Shanghai Disney Resort includes a number of firsts for theme parks in China. Online ticket sales began 28 March and ticket sales were brisk. Online tickets are being sold for specific dates which is a first for theme parks in China.
Furthermore, Shanghai Disney is breaking new ground in offering a two tier ticket price system for peak and non-peak days. Peak day tickets sell for RMB499 ($75) and include the park opening period, weekends and holidays. Non-peak tickets sell for RMB370 (US$56) for adults which is a significant price differential and intended to entice people to non-peak periods.
When compared to other theme parks and amusement attractions in Shanghai, Disney is priced well above the average, at double the local competitive price. While the Disney product offering and quality is well above others in Shanghai, it’s a bold move. Also of interest is that Shanghai Disney off-peak and peak price straddles the prices at Tokyo Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland (see Table 1). To some extent Tokyo Disneyland pricing appears low due to the low exchange rate of the Japanese yen. Nonetheless, the fact that a park in China would attract a higher price than Japan or Hong Kong is a stunning statement of the strength and depth of the market.
Date-specific tickets With the exception of a few waterparks, variable pricing is not common in Asia. Samsung Everland’s Caribbean Bay in South Korea and Chimelong Waterpark in Guangzhou offer reduced price shoulder season tickets, which makes sense given the relatively short operating seasons and very high peak demand for waterparks. By starting out of the gate with a variable pricing system, Disney is educating the market and setting a new standard.
Issuing date-specific tickets is also a first and is meant to avoid the problems that plagued Hong Kong Disneyland’s opening period when large amounts of undated tickets were sold and beyond-capacity crowds showed up during the spring festival. However, unwary customers are bound to show up on the wrong date and people will want to change dates due to schedule changes or weather forecasts. Chinese travellers are quick to voice their opinions through their ubiquitous social media channels so handling these inevitable difficulties will be a challenge.
Expansion plans Disney is building an entire resort complete with two hotels, a retail, dining and entertainment district and park lands. The 420-room Shanghai Disneyland Hotel has an art deco motif while the 800 room Toy Story hotel is family oriented. The retail dining and entertainment area, Disneytown, has a wide range of offerings. The headline for the entertainment will be a 1,200 seat Walt Disney Grand Theatre showcasing The Lion King in Mandarin.
Furthermore, Disney is already planning expansions with notable capital budget increases to accommodate increased capacity. Behind the scenes, furious work will continue as the crews create more Disney magic.
The opening of Shanghai Disney is a watershed event in China’s theme park industry. We’re often asked how local parks will be impacted and respond. History tells us parks that are proactive and differentiated from Disney can not only survive but thrive. A case in point is Ocean Park in Hong Kong which, upon learning of Hong Kong Disney coming to town, began a comprehensive and aggressive $700m (£480m, €623m) investment programme to upgrade facilities and add capacity. Ocean Park has also been able to slowly increase prices while staying under the Disney price level. The results have been spectacular with attendance doubling in 10 years, while Hong Kong Disney also thrived. Instead of splitting the pie, the pie grew much larger.
All in all, the themed entertainment industry is invigorated by Shanghai Disney. While there’ll be unanticipated challenges and complaints, it’s a major event for Asia and an indication of more to come.
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
Promotional feature: IDEATTACK
IDEATTACK’s new project in Hainan, China,
introduces the storytelling elements of a
theme park to the oceanarium concept
Science Museums: Shaping Tomorrow
Brazil’s Museum of Tomorrow uses
constantly updating, real-time digital
collection to communicate with visitors.
We met members of the team
Promotional feature: EAS
This year, the Euro Attractions Show is
coming to the Spanish city of Barcelona
Disney Special: Shanghai Disney: The Best Yet?
As Disney opens its first resort in mainland
China, our special feature examines its
business model, its potential impact and
the modernisation of the Disney castle park
New Openings: Space Inversion
A new contemporary museum district
in the Netherlands – Museumplein
Limburg – features a science centre,
a design museum and an inverted
planetarium. We take a closer look
Promotional feature: Polin
Polin’s patented technologies, extensive R&D and creative flair have made it one of the world’s leading waterpark design and manufacturing companies
Waterparks: Taking the Plunge
Waterpark suppliers constantly develop
their product offers. We dive into the
world of waterpark R&D to find out more
Zoos & Aquariums: The Long Game
UK safari park Longleat is undertaking a
decade-long upgrade that starts by going
back to its roots. As the attraction turns
50, CEO Bob Montgomery explains how
he’s bridging the past and the future
Contrast therapy, based on the alternation of hot and cold rituals, has become one of the
most valued practices in the fields of wellness and recovery. [more...]
Shanghai Disney Resort includes a number of firsts for theme parks in China. Online ticket sales began 28 March and ticket sales were brisk. Online tickets are being sold for specific dates which is a first for theme parks in China.
Furthermore, Shanghai Disney is breaking new ground in offering a two tier ticket price system for peak and non-peak days. Peak day tickets sell for RMB499 ($75) and include the park opening period, weekends and holidays. Non-peak tickets sell for RMB370 (US$56) for adults which is a significant price differential and intended to entice people to non-peak periods.
