Disney unveils spectacular Mickey and Minnie Mouse plane liveries ahead of new resort opening in Shanghai
Disney fanatics will be getting very excited about the hotly anticipated new resort in Shanghai, which is set to debut in just 51 days.
But ahead of the launch of the first Disney park in mainland China on June 16, the corporation has launched a new series of plane liveries that showcase its cartoon characters.
The new designs, created in collaboration with China Eastern Airlines, will feature some of the most famous characters from Disney’s history as well as themes around the park – such as Mickey and Minnie Mouse.
New livery designs featuring Mickey and Minnie Mouse were unveiled in China by Shanghai Disney Resort and China Eastern Airlines
The Disney-themed plane will fly to and from Shanghai with more designs to come in years to come as part of the new collaboration and sponsorship deal
China Eastern Airlines will be sponsoring the Dumbo the Flying Elephant ride in the new Shanghai resort, which is set to open in June
The first of the series of designs was unveiled in Shanghai on Monday.
It will feature on selected flights to and from Shanghai and features a classic design of Mickey and Minnie Mouse, surrounded by celebratory ribbons and stars.
According to a statement from the company, the other designs will be unveiled in the next few months and years to come.
The second livery to be unveiled will feature the ‘Enchanted Storybook Castle’ – perhaps the most important attraction at the resort.
It’s the biggest Disney castle in history according to the company and features story elements from all of the Disney princesses.
The Disney-themed liveries are part of a multi-year partnership, which sees China Eastern Airlines becoming an official sponsor of the Shanghai Disney Resort.
General manager of Shanghai Disney Resort Philippe Gas (left) with chairman of China Eastern Airlines Liu Shaoyong (right) following the unveiling of the new livery on Monday
Shanghai Disneyland can be seen in the final stages of construction, with its lofty 196-foot-tall castle and resort buildings looking spectacular
This extends to the theme park itself where the airline will be sponsoring the ‘Dumbo the Flying Elephant’ attraction.
According to the statement from Shanghai Disney Resort, the attraction will allow guests to ‘soar through the air and control how high they fly’.
From the ride, they will also have views of the Enchanted Storybook Castle and Gardens of Imagination at the theme park.
Shanghai Disney will be the cheapest out of all 12 parks and resorts worldwide, with off-peak tickets costing 370 yuan (£39).
The 963 acre theme park, which reportedly cost around £3.8billion to build, will pay homage to traditional Chinese culture as well as showcase Disney’s favourite films across six different lands.
Earlier this month, MailOnline Travel reported that the opening day tickets for the theme park sold out within hours of being listed on the company’s official ticketing website and all the rooms for the two hotels on site were fully booked for the first two weeks.
A PARK OF FIRSTS: SHANGHAI DISNEY RESORT HOPES TO WIDEN ITS APPEAL
In the park there is set to be the first carousel in a Disney park that features the symphonic music and mythical creatures from the Disney film Fantasia
Aside from the tallest castle, Shanghai Disney Resort will also feature ‘Treasure Cove,’ the first ever ‘land’ exclusively dedicated to The Pirates of the Caribbean films.
A new take on the classic boat ride, ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure,’ will see guests spin and swirl to synchronised music, and encounter pirates, mermaids and a kraken.
Meanwhile, there will also be a live stage show where Captain Jack Sparrow shows off his swordfighting skills.
If pirates aren’t your thing, there are plenty more attractions to be seen, including the Alice in Wonderland maze – the first attraction dedicated to Tim Burton’s version of the classic tale.
Hungry guests won’t be disappointed, as there will be a massive range of themed restaurants serving a variety of culinary delights, including Remy’s Patisserie, a French-inspired bakery styled on Ratatouille, and Sweethearts Confectionery, a sweet shop representing Minnie Mouse’s childhood home.
Officials expect that the park will draw crowds of around 17 million per year and to widen its appeal, the park isn’t limiting its target audience to small children.
For those bored of princesses and Mickey Mouse, Shanghai Disney Resort also offers some high-tech attractions based on its supernatural and sci-fi films.
Star Wars fans will be able to meet the movie’s heroes and villains and look at its intergalactic set pieces.
Thrill-seekers can enjoy the ‘Tron Lightcycle Run,’ a roller-coaster attraction based on Disney’s beloved sci-fi classic. Meanwhile, budding artists can try their hand at comic book animation in Marvel Universe.
While the Shanghai park celebrates Disney’s newer films, it doesn’t neglect the company’s origins.
The Steamboat Mickey fountain, which will be located at the park’s entrance, is a tribute to the 1928 animated film that first introduced Walt Disney’s marvellous creations to the world.
The joint venture between Disney and its partner Shanghai Shendi Group is hoped to extend the 60-year legacy of Disney Parks around the globe.
Disney is extremely popular in China and in May last year the world’s largest Disney store, which is also in Shanghai, was forced to close after only one hour because so many Chinese fans packed themselves inside.
Hundreds of people had queued for over three hours to get inside the 54,000 square foot shop.
Cool! A Tron themed ride where visitors sit on motorbike carriages will be included in Tomorrowland at the newest Disneyland park
Disney construction teams painting the Enchanted Storybook Castle earlier this year (right), the tallest, largest, and most complex Disney castle ever built. Ride testing started taking place a few months ago at the Roaring Rapids (left), where guests will embark on a rafting ride straight through the heart of Adventure Isle
Fantasyland will be the largest of all the lands in Shanghai Disney Resort and home to the Enchanted Storybook Castle
Bronze statues of Mickey and Minnie in formal attire will welcome guests to the Shanghai Disney Resort Hotel