Hong Kong Disneyland (HKDL) Discussion Thread

[DBJ]

Thanks for the artworks! Mystic Manor does sound pretty ambitious, and I imagine it will be cloned over to Paris or Florida fairly soon. The coaster concept looks like it will be a great addition as well.

 

Toy Story Land looks like it would be a fun addition...to Disney Hollywood Studios, near TSMM. Or even near DCA's TSMM. Still looks to be a tad bit out of place in it's current spot at HKDL. It will be interesting to see how the land fits in once it's completed.

[cfc]

Just a reminder that a 'Theme Park Review Best of China' trip is in the works for 2012...I'm just saying!

 

Count me in for that one.

[Squid]

Is anyone else wondering if Mystic Manor will be the Disney answer to Spiderman and Curse of DarKastle? Has there been any mention of 3D screens?

 

Squid

[rosscoe]

Just a reminder that a 'Theme Park Review Best of China' trip is in the works for 2012...I'm just saying!

 

That works for me, a trip next year and than two years later hello China. Now back on topic, Grizzly looks amazing

[Squid]

So does that mean there's a China and a Japan trip planned for 2012? I need to start saving now!

 

Squid

[SharkTums]

^Best of Japan - 2011, Best of China - 2012

[spacemtfan]

^ 2012?!? Assuming that the world doesn't end (like so many conspiracy theorists), I can't wait to go!

[Squid]

Considering the given date is December 21st, I'm sure you could go before the world doesn't end.

 

Squid

[jedimaster1227]

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTOE60I0AK20100119?type=marketsNews

 

Disney's troubled Hong Kong Disneyland theme park made a net loss of HK$1.315 billion ($169.4 million last year while attracting 4.6 million visitors, in its first major admission of its financial performance since its opening in 2005.

 

Since opening to great fanfare, Disney's first magic kingdom in China has struggled to attract the expected flood of visitors from mainland China, although its performance had been difficult to gauge given Disney's initial refusal to fully disclose key results and attendance figures.

 

A paper by Hong Kong's Tourism Commission for local lawmakers, however, said Hong Kong Disneyland made the net loss in 2009 partly because of the "unfavourable impact" of the H1N1 swine flu outbreak and the global financial crisis.

 

The paper, released on Tuesday, added that the park made a net loss of HK$1.574 billion in 2008, while hotel occupancy rates stood at 70 percent in 2009, a drop of eight percent from 2008.

 

"We would like to point out that (Hong Kong Disneyland) is a long-term asset that grows over time and it is still in its early years of development," the paper said, while noting the park's continued cost containment efforts.

 

The Hong Kong government, however, which has a 52 percent stake in the park -- the Walt Disney Company (DIS.N) holds the other 48 percent -- expressed disappointment with the park's results, calling on it to improve.

 

"We are concerned about the situation and are dissatisfied with the financial performance (of Hong Kong Disneyland)," said Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Rita Lau.

 

The park saw 4.6 million visitors in 2009, 2 percent more than 2008, generating revenues of HK$2.541 billion.

 

Last year's attendance was lower than Disney's first-year attendance target of 5.6 million, which it just missed. After the park's expansion, however, the number of visitors is expected to swell to between 5.2 million-8 million visitors by 2015.

 

The park initially said it hoped to attract 10 million visitors per year after 15 years. With attendance falling short of targets, the government has been seeking ways to boost the number of visitors in the long term.

 

The theme park, Disney's smallest, is now undergoing a $468 million expansion aimed at bolstering its competitiveness with a rival Disneyland that is scheduled to open in Shanghai in the next five or six years.

 

As part of the expansion deal, partly financed by the Hong Kong government, Disney pledged to boost the transparency of its operations by releasing annual operating and financial results.

[gisco]

It's a nice "little" park. The expansion should help. There is just not enough to do there. They need to keep expanding or Ocen Park will keep drawing the people away.

[DBJ]

Isn't this essentially the pattern of most of the Disney parks built in recent history? They are built "small", focus on hotel and retail over actual attractions, miss every atttendance target, post a loss, and then the parks scramble to add expensive attractions to reverse the decline. One would have thought that the Chinese govt. might have wanted to take a closer look at the intial years of the other Disney parks that underperformed and avoid replicating the same mistakes.

 

Hope they are learning a lesson with regards to the future park in Shanghai.

[cfc]

I think that Disney was able to get away with this "half-built" strategy in Florida (at least with the Studios park) because they had a captive audience (that is, many guests stay on the property, making it difficult to stray away from Disney). It failed with DCA, though, because it's easier to get away from the "resort."

 

At least they're finally getting the message--it's not the shopping, it's the attractions. I like the plans they've announced for the Hong Kong park.

[Retro_Gaga]

http://disneyandmore.blogspot.com/2010/01/sneak-peek-at-hkdl-expansion-with-new.html

 

The 5th picture down shows a halfpipe coaster, but it doesn't look Intiamin.

