Hong Kong Disneyland opened six months ago in a joint venture between the company and the Hong Kong government. Disney’s $314 million investment in the $1.8 billion park has gotten off to a rocky start with rumors that it has not been meeting the company’s expectations. And now they’ve been faced with a new problem, too many visitors. Despite troubles in Hong Kong, Disney has acknowledged that they are in talks with the Shanghai city government about placing a park within its auspices.
Until Shanghai’s park is built, HK Disney will remain China’s only Disney park. HK Disney is much smaller than Florida’s Disney World and the original Disneyland, as such, the park has a capacity limit of 30,000 visitors per day. And, over the New Year holiday thousands of visitors had to be turned away due to the overselling of tickets.
Park officials believed that they had planned adequately for the holiday by selling date-specific tickets for the holiday week. Unfortunately prepaid ticket holders arrived en masse over the holiday with their non date specific tickets and everyone was served on a first come first served basis.
The result was a disenchanting adventure for families who’d traveled from all over China to celebrate Spring Festival Disney-style and a media relations fiasco for Disney. Hong Kong legislators criticized Disney for failing to plan for the influx of mainland visitors, forcing Disney to temporarily suspend their sale of Internet ticket sales -- the non-specific tickets are good for any date within six months of purchase – and are refunding money to those denied entry on a case-by-case basis. Those receiving refunds must prove that they cannot return within the 6-month period. Further, Disney has pledged to work with travel providers about how to coordinate their groups in the park in time for the next national holiday, Golden Week, in May. It was, after all “Our first Chinese New Year celebration,” said Lisa Haines, Disney Spokeswoman. And she acknowledges that “In light of the huge numbers of visitors, we certainly realize the need to reevaluate our ticketing processes during expected peak times of the year."
The rumors have been swirling for years and throughout last year Hong Kong and mainland media were reporting Shanghai’s hopes to start construction on the theme park in 2008. Walt Disney chief executive Robert had no comment on a timetable but admits that “Shanghai is attractive due to its high population and rapid economic development” revealing that plans for Shanghai Disney are more than mere rumor when he further stated, “We have ongoing discussions, ongoing and ongoing and ongoing, with the Chinese government about a park in Shanghai."
A Shanghai city government spokesman said: "Since building a Disney theme park is an international project, we ultimately will have to get central government approval."
Hong Kong tourism officials are not worried about Shanghai taking the wind from their sails just as their 6-month old park is getting its footing. Michael Wu, chairman of the Hong Kong Association of Travel Agents clarified that “Shanghai attracts mainland tourists, while Hong Kong's visitors are from Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand and so on." And, while noting that no deal has yet been inked between the two sides, a Hong Kong Disneyland spokeswoman reiterated that another Chinese park would not open before 2010.
Let’s hope Disney has all the bugs ironed out by then.
