1. Disney feels compelled to make changes to its theme parks when it enters China in order to better meet the demands of the Chinese visitor. For instance, American parks have a Main Street, USA that is designed to appeal to American consumers. Main Street also offers traditionally American cuisine, such as hot dogs. In China, cultural differences have led Disney to believe that Main Street would not be as successful in Shanghai, and that changing the menu to more localized dishes such as dim sum and noodle dishes would make the experience more appealing to the Chinese visitor.
2. Disney’s overwhelming resources and capabilities include its reputation as one of the world’s most successful companies, as well as its extensive catalog of entertainment properties, such as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. Beyond its own characters, Disney has expanded its presence by purchasing the rights to properties such as Star Wars and Marvel Comics, so it carries an extensive number of properties that would appeal to a diverse audience.
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"Mickey Goes to Shanghai Discussion Responses".
3. Lessons learned by operating parks in Paris and Tokyo helped Disney identify cultural differences that might influence successful business operations. For instance, when wine was not offered by restaurants inside the Paris theme park, sales suffered because there was a strong expectation amongst the French public that wine should be a standard menu offering. Failure to anticipate the popularity of the park in Hong Kong resulted in less rides, longer waiting times, and a worse customer experience than was intended. Lessons learned from these parks can help Disney with its Shanghai park by showing the importance of cultural awareness when moving into a new territory.
4. Disney’s new park will be successful as long as it learns from its previous mistakes, which it appears to be doing. By providing an experience specifically catered to the Chinese visitor, such as making sure food offerings are culturally appropriate, Disney can still bring the appeal of its brand to a diverse market.
