Hong Kong Disney

Introduction

Founded in 1923 as cartoon design house, The Walt Disney Company has grown into one of the largest media and entertainment conglomerates in the world. The company is best known for its mascot Mickey Mouse and other various character properties of its film studio, the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group. Disney’s diversified holdings include broadcast television and cable networks, publishing, merchandising/licensing and theatre divisions; as well as a multitude of theme parks around the world.

Hong Kong Disneyland (HKD) is one of Disney's most recently (2005) built theme parks. HKD was the third Disney theme park built outside of the United States. Disney’s other foreign theme parks include the Disneyland Resort in Paris (DRP, 1992) and the highly successfully Tokyo Disney Resort (TDR, 1983).

Purpose

This case study will attempt to analyze the strengths and weakness of Disney’s theme parks, apply the launch lessons of TDR, DRP and HKD and recommend steps to ensure greater success in Disney’s future expansion plans abroad.

Disney’s Theme Park SWOT

Internal Strengths include:

• Backing of the largest diversified media and entertainment conglomerate in the world exceeding $62.5 billion (USD) in assets. Ranked 8th in the Top 100 Global Brands.

• Known as the global leader and standard in live entertainment, hospitality, product marketing and licensing.

• Known for pioneering highly creative and innovative entertainment that has global and cross generational appeal.

• Highly Successful launch of TDR.

o Licensed and fully owned by Oriental Land Co.

o Success was large in part of Japanese interested in Western Culture and Asian love for fantasy and costumes. Park was very similar to Anaheim location, majority of shows done in English.

o Highest souvenir sales of all the Disney properties.

o One of world’s most popular theme parks in terms of annual attendance.

Internal Weaknesses include:

• High operating costs. Large investment...