Read more than 60 years after the opening of the first Disneyland theme park in Anaheim, California, the brand continues to fascinate young and old alike and attract millions of people each year. If the Covid-19 pandemic has forced many leisure sites to close their doors, the company has nevertheless offered itself a small architectural “facelift”. In Hong Kong, as CNN details, the emblematic castle, present on American sites, but also in Shanghai, Marne-la-Vallée or Tokyo, no longer really looks like the others. A makeover meant to reflect the diversity within Disney.
Several major types of castles existed until then at Disney. Thus, in Tokyo and Florida, it is Cinderella’s Castle. In California and in the Paris region, it is the castle of Sleeping Beauty. Or two central princesses in the original work of Disney. Architecturally, the sites are all at least partially inspired by Neuschwanstein Castle, located in Bavaria, Germany. But, over the past decades, Disney’s literary and cinematographic work has grown considerably. The new castle in Hong Kong now represents not a heroine, but a dozen.
Eclectic style
At the heart of this new castle, we still find the reference to Aurora, the princess of Sleeping Beauty. This was the main inspiration when the park opened in 2005, as in Marne-la-Vallée. But, now, other tricks refer to Mulan, the Chinese warrior princess, or to Pocahontas. In total, twelve other towers pay homage to different princesses. This royal eclecticism is also found in colors and shapes. For Jasmine (Aladdin), an Arab-inspired symbol stands out, while it is Celtic on the tower of Mérida (Rebel). Mulan’s is, for its part, adorned with cherry blossoms. “Our stories continue to grow, and we get to know different cultures around the world. So how can we put that in the buildings and the stories we try to tell, ”asks Hilcia Pena, an architect working for Disney.
This architectural overhaul is part of a larger program to expand Disney Park in Hong Kong. The company thus invested 10.9 billion Hong Kong dollars (1.9 million euros). Several new attractions are also on the program. The amusement park reopened to the public on February 19, 2021. It was forced to close last December due to a resumption of the epidemic on the island.
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