Disney opens newest theme park in Hong Kong

Hong Kong Disneyland held its opening ceremony today, marking Mickey Mouse’s biggest thrust into China – a market the US company hopes will flood the theme park with tourists from the world’s most populous nation.

Chinese vice president Zeng Qinghong, Hong Kong leader Donald Tsang and top Disney executives Michael Eisner and Robert Iger officiated at the park’s opening, with performances including traditional Chinese lion dances and children singing.

The attraction and its two resort hotels are surrounded by mountains on lush Lantau Island, just 30 minutes away by tube from bustling central Hong Kong.

It looks much like the first Disneyland in California, with a Space Mountain thrill ride, a classic Cinderella Carousel and a pink Sleeping Beauty Castle - which Disney predicts will be one of the most photographed buildings in Asia.

Hong Kong’s government – the biggest investor in the €3bn park – says the attraction will help turn this global financial capital into Asia’s best family holiday spot.

Disney hopes the park - the 11th in its global empire - will be a magnet for increasingly wealthy Chinese tourists, who have a reputation for being big spenders.

Earlier, Iger said the Hong Kong park was a “first big step” in expanding the company’s reach into China, where generations have grown up with little or no familiarity with Mickey Mouse.

But an hour before the opening ceremony, a small crowd of union, human rights and anti-Disney activists gathered outside the park’s front gate, chanting “No Conscience” and “Evil Mickey”.

They were protesting alleged employment abuses at factories making Disney products in China. Disney has said it will investigate the claims.

Hong Kong and Disney struck a deal to build the park in 1999, just two years after the former British colony returned to Chinese rule. The city had been battered by the Asian financial crisis, and desperately needed a new project to boost its spirits and troubled economy.

Disneyland says it employs 5,000 people and will draw 5.6 million visitors in its first year.

The public has generally embraced the park, which began construction in 2003. But environmentalists protested at the park’s now-aborted plan to serve shark-fin soup at banquets.

Neighbours have complained about the noise and smoke from nightly fireworks shows and social critics have been worried about the influence of American culture.

But the biggest complaint among some of the thousands who got a sneak peak at the park during a soft opening period in the past month has been that Hong Kong Disneyland is too small. It is Disney's smallest park at about 100 acres.

The entire attraction – including the two hotels – is 298 acres – and there is room to expand to 494 acres.

The Disneyland staff – including cleaners and guards – have been trying to master the Disney tradition of giving guests a warm smile and friendly “Hello!” or “Nei hou!” in Cantonese or “Ni Hao!” in the mainland’s Mandarin.

The greetings were Hong Kong visitor Evie Chan’s favourite thing about the park. “The staff here are very friendly,” said Chan, an employee of a marketing firm in her late 20s.

“It’s like we’ve known each other for a long time.”