Shanghai Disney Resort Grand Opening Celebration

SHANGHAI (June 16, 2016) – Thousands of invited guests celebrated the Grand Opening of Shanghai Disney Resort today with the help of a flood of Shanghai Disney cast members and Disney character friends. Bob Iger, chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company (right) joined Chinese CPC Politburo members Wang Yang, State Council Vice Premier (middle), and Han Zheng, Party Secretary of Shanghai (left), to officially open the resort’s new theme park, Shanghai Disneyland, at the iconic Enchanted Storybook Castle. At the dedication ceremony,six performers wearing enormous, colorful flags represented the six lands of Shanghai Disneyland: Adventure Isle, Gardens of Imagination, Fantasyland, Mickey Avenue, Tomorrowland and Treasure Cove. Shanghai Disney Resort is a world-class family entertainment destination, imagined and created especially for the people of China. The resort consists of Shanghai Disneyland, a theme park with magical experiences for guests of all ages; two richly themed hotels; Disneytown, an international shopping, dining and entertainment district; and Wishing Star Park, a recreational area with peaceful gardens and a glittering lake. Shanghai Disney Resort is a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and Shanghai Shendi Group comprised of two owner companies (Shanghai International Theme Park Company Limited and Shanghai International Theme Park Associated Facilities Company Limited) and a management company (Shanghai International Theme Park and Resort Management Company Limited). (Matt Stroshane, photographer) — Shanghai Disney Resort celebrated its historic grand opening today, June 16, 2016. It is the first Disney resort in Mainland China and the 6th Disney Resort to open worldwide. Thousands of distinguished guests, celebrities and Chinese officials along with Bob Iger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company, celebrated the momentous occasion.

“The grand opening of Shanghai Disney Resort is a celebration of creativity and collaboration, a triumph of imagination and innovation, and a testament to the strong partnership between Disney and China,” Iger said. “Together we have created an extraordinary destination, a magical place unique in all the world, where East meets West, the past meets the future, and anything is possible for those who believe. It is our sincere hope that this spectacular place will inspire wonder and create joy for the people of China for generations to come.”

Honoring the Disney-Chinese partnership that created this resort, Iger and Chinese officials cut a red-and-gold ribbon to dedicate Shanghai Disneyland, the resort’s magnificent theme park. Joining Iger were Wang Yang, CPC Politburo Member and State Council Vice Premier, and Han Zheng, CPC Politburo Member and Party Secretary of Shanghai. Iger also shared a greeting similar to the one Walt Disney said on opening day for the original Disneyland, in 1955: “To all who come to this happy place, welcome.”

The Grand Opening ceremony marked the moment with music, pageantry and a stream of Disney characters, from Mickey Mouse and Snow White to Baymax and Jack Sparrow, in front of the iconic Enchanted Storybook Castle. A multi-generational choir performed a unique version of the Disney song, “When You Wish Upon a Star,” arranged in a Chinese style to reflect the balance of Disney magic and China’s cultural spirit at Shanghai Disney Resort. The ceremony also featured six performers holding enormous, brightly colored fans to represent the six lands of Shanghai Disneyland.

Following the official dedications, tens of thousands of guests entered Shanghai Disneyland on its Grand Opening day to explore world-class attractions and live entertainment spectaculars—many being offered for the first time in a Disney theme park. The three-day Grand Opening event also included two red-carpet occasions: Tuesday’s premiere of the first Mandarin production of THE LION KING, now showing at the Walt Disney Grand Theatre, and Wednesday’s gala concert with celebrity performers at Evergreen Playhouse in Shanghai Disneyland.

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Credit: Disney Parks Blog

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