From Utilidors:
Disney insists new theme park will be fun
Hong Kong
Disney on Monday dismissed claims that its new Hong Kong theme park will only have enough activities to keep visitors occupied for four hours, saying it will offer a full day of fun.
The company described as "unfounded" a report in the satirical Hong Kong magazine Spike, which said there are concerns over the park having only one major ride.
The magazine quoted a source close to the project saying that the park -- due to open in late 2005 or early 2006 -- will be able to supply "no more than four hours of activity" for visitors.
The report said Disney executives fear a lack of success at the Hong Kong park will damage its reputation and jeopardise its prospects for expansion into mainland China.
Their major concern is that the Hong Kong park will only have one major ride while Disney parks abroad have several and offer "at least one or possible two days entertainment", the magazine said.
Disney spokesperson Esther Wong responded that the park will offer "a full-day family experience to guests featuring a carefully planned selection of Disney's most popular rides and attractions".
"There is no concern at all for us," she said. "At the moment we haven't really announced all our rides and attractions and people may pass by our site and feel there is not enough there. That may be their perception.
"Actually we are going to have lots of other activities in the park. Guests will also hopefully enjoy the landscape and the scenery.
"All these things will together make a full and wonderful and fabulous experience for our guests. I can't see them being restricted to just come in for four hours."
The Hong Kong Disney park is costing more than $3-billion to build, with the government of the former British colony funding most of the infrastructure costs.
Disney insists new theme park will be fun
Hong Kong
Disney on Monday dismissed claims that its new Hong Kong theme park will only have enough activities to keep visitors occupied for four hours, saying it will offer a full day of fun.
The company described as "unfounded" a report in the satirical Hong Kong magazine Spike, which said there are concerns over the park having only one major ride.
The magazine quoted a source close to the project saying that the park -- due to open in late 2005 or early 2006 -- will be able to supply "no more than four hours of activity" for visitors.
The report said Disney executives fear a lack of success at the Hong Kong park will damage its reputation and jeopardise its prospects for expansion into mainland China.
Their major concern is that the Hong Kong park will only have one major ride while Disney parks abroad have several and offer "at least one or possible two days entertainment", the magazine said.
Disney spokesperson Esther Wong responded that the park will offer "a full-day family experience to guests featuring a carefully planned selection of Disney's most popular rides and attractions".
"There is no concern at all for us," she said. "At the moment we haven't really announced all our rides and attractions and people may pass by our site and feel there is not enough there. That may be their perception.
"Actually we are going to have lots of other activities in the park. Guests will also hopefully enjoy the landscape and the scenery.
"All these things will together make a full and wonderful and fabulous experience for our guests. I can't see them being restricted to just come in for four hours."
The Hong Kong Disney park is costing more than $3-billion to build, with the government of the former British colony funding most of the infrastructure costs.
