Shanghai Disneyland announced at a news conference on September 5, 2023 that a Zootopia-themed land will debut at Shanghai Disney Resort in late 2023. The under-construction expansion will mark the first time that Zootopia has come to life at a Disney Park. Photo: thepaper.cn

Shanghai Disneyland announced on Tuesday that a Zootopia-themed land will debut at Shanghai Disney Resort in late 2023. The under-construction expansion will mark the first time that Zootopia has come to life at a Disney Park.

The timeline for its opening was announced at a news conference on Tuesday morning at the Shanghai Disneyland, days after US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo's visit of the resort. The addition is set to become the theme park's eighth land and the second major expansion since the Shanghai Disney Resort first opened in 2016.

In the Zootopia-themed land, guests will be invited to experience the mammalian metropolis of Zootopia "where anyone can be anything," with a new major attraction that will seamlessly blend Disney storytelling and state-of-the-art technology to bring this fan-favorite movie and its characters to life. Entertainment, merchandise, food and beverage offerings will invite guests to fully immerse themselves in the Academy-Award-winning animated movie, according to Disney's official website.

According to the press release, the land is designed to immerse guests in the vibrant and diverse mammalian metropolis of Zootopia, with its street signs depicting special local touches. The characters will be brought to life with Audio-Animatronics technology. There will also be special food and snack offerings, including the highly anticipated paw-shaped ice cream. 

The entire themed land is still undergoing completion of final details and rendering, according to thepaper.cn. 

The construction plan of the Zootopia-themed land was first announced in January 2019. In December 2019, the themed land completed site preparation and started major construction. Over the years, Disney fans in Shanghai and all over the world have been concerned about the construction process, with each new milestone triggering wide discussion and excitement.

Disney choosing Shanghai to debut the Zootopia land was not a surprise, according to US media outlet CNN, as the film was a huge success in China, breaking box office records to become the highest grossing animated feature in the Chinese mainland at the time. 

On Wednesday, US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo visited Shanghai Disneyland on the last day of her visit to China, touting the park as a prominent American export. The theme park's popularity in the Chinese mainland is also one of the highlights of the economic and trade relationship between China and the US, observers noted.

Global Times