very much that effect. And every guest like it too, generally. At Europa Park, unfortunately this flume ride is pretty boring, but the technology works well and used with more genius and a better theming it could deliver an impressing effect.
Now, where it's becoming really interesting is when you will know in which attraction WDI Imagineers may envision to use this turning table and backward drop effect.
If you have a look at the rendering above, you will recognize the now famous Pirates of Caribbean land once envisioned for Hong Kong Disneyland before being refused by HK officials (I don't know how somebody can be enough fool to refuse such an incredible concept, but that's another story). The POTC ride/land won't be build in HKDL but big chances are that it will be part of the highly awaited Shanghaî Disneyland.
And yes, as you may have guess by now, this turning table-backward drop might be used in this new Pirates of Caribbean ride - which by the way is supposed to be more inspired by the Jack Sparrow movies than any other POTC versions previously built. We know already that this new version should have a final big drop (simulating the "At World's end" scene when they search Jack Sparrow to the end of the world and drop from the huge waterfall). Personally i don't think that this backward drop - if there is one - could be used for this big drop. This kind of "Splash Mountain" huge drop needs a maximum security, and it's enough frightening-but-fun when you do it "forward".
So, i may be wrong, but i don't think that Imagineers will use this backward effect on the big drop. BUT i will not be surprised if they use it in another part of the ride - after all Pirates of Caribbean usually have two "little" drops, don't they (except at WDW)? So, i can envision a scene where the POTC boat would stop on a turning table before being sent backward for a "medium" drop. And, but that is pure speculation from me, i think that this could happen after a face-to-face with the Flying Dutchman - although this may look like a too obvious replica of the "Troll" scene in the Maelstrom ride. Or they could also use the backward drop effect after a pirate ship fired all its cannons in direction of our boat. There are a lot of scenes that could be imagined in the story line to legitimize a backdrop effect...
Although a backward drop in a POTC attraction sounds like a pretty exciting idea, don't take all this as 100% sure infos. They are not coming "from the horse's mouth" but as usual with me the source is very reliable, which mean that it could be the truth. To end with a resumé, the Mack no-splash technology could interest Disney executives for a splash ride at DLP and the turning table-backward drop tech could interest them for the Shanghaî Disneyland POTC version. The Future will tell us where is the truth in all this.
Artwork: copyright Disney
Thanks to leave a comment or discuss this article on D&M english forum on Mice Chat
Well, i have more news about it, and it's even more intriguing! It seems that Disney executives were interested by different flume rides technologies developed by Mack. Last time, i told you about the flume-ride-with-no-splash-in-the-winter which could be perfect for a Disneyland Paris Splash Mountain. Well, they may have been at Europa Park for that, which mean that Mack no-splash technology could have been looked at for a Splash ride in Paris. But there was something else in Mack flume rides that Disney executives were interested by.
You see, one of Mack flume rides include a "turning table" with a backward drop. In two words, at some point the boat stops on the turning table, is turning, and just like at Epcot Norway Maelstrom's attraction, the boat goes down backward. Then there is another turning table where the boat is turn again and there is a new drop, forward this time. By the way, back at the time they built the Norway ride, WDI imagineers liked very much that effect. And every guest like it too, generally. At Europa Park, unfortunately this flume ride is pretty boring, but the technology works well and used with more genius and a better theming it could deliver an impressing effect.
Now, where it's becoming really interesting is when you will know in which attraction WDI Imagineers may envision to use this turning table and backward drop effect.
If you have a look at the rendering above, you will recognize the now famous Pirates of Caribbean land once envisioned for Hong Kong Disneyland before being refused by HK officials (I don't know how somebody can be enough fool to refuse such an incredible concept, but that's another story). The POTC ride/land won't be build in HKDL but big chances are that it will be part of the highly awaited Shanghaî Disneyland.
And yes, as you may have guess by now, this turning table-backward drop might be used in this new Pirates of Caribbean ride - which by the way is supposed to be more inspired by the Jack Sparrow movies than any other POTC versions previously built. We know already that this new version should have a final big drop (simulating the "At World's end" scene when they search Jack Sparrow to the end of the world and drop from the huge waterfall). Personally i don't think that this backward drop - if there is one - could be used for this big drop. This kind of "Splash Mountain" huge drop needs a maximum security, and it's enough frightening-but-fun when you do it "forward".
So, i may be wrong, but i don't think that Imagineers will use this backward effect on the big drop. BUT i will not be surprised if they use it in another part of the ride - after all Pirates of Caribbean usually have two "little" drops, don't they (except at WDW)? So, i can envision a scene where the POTC boat would stop on a turning table before being sent backward for a "medium" drop. And, but that is pure speculation from me, i think that this could happen after a face-to-face with the Flying Dutchman - although this may look like a too obvious replica of the "Troll" scene in the Maelstrom ride. Or they could also use the backward drop effect after a pirate ship fired all its cannons in direction of our boat. There are a lot of scenes that could be imagined in the story line to legitimize a backdrop effect...
Although a backward drop in a POTC attraction sounds like a pretty exciting idea, don't take all this as 100% sure infos. They are not coming "from the horse's mouth" but as usual with me the source is very reliable, which mean that it could be the truth. To end with a resumé, the Mack no-splash technology could interest Disney executives for a splash ride at DLP and the turning table-backward drop tech could interest them for the Shanghaî Disneyland POTC version. The Future will tell us where is the truth in all this.
Artwork: copyright Disney
Thanks to leave a comment or discuss this article on D&M english forum on Mice Chat
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)