Bob Iger Says That "There is a Great Likelihood That Disney Will Build Another Theme Park in China” !

Shanghaî Disneyland is celebrating its first anniversary tomorrow with more than 11M guests during the first year and Bob Iger said in a Bloomberg interview posted today that "there is a great likelihood that Disney will build another theme park in China" and "in another city", meaning that he don't talk about Shanghaî or Hong Kong.
Excerpts from the Bloomberg article: Walt Disney Co.’s ambitious $5.5 billion Shanghai theme park is close to breaking even after its first full year of operations -- a mark none of its resorts have been able to hit in the last 30 years, said Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger.

“That’s an extraordinary achievement. I’m not sure we’ve ever done that,” said Iger in an interview with Bloomberg Television’s Tom Mackenzie on Friday as the Shanghai Disney Resort celebrated its first anniversary. “After the first year, I’m pleased to say that prospects are really strong for continued success and continued growth.”

The park logged more than 11 million visitors earlier this week, Iger said. The Shanghai development, Disney’s first in mainland China and its largest foreign investment, throws the Burbank, California-based giant into the race to dominate the country’s $204 billion media and entertainment industry.

Half the resort’s visitors are from Shanghai and adjacent areas, with the remainder coming from other Chinese cities, Iger said. Park attendance is higher than expected, with “extremely high” occupancy rates at its hotel. The food and beverage business, as well as merchandising, has faced some challenges, he said.

The resort’s attendance for the 12 months after its opening puts it in the top seven of theme parks worldwide, ahead of Disney’s Hong Kong and Paris parks but behind its most popular parks in Florida, California and Japan.

In China, there’s potential for Disney to build a second park in the long run, Iger said, adding it would focus on the Shanghai resort first. A Toy Story themed land opening is planned for next year.

“Before we really look to the horizon geographically, we will focus on expanding this park,” Iger said. “Might we build in another city over time? Yes. There’s a great likelihood that we will. But it’s way too early.”

Read the full Bloomberg article HERE and below is the video of the full interview of Bob Iger.




Video: copyright Bloomberg

The Perfect Shot

Here is a fantastic picture shot by yuchen7up during Shanghaî Disneyland fireworks from Fantasyland and most probably from the back of a Voyage to the Crystal Grotto boat. It's difficult to imagine a better shot than this one. The lighting is great, everything is perfectly in place, even the fireworks and it's not that easy to get a shot like this. For sure, he clicked on the shutter at the right moment, but he also had this bit of luck that photographers need. A perfect shot, really!

Picture: copyright yuchen7up

Shanghaî Disneyland Week-End Update !

Here we go for the awaited D&M Shanghaî Disneyland week-end update! And this week-end i have new pictures of the Shanghaî Disneyland Hotel, Toy Story Hotel as well as Shanghai Village with a new drone video!

We'll start with these new pics of the Shanghaî Disneyland Hotel art-nouveau lobby, posted on Instagram by riki_luk and others people.

The view from the Shanghai Disneyland Hotel. Hopefully the sky will be more blue when you'll stay there.


Let's watch to the new drone video providing new aerial views of the Toy Story Hotel and the art-deco Shanghaî Village, the retail area located at the other end of Wishing Star lake.




Here are screen shots from it.

















See you soon for a new Shanghaî Disneyland update!

Shanghai Village, the Other BIG Project of Shanghaî Disney Resort

Something else really big is currently being built at Shanghaî Disney Resort, right at the other end of SDL lake, and it completely escaped to our sight until now. And it's not because it hadn't been announced, it was announced last year but the location of the luxury Shanghaî Village - as it is named - was not disclosed explicitly so we couldn't knew that in fact this huge luxury shopping destination will be in fact located so near to Shanghaî Disneyland.

And don't think that Disney is not involved in it as it is a joint venture between Value Retail China and Shanghai Shendi Group, the developer of Shanghai International Tourism and Resorts Zone (SITRZ). Shendi as we know is the joint venture with Disney and it is master planning SITRZ with premium hotels, health spas, recreation facilities and restaurants that cater to affluent tourists and residents, and of course Shanghai Disney Resort.

Shanghaî Village will be located within the core zone of SITRZ, adjacent to Shanghai Disney Resort, at the other end of the lake. Accessible by car, metro, train and bus, Shanghaî Village will also enjoy the excellent transport links of Shanghai International Tourism and Resorts Zone.

Public transport to the Village will be provided by local buses and by Metro line 11. Metro line 11 is the first cross-provincial metro line in China. In the future, there are plans to extend Metro line 2 into a tail of the existing metro station.

From the local Shanghai Disney Resort metro station ( bottom left on the picture above ) a dedicated shuttle will transport visitors to Shanghai Village. Visitors may also choose to walk along the lakeshore paths or arrive by boat across the lake.

Shanghai Village will ultimately have more than 50,000 square metres of outlet retail and restaurant space. It will serve tourists visiting the Shanghai Disney Resort (an estimated 15 million visitors in the first year), the international and domestic tourists visiting Shanghai, as well as the catchment area of the Yangtze River Delta region, with a population of approximately 140 million.

But what i find really exciting with this Shanghaî Village is its architecture. If just like me you like art-deco style you'll be i heaven as they cleverly did the choice of a style which will remind the old romantic Shanghaî of the 20-30's, still visible on legendary Shanghaî Bund. I let you have a look at the pictures below as pictures as we know worth a thousand words...

