Shanghai DisneyLand: 7 things we know about Disney’s Biggest Resort

Amid pageantry and patches of rain, Shanghai DisneyLand threw open its doors to thousands of visitors for its official opening Thursday.

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This park is especially historic because it’s the first Disney resort in mainland China. It features the biggest, tallest castle in any Disney park and the first pirate-themed land.

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Here are 7 things we know about Shanghai DisneyLand.

1.) The resort is the biggest investment Disney has ever made outside the U.S.($5.5 billion).

2.) Construction of the Disney park began more than five years ago in April 2011. But the idea goes back much further: Disney has been talking about building a Shanghai theme park since the mid 2000s.

3.) The park is 963 acres, bigger than New York City’s Central Park. Shanghai dwarfs the company’s other Asian parks in Hong Kong and Tokyo. And Disney says it’s already started construction to extend attractions beyond the existing Shanghai site.

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4.) Shanghai also features the largest castle and longest parade route of any Disney park in the world.

5.) The park includes: Two hotels, a shopping district and six themed lands — Mickey Avenue, Gardens of Imagination, Fantasyland, Adventure Isle, Treasure Cove and Tomorrowland.

6.) Analysts at Nomura Securities are predicting 15 million visitors will visit Shanghai Disney park annually.

7.) Disney isn’t going it alone on this project. Like many Western companies operating in China, it had to team up with a local partner to keep authorities happy. Disney owns 43% of the resort company. Its Chinese partner, state-owned Shanghai Shendi Group, holds the other 57%. But Disney has the majority stake in the resort’s management company.