Disney all but abandons Hong Kong

[Guest Tony n Terrific]

http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/03/18/b...ng-kong-disn%2F

[george lee]

"...And inside the park, staff must continually explain to Chinese guests why it's not all right for them to urinate in the park's gardens -- they would be politely directed to the squat toilets in the bathrooms."

 

funny

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/03/18/b...ng-kong-disn%2F

 

 

Disney had a tough time with Hong Kong from the get-go. It was a complete cultural mismatch; Western, Eastern, and Disney cultures all coming together. Nearly everyone that Disney chose to be a part of the opening, saving, and so on, had never before visited China.

 

And now, Disney is trying to seal the deal for a new park in Shanghai. That might work a little better, as even though Disney didn't do well in Hong Kong, there were a lot of lessons learned on both parts. Like, not opening a park across the border from mainland China.

[Tony_onrock]

"...And inside the park, staff must continually explain to Chinese guests why it's not all right for them to urinate in the park's gardens -- they would be politely directed to the squat toilets in the bathrooms."

 

funny

not that funny if you have to hold 45 minutes before your turn to pee.

 

I doubt the new Disney in Shanghai will be sucessful. The main problem is cultural difference. most in china have no emotional attachment to the Mouse as in the US.

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

I doubt the new Disney in Shanghai will be sucessful. The main problem is cultural difference. most in china have no emotional attachment to the Mouse as in the US.

 

I sure haven't ever seen that. There are lots of kids both young and old in China, and nearly all are familiar in some way or another with Disney, Mickey Mouse, and all their friends. Doesn't matter where the kids are from, they just love that stuff. It just wasn't a good idea to put a Disney park in Hong Kong, as most of the people from the mainland have a hard time getting there. If the Chinese government ends up ironing out the legal kinks with Disney over the new theme park, I fully expect that it will not only do well, but exceed expectations. But, it might not happen....

 

Will they?

 

http://www.china.org.cn/government/NPC_CPP...nt_17406553.htm

 

 

Maybe...

 

http://shanghaiist.com/2009/01/15/shanghai...ey_sign_off.php

 

...and, maybe not...

 

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/02/22/...-Disneyland.php

Edited March 20, 2009 by ShaQuaNew (see edit history)

[tonado]

Just move the HK Disney to Shanghai.

[IllinoisDave]

I think any Disney success in Shanghai will be a direct result of how much input they get solicit/receive/accept from Mainlanders. If they're smart, and they usually are, they'll turn over almost all decision making to the people who actually know the intended audience.

[Randy W]

I think any Disney success in Shanghai will be a direct result of how much input they get solicit/receive/accept from Mainlanders. If they're smart, and they usually are, they'll turn over almost all decision making to the people who actually know the intended audience.

 

 

Disney is always VERY innovative in that style of doing business.

 

I expect the primary reason for the problems in HK are due to accessibility from the mainland as others have said.

[NewDay2006]

The main problem is cultural difference. most in china have no emotional attachment to the Mouse as in the US.

 

Can't say I agree. For me, Disney was never about Mickey... Mickey and Minnie have really been gone since... the 50's... just people liking Nostalgia really cared about that.... Disney "IMO" was more about the innovative entertainment. Most of the things in Disney from my view was for things people remembered like the JAWS ride,Back to The Future. Yes Disney is once of them, but they just happen to be the owners of the park... not the main attraction.

 

My Question, what about the cost? Disney is very expensive for a days adventure. Wouldn't only the rich be able to afford it?

[tonado]

The world economy is so bad. All businesses are affected.

[2mike&jin]

http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/03/18/b...ng-kong-disn%2F

 

 

I was there on opening day....what a disaster! I chocked it up as "opening day mistakes" but returned some months later for a sanity check. It was just as horrible! Resturants "set up" for western ideas of "blowing in for a quick" bite, only to have Chinese go in for a dining experience and sit at a table for 2 or 3 hours. There is next to "nothing" to do in the park - a few rides, a few shows, a few shops and a few resturants that serve less than good food - if you can get in! After a few months of operation the resturant crowding issue went away...as they didn't have many customers to hog all the tables. FYI - the Disney store - was doing a land office business --- just like it does in all the malls in the larger Chinese cities. Too bad - it could've been a great place. I think SHDL, if completed will fare better - IMHO!