When compared to other theme parks and amusement attractions in Shanghai, Disney is priced well above the average, at double the local competitive price. While the Disney product offering and quality is well above others in Shanghai, it’s a bold move. Also of interest is that Shanghai Disney off-peak and peak price straddles the prices at Tokyo Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland (see Table 1). To some extent Tokyo Disneyland pricing appears low due to the low exchange rate of the Japanese yen. Nonetheless, the fact that a park in China would attract a higher price than Japan or Hong Kong is a stunning statement of the strength and depth of the market.
Date-specific tickets With the exception of a few waterparks, variable pricing is not common in Asia. Samsung Everland’s Caribbean Bay in South Korea and Chimelong Waterpark in Guangzhou offer reduced price shoulder season tickets, which makes sense given the relatively short operating seasons and very high peak demand for waterparks. By starting out of the gate with a variable pricing system, Disney is educating the market and setting a new standard.
Issuing date-specific tickets is also a first and is meant to avoid the problems that plagued Hong Kong Disneyland’s opening period when large amounts of undated tickets were sold and beyond-capacity crowds showed up during the spring festival. However, unwary customers are bound to show up on the wrong date and people will want to change dates due to schedule changes or weather forecasts. Chinese travellers are quick to voice their opinions through their ubiquitous social media channels so handling these inevitable difficulties will be a challenge.
Expansion plans Disney is building an entire resort complete with two hotels, a retail, dining and entertainment district and park lands. The 420-room Shanghai Disneyland Hotel has an art deco motif while the 800 room Toy Story hotel is family oriented. The retail dining and entertainment area, Disneytown, has a wide range of offerings. The headline for the entertainment will be a 1,200 seat Walt Disney Grand Theatre showcasing The Lion King in Mandarin.
Furthermore, Disney is already planning expansions with notable capital budget increases to accommodate increased capacity. Behind the scenes, furious work will continue as the crews create more Disney magic.
The opening of Shanghai Disney is a watershed event in China’s theme park industry. We’re often asked how local parks will be impacted and respond. History tells us parks that are proactive and differentiated from Disney can not only survive but thrive. A case in point is Ocean Park in Hong Kong which, upon learning of Hong Kong Disney coming to town, began a comprehensive and aggressive $700m (£480m, €623m) investment programme to upgrade facilities and add capacity. Ocean Park has also been able to slowly increase prices while staying under the Disney price level. The results have been spectacular with attendance doubling in 10 years, while Hong Kong Disney also thrived. Instead of splitting the pie, the pie grew much larger.
All in all, the themed entertainment industry is invigorated by Shanghai Disney. While there’ll be unanticipated challenges and complaints, it’s a major event for Asia and an indication of more to come.
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
Promotional feature: IDEATTACK
IDEATTACK’s new project in Hainan, China,
introduces the storytelling elements of a
theme park to the oceanarium concept
Science Museums: Shaping Tomorrow
Brazil’s Museum of Tomorrow uses
constantly updating, real-time digital
collection to communicate with visitors.
We met members of the team
Promotional feature: EAS
This year, the Euro Attractions Show is
coming to the Spanish city of Barcelona
Disney Special: Shanghai Disney: The Best Yet?
As Disney opens its first resort in mainland
China, our special feature examines its
business model, its potential impact and
the modernisation of the Disney castle park
New Openings: Space Inversion
A new contemporary museum district
in the Netherlands – Museumplein
Limburg – features a science centre,
a design museum and an inverted
planetarium. We take a closer look
Promotional feature: Polin
Polin’s patented technologies, extensive R&D and creative flair have made it one of the world’s leading waterpark design and manufacturing companies
Waterparks: Taking the Plunge
Waterpark suppliers constantly develop
their product offers. We dive into the
world of waterpark R&D to find out more
Zoos & Aquariums: The Long Game
UK safari park Longleat is undertaking a
decade-long upgrade that starts by going
back to its roots. As the attraction turns
50, CEO Bob Montgomery explains how
he’s bridging the past and the future
Jessica Sloyan, a wellness operations and training expert, has established an independent
private training academy to provide professional qualifications for practitioners looking to offer
immersive wellness experiences.
The International Spa Association (ISPA) has published its full 2026 US Spa Industry Study,
providing further insights into the region’s total US$1 billion (€855 million, £780 million)
industry revenue increase from 2024 to 2025.
Ameyalli, the 78-acre wellbeing resort and residential community in Midway in Utah, US, has
broken ground on phase two of the hot spring development – the Ameyalli Resort and Spa –
which is due to open in 2028.
TLee Spas and Wellness has revealed the design concept for a high-tech spa with body
mapping scanners to improve public health, for AI company Midjourney.
Gran Hotel Taoro in northern Tenerife, Spain, has completed the final phase of its three-year
renovation with the debut of its Sandára Wellness Centre.
Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa, the spa business with more than 650 locations across
the US and Canada, has appointed franchise expert Carrie Walsh as CEO as the company plans
to expand.
Synergy – The Retreat Show, the global trade show for retreats, has launched a global research
initiative that will provide insights into the retreat sector from both consumer and industry
perspectives.
The Wellness Tourism Association (WTA) has published a non-regulatory global industry
framework designed to ensure the retreat market offers responsible experiences.
A new survey of UK and international spa practitioners shows that stress, burnout and
wellbeing concerns have caused one in three respondents to consider leaving the industry.
Contrast therapy, based on the alternation of hot and cold rituals, has become one of the
most valued practices in the fields of wellness and recovery. [more...]
