Shanghai set to build Disneyland via ChannelNewsAsia.com

[mothersuperior]

Shanghai set to build Disneyland

Posted: 02 November 2009 1248 hrs

Mickey and Minnie, HK Disneyland.

HONG KONG: The Chinese government could give the green light this week for a multi-billion dollar Disney theme park in Shanghai, a report said Monday.

Quoting an unnamed government official with direct knowledge of the project, the South China Morning Post said the US$3.6 billion amusement park had been approved.

Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng told media Sunday that there would be an announcement later this week, but he declined to confirm whether the plan had received final approval, the report said.

"What I can say at this moment is that we will hold a press conference to announce the details of the project in the near future," Han was quoted as saying.

In a statement, Disney said the park had yet to be confirmed although the company and Shanghai officials submitted a proposal to China's central government.

"No deal has been agreed to, no project has been approved," Leslie Goodman, Disney's executive vice president for worldwide public affairs, said in the statement Monday.

Shanghai has been working for almost a decade to land a world-class amusement park, partly to shore up its lagging economic growth compared with other Chinese cities, the report said.

There had been speculation that the announcement would be made during US President Barack Obama's visit to China later this month, the report said.

Hong Kong opened a Disney theme park in 2005.

- AFP/yb

[Guest Cklasse]

I will still inspire to go Florida for Disneyland (DisneyWorld) as well as visit NASA. I will definitely want to time the visit together with the shuttle launch. Don't think a "Chinese speaking" Mickey Mouse will be as good an experience as Florida.

[Guest east539]

yeah, that is so true, been to Florida Orlando a few times & visited the DisneyWorld, really US one is still the best, also been to Kennedy Space Center for work related stuffs.

[Guest jsiau]

I have work in Shanghai for the last 3 years and only returned to SG 2 months ago... I don't think that anyone of us would love "Mickey/Minnie/Donald speaking Mandarin or Shanghainese" as in the case of Japan and HK speaking Japanese and Cantones on most shows and performance.. and also if the park is built ...it would in the outskirt or "ChongMing" island... and having drove in Shanghai the traffic is nightmare despite it being the only one of the separate governed cities that report to the Central government directy and cars there need a "COE" aka "Shanghai license plate that cost between , SGD 7000-12000" to ease congestion(one and only in CHINA) ..it still JAM like mad...plus the Chinese people enjoys spitting, talk loudly , smoke all the way , cut queue and etc...... OMG....Disneyland in Shanghai I would never visit that place even if it is CHEAP as HK currently is the cheapest amongst all... I rather go Orlando or Anaehim