by BAI Fan

Shanghai Disney Resort is marking its tenth year with an aggressive content and construction push, leaning on Zootopia 2 and new capital projects to strengthen its role as one of The Walt Disney Company's most important international assets.

The park has welcomed more than 100 million visitors since opening in 2016. Attendance reached 14.7 million last year, ranking fifth worldwide and narrowing the gap with Tokyo Disneyland to about 400,000, according to data from the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA). Shanghai now accounts for roughly 10 percent of Disney's global theme-park traffic, underscoring China's growing weight in the company's long-term strategy.

Zootopia becomes Disney's most powerful China-only engine

Zootopia 2 opened globally on November 26, generating 213 million yuan (US$30 million) in first-day China box office sales, a record for an imported animated film. Shanghai Disney, home to the world's only Zootopia-themed land, is using the release to pull visitors back with more than 200 new story elements, enhanced entertainment offerings and expanded merchandise tied to the film. Ticket packages for the global premiere sold out rapidly, and an AI-powered interactive character has trended across Chinese social platforms.

Since opening in late 2023, the Zootopia land has become one of the resort's strongest traffic drivers. Park surveys show 97 percent of guests knew about the land before arrival, and one-third cited it as their primary reason for visiting.

LIN Huanjie, head of the China Theme Park Research Institute, said the film–park tie-in should give the resort another lift, adding that exclusive IP remains one of Disney's strongest advantages as competition intensifies.

Expansion signals a long-term commitment to China

Construction is accelerating across the resort. A ninth themed land is under development. A third hotel broke ground last year. A newly announced fourth hotel, located directly beside the main entrance, will further expand the resort's multi-day capacity and integrate new shopping and dining options.

The scale of investment brings Shanghai closer to Disney's major multi-park destinations in California, Florida, Tokyo and Paris. Analysts say the resort's trajectory raises the possibility that Shanghai could eventually support a second gate, a rare milestone in Disney's global development model.

Andrew Bolstein, president and general manager of Shanghai Disney Resort, told Jiemian News that guest experience remains the resort's core priority and that the latest expansion reflects Disney's continued willingness to invest in China even as consumers grow more cautious.

China becomes a global battleground for theme-park operators

China has rapidly grown into one of the world's most competitive theme-park markets. Chinese groups including Fantawild, OCT, Chimelong and Haichang now rank among the global top ten by attendance, all expanding faster than their major international peers. Universal Beijing Resort adds another heavyweight rival at the premium end of the market.

The rise of Chinese operators—supported by localized storytelling, flexible asset models and wide coverage of lower-tier cities—has raised the competitive bar. Disney continues to stand out through long-cycle intellectual property development, where film franchises reinforce theme-park demand. The exclusive Zootopia land in Shanghai illustrates how Disney's content pipeline can translate directly into visitor traffic.

As Zootopia 2 drives fresh interest and Shanghai adds new lands and hotels, the park's most distinctive asset remains the same: a globally unique Zootopia-themed land that has reshaped its appeal and strengthened its position within Disney's worldwide portfolio.