Monday, January 28, 2013

Latest Shanghaî Disneyland News !


Fresh - and good! - news about Shanghaî Disneyland were released today, so let's have a look about this with excerpts of today's Shanghaî Daily article ( in italics ), to which i added my own comments.

"Construction is almost done on the infrastructure and support facilities for Shanghai Disneyland, and design details and installation of features within the theme park will begin this year, officials said yesterday.

Some major structures will take shape late this year in the theme park, which will open in 2015 as scheduled in Chuansha in the Pudong New Area, said Zhou Xianqiang, assistant director of the Shanghai International Tourism and Resorts Zone Management Commission.


Half of the 10 benchmarks set for construction of the park had been reached by the end of last year, Zhou said.After the rest of the construction is done on lands, roads and rivers this year, the commission will deliver the land to Disney officials in the United States for further construction, he said."


Good news, as it seems that the park will not have delay in its opening, unlike what some rumors were saying. That said, it might open more "late 2015" than at the start of the year...

"Zhou said the future theme park will be surrounded by a waterway to isolate the new park from the outside."

Interesting... finally, may be an article that i've done in March 2011 might be right and i strongly suggest you to read it HERE. You'll find in it not only the picture of this early map below, but also my thoughts about what it means for SDL area to be surrounded by water ( which was not yet sure at that time ) and more specifically what it means "symbolically" for chinese people.


"Shanghai Disneyland will involve more Chinese elements to differentiate it from other theme parks around the world, said Dao Shuming, director of the Shanghai Tourism Bureau. Zhou said the Chinese elements will mainly involve performances, festival celebrations and souvenirs".

In two words, it means that SDL probably will not have a lot of rides inspired by chinese mythologies but that you'll find the chinese influence mainly in shows or performances. And so far, from what i've been told, it seems to be right.

"Ticket prices for the future park will be similar to other Disney parks in the world but will also take the incomes of Chinese mainland visitors into account," Zhou added."

What it means is that the entrance ticket price will be probably less expensive than in U.S, Japan or European theme parks which is indeed a bloody good news.

"He said detailed plans on future designs and events in the park will be made public late this year."

Another very good news as it means that WDI might released at last more infos or artwork about SDL. I remind you also that the next D23 Expo in Anaheim is scheduled for next summer and i think we can expect to see interesting things about SDL in the expo. I remind you too this other interesting news released last week by China Daily, saying that "Shanghaî Disneyland will feature a production center, which will showcase some of the technical and creative wizardry, which will be used at the site, and scheduled to be open by the second quarter of 2013. the center will become the "heart" of show production for Shanghai Disneyland, the company said, highlighting the park's most complex technology before it is permanently installed within the theme park, the company said". Might be a kind of Blue Sky Cellar like at DCA but of course all about Shanghaî Disneyland.

Anyway, all this sounds good and just like you i can't wait to know - or see - more about WDI plans for Shanghaî Disneyland!

5 comments:

Allan said...

"the entrance ticket price will be probably less expensive than in U.S, Japan or European theme parks which is indeed a bloody good news."

That's not good news at all. It just means it will be full of chinese visitors day in and day out. You will not want to go.

Alain Littaye said...

Allan, as SDL is in China it will be of course normal that it will be full of chinese, but even if the entrance tickets will be less expensive than in the U.S they won't be cheap too, probably more like HKDL prices. And let's not forget that there is always a limit to the park capacity and they won't go over it. So i will not worry too much about this.

Alain Littaye said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Kevin said...

Well, I would not visit that park even if they handed out free tickets, so my joy about the "cheap" tickets is somewhat limited... But great news for workers slaving away at some Chinese sweat shop, I guess...

Unknown said...

I would imagine it to be less because everything in China is less expensive. I was recently in Shanghai and had a few amazing meals, most under $10 USD.. the most expensive still under $20. No way could they charge what our standard rate there - then no one would be able to visit.