Disneyland China - it already exists?

[doconeill]

Disney is supposedly negotiating to build a park in mainland China...but apparently such a park already exists.

The only problem - it's not owned by Disney, it's apparently run by the government.

Oh, and that's not Mickey Mouse - it's a cat with big, round ears...

Update: Hmm....looks like the site got Slashdotted...

 

[Another Voice]

Hong Kong Disneyland opened a little more than a year ago. It is owned jointly by Disney and an agency that hovers somewhere between the local Hong Kong government and the central Chinese government (there are rumors of other "influences" involved). Besides the park, there are two Disney-branded hotels (jointly owned) as well. The park itself is the smallest "Magic Kingdom" park opened with about a dozen rides and shows (no 'Small World', no 'Pirates', no 'Haunted Mansion', no 'Big Thunder' - but they do have 'Space Mountian' and 'Jungle Cruise'.

The park has fallen well short of expectations and short of even publicaly revealed plans. The place has a reputation in Hong Kong as being overly expensive; attenande at competing Ocean Park has gone up since Disney opened. The shortfall at the park is so bas that the Hong Kong governement is near to refinancing its share of the debt. Disney offered to build a large 'Pirates of the Caribbean' attraction and area - but the government balked at Disney's $300 million price tag.

Hong Kong sits in limbo at the moment. Disney's plans for further expansion into China have been placed on hold. Once again Disney is paying a heavy price building cheap and building wrong - even in China they know that Disney doesn't live up to its standards these days.

 

[doconeill]

This isn't Hong Kong...this is already in mainland China, near Beijing...

 

[Another Voice]

You should also check out Nara Dreamland located in Japan:
http://www.themeparkreview.com/japan2004/nara1.htm

Knocking off Disney has been going on for a long time.

 

[raidermatt]

I wish that first link worked... maybe later. Is it actually a completed, functioning park?

I was in China last year and outside of Beijing there was a partially built park. Not much was there, but there was a castle visible from the highway. No construction was happening at the time.

Our guide told us this was actually a Disney park but that the deal had fallen through before construction was completed. I knew that was not true which is why I never passed it on.

I wonder if this is the same place? How many parks that could be mistaken for a Disney-like park could there be outside of Beijing? I might have a bad picture I took from the bus I can dig up at home.

 

[doconeill]

Link is working again.

Did Disney at some point come to an agreement and then pull out? I don't recall that they would have gone as far as to start a park.

I've seen the Nara Dreamland stuff...this looks like a much more active park, with the actual characters!

 

[raidermatt]

Did Disney at some point come to an agreement and then pull out? I don't recall that they would have gone as far as to start a park.

No, they didn't. That's just what the guide said. The guide may have been passing on a rumor, or that might have been the official word from the government (which of course it is not wise to question).

I'll have to look a the picture I have to try to tell if its the same place. If not, then I guess maybe they (the govt) started one, didn't like it and built one somewhere else. Wouldn't be that surprising actually. Things aren't exactly done with the utmost efficiency there.

 

[doconeill]

Some more info: Here is the Home page in Chinese, and an abbreviated one in English. The english page does have an image of a Disney-style Snow White and some dwarves, and you can see the "gothic cinderella castle". On the Chinese page you can see what definitely looks like the Epcot ball.

The page I originally linked to has other pictures showing a live Donald Duck, Minnie Mouse and the same Snow White picture, and pictures of a drawn Mickey and Donald, and some Disney-style Pooh merchandise.

It's offically called "Beijing shijingshan Amusement Park", and their motto is "Disneyland is too far away...please come to Beijing shijingshan Amusement Park".

 

[doconeill]

Well, apparently all the press has gotten the attention of Disney, and the park park appears to be in trouble. Disney's lawyers are in "crisis" talks with the park's lawyers, and two workmen were seen using sledghammers on the giant Snow White ticket booth...