Disney: Losing magic in the Middle Kingdom

Résumé du document

Disney is undoubtedly one of the best known companies in the world of entertainment. Having initially flooded the world of film production (cartoons, movies and big budget-sagas such as Pirates of the Caribbean), the company has launched in 1950 in the construction and management of the theme park. The first logically opened in California, close to the studios.

Then, based on its success, the company has increased its parks, with a first outside the U.S., which was opened in 1983, the last being opened in Hong Kong, which welcomed its first guests in September 2005.

As we have seen in the case, the international expansion of the Group Disney through parks has not been done in simplicity, many opponents denouncing some form of American imperialism, parks not covered enough cultural specificities of countries (and regions) in
which they were located.

Extraits

[...] We can take the example of Ocean Park, another theme park in Hong Kong, and main competitor to Disneyland. Ocean Park is a Chinese park, it favors the government and it also respects the prerogatives of the latter. It receives a positive lobbying by the Chinese authorities. Following the government's 3 prerogative (capacity, prices . the latter with its development. For example, Ocean Park received indirect government support in terms of ease of access for Chinese tourists, they have access to special visas for this park. [...]

[...] Disney Park was already facing complaints from customers, park officials then asked inspectors to remove their outfits, in order not to scare the customers a little more. If this request was based on a good feeling (the park does not attempt to obstruct the investigation), it generated a fresh wave of anger in the media, accusing Disney of not respecting the government and violating the local law by obstructing the duties performed by law enforcement officers. This fact highlights the influence that the Chinese government may have about anything that is located on the ground. [...]

[...] To address overcrowding, the group attempted to establish tickets allowing entry at certain times (as can be done with annual subscriptions Park Anaheim, which include off-peak time and peak time). This solution is actually proven worse, some people can not even go to the park with valid tickets. These problems are to be compared with the freedom of the press in this country. The media is largely controlled by official authorities, they had no trouble relay scenes of locked gates and people blocked the entrance. This problem is also directly linked with the political aspect. [...]

[...] Attendance also fell, until a new owner and a new manager decided to change the pricing policy. If the ticket price is expensive, peripheral purchases are pretty normal now. So, in economic terms, we can say that Disney is clearly missed. The Group has sought to impose its image and the way it operates, saying that its world-famous would suffice to run the park. Nevertheless, it seems clear that the group's leaders have not sufficiently taken into account the cultural, economic and financial characteristics (purchasing power consumption mode) of Chinese tourists (primary target), which are then returned to the local parks, cheaper. [...]

[...] According to early rumors, the area of the park is 3 to 4 times higher than that of Hong Kong Park, an area of 14km ² have been announced (even if it is strange compared with the usual size of the Disney parks, but it would allow to cope with the crowds) (GROVER, 2011). Work began in April 2011 and the first waves of recruitment began in Bibliography EINHORN, B. (2013, February 19th). Disney's Hong Kong Theme Park Finally Turns a Profit. Retrieved from Bloomberg BusinessWeek: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/201302-19/disneys-hong-kong-theme-park-finally-turns-a-profit GROVER, R. (2011, April 2nd). Disney, Shanghai Park Partner Plan April 8 Groundbreaking. Retrieved from Bloomberg: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-04-01/disney-said-toplan-shanghai-park-groundbreaking-on-april-8.html SAMSON, T. [...]