Shanghai Disney Resort is to set its pricing, and industry observers speculate that admission prices will range between RMB300 to RMB400 in an effort to manage visitor traffic.
Construction full steam ahead
The US$6.3 billion Shanghai Disney Resort, a joint venture of US Walt Disney Group and Shanghai Shendi Group, comprises a theme park and other peripheral resort facilities.
Construction of attractions and facilities for five of the six main themed areas in the park including Adventure Isle, Tomorrowland, Treasure Cove and Fantasyland, the main gate and the Garden of Twelve Friends will be completed in the first half this year and will be tested and adjusted in the second half of the year. A boutique shopping village will also be completed this year.
It was rumored earlier that the theme park would be completed by January 30, 2015, but this has proven unfounded. The Disney Resort metro station, on the other hand, will be ready by the end of 2015.
Opening delayed to spring 2016
Walt Disney mentioned in its 2015 Q1 fiscal report that Shanghai Disney Resort would open in the spring of 2016. The opening was delayed due to the project’s scale and complexity. Timing the opening with the Spring Festival will help maximize visitor traffic.
In regards to admission pricing Shanghai Disney Resort has reiterated: “Shanghai Disney Resort’s admission prices are still under review. We are doing market analysis now and the decision will be announced in due course.”
Huamei Consulting CIO Huamyan Zhao believed the pricing strategy has to take into account many factors, such as the price levels of other Disney theme parks and China’s consumption studies. “Although Hong Kong Disneyland’s recent price hikes have sparked rumors about the Shanghai park’s ticket prices, ticket pricing for a long-term project like Shanghai Disney Resort requires thorough research and would very likely incur losses for a few years,” he said. (Translation by David)
