According to reports, Hong Kong Disneyland will complete the first phase of its current expansion a year ahead of schedule – in 2013, to be exact.
In response to worries that the latest expansion will compete with the upcoming Shanghai Disneyland, Andrew Kam, the theme park’s managing director, said, “We have no overlapping market with Shanghai Disneyland… the two theme parks have their own characteristics.”
Hong Kong Disneyland has suffered from poor attendance and monetary losses since it opened in 2005, which means the expansion could not come at a better time. Critics of Disney’s Hong Kong theme park have often pointed out the lack of attractions and the size of the park itself – it is the smallest Disney theme park.
To counteract the criticism and draw more people to the park, the Hong Kong government, in conjunction with Walt Disney Co., are expecting to expand Hong Kong Disneyland to include three new themed areas, and complete the entire expansion no later than 2014.
