The Walt Disney Company along with China's Shanghai Shendi Group are both adding yet another attraction to their already sprawling theme park in Shanghai. The construction of the newest themed land in Shanghai Disneyland officially kicked off on Monday, 11 months after both companies had revealed their expansion plans to attract more visitors domestically and abroad.
The new themed land will be the first-ever Zootopia-themed land at any Disneyland theme park worldwide. The planned area will feature attractions showcasing popular characters from the hit animated film, including July Hopps and Nick Wilde. Story-telling attractions will include restaurants, rides, and immersive parks, all featuring merchandise, food, and beverage offerings themed around the franchise.
Walt Disney and Shendi Group have yet to reveal the exact details of their planned Zootopia land, including its actual size, the opening date, and the attractions that will be built. The president and general manager of Shanghai Disney Resort, Joe Schott, did mention in aa statement that the new land should be very exciting to Zootopia fans and Disney-themed resort fans alike.
Schott added that the addition of the new area in Shanghai Disney is a demonstration of the company's commitment to bringing more new and unique experiences to its patrons. The addition also serves as a new reason for previous guests to visit the theme park once again. The executive noted that they have received very positive feedback from fans following the company's original announcement in January.
Since the release of the animated film in 2016, Disney has been adding various Zootopia-themed merchandise collections and other goodies throughout its theme parks worldwide. The company has seen growing interest in the particular franchise, which had led to its decision to establish a section of Shanghai Disneyland dedicated to the movie.
The planned Zootopia land will be the second major expansion in Shanghai Disneyland since its opening in 2016. The last major expansion was the addition of Toy Story Land in April 2018, an area dedicated to the highly-popular franchise produced by both Disney and Pixar.
Shanghai Disneyland is operated by Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, a Chinese joint venture company between Shendi Group and The Walt Disney Company. Disney owns a 43 percent stake in the joint venture, while Shendi owns the remaining 57 percent stake.
Since its opening in June 2016, the theme park has had an increasing number of visitors. In its first six months of operation, the park received an estimated 5.6 million guests. The entire park covers an area of 3.9 square kilometers, with an estimated investment of over $3.48 billion.
