Disney says Shanghai theme park to get $800M boost

[smbowtie]

China Shanghai Disney



LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Disney says it and its Chinese partner will spend $800 million more on their Shanghai theme park, bringing the total investment to nearly $5.5 billion.
The extra spending will go toward more attractions, entertainment and other offerings. Most of the additions are targeted to be completed by opening day, which is aimed for the end of 2015.
CEO Bob Iger said in a statement that Disney has been impressed with the growth of China's economy, the expansion of the middle class and a significant increase in travel and tourism.
Shanghai Shendi Group owns 57 percent of the park while The Walt Disney Co. holds the remaining 43 percent.
Each will contribute a proportionate share of the extra investment

 

[kmb584]

China Shanghai Disney



LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Disney says it and its Chinese partner will spend $800 million more on their Shanghai theme park, bringing the total investment to nearly $5.5 billion.
The extra spending will go toward more attractions, entertainment and other offerings. Most of the additions are targeted to be completed by opening day, which is aimed for the end of 2015.
CEO Bob Iger said in a statement that Disney has been impressed with the growth of China's economy, the expansion of the middle class and a significant increase in travel and tourism.
Shanghai Shendi Group owns 57 percent of the park while The Walt Disney Co. holds the remaining 43 percent.
Each will contribute a proportionate share of the extra investment

It still amazes me that they can build an entirely new resort in 3.75 years but take them nearly 2 years to complete 7DMT.

 

[Dayton Flyer]

It still amazes me that they can build an entirely new resort in 3.75 years but take them nearly 2 years to complete 7DMT.

China doesn't have quite the safety protocols in place for worker and rider protection that we have here.

For an example, just take a look at the many stories about horrible air pollution throughout China's major cities.

 

[burnetta696]

China doesn't have quite the safety protocols in place for worker and rider protection that we have here.

For an example, just take a look at the many stories about horrible air pollution throughout China's major cities.

This! I just spent a year working for Disney English in Beijing and the air quality is horrible. Some days they didn't even have a way to record the air quality level because it was so high.

But also, construction etc... There is way different then construction and what not here as far as safety goes. I lived on the 19th floor oft building and the window washers would be on a plank made of a couple 2X4 slung with rope of the roof. No harness no safety line.

 

[sethschroeder]

Bigger question how does it take 1 year to redo 1 mile of highway.... The US is just slow and companies that want to build on a fast pace have to pay a huge premium. Heck if you build a house it can take a year begging to end and that's with no worries about ruining the magic of people around the area.

 

[Angel Ariel]

China doesn't have quite the safety protocols in place for worker and rider protection that we have here.

For an example, just take a look at the many stories about horrible air pollution throughout China's major cities.

Plans for Animal Kingdom were released and groundbreaking happened in 1995.

Animal Kingdom opened to the public in 1998.

An entire park...the biggest WDW park (by area) - 3 years from groundbreaking to open.

In contrast, Avatar Land was announced in 2011, Construction began in 2013, and it's not slated to open until 2017. This is just one land in one park taking 4 years from ground breaking to opening. Then you have 2 years of construction with SDMT, and that's just for one ride - not even an entire land.

Pretty sure the speed thing has nothing to do with safety protocols, if they can manage to build/open AK in just 3 years.

 

[SuperRob]

It's a lot easier to build a whole new park from scratch than it is to retrofit attractions into a park you can't close down. Namely because there's machinery they don't want people to see that gets trucked in at night, so it limits the hours that stuff is available.

New Fantasyland was a bit easier since they could close off an entire section of the park and basically do whatever they wanted behind the walls. But once it opened to the public, the limits kicked in.

 

[Angel Ariel]

TSMM was a retrofit, and that was only 17 months from announcement to opening...

Look, I'm not saying SDMT won't be great, or isn't more complicated than TSMM (I'm sure it is), but I think it's pretty obvious that opening SDMT has taken longer than Disney expected and/or wanted it to.

 

[MichiganDVC]

It's a lot easier to build a whole new park from scratch than it is to retrofit attractions into a park you can't close down. Namely because there's machinery they don't want people to see that gets trucked in at night, so it limits the hours that stuff is available. New Fantasyland was a bit easier since they could close off an entire section of the park and basically do whatever they wanted behind the walls. But once it opened to the public, the limits kicked in.

Setting egg timer...