Shanghai: US entertainment giant Disney opens its newest theme park in the commercial centre of Shanghai on Thursday, a massive $5.5 billion project aimed squarely at the mainland Chinese audience.
The resort is the US entertainment giant's sixth in the world and third in Asia, including one in China's semi-autonomous region of Hong Kong.
Six 'lands'
Shanghai Disneyland is divided into six distinct areas -- some entirely new to Disney including the pirate-themed Treasure Cove. The total resort covers 3.9 square kilometres including a shopping and entertainment zone "Disneytown" accessible without tickets. But with a total of seven square km of land available, Disney is keen to expand, chief Bob Iger said before the opening: "We'll probably do that sooner rather than later."
Distinctly Chinese
Gone is "Main Street, U.S.A.", founder Walt Disney's vision of small-town America, and a staple of other parks. Instead, Shanghai Disneyland features the first "Mickey Avenue". From the traditional peony flower on the castle to murals that replace the animals of the Chinese zodiac with Disney characters, the company is aiming to be culturally aware. A stage show based on the movie "Frozen" has dialogue and songs in Chinese, urging the audience to sing along for "Sui ta ba" (Let it Go).
Get your Fastpass
Some popular attractions have posted waiting times of two hours or more during a trial period which started in early May. Disney expects waiting times to improve after the opening and recommends a "Fastpass", which allows visitors to return at a set time to skip the line. Among the most popular attractions is "Soaring Over the Horizon", a film which imitates flight. Other favourites are rollercoaster "TRON Lightcycle Power Run" and "Pirates of the Caribbean", which pays homage to the original ride with new technology and content from the films.
Characters, iconic and otherwise
Shanghai received an early introduction to Disney when the animated film "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" showed in the city's cinemas in 1938. In the 1980s, classic Disney cartoons aired on Chinese state television, while more recently, hit movies like "Zootopia" have introduced new characters, which Shanghai Disneyland features in its parade. But Chinese visitors might be less familiar with Scrooge McDuck, Donald Duck's uncle, and Tiana from the "The Princess and the Frog" both making appearances in the park.
Mickey and Minnie steamed buns
Mindful most visitors are Chinese, around 70 percent of the food is geared toward local tastes. Disney expects to serve 12 million heads of the Chinese vegetable bok choy a year. Food on offer includes the "Mickey Pork Bun" and "Minnie Red Bean Bun", traditional snacks sporting mouse ears. Some early complaints targeted food prices, so Disney is allowing packaged food and drink into the park. But there are still plenty of visitors munching on American-style corn dogs.
