Things are start to move at Shanghai Disney Resort

[DVCOwner]

Another step forward according to InterPark - Not real exciting but an important step in the getting this park open.

Shanghai Disney powers-up
Shanghai Disney Resort recently passed a new milestone with the powering up of the resort's 35-kilovolt substation.

With the support from the State Grid Shanghai Municipal Electric Power Company, the substation is providing power to the resort development and will supply the future operation of the resort's theme park and parking facilities.

As a key infrastructure project for Shanghai Disneyland, the resort's Magic Kingdom-style theme park, the substation is a perfect example of how innovative design and technology practices are being used in achieving the digitalisation of the resort development.

The substation is equipped with an advanced digital collection system, which allows for remote monitoring of all associated equipment. The resort's operation team will be able to track the power consumption information, and use this data to analyse the theme park's electricity load and power quality and efficiently manage facility operations and maintenance.

"At Shanghai Disney Resort we are devoted to seeking new technology, which reduces our impact on the environment, saves resources, and promotes sustainable technology, while supporting technology transfer and localisation," said Howard Brown, project development executive for Walt Disney Imagineering Shanghai.

"The design and development of our 35kv substation is a perfect fit with our commitment, and we are excited to work with the State Grid to provide critical power supply to support the development and future operation of our resort."

 

[wdrive]

There's a ton of auditions posted for Shanghai. Seems really early to be having them.

 

[DVCOwner]

There's a ton of auditions posted for Shanghai. Seems really early to be having them.

I have heard rumors that the park may not open in 2015, but nothing new from Disney. From pictures I have seen on line the construction seems to be picking up in speed.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

I have heard rumors that the park may not open in 2015, but nothing new from Disney. From pictures I have seen on line the construction seems to be picking up in speed.

Spring 2016. At the optimistic earliest.

 

[cbconglom]

construction
http://finance.ifeng.com/a/20141112/13269509_0.shtml

new art
http://www.shanghaidisneyresort.com...sort-featuring-a-theme-park-and-so-much-more/

 

[DVCOwner]

Another article on the web site ECNS.CN

Disneyland gears up for Shanghai opening
2014-11-17 09:06 China Daily

Final touches being made to flagship new resort for local tourism boom

Chinese Disney fans won't need a visa or a permit to shake hands with their favorite characters for much longer, as work on the Shanghai Disney Resort continues apace, which is expected to be opened at the end of next year.
Many of the resort's main buildings and attractions have already been completed, including its castles, mountains, a huge Pirates attraction, the "Treasure Cove", and the Walt Disney Grand Theatre.
The resort recently recruited its 1,000th local "Cast Member", as its staff are called, many of whom have been taken on as a result of an extensive recruitment process targeting some of the country's most talented graduates from local universities and colleges, according to a management team for Shanghai Disney Resort.
So keen is the company to make sure the levels of customer service are maintained at the new site, that many have been sent to its other sites for training.
In July this year, more than 200 students spent two months on an international summer internship with Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, for instance.
The program provided a special opportunity for the students to gain tourism industry experience, training alongside some of the company's most talented entertainment and guest relations professionals.
All the students completing the course were offered job opportunities with the Shanghai resort.
In September the company kicked off another graduate recruitment campaign, which is expected to eventually employ several thousand staff members across a wide range of disciplines, such as food and beverage, merchandising, park operations and hotel operations.
A month later, the entertainment team at Shanghai Disney launched auditions to find candidates for its entertainment roles, including dancers, performers and musicians.
Officials at the company say the planned shows and performances at the new resort will provide a unique platform to integrate Chinese creative and performing talent into Disney productions.
When completed, the park will have two themed hotels, various dining and entertainment venues, recreational facilities, and it very own lake.
Disney is the world's premier integrated entertainment media group, with its revenue structure well composed of media, entertainment, theme parks and consumer goods derived from film and television-related products. But the domestic theme parks do not have such a development so far, said Zhao Kejia, a Chinese film critic.

 

[Belowthesurface]

Even if Shanghai is getting an exact copy of the SDMT, I'm hoping that they use the projected animatronics for the dwarfs in the last cottage scene! The ones used in Florida are recycled from the old Snow White ride which is not the case for Shanghai. Hopefully they get the same ones going into the actual mine.

The cottage scene will not be included.

 

[DVCOwner]

From English.Eastday.Com

SHANGHAI Disney Resort yesterday announced the top-out of an artificial mountain in the park. This will be the highest “mountain” in the Pudong New Area, and the second highest structure at the Shanghai Disneyland — topped only by a Disney castle. The “mountain” is designed to be an iconic landmark and to anchor one of the Disneyland’s six themed lands, the resort said. Its height was not disclosed. Teams of “imagineers” — Disney staff whose work blends imagination and engineering — went to real mountains to gather inspiration for the design and development of attractions, the resort said.

 

[DVCOwner]

ENCS.CN has posted another story about construction at the Shanghai Disney Resort.