Looks great, isn't it? Sure, it's one more place inside Shanghaî Disney Resort where they expect you to buy, eat and spend money but it will be the only luxury outlet shopping destination within the Shanghai International Tourism and Resorts Zone - you can be sure that Disney won't have any competitor miles around - and it will be defined by "a distinctive offer of international luxury, fashion and lifestyle brands and by an authentic European shopping experience, consistent with the nine Villages by Value Retail in Europe.cShanghai Village will be one of the most important luxury shopping destinations in Asia. Shanghaî Village reflects a rewarding 15 year history shared between Disneyland Paris and the popular La Vallée Village, also developed and operated by Value Retail.

Shanghai Village will be home to a unique mix of leading international and Asian luxury and fashion brands, offering their previous seasons' collections with exceptional savings throughout the year. Fashion for men, women and children, together with luxuries for the home, will be available. A suite of carefully prepared amenities will include restaurants and cafés, offering local and international cuisine.

Shanghai Village will be located in Pudong New District, 40–60 minute drive from central Shanghai and if you think it's a long term project for SDL, you're wrong. At the time i write this article Shanghaî Village is currently being built and has an opening scheduled for ...Spring 2016! May be they'll be a bit late but the goal is to open as soon as possible after Shanghaî Disneyland opening. One more good reason to go to ShanghaI Disneyland? Probably and we'll end this article with the video below showing the project and from where the screen captures below are coming.




Pictures and video: copyright Shendi - Value Retail

High-Speed Train Will Connect Shanghaî Disneyland With Others Cities Rail and Shanghaî Pudong International Airport

Some news about Shanghaî Disneyland coming from China Shanghaî Daily:

Plans are in the works surrounding construction of a high-speed rail that would connect the new Shanghai Disneyland with other city rail and air hubs.
The new Shanghai East Railway Station will be built in Pudong, near Shanghai Disneyland, according to blue prints.

A high-speed link would be extended from Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station, passing through Shanghai East Railway Station and on to Pudong International Airport, said Guo Zhuxue, chief of Shanghai Railway Bureau.

This would provide a speedy link to Shanghai Disneyland, both for passengers on rail services that would otherwise terminate at Hongqiao and for visitors arriving at Pudong International Airport.

Above: China high-speed train

Hongqiao Railway Station is 35 kilometers from the Disneyland site, while Pudong airport is 10km from the resort. As China’s high-speed trains travel at up to 300 kilometers per hour, the distance could be covered within minutes.

Earlier this year, Shanghai transit authorities announced that Metro Line 11 will run a Disney-themed train on the subway extension taking visitors from Luoshan Road Station to Shanghai Disneyland, which has been under construction since October.

The theme park, which will feature Disney's largest theme park castle, is expected to open by the end of 2015.

Picture: copyright Disney

Text: Shanghaiist.com

Shanghaî Disneyland Update

Here is a small Shanghaî Disneyland update to start the week. Not a lot of things happened since the last update and there is nothing really to see on site. You'll still have to wait at least one year before interesting things appear but SDL released these last weeks some news that i've missed so here they are.

As the 2013 Shanghai Tourism Festival opens, construction work continues on track at the Shanghai Disney Resort build site in Pudong. The concrete pour for the resort's two themed hotels has just commenced, marking another key milestone in the development of the resort. Disney hotels are known around the world for their attention to detail and outstanding Guest services. This tradition will continue at Shanghai Disney Resort with two themed hotels - a deluxe hotel and a value hotel. Each hotel will have its own distinct theme, a unique selection of shopping and dining opportunities, and a variety of recreation options. The two hotels, providing a total of 1,220 rooms, will be located in within Shanghai Disney Resort, in close proximity to Shanghai Disneyland and to the resort's shopping, dining and entertainment area.

The Shanghai Disney Resort Management Company also announced an agreement to adopt a leading new environmental technology to supply the resort with heating, cooling and compressed air, thereby increasing the overall energy efficiency of the resort by three times and ensuring the resort’s efficient and environmentally- friendly operations. The utilities will be co-generated by a Combined Cooling and Heating Plant, to be built and operated on the resort site by the Shanghai International Tourism and Resort Zone New Energy Company Limited, a joint venture company owned by Huadian New Energy Development Company, Ltd, Shanghai Shendi (Group) Co,. Ltd, and Shanghai Yiliu Energy Group Co., Ltd.

As a key infrastructure project for Shanghai International Tourism and Resorts Zone, the Combined Cooling, Heating, Power Plant (CCHP) is a grid-tied, gas-fired power plant which co- generates cooling and heating via engine waste heat, and produces compressed air by self- generated electricity. The CCHP project will supply hot water and chilled water for space heating and cooling, domestic hot water, and all compressed air needs for the Shanghai Disney Resort’s daily operation in the most energy efficient and environment-friendly way. The project is designed, constructed and operated by Shanghai International Tourism and Resort Zone New Energy Company Limited, and will become operational in time to support the resort’s opening, scheduled for the end of 2015.

“Shanghai Disney Resort has been devoted to seeking new technology and business solutions which reduce our impact on environment, save resources, and promote sustainable technology, and to support all kinds of cooperation with our local partners,” said Mike Crawford, General Manager, Shanghai Disney Resort. “The CCHP project is an excellent example of partnership, localization and Disney’s long-term commitment to environment protection. We are excited to be creating a world-class destination here in Shanghai to showcase environment friendly and leading Chinese and international technologies.” 

Pictures: copyright Shendi