[Guest Tony n Terrific]

http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/03/18/b...ng-kong-disn%2F

 

 

I was there on opening day....what a disaster! I chocked it up as "opening day mistakes" but returned some months later for a sanity check. It was just as horrible! Resturants "set up" for western ideas of "blowing in for a quick" bite, only to have Chinese go in for a dining experience and sit at a table for 2 or 3 hours. There is next to "nothing" to do in the park - a few rides, a few shows, a few shops and a few resturants that serve less than good food - if you can get in! After a few months of operation the resturant crowding issue went away...as they didn't have many customers to hog all the tables. FYI - the Disney store - was doing a land office business --- just like it does in all the malls in the larger Chinese cities. Too bad - it could've been a great place. I think SHDL, if completed will fare better - IMHO!

Somebody sure missed the boat on demographics here.

Edited March 21, 2009 by Tony n Terrific (see edit history)

[Feathers268]

"...And inside the park, staff must continually explain to Chinese guests why it's not all right for them to urinate in the park's gardens -- they would be politely directed to the squat toilets in the bathrooms."

 

funny

not that funny if you have to hold 45 minutes before your turn to pee.

 

I doubt the new Disney in Shanghai will be sucessful. The main problem is cultural difference. most in china have no emotional attachment to the Mouse as in the US.

I think Disney can do quite well with a little homework and a determination to keep true to the original Disney image. The younger generation does have an affinity for the mouse and the Kingdom but in Jen's case along with her friends, it is for the Kingdom here in the states. When I talked to her about it, she felt that Disney HK was no good because it was Chinese and therefore not real enough. But coming to California, Disney was goal #1 on things to do, to which she proudly bragged to her friends and family about going.

[LeeFisher3]

We went to a theme park of sorts in Beijing, there is a big difference in expectations and design in China compared to the US. The creators of the park should have done more research before launching into their standard park design.

 

As for the Chinese not knowing Mickey, my son arrive in the US with a full set of Mickey clothing and bedding including a Mickey backpack. While it may not have been officially trademarked merchandise at the age of 10 he was proud to have everything from Mickey underwear to bed sheets.

 

I've also seen women in China wearing Mickeyware.

[Randy W]

Beijing Shijingshan Amusement Park (Chinese: ±±¾©Ê¯¾°É½ÓÎÀÖÔ°; pinyin: B¨§ij¨©ng Sh¨ªj¨«ngsh¨¡n Y¨®ul¨¨yu¨¢n) is a theme park located in the Shijingshan District of Beijing, China. The park, first opened on September 28, 1986, is currently owned and operated by the Shijingshan District government.[1] The park is accessible via the Line 1 of the Beijing Subway. It has its own stop called Bajiao Amusement Park Station (°Ë½ÇÓÎÀÖÔ°).

 

 

http://i40.tinypic.com/2a5ao9z.jpg

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beijing_Shiji..._Amusement_Park

 

In May 2007, the park was exposed by international media for having made unauthorized use of Japanese and American cartoon characters.[1] According to a report originally broadcast on Fuji TV's FNN News, the park features a castle that resembles Disney's trademark Sleeping Beauty Castle and a structure that looks like Epcot's Spaceship Earth. The park also features a host of costumed characters that look amazingly similar to not only Disney's trademark characters, but also Shrek, Hello Kitty, Doraemon, Bugs Bunny and a number of other trademarked characters.

 

Park officials denied any wrongdoing. When asked by the FNN News reporter if the characters are related to Disney, the theme park's general manager Liu Jingwang said that their characters are based on Grimm's Fairy Tales.

 

According to a May 10, 2007 Associated Press report, the park deputy general manager Yin Zhiqiang said that the park's lawyers are in negotiation with The Walt Disney Company. Disney declined to comment directly on this matter.[1]

 

We were there in December. The quality seemed to be a cut above the typical shopping center parking lot carnival that you find here.

 

It was too cold to go on any of the rides, so we did something else that day.

Edited March 21, 2009 by Randy W (see edit history)