Originally Posted By dagobert I was just clicking through The ThemePark Guys website and came accross the following park in China. <a href="http://www.thethemeparkguy.com/park/world-joyland/" target="_blank">http://www.thethemeparkguy.com...joyland/</a> It's called World Joyland and uses many Disney characters and even Disney merchandise. I wonder if it was a good move to build a Disney park in mainland China as long as the IP isn't protected well enough.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Lol, I remember we discussed this very same issue when hkdl opened. I did not think it very wise, but with a huge population and growing wealth to where China is likely to become the dominant power in the world, I suppose compromised IPR issues are still worth it to them.
Originally Posted By dagobert I think copying attractions is the one thing, but using some one else's logo and brand to sell merchandise is really bad. Many themeparks copied from Disney and despite the creative flaw WDI has at the moment, it will always happen again.
Originally Posted By Bolna This topic reminds me of this article which I recently saw about maybe the very first Disneyland copy: Nara Dreamland <a href="http://einestages.spiegel.de/static/topicalbumbackground/20101/traumland_im_dornroeschenschlaf.html" target="_blank">http://einestages.spiegel.de/s...laf.html</a>
Originally Posted By Bolna <<I think copying attractions is the one thing, but using some one else's logo and brand to sell merchandise is really bad. Many themeparks copied from Disney and despite the creative flaw WDI has at the moment, it will always happen again.>> That was one of the things that surprised me on my first visit to Phantasialand: There were so many attractions where I could easily say which Disney attraction this was supposed to be a "tribute" to. However, on my recent visit to Universal Orlando and IoA I was amazed about how unique a lot of their attractions were. While they are WDW's biggest competitor I did not get feel that they were trying to just do what Disney does, but instead add their own distinct creativity to the theme park business model.
Originally Posted By dagobert >>>However, on my recent visit to Universal Orlando and IoA I was amazed about how unique a lot of their attractions were. While they are WDW's biggest competitor I did not get feel that they were trying to just do what Disney does, but instead add their own distinct creativity to the theme park business model.<<< In my post I meant smaller parks which are not a direct competitor to Disney. In recent years Universal catched up and most of their new attractions look better than Disney's.
Originally Posted By dagobert Thanks for the article. It was an interesting read. You can also see some pictures of Nara Dreamland here: <a href="http://www.themeparkreview.com/japan2004/nara1.htm" target="_blank">http://www.themeparkreview.com...ara1.htm</a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tenaciouslibbs/sets/72157626784412489/" target="_blank">http://www.flickr.com/photos/t...4412489/</a>
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper I love the World Joyland, because it's such a hilariously bad ripoff of IoA with some Disney stuff strewn about. Oh, those nutty Chinese.
Originally Posted By crapshoot <<Oh, those nutty Chinese.>> And yet they have such a rich history to draw from, some good and some not so good. But they could really put together a great park. Of course their LP counterpart would be complaining about; "Who wants to go to a park representing China when we already live in China."
Originally Posted By DlandDug Very depressing to see all those photos of neglected and abandoned Nara Dreamland. Here's a set taken in 2005, when the place was still making an effort: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/russellvt/322006475/in/set-72157594419582462/" target="_blank">http://www.flickr.com/photos/r...9582462/</a>
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< It's called World Joyland and uses many Disney characters and even Disney merchandise. I wonder if it was a good move to build a Disney park in mainland China as long as the IP isn't protected well enough. >>> Essentially ALL of the official Disney and Disney-licensed merchandise is "Made in China" regardless of which country or resort it's intended for sale at, so I'm not sure what keeping an official Disney park out of mainland China would do one way or the other.
Originally Posted By Bob Paris 1 "Very depressing to see all those photos of neglected and abandoned Nara Dreamland." I think it's closed now for good anyway, so it's all moot.
Originally Posted By dshyates I wonder if one of the main reasons that Disney was so interested in moving into mainland China is to have more weight with the gov't. to push them to crack down on copyright infringment.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros From what I've heard, that was a very big part of it. Even if they don't make money specifically on the park/resort, they will have a physical presence in the country that will be undeniable. If they can stop any of the counterfitting, then they will be able to get a bigger market share, and make more money. So the park itself could lose money for the company, but still end up being a very smart long-term investment. Having visited China last year, there is a lot of stuff out there that's fake and should be stopped. However, I'm not sure if there's enough of it to make a substantial difference. And even if they do stop it, I'm not sure that people will pay the extra price for the real versions. It's just not something that really weighs on the collective concious. I guess it's worth trying, right?
Originally Posted By Schmitty Good Vibes I've totally never heard of this one. Probably because it was never finished. It looks like it would have been far better than Nara Dreamland. Have a look: <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2074041/Walt-Disney-turn-grave-Inside-deserted-Chinese-replica-Disneyland-opened-doors.html" target="_blank">http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new...ors.html</a>
Originally Posted By dagobert Thanks for the pictures. It looks like a copy of Tokyo Disneyland. The steel structure seems to be a new World Bazaar version.
Originally Posted By dagobert Here are more pictures and videos about Wonderland: <a href="http://thedisneyblog.com/2011/08/14/wonderland-chinas-magic-kingdom-ghost-park/" target="_blank">http://thedisneyblog.com/2011/...st-park/</a> <a href="http://asiaobscura.com/2011/04/another-abandoned-beijing-amusement-park.html" target="_blank">http://asiaobscura.com/2011/04...ark.html</a> <a href="http://stickypikelet.wordpress.com/2011/04/27/wonderland-abandoned-amusement-park/" target="_blank">http://stickypikelet.wordpress...nt-park/</a>
Originally Posted By Bob Paris 1 WOW they even did that entrance cupola(sorry, don't know any other word for it but it LOOKS LIKE it would be called a "cupola")thing on the bridge leading from the train station to TDL! It makes me wonder even more how the Chinese are going to accept SDL when they just take any old knock off any day!
Originally Posted By schnebs Agreed, Bob. The genuine article from Disney may have a rough go of it if there's plenty of halfway-decent ripoffs to choose from, and it looks like before they went broke the developers of this park were aiming to make a pretty good carbon-copy of TDL. Once more details about SDL come out and/or the park opens, I wouldn't be surprised to see more knock-offs appear.
