First Disney resort in Chinese mainland opens in Shanghai

Tourists visit the Shanghai Disneyland on the first day of its opening to the public in Shanghai, June 16, 2016. [Photo/IC]

SHANGHAI -- The Shanghai Disney Resort, with a unique blend of Disney magic and Chinese culture, officially opened Thursday.

Among the first group of visitors, Shanghai resident Wan Wenqiang visited the theme park together with her mother and seven-year-old son.

"I have visited the resorts in California and Tokyo, and I feel so proud that we can visit Disneyland in our home city now," she said.

"Visiting Disneyland on the opening day is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I just can't wait to see how they combine Disney with traditional Chinese elements," she said.

Located in Pudong District, the 3.9-square-kilometer Shanghai resort is the first Disney resort destination on the Chinese mainland and the sixth around the world.

The resort includes the theme park Shanghai Disneyland; two themed hotels; Disneytown, a shopping, dining and entertainment district; and the recreational Wishing Star Park.

With investment of around 34 billion yuan (about $5.2 billion dollars), the resort is a joint venture between the Walt Disney Company and Shanghai Shendi Group.

The resort took five years to build and it will be further expanded, according to Walt Disney.