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The Shanghai Disney Resort has this week opened Pixar Toy Story Land, the first addition to the theme park since it opened in June 2016.

The seventh themed ‘land’ within Shanghai Disneyland, the area, based on the popular Toy Story movie series, features three new attractions - Slinky Dog Spin, Rex’s Racer, and Woody’s Roundup - along with a themed character greeting area, Meeting Post, and shopping and dining experiences, Al’s Toy Barn and Toy Box Café.

The opening follows China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) having last month announced plans to slow theme park developments across the country, advising that developers should “prevent the formation of local debt risks, social risks and financial risks. In the development of theme park construction we’ve seen unclear concepts, blind construction, imitations and plagiarism, low-standard duplication and other issues.”

Amid uncertainty over the performance of theme parks in China, the Dalian Wanda, Chaied by Wang Jianlin, sold 13 theme parks last July because of debt struggles, while China Evergrande Group has announced plans to develop 15 ‘Children’s World’ theme parks across the country over the next two to five years.

However, the uncertainty does not apply to Disney, with the Shanghai Disney Resort - a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and Shanghai Shendi Group - performing strongly, attracting more than 11 million visitors in its first year of operation.

Speaking at the opening of Pixar Toy Story Land, Bob Iger, Chairman of The Walt Disney Company, advised “we’re grateful to the people of China for wholeheartedly embracing Shanghai Disney Resort, for truly making it their own and also making it one of the most successful theme parks we’ve ever opened.”

Two years ago, at the time of the opening of the Shanghai Disney Resort, Wang Jianlin, at that time often referred to as China's richest man, spoke of Dalian Wanda’s network of theme parks as a "wolf pack" that would chase Disney and its Shanghai Disneyland from China.

As of late last year, Wang is no longer an owner of theme parks having last year sold his theme-park holdings to raise cash for his real-estate company.

Having succeeded at building housing, shopping malls, and hotels in most major Chinese cities, Wang had a vision to build attractions that celebrated Chinese culture, rather than Disney’s American brands.

With several Dalian Wanda theme parks having closed it would appear that Disney’s appeal is far broader, underpinned by decades of globally recognised intellectual property – from Mickey Mouse through to the Avengers.

While China will undoubtedly develop characters and fantasies of its own, in the short term, Disney and other foreign operators are likely to prosper.

Nigel Benton, Publisher, Australasian Leisure Management.

Images: Bob Iger opens Pixar Toy Story Land at the Shanghai Disney Resort (top) and  the new Slinky Dog Spin ride within Pixar Toy Story Land (below).

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