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ARTICLE: “Disney and the Great Wall: Hong Kong’s Magic Kingdom Struggles to Attract Chinese Who ‘Don’t Understand’ Park,” by Geoffrey A. Fowler and Merissa Marr, Wall Street Journal, 9 February 2006, p. B1.
It is fascinating to watch Disney’s adjustment process in Hong Kong. Like any corporation, it tries as much as possible to impose its rule set on the customer, while having to adjust to the local dominant rule sets in order to attract the highest possible frequency and revenue stream.
First big lessons?
Chinese like to travel on tour packages, where everything, right down to the menu of the group meals, is determined beforehand. We saw this in spades traveling around China on our adoption trip. Choice is rather frontloaded in China, as in, choose to go or stay home!
Another big lesson: respect the local holidays. The New Year is huge. Disney HK was overwhelmed. “Park capacity” is not a concept they get yet.
But for sure, Disney will learn. It learned Japanese and did quite well in mastering French, although visitors there still are rather stingy on a per head basis. Disney will master Hong Kong because it has its eyes on Shanghai.
My favorite bit in this story: Marie the Cat is the biggest star at Disney HK. Don’t remember her? She’s the female lead in “The Aristocats.” Why so popular in China? That movie apparently became a cult classic in southern China due to repeat showings on networks over the years. Plus Marie looks an awful lot like Hello Kitty.
[Minor editorial comment: Marie is the daughter of the female lead in 'The Aristocats', Duchess. And, this is even more quibbling, technically she is a kitten. *wink* Got some big Disney fans in my house. Sean]
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