Resorts Hong Kong Disneyland expansion

[Disneysea_fan]

^
With the possible Shanghai Disney Park I have a feeling that it will expirience extreme difficulties. I don't think they will shut it down completely though, I do remember a time when we all thought DLRP might close.

[Tom Morrow]

Disney resumes expansion talks

Progress in Disneyland expansion talks news.gov.hk Talks on Hong Kong Disneyland's expansion have made substantial progress, Financial Secretary John Tsang says. Mr Tsang was touring the United States West Coast and met Walt Disney Parks & Resorts chairman Jay Rasulo today. "I am happy to note substantial progress has been made in the negotiations. While a number of issues remain to be sorted out, both sides are committed to bringing the discussions to a successful conclusion in the near future," Mr Tsang said after the meeting. Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Rita Lau said in Hong Kong she was happy to hear the news. "As far as I know, there were breakthroughs on a number of important issues. I am sure there will be solid plans very soon," she said. Hong Kong Information Service Dept. complete article

Press Release:
Hong Kong Nears Deal With Walt Disney To Expand Disneyland Park
RTT News

Submitted by Ezra

[spacedest]

Can't wait to see what is gonna appear at HKDL when the agreement is closed.

[Tom Morrow]

Hong Kong, Disney reach an agreement

HK Reaches Pact With Disney On Disneyland Expansion Wall Street Journal (subscription) The Hong Kong government has reached a deal with Walt Disney Co. (DIS) to expand the city's Disneyland theme park, and will present the plan to lawmakers Tuesday, people familiar with the situation said Thursday. Disney is willing to fully fund the expansion, but talks have been complicated by the government's desire to keep its controlling stake in the theme park. As part of the deal, Disney will finance the expansion project, while the government will convert earlier loans to the joint venture into equity in order to keep a controlling stake, a person familiar with the situation said earlier. Another person familiar with the situation said Thursday the government will send the expansion plans to the city's legislature in a special panel meeting Tuesday. Because the plans involve government financing, the Legislative Council will need to give final approval to the Disney deal. The person said the legislature's Finance Committee will discuss the arrangements July 10. The Hong Kong Economic Times reported Thursday that Disney would invest HK$7 billion on the expansion, reducing the government's stake to not less than 51%. Citing unnamed sources, the report said the government hopes the expansion work will begin before the end of this year. Chester Yung and Jeffrey Ng, Dow Jones Newswires complete article

Submitted by Ezra

[Tom Morrow]

Disney conceeds on financial details

Disney to Expand Hong Kong Disneyland BusinessWeek It looks like the Walt Disney Company (DIS) and the Hong Kong government have finally reached an agreement to expand their undersized and underperforming Hong Kong version of the Magic Kingdom. Though its joint venture, Hong Kong Disneyland declined to comment about ongoing discussions, Reuters reports an announcement is expected by early next week. On the face of things it looks like an important breakthrough for Disney, which in March announced it was sacking 30 Hong Kong-based “Imagineers” because discussions with the Hong Kong government, which currently owns 57% of the park, were going nowhere. However it appears as though Disney ended up making all the concessions. According to press reports, Disney will pay for the entire expansion costing as much as $800 million. The government will convert its debt to equity to prevent its share from being diluted below the 50% mark. The Hong Kong government, quite rightly, was reluctant to pony up any more cash into the money-losing park considered too small to attract enough first time visitors, let alone getting them to come back. Although Hong Kong covered more than 80% of the initial $2.9 billion cost of the project, the government has just a 57% share in the joint venture, with Disney holding the other 43%. by Frederik Balfour complete article

Submitted by Ezra

[TimmyII]

So according to that last article there...there is going to be a Shanghai Disneyland. Have heard yes...no...yes...no...now apparently it's yes again!

[Big Disney Fan]

Maybe we'll get to see something at last?

[Alex_Toto_Disneyland]

So, after almost 3 years of waiting this, we got 3 new lands, and new attractions... Let's see what they have in store:

Grizzly Trail
Grizzly Gulch, Frontier Gold-Mining Town

The path along Grizzly Trail offers high-spirited frontier fun in an abandoned mining town called Grizzly Gulch, set amidst mountains and woods. The town was founded August 8, 1888 – the luckiest day of the luckiest month of the luckiest year – by prospectors looking to discover gold. Bears have now started causing havoc at the Big Grizzly Mountain Mining Company.

Key Technology and Creative Elements
• Guests visiting Grizzly Gulch are part of the action, experiencing hands-on water features, massive geysers and various leaking structures in the abandoned town.
• Life-size Audio-Animatronic® bears set the story in motion on Big Grizzly Mountain Coaster, an adventure aboard a runaway mine train through town. Guests careen backward down an incline that propels them through twists and turns, before a launch sequence “blasts” the mine train out of the mountain.
• A Wild West stagecoach, an old time Jail House, and the world’s largest nugget of gold provide fun photo opportunities.
• Guests can relax with a Wild West refreshment at the old Saloon or shop for mining supplies and souvenirs at the Bear Necessities merchandise stand.



