Shanghai Disneyland on the Way

Disney finally got the approval to build its Disneyland in Shanghai. What will this most famous theme park bring to Shanghai, as well as the whole China?

Here comes the Disneyland! After 14 years’ anticipation and debate, it arrived in Shanghai. When the news that the Chinese government gave out the long-awaited approval was confirmed, the related guesses were also spread – what will the Disneyland bring to this city and this country? People in Shanghai feel curious, excited and a little unsure as the colossus approaches them. The debate covers all the subjects from economic efficiency, political influence and cultural value. In their eyes, the park which used to be offer joy and happiness seems to have more meanings.

In truth, uncertainty haunts every new arrival. Like the fact that no stocks can not see their value increase all the time, economic and time factors should be put into consideration when estimating the profits Disney may have from China. Without overall and reasonable analysis, the future of Shanghai Disneyland can not be said to be bright.

The settlement of Disney in Shanghai also attracted the whole world’s attention. The reports from Wall Street Journal and The Times hold both optimistic and cautious opinions towards this matter, which are shared by the Chinese people.

Perfect Weekend and Childhood Dream Comes True

In truth, Disney came to China much earlier than people think. In 1986, the cartoon Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck was on in China and accompanied many Chinese children, who are now at the age of 25 to 35, through their childhood. Later, the relevant films and franchised stores of Disney products all entered China and quickly became popular among the children in this country. Disney has rooted in the hearts of Chinese, even earlier than it thought.

Now, the boys and girls at that time have grown up and become the major consumption power in China. Therefore, when the Shanghai Disneyland is opened in the next one or two years, they have enough reasons to pay a visit to this place. Without the inconvenience of long trip or the trouble of passport, they can spend their weekends in the place next to their homes, with their lovers or children. This could be an important reason for Shanghai Disneyland to attract the consumers.

The report from Wall Street Journal quoted a research made by Shanghai Securities. According to the research, Shanghai Disneyland can attract 12 million visitors every year once finished. In addition, when asked “what do you think Disneyland will bring to you”, more than 40% of the interviewees thought that it would bring them “a perfect weekend”; 20% of them thought that they would definitely go there if the ticket price is not too high; 11% of them said that they will go there to fulfill their childhood dreams.

For the children and teenagers, the adventurous and curious Mickey Mouse is also quite attractive. A large group of dream designers of Disney fill their brains with the ideas of attracting and cheering up the children. In today’s China, the children are playing a more and more important role in the consumption market, which resulted in the increase of the potential consumption groups for Disney.

As an excellent representative in the world culture industry, Disney always follows the way of seeking benefits. The reports from Reuters confirmed Shanghai Disneyland’s role in improving the economic efficiency, especially in increasing the employment rate. A report from Wall Street Journal said: “The project into which the total investment reached billions of US dollars means thousands of new job opportunities.”

Cooperation, not Invasion

“To create joy and happiness for the people at different ages all over the world” is the primary task of Disneyland.

This dream land which sells the happiness is popular for its reflection of dream and adventure in the American culture. Tokyo Disneyland is thought to be the most successful Disneyland in the world, which is attributed to the scientific and precise management over its operation as well as the admiration of the Japanese for the US culture. In comparison, Paris Disneyland has been haunted by bad performance since its foundation, which can be partially due to the disagreement of the French with the American culture.

How about Shanghai Disneyland’s future, like the one in Tokyo or the one in Paris? Some people worry about the cultural conflict. They also worry about whether the service standard and operation level of Shanghai Disneyland can be as high as the one in Tokyo. Even some scholars are anxious that the coming of Disneyland is a kind of cultural invasion. “When our children get used to eating the hamburgers from McDonald’s and KFC and playing in Disneyland, will they forget the Chinese traditional culture?” said one of them.

Mr. Lu Hanlong, Head of the Sociology Institute, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, said: “The mutual influences of different cultures, or to be more exact, their assimilation and dissimilation, have certain rules to follow. Contemporarily the information and communication technology is so advanced. It is a reflection of insufficient self-knowledge and confidence in their culture if somebody worries about the damages of the exotic entertainment project to their culture. We should not be too sensitive to those things.”

Professor Li Xiangping from the Philosophy School, East China Normal University, considered Disneyland’s coming into Shanghai as a kind of cultural importation, which will promote the cultural cooperation in the future. He believed that Shanghai Disneyland will mainly cast influence over the consumption culture instead of the traditional one. “If our traditional culture is so easily influenced, it is too weak,” said he smilingly. He also said that the Chinese people should not put stresses over the elements of American culture brought by Disney. “Things are not so complicated as we think. This only concerns the personal choice. Worries about the culture are ridiculous.”

Professor Wang Xiaoyu from Tongji University shared the same opinion. “The introduction of Disneyland brings the influence over culture industry, not culture itself.” Wang thought that culture should not be differentiated by the geographical boundaries; instead, it should be a common sense of human beings.

In Lu Hanlong’s opinion, Disneyland not only contains the American culture. “It passed people the joy, anger, grief and happiness shared by everyone, as well as the spirit in exploring, passion for life, friendship, love and so on. Those things can be found in every kind of culture and are accepted by all people, regardless of their ages, nationalities, races and religious beliefs.”

“The only influence of Disney on China concerning culture is to make the Chinese people know that culture can be enjoyed and consumed,” said Li Xiangping.

Hua Jian, Head of Cultural Industry Institute, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, explained more from the view of cultural industry. “Shanghai Disneyland brings the world top cultural industry into this city, as well as the opportunities to experience and learn from it. Disneyland is only a part of this industry.” He also pointed out that Disney’s industry chain is featured with a systematic, integrated, efficient and cross-border operation pattern. “China also has excellent cultural industry. The animations Pleasant Sheep and Big Big Wolf and the amusement park Happy Valley share part of the features with Disney. What they don’t have is just the systematic operation pattern. The coming of Shanghai Disneyland provides the Chinese culture industry with the opportunities to gain experiences and improve themselves.

Localization or Globalization?

In 2005, when the Hong Kong Disneyland was under construction, it was reported that the design plan of this park had been reviewed by Feng Shui experts to bring prosperity and good luck. In addition, when building this park, the fantastic engineers from Disney also applied the Chinese garden’s construction pattern in the design of scenic spots. When Hong Kong Disneyland was built, the Mickey Mouse inside it wore the traditional Chinese garments to welcome the guests, impressing them a lot.

Now, Disney will set up its second theme park in China. Will Shanghai Disneyland contain more Chinese features? Should Disney stick to internationalized and standardized route or positively adopt the localization strategy?

According to the report from The Times, Disney said that Shanghai Disneyland will be a fantastic world with Chinese characteristics, including the Chinese food and the suggestions from Feng Shui experts in the design of the park.

The managers of Disney are believed to have made up their minds between globalization and localization. But like the saying “Disneyland’s construction will not be stopped if there is space for imagination”, numerous guesses will haunt Shanghai Disneyland before it is finished.

Li Xiangping agreed with the thought of localization. He said: “Disney should integrate the Chinese features into Shanghai Disneyland. Even the theme park can be called ‘Disney Oriental Park’.”

However, Wang Xiaoyu didn’t share the same opinion. “The special cultural characteristics makes Disney become what it is. Too many local elements may exert negative influence upon its attraction power.

“The core of Disney is happiness. We just lack the ability to transfer the Chinese culture into something that industry chain needs and something all the people in the world are fond of,” said Hua Jian. Both localization and globalization should focus on transferring the cultural elements into something needed by the industry chain.