Hong Kong Disneyland Resort Announces Marvel-land
Hong Kong’s Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah announced this week that the Disneyland Resort will see a Marvel character-themed extension in the next few years—“the first of its kind in the world.”
After the recent launch of the Toy Story Playland in 2011, Disneyland Resort will be expanding once more.
Since the Walt Disney Company bought Marvel Entertainment in 2009, there has been much speculation as to when or if there will be a showcase of their legion of masked crusaders at the global chain of theme parks.
As it stands, Hong Kong’s Disneyland Resort is primarily targeted to children, and leans heavy on encouraging the sale of company merchandise. With Ocean Park continuing to dominate among older demographics, Marvel’s inclusion may finally be a reason for Disney and the city—who own 52 percent of the park—to make a case for adults to shell out for admission.
Hongkongers, of course, are not the only target market for the park. With the influx of mainland tourism in Hong Kong and with "The Avengers" and "The Amazing Spider Man" both cracking the list of top-ten movies in China last year, the decision to showcase Marvel here at the world’s smallest Disneyland seems like a no-brainer.
While little is known beyond speculation since the announcement, Tsang did clarify that 2017 is the target date for the opening, and that in the next few months the park will decide which superheroes will serve as the main mascots. It is anyone’s best guess, but with new "Captain America" and "Thor" films expected for 2014 and 2015, and with this year’s third installment of "Iron Man" being partially shot in China, fans will have more than enough fodder for lively debate.