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Iger’s China Strategy Continues

With Disney entering into a deal with the Hong Kong government to expand Hong Kong Disneyland and the reveal of the Shanghai Disney Theme park plan, one of the worst kept secrets of the last five years, The Walt Disney Company continues to gain traction in the world’s largest and fastest growing market of consumers–China.

The Shanghai thing is still waiting for approval from Beijing, Disney hasn’t even submitted it yet, which means it could face some modification from the current plan. But some analysts are predicting it could be bigger than HKDL. That certainly wouldn’t surprise me.

One of the reasons is that Shanghai will not be a Magic Kingdom model theme park. A little bird tells me it will be closely aligned with existing Chinese culture and myths bringing in Disney characters only around the edges (think Disney’s Animal Kingdom). The question is now, will they go in whole hog, or start small and ride out a possible rough start (as they did with HKDL). With a budget in the $3.2 billion  range, they certainly have the money to go big.

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6 thoughts on “Iger’s China Strategy Continues”

  2. Donnie

    Seems to me it would possibly make more sense for Disney to build a second gate at HKDL using this Chinese traditions centric theme in order to boost attendance at THAT park, rather than restart with an entirely different park at this time, no?

  4. Tim Lenz

    so, they’re building a park *in* china based around chinese culture and history? we all saw how well that went with california adventure. you’d think they’d have learned their lesson. why would the chinese travel to shanghai just to see a park themed to their own culture??

  5. John Frost

    Hi Tim,

    Well, Disneyland is a park in American based on American Culture and History, so I don’t see why the same thing wouldn’t work in China.

    I think the difference with California Adventure is that it was supposed to replace a trip to the rest of the state and yet was marketed at locals who could just go out and see the real thing.

  6. Pingback: Disneyland Shanghai - Onsite Report | Mousekingdom Blog (Disney Storys and Photos)

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