Hong Kong Disneyland: Where is the Magic?

Hong Kong Disneyland was the Walt Disney Company's third theme park outside America, after Tokyo and Paris. From conception to opening, the government joint venture was subjected to the absolute scrutiny of the Hong Kong public. There was skepticism towards the equity of partnership and politicians accused the administration of selling Hong Kong's interest cheap. Negative publicity plagued the Hong Kong theme park leading up to the opening. Green groups asked the park to ban shark's fin soup from the resort's wedding banquet menu. District councilors accused Disney officials of discrimination for refusing to switch to the more environmentally friendly fireworks technology they used in California. Local unionists attacked the poor working conditions and long hours at the park. If those were only the tip of the iceberg, the ticketing fiasco during Chinese New Year hammered home the message--the Disney formula was not working. In September 2006, the Hong Kong theme park announced it had missed its first year attendance target of 5.6 million. Often criticized as the smallest Disneyland in the world, the Hong Kong theme park had been tipped as a "stepping stone" for the American company's entry into mainland China. If it was indeed to serve as a prototype for another Disneyland in China, it would be critical for the management of Hong Kong Disneyland to come up with a recovery plan and realign its strategy to improve its image, boost attendance, and deliver its revenue target. Explores what could be done to enhance the smooth delivery of the American fantasy in the alien culture of the Middle Kingdom.

• Service management