From the Times:

Disneyland overwhelmed as Chinese flock to see Mickey

From Jane Macartney in Beijing

MICKEY MOUSE has been busy in China. His advertising tour has brought such a flood of tourists to Disneyland in Hong Kong that it has been forced to close its gates to visitors three times this week.

Scores of visitors, mostly from mainland China, scaled the gates to reach the rides while others scuffled with staff. Security guards watched helplessly as the crowd, most of whom had paid £25 for their tickets, surged towards the amusement park, which can handle 30,000 people a day.

The Hong Kong government, which owns 57 per cent of the park, expressed concern, some tour operators warned of possible legal action and children went home in tears.

Thousands began queueing before dawn yesterday to make sure that they got in, and the park said it was extending opening hours.

The whole of China is on holiday to celebrate the lunar new year, the Year of the Dog, which began on Sunday. Many thousands are willing to spend several hundred pounds to take an adored only child on a trip to Disneyland.

I'd like to point out that the Disney marketing genius here is that there are plenty of Chinese parents who have a single child, and according to reports I've read, the "4-2-1 syndrome" of four doting grandparents, two overindulgent parents and only one child has resulted in "an emerging generation of spoiled, lazy, selfish, self-centered and overweight children." What self-respecting corporation -- that specializes in peddling family entertainment -- wouldn't want to catch that wave?

The park, which opened in September to sluggish interest, had sold date-specific tickets for the first five days of the holiday. Organisers had not, however, taken into account demand from mainland China where the new year holidays last until the end of next week. Some visitors had bought their tickets on the internet weeks in advance or through travel agents.

One Chinese visitor who took his wife, parents and son to Hong Kong resorted to the internet to vent his rage. “I was so angry that I went to return the ticket and an employee told me the tickets would be valid for half a year. I told them: ‘I will never come again.’ Later a friend told me that after we left, the park let in a few foreigners. But no single traveller from the mainland was allowed in.”

Hong Kong Disneyland extended opening hours and suspended internet bookings in response to the demand. Bill Ernest, the newly installed executive vice-president, expressed regret that visitors were turned away. “But, to ensure guest safety we have had to limit guest entry at certain times.”

Wealthier Chinese may be able to make a second trip to Disneyland. Many visitors, however, are workers who may have saved for months. Most Chinese take vacations only during official holidays — at new year, a week around Labour Day on May 1 and another week for October 1 National Day.

The ticket chaos is the latest setback for Hong Kong Disneyland. A row over plans to serve shark’s fin soup at its restaurants prompted an international outcry. The plan was dropped. The park also ran into trouble with labour leaders after staff complained of being overworked and underpaid.

NOOOO!

"Disney shuttering Pirates for 4 months; adding in movie stuff"

UGH! BLEUGH! PHOOEY!

1966 pictures from Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm.

1966, me as a 4-year-old, Knott's Berry Farm

It's always good to find someone who has it worse than I do. Here is a web page of someone who catalogs Disney theme park survey markers.