 

And the car design would fit the big train of the Vekoma big air train design.

 

Just a thought, any opinions?

 

EDIT : It was also make sense because Disney has a history with Vekoma.

Rn'R, EE, DLP's BTR, All their kiddie coasters were built by Vekoma, so this would make sense.

[DBJ]

I like the concept of Vekoma's Big Air with the rotating seats, found this on their website.."

 

"Beginning with awe-inspiring vertical lift of approximately 60 meters, guests are slowly rotated before experiencing a breathtaking downward facing dive."

 

Reads like it doesn't rotate during the course of the entire ride. Great for people who don't want to ride a constantly spinning coaster.

 

So it's definately possible that it's Vekoma and not the Intamin Half Pipe design.

[cfc]

Retro_Gaga, being as we already have a discussion thread for Hong Kong Disneyland, I merged your topic with it. You can discuss the new "half-pipe" to your heart's content here.

 

Thank you,

Chuck

[jedimaster1227]

[coastertube]http://www.themeparkreview.com/coastertube/play.php?vid=Danny_Elfman_putf[/coastertube]

[jedimaster1227]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iO1YA4dfObaGO4K6kW-SyvEsYZ5g?docId=CNG.bc19a12f010c9ade1e4a66c9a6d9bd29.a91

 

Hong Kong Disneyland, which has been struggling to attract visitors since opening in 2005, said Thursday it would complete the first phase of its expansion by 2013, a year early.

 

The loss-making park has been seeking to increase its popularity and faces fresh concerns over its future with Shanghai Disneyland reportedly set to start construction on Friday.

 

The HK$3.63 billion ($467 million) expansion, which will see the addition of three attractions, will now be completed by 2013, the theme park said in a statement received by AFP Thursday.

 

It said Toy Story Land, based on the popular animated film, would open later this year while two other attractions would open in 2012 and 2013.

 

The Hong Kong Economic Times reported Thursday that the company had also started preliminary discussions with the government on the next round of expansion, which could start in 2013.

 

However a park spokesman dismissed the report when contacted by AFP.

 

Since it opened in 2005, Hong Kong Disneyland, which is majority owned by the Hong Kong government, has been desperate to boost the number and quality of its attractions as it struggles to attract visitors.

 

The venue is investing HK$6.2 billion to build 30 new attractions over the next five years.

 

Early completion of the first phase of expansion will give it more time to prepare for competition from the long-awaited Shanghai Disneyland, which will cost $3.7 billion and cover a site of 963 acres (390 hectares). The whole Hong Kong Disneyland resort site, including two hotels, covers 310 acres.

 

Mainland China is a major source of visitors for the Hong Kong park, last year accounting for 2.2 million visitors, or 42 percent of the total, according to the latest park figures.

[MayTheGForceBeWithYou]

I would agree with the article. HKDL was pretty much empty when I visited...less than two weeks after it opened.

 

I'm hoping the attractions will boost the performance of the park. I was a bit underwhelmed by the opening lineup.

[SharkTums]

I don't get all the hatred for this park. If you look at it as a Disneyland Lite, it's awesome. I don't think anyone ever thought it would compete with the other Disneyland's. I think they just really did some bad research in thinking mainland Chinese people would come visit. The Shanghai park should pick up the slack there, and I see the Hong Kong park as staying as a nice small lite version.

[Meteornotes]

^I loved HK Disneyland. I'd personally rather go there than to either the Paris or California Disney properties, both of which are constantly clogged with horrible humans and rude employees.

 

dt

[COASTER FREAK 11]

Im rather excited to go here next year with TPR!

[Nrthwnd]

^ What he said.

 

Of course, it will ALSO be great to go back there,

when it's all up and running, and you're able

to walk through each mini-land, lol.

 

Mmmmm... Mansion and Grizzly.

[jedimaster1227]

http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/stock-market-news-story.aspx?storyid=201107080448dowjonesdjonline000259&title=hong-kong-disneyland-to-increase-admission-fees-14%

 

Hong Kong Disneyland said Friday it will increase admission fees by 14% for adults and children, the first hike since the theme park opened, due to rising inflation and higher operation costs.

 

Hong Kong Disneyland--53%-owned by the Hong Kong government and 47%-owned by Walt Disney Co.--said the price of a one-day admission for adults will increase to HK$399(US$51.2) from HK$350, and to HK$285 from HK$250 for children. The new prices will be effective on Aug. 1, except for Hong Kong residents who will pay the new prices from Dec. 1.

 

The theme park cited a combination of inflation and the weaker Hong Kong dollar as key reasons for the price increase. It is also spending on park expansion.

 

The park announced plans in 2009 to build three new attraction zones, taking the total theme areas to seven. It said in April the first phase of expansion would be finished in 2013, one year ahead of schedule.

 

The entertainment park has suffered from weak attendance and net losses since it opened. Its net loss in its last fiscal year ended Oct. 2 narrowed to HK$718 million from HK$1.32 billion in the previous fiscal year, partly due to an increase in visitors to the park.

