Disney officials dismissed concerns that a new park in Shanghai will steal Hong Kong customers. "We see that Hong Kong Disneyland and the Shanghai park as complementary," said an official in an e-mail. "We believe the Greater China market is large enough to support multiple parks."
Further expansion in Asia may be a good bet. Last year, roughly a quarter of Disney’s revenue came from overseas operations. Asia contributed just 5%, but leisure-industry experts are bullish about the region’s potential. Last year, eight of the world’s top 20 amusement parks (by number of visitors) were in Asia, according to a report by Themed Entertainment Association, based in Burbank, Calif. The buzz in Shanghai is already tangible. "Chinese consumers have a lot of love for Disney," says Rein. "They’re more excited about Disneyland than the Expo."