Long-awaited Disney theme park seems to be progressing slowly

The Shanghai Disney Resort will someday be a place where children and adults can indulge in dreams, but it is not pleasant at all to visit the site at present, especially on a chill winter's day.

At the moment, there is little to be seen on this mostly vacant piece of land spreading over 3.9 square kilometers－and yet security is extremely tight. Even people trying to take a picture across the street where the gate of the resort is located will be stopped by security staff.

The only way to get any rough idea of the progress of construction is to drive round the leveled land. It is hard to visualize how the theme park will look like in less than 12 months. A source familiar with the resort who asked for anonymity said that there might be some difficulty with a 2015 opening.

Shanghai Construction Group Co Ltd, one of the major contractors of the Shanghai Disney Resort, said in early December that the first phase of the theme park would be completed by the end of January 2015. But Disney Resort has told China Daily that no specific completion date has been announced.

In an e-mail sent to China Daily, the company said that the Shanghai Disney Resort's development is being led by a "highly skilled international team of Disney Imagineers", including experts from China and the United States.
"Construction milestones are being reached on a regular basis. The remarkable 'mountain' feature at the resort's Magic Kingdom-style theme park was recently topped-out, and we look forward to celebrating many more milestones in the months ahead," said the e-mail.

"An international team of Disney Imagineers is working hand-in-hand with local contractors to transfer unique Disney techniques, design, rockwork and themed finishing expertise to local artisans to bring the best of Disney to the people of China. We look forward to sharing more details soon," the company said.

As to the auxiliary facilities, the company said that the Shanghai Disney Resort is an integrated resort featuring a theme park and much more, and at the opening it will include two themed hotels－Shanghai Disney Resort Hotel and Toy Story Hotel, a large shopping, dining and entertainment area－Disneytown and the resort's recreation facilities.

Upon its completion, the resort will become the sixth theme park of The Walt Disney Co. The other five are in Los Angeles and Orlando, Florida in the United Sates as well as in Tokyo, Paris and Hong Kong.

Attracting a total investment of 29.5 billion yuan ($4.74 billion), the Shanghai resort will also make its contribution to the local economy with the large number of visitors it receives every year. Du Changchun, a researcher at Northeast Securities Co Ltd, estimated that the resort will generate 33.6 billion yuan of profit for Shanghai every year, which would be equal to 1.6 percent of the city's GDP in 2013.

According to Xu Juanjuan, a senior analyst with Guotai Junan Securities Co Ltd, the resort can generally be compared to the Tokyo Disney Resort, which opened in 1983, based on the city's development phase and local consumption habits

For example, the population of the Yangtze River Delta region exceeds 160 million, far more than the population of Tokyo 31 years ago. Shanghai receives more than 18 million visitors every year, which is more than Japan as a whole.

"The Shanghai resort is very likely to receive more than 10 million visitors in 2016. With steady 20 percent annual growth, the resort will receive more than 20 million visitors in 2020," she said.
Combined with the experience gained during the Shanghai Expo 2010, the hotel industry will benefit the most from the establishment of Shanghai's own Disney Resort.

Meanwhile, tourist attractions and scenic spots in neighboring cities and provinces will also see a growing number of visitors, many of whom will be drawn to the region by the Disney resort.
Shanghai Party Chief Han Zheng said in an earlier interview that the Shanghai resort will help upgrade the modern service industry in the city and help the entire Yangtze River Delta region become a cluster of globally competitive cities.

Auxiliary projects surrounding the resort are also under construction. Two major roads outside the theme park have been completed and another three supporting roads are being built. A large transportation hub will be set up at the west entrance of the theme park. A metro line that will take tourists to the resort was completed in September 2014.

With the roads built, the once quiet and remote Chuansha county, where the resort is being built, has seen tremendous changes in the past few years－most notably, in terms of property prices.

According to housing information provider Anjuke, the average housing price soared from 5,000 yuan per sq m in 2010 to 30,000 yuan in 2014. Land prices in Chuansha surged 500 times within the past decade.
Zhu Taiyong, a sales manager at the neighboring community East Suburban Peninsula Villa, said that all the villas have been sold and only some 250 sq m apartments remain available. The price of a 400 sq m villa has doubled to 20 million yuan since 2010.

However, it is obvious that hardly anyone is living in this area at present.

For one thing, it takes about 45 minutes to drive from the project to downtown Shanghai, assuming there is no traffic. The drive to the Disney Resort is just 15 minutes, but that is hardly a reason to live there.

 

[orlando678-]

I've heard many new rumors about new AAs being in the SDMT ride of Shanghai, including new animal AAs and new AAs in the cottage scene.

The winnie the pooh ride was rumored to have AAs like Pooh's hunny hunt but not the actual ride

 

[cbconglom]

google updated their images of the park. they are from dec 17th 2014
https://www.google.com/maps/@31.1440.../data=!3m1!1e3

 

[orlando678-]

They are going quite fast. I can't wait to see the beautiful new resort. It has so many new things!

