Disneyland pins attendance hopes on school holiday surge

Hong Kong Disneyland is hoping for a strong showing this summer as the theme park enters the final three months of its first year with the aim of ramping up attendance.

'If it's like our theme parks in the US, July and August are very busy as families are heading out and children are out of school. But this is our first summer,' Disney's managing director Bill Ernest said.

He added there was a high level of interest from both the mainland and Taiwan, where a marketing campaign has been launched. Up to 300 'seasonal' employees, who are paid an hourly rate of $40 to $50, have been recruited to help cope with the expected demand.

Asked if the delay in the launch of the Ngong Ping 360 cable car ride and tourist attraction on Lantau would have an impact on business at the theme park, Mr Ernest said his priority was Hong Kong Disneyland.

'I know they've been working towards an opening date. Everybody knows that when you bring new products out, it's sometimes a little challenging to launch a new business,' he said. 'We've all had that experience. I'm sure they're working very hard on what it needs to do ... to get that open in a timely manner.'

Tourism chief Selina Chow Liang Shuk-yee added that postponing the opening date to ensure a smooth operation was better than rushing ahead with the project.