Mystic Point

Mystic Point is the site of mysterious forces and supernatural events in the heart of a dense, uncharted rain forest.

In Mystic Manor, home to an eccentric world traveler and adventurer and his collection of exotic international artifacts, strange things are afoot as an enchanted music box releases its magical powers, thanks to a mischievous monkey.

Key Technology and Creative Elements
• Inside Mystic Manor, a trackless ride system enables vehicles to move “freely” about the attraction as the story unfolds. Audio-Animatronic® figures and special visual and audio effects help tell the story of mystical phenomena.
• Within Mystic Point lies a beautiful garden full of relics and mythological figures, where guests discover a hidden world of illusions and mysteries that trick the eye.
• Guests can dine at the Adventurer’s Club amid a vast collection of unusual artifacts from around the world or purchase exclusive curiosities and collectibles at the Archive Shop.



Toy Story© Land
Disney·Pixar-themed Play Area for Kids of All Ages

Andy, the young boy from the Disney·Pixar Toy Story films, has left his toys unattended in this immersive and highly themed environment, based on one of Disney·Pixar’s most popular film series. While Andy is away, the toys come to life and play...and Guests are invited to join!

Key Technology and Creative Elements
• Oversized outdoor rides and photo opportunities allow Guests to experience the different perceptions of scale, and shrink to the size of a toy.
• One attraction includes a shuttle coaster which propels Guests along a U-shaped style track.
• A drop-style parachute attraction lets Guests join a “training mission,” plunging from a 25m tall tower.
• Guests will enjoy fun, immersive and interactive environments with life-size toys.
• A themed food kiosk provides a barrel of fun snacks and refreshments and Guests can shop for Toy Story inspired collectibles at the merchandise location.

Sources:
Blue Sky Disney
Hong Kong Disneyland to Be Expanded for $468 Million (Update2) - Bloomberg.com

So they got a... BTMRR in the shape of GRR, and A trackless Haunted Mansion, a Parachute Ride that was almost built to replace DCA's MaliBOOMer... and for some weird reason i think they will add Midway Mania...
-Alex

[Big Disney Fan]

Well, if they had just renamed Grizzly Trails to Frontierland and revised the Big Thunder-type ride to actually be Big Thunder, then I would be all fine with it.

Now, if only they'd do something for Fantasyland. By that, I mean, more Disney movie themed dark rides. At least have Peter Pan if nothing else.

[MANEATINGWREATH]

I don't know if this belongs in the rumor mill but the expansion of Hong Kong Disneyland has apparently been announced.

30 new attractions will be added to the park while three new lands will materialize behind Adventureland. This park will be really unique now as no Frontierland will be added. Instead it will be Grizzly Trail (Weird Name) which hosts the small mining town of Grizzly Gulch. The mountain here would be Grizzly Mountain rather than Big Thunder Mountain, and the coaster within it would be a combination of Expedition Everest and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

Mystic Point will be the next land beyond the berm. This is where the park's answer to the Haunted Mansion is found. Mystic Manor, a combo of the Haunted Mansion, Pooh's Hunny Hunt, and the Tower of Terror at Tokyo DisneySea. The story is that a big traveler has a mansion full of mysterious artifacts like the Tower of Terror at TDS. A monkey breaks into his house and opens up a music box, causing tons of supernatural things to happen. The ride is trackless rather than tracked, allowing a different experience each time. The one thing that has made a lot of fans happy about this room is a revival of the Adventurer's Club placed here.

Toy Story Land will be an almost exact clone as Toy Story Playland, the next land to be placed in Walt Disney Studios at Disneyland Paris. In case you haven't heard of it, it's like a bug's land at California Adventure only you're shrunken down to the size of a toy, and all the toys from story are having a fair. If and when Toy Story Midway expands to all the resorts, this is probably where it's going to land. I don't see anything wrong with it but a lot of fans seemed to have been angered by this decision. It's a Pixar land so that's probably why they're so up and arms. Well what do they expect a land themed to Aladdin? What else could work like Toy Story Land?

The only news that is a little saddening to me is there's no announcement of Pirates of the Caribbean yet. Everyone kept saying there was going to be a big Pirateland beyond the berm of Adventureland, but now there's a Grizzly Trail, a Mystic Point, and a Toy Story Land. If Hong Kong Disneyland ever receives a sister park, then maybe it will go there, although it would be kind of sad to go to the Magic Kingdom and find no Pirates of the Caribbean, movie characters or not. Maybe there will be a Pirates in Adventureland in the future.