[larrygator]

This sort of flew under the radar but Toy Story Land opened last week at HKDL.

 

 

Asia’s Exclusive Toy Story Land Officially Launches Opening marks the completion of the first themed area of the expansion project Playtime at Hong Kong Disneyland immerses Guests in the fun of toys

 

(Hong Kong, November 17, 2011) – Hong Kong Disneyland Resort hosted the grand opening ceremony of Toy Story Land, a brand new themed area exclusive to Hong Kong within Asia, today. The opening of Toy Story Land marks a key milestone for the Resort, concluding the first phase of its expansion project. Inspired by the global blockbuster Toy Story trilogy, the new themed area contains imaginative, storytelling attractions that can be enjoyed by Guests from Hong Kong and around the world alike.

 

In an opening ceremony staged in front of the 6-meter tall Woody at the entrance of Toy Story Land, Bill Ernest, President and Managing Director, Asia Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Andrew Kam, Managing Director of Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and Joe Lanzisero, Creative Senior Vice President, Walt Disney Imagineering welcomed Guests and media to the historic event. The HonorableJohn Tsang, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Mr. Shao Qi Wei, Chairman of the National Tourism Administration of the People’s Republic of China; the HonorableGregory So, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; and Mr. Philip Yung, Commissioner for Tourism of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region were present as Guests of Honor to help kick off the official launch of the first themed area of the Resort’s expansion project.

 

“Today we mark the beginning of another new and exciting chapter at Hong Kong Disneyland Resort with the opening of Toy Story Land, the first of three new themed areas of our expansion project,” said Bill Ernest. “For the first time ever, Hong Kong Disneyland Guests can experience the feeling of being shrunk to the size of a toy when they enter Andy’s backyard to play with their favorite Toy Story friends.”

 

Subsequent to the opening of Toy Story Land, the second themed area of the expansion project, Grizzly Gulch, will be completed and opened to public in 2012, followed by the third, Mystic Point, in 2013. The whole expansion project will increase the Park’s physical footprint by 23% and bring the number of overall park attractions, entertainment facilities and shows to total more than 100.

 

“The completion of this multi-phase expansion project will not only increase the Park’s physical footprint, it also demonstrates The Walt Disney Company’s commitment to the people of Hong Kong and the continued growth of Hong Kong Disneyland Resort. This enhances Hong Kong’s overall competitiveness as Asia’s top tourist destination,” added Ernest.

 

“All of us here at the Resort are so proud and thrilled to be a part of this moment,” said Andrew Kam. “We’d like to thank everyone for their support in getting us to this point, including the over 20,000 guests – including trade partners, Magic Access members, alliance partners, media friends, celebrities and etc – who joined us for rehearsal days in early November, whose positive feedback has been greatly appreciated.

 

“Also, thank you to all those who have worked with us on our comprehensive marketing strategy, which has created tremendous buzz around Toy Story Land throughout the city,” added Kam. “We’re delighted to see the positive business overview that is resulting from the limitless imagination and extraordinary effort of our 5,000-plus Cast Members, partners and various lifestyle brands.”

 

Bringing the cherished stories of the Toy Story movies to the real world, Toy Story Land provides an incredible, immersive experience for Guests of all ages and cultural backgrounds. Entering the themed area, Guests will feel like they’re being shrunk to the size of a toy as they are transported to the oversized world of Andy’s backyard. In addition to the three main new attractions – RC Racer, Slinky Dog Spin and Toy Soldier Parachute Drop – Guests will also be enthralled by all the new food and beverage options, entertainment, photo opportunities and merchandise offered in Toy Story Land. With the magic of toys coming to life through all its interactive and playful adventures, playtime at Toy Story Land will become a highlight of the Hong Kong tourism experience that is not to be missed.

 

Also showcasing the spirit of imagination in action were 300 young talents from the community who participated in Disney ImagiNations Hong Kong, a design competition in which students from select education institutions in Hong Kong were invited to apply their technical, artistic and creative skills to developing hypothetical concepts for theme park attractions and experiences concepts. About 50 finalists gathered at the newly opened Toy Story Land today to witness this prime example of imagination being transformed into the reality.

 

In addition, from November 18, 2011 to January 2, 2012, all Hong Kong residents and tourists can also come visit Andy’s backyard at Hong Kong Disneyland and also celebrate Christmas. This Christmas, to welcome Woody, Jessie and all the other new toys to Toy Story Land, Mickey has also invited all Guests to join in a whimsical celebration – Santa Mickey’s Toy-riffic Street Party. Toys will come to life, dancing down the snowy Main Street, U.S.A. Christmas Town amidst its many whimsical decorations and romantic atmosphere. Guests won’t be able to resist chiming in with calls of “Toy to the World!”

[SharkTums]

^Thanks Larry!

 

Keeping my fingers crossed for some soft opening love of Grizzly next year!