Shanghai Disney Resort unveils resort concept

The Shanghai Disney Resort Management Co on Thursday unveiled a scale model that shows the company's concept for the new theme park.

The 1:100 model of Shanghai Disneyland has an 11-acre green space at the center of the park, and shows the design and scale of Enchanted Storybook Castle, the iconic central attraction of the theme park.

On its opening day, expected to be in 2015, the resort will include Shanghai Disneyland, two hotels, a 46,000-square-meter retail, dining and entertainment venue, recreational facilities, a lake, and associated parking and transportation hubs, the company said in a statement.

Earlier reports said the investment in the resort is expected to be 24.5 billion yuan ($3.94 billion) for the theme park and 4.5 billion yuan for the hotels and other facilities.

"Walt Disney Parks and Resorts has been helping families create shared memories for nearly 60 years," said Tom Staggs, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts chairman. "Shanghai Disney Resort will bring a classic Disney Parks experience to Chinese mainland and will immerse Chinese guests in a whole new world of creativity, imagination and adventure that only Disney can deliver."

Fan Xiping, chairman of Disney's Chinese joint venture partner in Shanghai Disney Resort, Shanghai Shendi Group, echoed Staggs' enthusiasm. "The Shanghai Disney project will be the perfect combination of Disney global standards with local best practices, and will truly be‘a(chǎn)uthentically Disney and distinctly Chinese'," he said.

Mike Crawford, the resort's general manager, added: "We are excited to see the resort development move into an intensive phase of construction, and look forward to providing more updates in the future as we reach key milestones."