The pricetag Disney is throwing into the project is assumed to be 452 million dollars.

The only thing that doesn't appear to have found a home yet is
If for one agree with all the changes, it's good to see that Disney and Hong Kong are doing something to help that poor little theme park that wanted to be a big theme park.

Thanks to Micechat and Disney and more for the big news:

News Hong Kong Disneyland new lands announced officially with Artwork - MiceChat

Disney and more

[mickeymania1]

I hope I'm not offending any fans but I think this expansion is dreadfully overrated. At first I was excited when I heard the rumours but upon seeing this designs I am frusturatingly disappointed.

GRIZZLY GULCH (Parts of the idea are good but I'd rather have the area be called Frontierland but have the town in Frontierland called Grizzly Gulch. I'm also not too fond that Big Thunder Mountain is absent. Instead of having a Grizzly Mountain ride I'd rather have it as a technologicaly advanced version of Grizzly River Run & have it next door to BTM.)

MYSTIC MANOR (I was really upset when the plans for the Pirate land were abandoned but parts of Mystic Manor sound promising. I'm not a big fan of how the mansion attraction isn't called The Haunted Mansion but I like the idea of a new track system. I'm unsure of this land because I don't know where else they're gonna put Pirates of the Caribbean, somewhere in Adventureland?)

TOY STORY LAND (This shows the downfall of Disney Imagineering these days. The whole idea of a land themed around Toy Story doesn't fit in a traditional Magic Kingdom style park if I were responsible for Hong Kong Disneyland's Imagineering I would've done an advanced Mickey's Toontown area featuring old favourites like Roger Rabbit but feature new rides like a coaster & a children's thrill ride. And does this mean that AstroBlasters will be moved?! Horrible idea for a new land & I hope they decide to build something that'll fit in better.)

[Executioner]

So they will be making a ride very similar to Montezuma's Revenge at Knott's in a Disney theme park. Just no loop. Interesting.

One problem with rides like this is there is only one car, which makes the wait times longer. Less people per hour.
Not that the ride isn't fun. I like Montezuma's Revenge style rides.

[MANEATINGWREATH]

It might be nice to see something different than Big Thunder and the Haunted Mansion. Now don't get me wrong the Haunted Mansion is my favorite ride, but the Mystic Manor looks pretty cool. It's always nice to give something new a chance. You can't say you disagree with something until you've actually seen it for yourself or on YouTube. Who knows, maybe the Grizzly Mines will be better than Big Thunder? Maybe the Mystic Manor will be entirely different then both the Haunted Mansion and Phantom Manor? Maybe Toy Story Land will fit in with a Magic Kingdom-environment? Everything should get a chance, don't shun it by first glance, wait to see what it turns out to be first. For example I thought Toy Story Midway Mania was just a dumb rip-off of Astro Blasters to be quickly placed in California Adventure to boost attendance. How wrong was I, that ride is now one of my favorite things in the entire resort, and in my opinion it's completely different than Buzz. That may be leading into a different discussion but it proves my point. Don't judge something the second you see or hear it, it may turn out to be something you will cherish for many years to come.

I don't mean to offend anybody by any means here, I'm just expressing my joy and opinion of the expansion, and what I think people should do when they don't like an idea.

[Ezra]

About the layout... Since Mystic Point is set in a rainforest, shouldn't it be the land that Adventureland leads directly ino? Then it's wilderness could lead to the wooded "bear country" of Grizzly Gulch, which leads into a Woody-inspired attraction at Toy Story Land which (of course) spills out into Fantasyland? I think the transitions would be much smoother that way.

[Tom Morrow]

Disney's Hong Kong Plan Hits Blockage

Disney's Hong Kong Plan Hits Blockage (subscription required) Wall Street Journal Hong Kong lawmakers said Saturday they would be unwilling to approve a plan to expand the city's Disneyland unless the government and Walt Disney Co. tell them how the theme park has performed since it opened in 2005. Scrutinizing the deal Saturday, lawmakers said the Hong Kong executive has not disclosed the park's attendance figures or told them how well it has performed in the more than three years since it opened. They said they needed to see more details of the expansion before they could vote Friday to approve or reject the plan. "We have to decide whether to approve the commitment of this large sum as equity for the expansion of the park, but we have been given very little information. This is really depressing," said pro-government lawmaker Starry Lee. Another lawmaker asked whether the government had thought about pulling out of the joint venture altogether. "Has the government ever considered selling all its shares to Walt Disney?" asked opposition lawmaker Fred Li. "We'll forget about the money we've already lost. We can't put any more money into this bottomless pit." Rita Lau, Hong Kong's commerce and economic development secretary, said it would be difficult to find investors to buy the government's share in the joint venture because of the park's "poor operating conditions." She did not elaborate. Associated Press complete article (subscription required)

Submitted by Ezra