Shanghai Disneyland clarifies fare speculation

Shanghai Disneyland, which will open in 2016, has clarified recent speculation about its admission fare plans, saying that the park authorities were still mulling ticket prices and have yet to announce them.

Earlier, China Galaxy Securities predicted that the price for a single day ticket would be 500 yuan (US$79.81) while a two day admission ticket would cost 700 yuan (US$111.73), both including a lunch. In addition, tourists aged between three and nine or more than 70 years' old would be eligible for a discounted ticket price of 350 yuan (US$55.86) for a single-day trip, according to the prediction.

Galaxy Securities claimed their speculation took into consideration the admission prices for other Disneyland theme parks as well as prices for other parks near Shanghai.

The single day fare for Hong Kong Disneyland is now HK$499 (US$64.34 or 403 yuan), after an increase from HK$450 (US$58 or 364 yuan) last November. Disneyland in Anaheim, California charges US$99 for a single-day ticket while Disney World in Florida is priced at US$97, both prices above 600 yuan. Tickets for Tokyo Disneyland cost 6,400 yen (US$53.5 or 335 yuan).

Therefore, if the price for Shanghai Disneyland is set at 500 yuan, it would be lower than prices in the United States but far higher than the prices in Hong Kong and Tokyo, although the difference in scale and design would understandably be a factor in causing the price differences.

In comparison, other theme parks located nearby are much cheaper. Happy Valley Shanghai charges 200 yuan (US$31.9) for a single day ticket, Hangzhou Paradise in Zhejiang province 160 yuan (US$25.5) and China Dinosaurs Park in Changzhou, Jiangsu province charges 230 yuan (US$36.71).