Hot Off The Press ! New Park !

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FYI !


08/27 8:25A (DJ) DJ Disney Hopes To Open Beijing Park For Olympics - Report
Story 1195 (DIS, I/ENT, I/RCS, I/REC, I/REQ, I/XDJI, I/XGTI, G/IGV, N/DJN...)
BEIJING (AP)--The Walt Disney Co. (DIS) refused to confirm a Chinese
newspaper report Monday that it hopes to open a theme park in Beijing in time
for the 2008 Summer Olympics.
The report appeared in the state-run Beijing Evening News, which said its
information came from the Disney company. A Beijing Disney park would be
China's second: Hong Kong Disneyland is set to open in 2005.
Irene Chan, director of corporate communications for The Walt Disney Co.
Asia-Pacific, refused to confirm the report but said: "Two theme parks in
China is always a possibility."
"Our current focus is to concentrate on opening our park in Hong Kong," said
Chan.
Asia has one Disney park now, in Tokyo, Japan. Tokyo Disneyland opened in
1983 and is operated under license from the California-based Walt Disney Co.
Disney also is seeking other inroads into the Chinese market. On Sunday, it
launched its first Chinese-language Web site, www.disney.com.cn.

(END) DOW JONES NEWS 08-27-01
08:25 AM
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[eeyorefanatic]

I had hear this as well from a friend from China. There was a rumor that it would have the Emperors palace from Mulan as the "castle".

 

[larworth]

I assume Disney will continue their practice of minimum investment. If they are risk adverse in HK, they should really be hesitant when it comes to a major mainland investment. The local's carrying most of the financial burden with Disney getting a reasonable equity stake. If so

* the park should not compete much with existing parks for future capital
* becomes another potential source of cash-flow
* construction justifies keeping some core level at WDI employed

Sounds positive, overall.

The only downside I can see is that local economics will probably dictate a pretty low-frills style park. So, I guess we should not expect to see any new attraction development coming from this effort.

 

[ztbz]

Just think, You might go to Jail if you step out of Line.

 

[roymccoy]

Jail?? I hear that they do worse than that if you get out of line in China. I hear that they run
you thru a "quickie" trial, shoot you, harvest your organs for resale AND skin you. (To sell
for skin graphs). The doctor who escaped from China and told Congress the gruesome
details said that he even was ordered to skin people who weren't dead from the bullet wounds.
After all of this was complete, they throw the muscles and bones in a furnace for cremation.
I heard that this is part of China's "Clean Sweep" program to get rid of "undesirables" before
the Olympics. Tell you what, I think I'll pass on China Disney!

Roy

 

[wdwguide]

I think I'll pass on the stereotypes and prejudice and say that a park that generates virtually guaranteed profit at virtually no investment for Disney, thus relieving the US parks from their role as profit buffers, is a good idea.

 

[roymccoy]

I'm not saying that it won't make money, I'm just saying that it won't make any of MY money. ANY country that supports a policy that appears (confirmed by a Doctor from China who defected and spoke to Congress) to be as brutal as China is
initiating now, should be avoided until the practice ceases. I wouldn't have went to a park in Nazi Germany either, no matter HOW much money and "buffer" that it made. Some things are more important than money...like human rights. China should not be rewarded with Disney OR the Olympics until this practice stops. I have been to China in the past, it is a beautiful country full of very friendly and bright people. This is an issue with the ruling government.

Roy

 

[wdwguide]

Roy,

what I was hinting at is a fairly elementary political trick of focusing the media's and people's attention on certain non-threatening situations, while deflecting attention from more serious issues affecting national security. This is not a Democrat or Republican thing, or even something unique to America, but pretty commonplace. There is no way of verifying just how common these terrible crimes that are reported truly are. In fact, much of the anti-American sentiment in some nations abroad is caused by a very similar strategy of "hyping" issues such as racism, human right violations, etc.
I am not saying that there aren't some serious problems in China, but history has shown that economic investment is the most powerful and fastest tool to solve some of the gravest issues in totalitarian or isolationist nations. It is true that these investments will increase China's bottom line in the short term, but as China grows more and more dependent on foreign investment, the more reforms will be introduced to keep the investors happy and the population from revolting.
Taking a threatening stance on the other hand tends to entrench the front even more, and I think many people and organizations realize this, thus making the Olympics, for instance, less than a reward than a deliberate challenge for change.

Any way, I am not planning to go to China any time soon, either, and I completely understand your stance - I just didn't want it to come across like I wa sflaming you - in fact my response was not directed to you or anyone in particular.

 

[mattjs]

"Disney Disputes Report About Plans for Beijing Theme Park, But Says Second Park in China Possible."


http://www.boston.com/dailynews/242/economy/Disney_disputes_report_about_p:.shtml

 

[roymccoy]

Fair enough.

Roy

 

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08/30 5:20A (DJ) DJ Disney's Eisner Says China Big Enough For Two Disneylands
Story 1329 (DIS, I/ENT, I/RCS, I/REC, I/REQ, I/XDJI, I/XGTI, N/DJN...)
HONG KONG (Dow Jones)--Even though Hong Kong Disneyland isn't scheduled to
open for another four or five years, executives at the Walt Disney Co. (DIS)
are already eyeing millions of potential Mickey Mouse fans across the border.
Top executives from Disney Thursday denied rumors that the company has plans
to open a Disney theme park in China but said the country is big enough to
support two successful theme parks eventually.
Disney's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Michael Eisner called reports
that Disney is negotiating with Beijing to open another park "erroneous."
Disney executives have been talking to authorities in Beijing and Shanghai
but the company "isn't announcing anything in China now," he said.
If Disney opens another park in China on the heels of the opening of Hong
Kong Disneyland, there is a risk that mainland visitors will opt to meet
Mickey on the mainland rather than going through the difficulty of crossing
borders and obtaining visas to visit Hong Kong.
With Hong Kong's population under 7.0 million, Disney is counting on luring
visitors from China and Southeast Asia to make up the 10 million visitors a
year that Hong Kong Disneyland expects to host when it first opens in 2005 or
2006.
The Hong Kong government, which is footing most of the US$3.55 billion bill
for the park, is eager to see its promise realized that Disney will bring