Shanghai Disneyland Opening 2012

[Jose Eber]

China News Daily I guess has made it official?

 

Click For Article

[maliboomer]

Ugh, this is turning into Six Flags.

[COOOOLkid]

This has been out for a while...

 

Anyway, this is really ridiculous... I'm probably sure that the government can't even afford much addition to HKDL, and now they're discussing about Shanghai... If it was very well-run like Tokyo Disney Resort, it'll be fantastic, but I doubt it...

[robbalvey]

^^ How is this like Six Flags? Since when does Six Flags go dropping close to a billion dollars building high-quality theme parks in select international locations? This is nothing like Six Flags...AT ALL!!!!

 

^ Why would you doubt it would be well run? Let me ask you....is there a poorly run Disney park? ANYWHERE???

 

--Robb "Looking forward to another Disney Park because, quite simply, they build some of the best parks in the world!" Alvey

[arrowfanman]

I personally am not looking forward to another Disneyland! And I am the person who likes Disneyland, and its small castle, better than most people!

 

For a second there, I thought there would be a chance of a different kinda park. Like an original concept, like Disney Sea. But no....another Disneyland.

 

Between the Pixar rides, the park clones, and the general lack of risktaking, I personally think we are seeing the start of a slow death of Disney imagination. Lets just hope Expedition Everest can pull them out of it.

 

 

Just my opinion.

[maliboomer]

I hope it isn't just another Disneyland, I mean, it would be better if it was something more unique, like Disneysea.

[Wes]

Yay, more work for me.

[robbalvey]

I personally am not looking forward to another Disneyland! And I am the person who likes Disneyland, and its small castle, better than most people!

 

For a second there, I thought there would be a chance of a different kinda park. Like an original concept, like Disney Sea. But no....another Disneyland.

 

Between the Pixar rides, the park clones, and the general lack of risktaking, I personally think we are seeing the start of a slow death of Disney imagination. Lets just hope Expedition Everest can pull them out of it.

 

Everything you talked about isn't a "new" thing.

 

They have been cloning rides since day one! Jungle Cruise, Pirates, Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain, Big Thunder, Splash Mountain, Star Tours, Tower of Terror, etc, etc, etc.... How is what they are doing today different from the company philosophy of 1955?

 

I agree that I would like to see some original "E Tickets" but the reality is they ARE being built, they just aren't being built in Southern California because we aren't a market that requires it. Just look at the past 10 years and you'll see a LOT of originality:

 

1994 - Tower of Terror

1995 - Indy

1995 - Space Mountain (DLP)

1999 - Rock N Roller Coaster

1999 - Test Track

2000 - Pooh's Hunny Hunt

2001 - Journey To The Center Of The Earth

2001 - Soarin'

2001 - California Screamin'

2003 - Mission: Space

2006 - Expedition Everest

 

That's a hell of a lot of activity going on in the past 10 years!

 

As far as the Pixar thing goes, well, yeah it kind of sucks that Disney has gotten themselves in this bind where they haven't releases what I would consider a GREAT animated movie since what? The Lion King? But creating attractions based on someone else's intellectual property is not new to Disney. I mean, Star Tours opening 1987 based on a Lucas property, same thing with Indy, and heck, most of the Disney "classics" were not invented by Disney, they were just "re-invented."

 

I at least give props to Pixar to have the extra-ordinary ability to create NEW stories that might someday become the next Peter Pan, etc. They need to fix that relationship. Pixar is probably the best thing to happen to Disney since Walt died. Who else has brought such fantastic, original new content to the company since?

 

As far as taking risks, was this REALLY ever a company that took risks? Think about it, most of the original Disneyland was funded by someone else, and almost EVERY major attraction added while Walt was alive was paid for by a sponser. Just rememer the 1964 World's Fair gave Disneyland four attractions....for FREE!

 

Having worked with/for the company for about 10 years of my life, yes, I am dissapointed at where they are today, especially when it comes to feature animation and their current relationship with Pixar. But most of their corporate philosophies have not changed much in 50 years.

 

I for one am all for Disney to build more parks. They build quality parks and each one that is built gives the opporotunity to add yet another "E Ticket" and if it's a good one, I hope it gets cloned to ALL the parks! And remember, when it comes to Disney parks...Disneyland *IS* the core product. All the other parks are extensions of that. That's how it's always been, and I'm damn sure that's how it always will be. Building a Disney resort without a "Disneyland" would be like building a McDonlads that didn't sell hamburgers.

