Shanghai Disneyland, Walt Disney Co.’s first theme park in mainland China will bring the company not only massive profit but also a chance to consolidate the firm’s foreign theme parks ahead of its grand opening on June 16.
Disney has successfully entered mainland China marked by the Shanghai theme park’s opening on Thursday, which means the company “has a chance to settle one of its weaknesses,” said a report in The Wall Street Journal.
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Citing Nomura Securities analyst Anthony DiClemente, the WSJ report said that Disney’s landing on Shanghai became “a springboard for the brand to grow in innovative ways that matter.”
The amusement park’s trial opening itself is proof that China is ready for the Disney brand as over 500,000 visitors lined up on May 7 to be the first guests to experience the tourist spot.
According to the WSJ report, Disney has but a few weak spots, one of which is the immersion of the company’s brand to foreign countries.
“While the annual revenue from the media giant parks in Florida and California have increased by 46% over the past five years to $13.6 billion, those in France, Hong Kong and Japan were almost unchanged at around $2.5 billion,” the report said further pointing out that Disney could do better with its first theme park in China.
Proof of the venture’s importance to the company is implied in Disney CEO Bob Iger’s consistent statement over the years about having their own theme park in the world’s second biggest economy.
Ahead of its opening, the Shanghai Disneyland is also faced with the matter of overcoming the massive lines as the theme park is predicted to welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors.
Some guests who tried to get in the park during its trial opening in May complained about the long lines.
Disney said that they would be giving out fast passes and providing better accommodations like wheelchairs and strollers to make the visit less stressful.
