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The $5.5 billion theme park, being developed with China's
state-owned Shanghai Shendi Group, will transport visitors to
six themed "worlds" and offer other attractions based on "Star
Wars" and the Marvel Comics' superheroes, including "Iron Man",
"Spider-Man" and the "Hulk".
Bob Iger, chairman and CEO of the iconic U.S. entertainment
firm, told a news conference in Shanghai on Wednesday that the
park would be "authentically Disney and distinctively Chinese".
The park will "not only showcase the best of Disney's story
telling but also celebrates and incorporates China's incredibly
rich heritage," Iger said at an ceremony in Shanghai, where the
firm unveiled a miniature-sized model of the park.
Visitors will be able to pass along "Mickey Avenue", float
through "Adventure Isle", "Fantasyland" and "Treasure Cove",
before taking off for "Tomorrowland".
Disney, which opened its largest ever store in Shanghai in May,
will be hoping it can tap into growth in the world's second
largest economy, despite China's recent slowdown.
Disney earlier this year delayed the opening of Shanghai
Disneyland until the first half of 2016 from a scheduled start
at the end of 2015 as it expanded plans for the park. The park
is now scheduled to have a grand opening in spring next year.
The firm's park and resorts segment brought in $15.1 billion
globally last year, around a third of its total revenues. Disney
is also tapping into China's film market, with the latest outing
of its "Avengers" series taking the number two spot in country's
20.4 billion yuan box office for the first half of the year.
(This story has been refiled to remove extraneous words in third
paragraph)
(Reporting by SHANGHAI newsroom; Lisa Richwine in LOS ANGELES
and Sneha Banerjee in BENGALURU; Writing by Adam Jourdan;
Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)
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