 

Who knows where they next Tower of Terror, Journey, or Expedition Everest will be built, but history shows that if they create a success, then all the parks will reap the rewards.

 

What's wrong with that?

 

/end rant.

 

--Robb

Edited August 27, 2005 by robbalvey

[JT3000]

Why would you doubt it would be well run? Let me ask you....is there a poorly run Disney park? ANYWHERE???

 

Are we talking in terms of high quality theme park standards, or general amusement park standards? Because if it's the former, I would definitely give MK a failing grade at the moment.

 

Disney isn't necessarily turning into Six Flags, but the way I see it, the more common Disney parks become, the less special each one becomes. Not to mention most of them are spin-offs of DL to begin with.

[robbalvey]

^ What do you feel MK is failing at?

 

--Robb

Edited August 27, 2005 by robbalvey

[BelizeIt]

My former College roommate has been living in Shanghai for a number of years. This would give me some extra incentive to fly across the globe for a visit.

 

I imagine this new park will exceed my expections.

 

Shanghai, from what I've been told, is an amazing city. People need to visit other cultures around the world, to see what life is like outside their own surroundings.

[robbalvey]

And how exactly are Disney parks "common." I mean, when the Shanghai park open, they will only have *six* resorts built over what, FIFTY SEVEN years?!??!

 

--Robb

[Wes]

^ Yeah, and people seem to forget there's 1.3 BILLION PEOPLE in China.

 

Whereas there's two resorts and six parks here in the states, with our population is just at 300 million.

[JT3000]

^ What do you feel MK is failing at?

 

--Robb

 

General upkeep. The park in general seems to keep getting dirtier. They aren't taking as good care of it as they used to. Even the trash cans are overflowing, where before they would not. There are a number of attractions in desperate need of a refurb. And I have to question the decision to build a giant playground on a key plot of land when it's been over a decade since the park got a major attraction.

 

I personally feel recent expansion is just a little much for something that's supposed to be as unique as the Disney experience. It's true that it's been 50 years since the first Disney park open, but that's hardly relevant considering how many of the parks have been built in the last 15 years alone. Of course, we'll never know what actions Walt would have taken once WDW was completed. He may have made it into a rapidly spreading chain himself.

[buttonman700]

Kasey and I had the worst time ever at a theme park this past June at WDW... Not at all the parks mind you, but I have never been so put off by Disney in all my life. I should post a TR I guess, this trip was marred by one disney screw up after another.

 

We went with the mind set that Disney always does it right, not this time. We weren't alone with our views either, every time I set foot in a customer sevice center the lies were filed with upset guests!

 

A few of the fubars -

 

MGM Star Wars Weekend - HOLY HELL, they were not prepared for this mess... Restuarant lines out the door, power outages all over the place, the walkways are too small, parking trams that don't go where we parked, food service was one of the major problems here!

 

Animal Kingdom - Rainy stromy day, and not place to take cover. Kicking people out of a show, in the storm do they can reset the show!?! how is pushing geusts out in to a thunderstorm a good idea?

 

There were many more...

 

(yes we know it rains in Florida, yes we knew it was going to be busy, yes we know... Our experiances went beyond this.)

 

While Disney hasn't gone the way of six flags, it was darn close.

[COOOOLkid]

And how exactly are Disney parks "common." I mean, when the Shanghai park open, they will only have *six* resorts built over what, FIFTY SEVEN years?!??!

 

--Robb

 

Just because it'll be 57 years since the opening of Disneyland to the *planned* opening of Shanghai one, it doesn't make it uncommon... Plus Disney is still eyeing on Australia park, India park, and smaller parks in countries like South Korea.

 

IF they put another Magic Kingdom park in Shanghai, it's not very smart... Adding another non-Magic Kingdom theme park (please, no Studio theme park nor Disney's China Adventure...) might work better, considering they're only about 800 miles away from each other and it's not like California-to-Florida distance... Even though China's population is 3x U.S.'s, the poverty percentage is still high compared to other nations in Asia, and I'm pretty sure people would choose food over a day at Disneyland buying ultra-expensive food and buying Pooh stuffed animals, which probably would cost a lot for them...

I'm not saying that majority is, but 1.3 Billion is kind of misleading number...