 

[Crazydisneyfanluke]

They are going quite fast. I can't wait to see the beautiful new resort. It has so many new things!

 

[loveglobe]

Passengers will enter the park through an underground passageway.

Hang on, what? Surely this is a typo. I can see train passengers entering the official resort grounds that way, but the park itself? How would that work - do you exit outside at the bottom of Main Street or somewhere else...?

 

[cbconglom]

some new pics
http://money.163.com/photoview/5BNQ0025/18082.html#p=AJ001QID5BNQ0025

 

[DVCOwner]

Hang on, what? Surely this is a typo. I can see train passengers entering the official resort grounds that way, but the park itself? How would that work - do you exit outside at the bottom of Main Street or somewhere else...?

There is not going to be a Main Street.

 

[DVCOwner]

Here is another story about the building of the 12th Disney Park

Preparing for What Could Be the Most Popular Disney Theme Park in the World
Shanghai Disneyland is expected to draw 25 million visitors during its first full year, topping the Magic Kingdom by a wide margin.

Bradley Seth McNew
Apr 28, 2015 at 9:24AM

Creating one of the largest theme parks in the world is no easy task, but it is one where The Walt Disney Co. could find massive success as it prepares to open its Shanghai resort next year.

Disney's Shanghai resort will cover nearly 1,000 acres (about 4 square kilometers), and has around 8,000 people involved in its construction already. The park will have a typical Disneyland-style theme park, as well as various hotels, shopping districts, and a Broadway-style theater. It's even expected to feature the largest princess castle of any Disney resort yet. This resort is expected to draw in 25 million visitors during its first full year open, about 35% more than visited the current most-visited park in the world, Disney's Magic Kingdom in Orlando, in 2013.

Here's what it takes to prepare to successfully open the world's most visited theme park, and why it matters to investors.

New attractions There are exciting new attractions coming to Disney parks in the coming years, like the Avatar attraction being produced for Disney's Animal Kingdom in Orlando. Disney is planning its own new and unique attractions for Shanghai Disney as well, including new hotels and rides.

One such attraction at this resort is the Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure boat ride attraction. There is a whole section of the park called Treasure Cove, which will feature architecture and characters from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Disney's press release about the new attraction said that a combination of technology and innovation will allow guests to feel like they are in the movie on an adventure with Jack Sparrow. There is a Pirates attraction in California as well, but the size and features of this attraction in Shanghai look far grander than anything Disney has produced yet.

Current construction and rendered view of the Pirates attraction at Shanghai Disney. Image source: Disney

Another new attraction is not a ride, but a hotel. Disney is now constructing a Toy Story-themed hotel, the first of its kind, exclusively for the Shanghai resort.

Current construction and rendered view of the completed Toy Story themed hotel. Image source: Disney

Innovative leadersThe head of Disney's theme parks division will need to be an innovative leader to make this opening successful, and, fortunately for the company, Bob Chapek seems to be just that. Earlier this year Chapek took over for Tom Staggs, the former head of the theme park division, who was recently promoted to chief operating officer. Chapek comes from Disney's consumer products and studio divisions, where he made technology a key component of the company's offerings. He is said to be innovative and fast-moving, and to focus on producing a great consumer experience.

Disney theme parks are getting more and more tech-savvy, for example with the MagicBands that allow for paperless vacations at DisneyWorld in Orlando or new attractions featuring industry-leading technology. Chapek's experience with technology and a consumer focus will be an important skill set to make sure Disney's Shanghai theme park will offer guests the most magical experience possible. Chapek still reports to Staggs as COO, so we are assured that Staggs' leadership skills and theme park experience will lend themselves to the park's smooth opening as well.

Even crowd control?A sudden rush of tens of thousands of people can be unwieldy and dangerous, but Disney and the local government are working to assure that no crowd control issues will arise for the opening of the Disney park, which is slated for spring 2016, according to a Hollywood Reporter report quoting CEO Bob Iger.

Shanghai's government does have experience with big crowds at its city's events, such as with the World Expo of 2010 that welcomed nearly 75 million people during its six months. The government there said that it is learning from past experience and other openings around the world to ensure the safety of all visitors.

Why this park matters for Disney investors of course, a project this massive is not going to come cheap, or easy. The original projected investment for the park was $4 billion. As of now, current investments are nearly $5.5 billion. The park's opening has been delayed as well. The original opening date was late 2015; now, the company has announced a 2016 opening. Some expect the company to try to open the park by the Chinese New Year, a celebration in February during which many Chinese families travel and vacation.

Even with the announcement that Disney Shanghai is over budget and delayed, investors can rest assured that the opening of this park will be a major event in the company's history. With the exciting new attractions, government support for a successful opening, and the new leadership from Bob Chapek, this resort looks more exciting than ever. With expected record-setting visitor numbers, it could also be exciting for Disney's bottom line. After this resort is up and running, expect that Disney's theme park segment income, which is already a major part of the company's overall income, will climb substantially higher.