Is Hong Kong Disneyland Just a Mickey Mouse Theme Park?

Hong Kong Disneyland has had a rollercoaster ride since its 2005 arrival in Hong Kong. The outcry over the appearance of Shark Fin soup on the menu and the Chinese New Year it turned away hundreds of ticket holding mainlanders due to overcrowding are just two examples of the park being more beast than beauty.

However, the main problem has been the pauper’s selection of rides at the park. Hong Kong Disneyland is dwarfed in size by its sister parks around the world.

Now, the park has announced plans for a major expansion. Many people are asking, is there a point?

The Hong Kong government already stumped up 80% of the 2.9 billion in the initial construction of the project and continues to own 57% of the park. Disney had wanted the Hong Kong taxpayer to dig around in its piggy bank for the upcoming expansion, to which Disney was told it could take the next flying carpet out of town.

Disney is now stumping up the $800 million for the expansion. So what’s the problem?

In a word, Shanghai. Disney will open a mega park in China’s second city in 2014, some say the biggest in the world, and with one third of Hong Kong Disneyland’s visitors drawn from Chinese mainlanders, where are they going to choose in 2014? Shanghai Dinseyland will cover an estimated 800 hectares against Hong Kong’s expanded size of 150 hectares. David and Goliath.

That said, the park is another feather in Hong Kong’s cap and, despite the criticisms, is still an excellent destination for those with young kids. At this point it would be a major loss for Hong Kong to close the park, but it needs to turn a profit by 2014.

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