[coasters 4 me]

^Yeah, there is poverty in China, but do you think that they would build 2 Disneys in China if a large population of china was poor? Also, the Disney parks are near large cities, with loads of people.

[rosscoe]

The way i see it, you guys have been spoiled by choice.

Living in a country (Australia) that has 2 major theme parks ( which are really not that good ), I say "Disney" bring those parks on !! Way cheaper for me to travel to china, than to the West/East coast of America.

Say "Hello Hong Kong Disnryland" 2006.

[Chrissie]

The way I see it is Disney should continue building these parks. Yeah, Some parts of China may be in poverty but they have more chance of getting some Disney magic there than trying to come over 2 the US. I have only ever been to WDW and I cant wait to visit different parks as I believe although the rides and theming may be the same the atomosphere in each park will be different in each park due to differences in culture, as long as disney embraces this, they are doing nothing wrong.

[jarmor]

Personally I dont see anything wrong w/ what disney is doing. Whats the problem w/ building the exact theme park thousands of miles away in a completely different culture. I think the people whinning and complaining are us that **Know** that there another park just l like it here and there and everywhere but do you think they will be complaining. Half of the people in the world dont even leave their state or provience or territory let alone leave the country, and to visit a theme park like some of us do so I feel what disney is doing is great and cost efficent. Now I can see if they were plopping MK's in every other state then that would be another story but thats not the case...

 

Jarvis "you dont see anyone complaining about the fact thats its a mcdonalds on every corner do you..." Morant

[coasterking]

And also Hong Kong is basically its own country, the only ties to China they have are diplomatic relations and they are protected by the Chinese army. But, everything else is independent, so its not really two parks in the same country. Also I think this is a good idea to give people in China the ability to go to a Disney park. Also, whats wrong with them starting with a Magic Kingdom park at each resort? I mean thats the whole point of a Disneyland to have fairytale type theme. That wouldn't be that great to have a stand alone differently themed Disney park in my opinion.

[Sir Clinksalot]

I agree with Robb 100% on this one.

 

Why shouldn't Disney build more parks? Do you honestly think that Disney is in the business of losing money? I just love that people think that a company making money is a bad thing. Just how artists "Sell Out". THEY ALL SELL OUT. If they weren't sell outs they would give away their music for free. And we all know what happened when we all started getting it for free.

 

Disney has done the research, and the market is ready for a Shanghai Disneyland. I think Robb hit the analogy right on the head. A Disney resort without a "Disneyland" is like a McD's with no burgers. It's just wrong.

 

I say go for it Disney!!!

[robbalvey]

Even though China's population is 3x U.S.'s, the poverty percentage is still high compared to other nations in Asia, and I'm pretty sure people would choose food over a day at Disneyland buying ultra-expensive food and buying Pooh stuffed animals, which probably would cost a lot for them...

And those 20,000 hispanics that visit Disneyland every summer day are multi-millionaires? Give me a friggin break! Where do you pull your information from? Oh wait, I know!

 

Let's face it, people are very protective of "their" Disney park. No one cares if 20 more Six Flags parks are built because none of them are that much better than the next.

 

It's like little kids and toys, YOU want to be the first and only one who has the latest awesome toy and you can't stand to see your next door neighbor get one too. And every neighboor who gets one makes YOURS less special to YOU. But that doesn't make the toy any less awesome, especially to the kid who doesn't have one yet.

 

And I agree with Rosscoe. We are spoiled because we have TWO of the biggest Disney resorts within a few hours plane ride of each other. But try living in an area where it will costs you years of savings to get to those destinations.

 

I for one am excited because this will give me an excuse to travel to someplace I normally wouldn't have gone!

 

--Robb "Disney parks are not common, they just aren't!" Alvey

[Coasterlicious]

They need a Disney in the northeast.... but that will NEVER happen.. I dont care about China.. let them build there..

[Erik Johnson]

WOW! This is a huge annoucement. Shanghai is China's most populated city.

I can't imagine what kind of attendence numbers they are going to pull off in its first year. Other than the USA, China will probably be the only country in the world to have 2 Disneylands. They have the population, and the standard of living keeps getting better with each passing year, to sustain both these parks. Now I am going to have to go back and visit Shanghai again.

Now kids in Shanghai will have other things to do to entertain themselves in 2012.

If they ever build an Epcot in Beijing, they already have a building to house a 360 degree movie.

If they build another Disneyland in Beijing, they already have a good place to place a coaster.