Shanghai Disneyland to feature Star Wars, Marvel attractions

SHANGHAI - Mickey Mouse, Peter Pan and Han Solo will beckon visitors when Disney opens its first theme park in China next spring.

The $5.5 billion theme park, being developed with China's state-owned Shanghai Shendi Group, will transport visitors to six themed 'worlds” and offer other attractions based on 'Star Wars” and the Marvel Comics' superheroes, including 'Iron Man,” 'Spider-Man” and the 'Hulk.”

Bob Iger, chairman and CEO of the iconic entertainment firm, told a news conference Wednesday that the park would be 'authentically Disney and distinctively Chinese.”

The park will 'not only showcase the best of Disney's story telling but also celebrates and incorporates China's incredibly rich heritage,” Iger said at a ceremony in Shanghai, where the firm unveiled a miniature-sized model of the park.

Visitors will be able to pass along 'Mickey Avenue,” float through 'Adventure Isle,” 'Fantasyland” and 'Treasure Cove,” before taking off for 'Tomorrowland.”

Disney, which opened its largest ever store in Shanghai in May, will be hoping it can tap into growth in the world's second largest economy, despite China's recent slowdown.

Disney earlier this year delayed the opening of Shanghai Disneyland until the first half of 2016 from a scheduled start at the end of 2015 as it expanded plans for the park.

The firm's park and resorts segment brought in $15.1 billion globally last year, around a third of its total revenues. Disney also is tapping into China's film market, with the latest outing of its 'Avengers” series taking the No. 2 spot in country's box office for the first half of the year.