Once derided for a lack of attractions and resulting poor attendance, an aggressive expansion effort, culminating in last year's debut of Mystic Manor, has driven record attendance and profits at Hong Kong Disneyland. Now the park's adding a third hotel on site, expanding its capacity from 1,000 to 1,750 rooms.
The park reported its first profit in 2012, and that doubled last year, to more than US$31 million. Attendance increased to 7.4 million visitors, closing the gap with Hong Kong's Ocean Park, which welcomed 7.7 million people last year. A strong Asian economy has helped, but the addition of Toy Story Land, Grizzly Gulch, and Mystic Point, as well as special events such as its Halloween party, have helped make Hong Kong Disneyland a more attractive destination throughout the region.
To accommodate those extra visitors, Disney and Hong Kong, which share ownership of the resort, will begin construction on a third hotel, to be completed in 2017. The theme will be similar to Walt Disney World's Polynesian Resort (and maybe the Disney Vacation Club's Aulani resort in Hawaii), with an "exotic destinations" theme.
There's room for much more expansion on the site, with an obvious spot for a fourth hotel between this new one and the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel. And a large empty space immediately to the east of the park could eventually provide the home for a second gate (and more hotels) at the resort. Hong Kong Disneyland's already announced plans for an Iron Man-themed attraction and has hinted at more Marvel-themed attractions to come.
Thinking about a visiting Hong Kong Disneyland? Please take a look at our guide to planning a trip to Hong Kong Disneyland.
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I think it's got a lot to do with the culture, but it was still a turn off.
Hopefully this one has more of the Disney charm that the other two apparently lack.
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Eva Peron couldn't have done it better.
Now if Disney could bring that aggressive expansion schedule to the good old US of A....