Five Disney Things to Expect in Shanghai

THE
SHANGHAI
DISNEY

RESORTS

#DISNEYINSHANGHAI SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN P

LAN

Ruoshi
Li

1

#DISNEYINSHANGHAI SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN P LAN
Content
I. Organization Outline ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1
II. Organizational Background and Need -------------------------------------------------------- 1
i. Background information about Shanghai Disney Resort. ----------------------------------- 1
ii. Information on the Focus of the Social Media Campaign ----------------------------------- 2
iii. The Significance and Necessity of This Social Media Campaign -------------------------- 3
III. Target Audience Members ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 4
IV. Competitive Analysis ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4
i. Organization Outline ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4
ii. Major Competitor’s Social Media Presence --------------------------------------------------- 5
iii. Competitor Social Media Goals ----------------------------------------------------------------- 6
V. Goals and Objectives ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7
VI. Tactics ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7
i. Social Media Platforms --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7
ii. Timeframe of This Campaign -------------------------------------------------------------------- 8
iii. Content Calendar ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9
VII. Resources and Staff -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9
VIII. Results and Measurement ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9
IX. Reference ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10
X. Appendix -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------11
i. Background Information about Shanghai Disney Resort ------------------------------------ 11
ii. Targer Audience Personas ------------------------------------------------------------------------13
iii. News Release ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------16
iv. Risk Scenarios and Issues Management --------------------------------------------------------19
v. Social Media Post Sample ------------------------------------------------------------------------21
vi. Semi-month Social Media Post Calendar -------------------------------------------------------22
vii. Op-Editorial -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------25
viii. Diversity Statement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------28

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I. Organization outline
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (WDPR), is America’s largest theme park operator. It is
one of the Walt Disney Company’s subsidiaries. Its business lines include theme park design, building and
management. Headquartered in Burbank, California, It was founded in 1971 after the momentous opening
of the Magic Kingdom®Resort at Walt Disney World. Until 2015, It wholly owned Disneyland Resorts in
California and Walt Disney World Resorts in Florida and partially or jointly owned Disney Pairs, Hong
Kong Disneyland Resorts and Shanghai Disneyland Resorts. It gives license to the Oriental Land Company
to operate and manage Tokyo Disney World Resorts.
Under the mission statement “Walt Disney Parks and Resorts is one of the world’s leading providers of
family travel and leisure experiences, giving millions of guests each year the chance to spend time with their
families and friends, making memories that last a lifetime,” WDPR hopes to provide the diversity of this
world and create the magic moments of life for guests around the globe.
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Worldwide has an excellent leadership team. The chairman and CEO is Bob
Chapek, formerly president of Disney Consumer Products. Spencer Neumann is chief financial officer.
Currently, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Worldwide has expanded its business to cruise lines, hospitality
and vacation planning. It holds Disney Cruise Line, Disney Vacation Club, Walt Disney Imagineering.
Its parent company, the Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS), has a share volume of 3,514,945. With a
change of -2.11%, the last sale of the Walt Disney Company is $111.89 USD.
II. Organizational background and need
i. Background information about the Shanghai Disney Resort

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The Shanghai Disney Resort is the sixth Disney resort in the world, following the opening of Disneyland
Resort, Walt Disney World Resort, Tokyo Disney Resort, Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland. It
is the first Disney Park in mainland China and ranks the second within the Greater China region. It is still
under construction with completion anticipated for Spring 2016. The construction is comprised of different
phases. Phase one of the theme park’s development will feature a combination of classic Disney theme parks
and traditional Chinese elements. The rest of the phases include the completion of two other theme parks
and resorts.
The new theme park will cover 963 acres in Pudong District, Shanghai, or approximately three times the
area of the Hong Kong Disneyland Park. The park is estimated to cost 24.5 billion yuan ($3.7 billion USD)
and is expected to draw attendance of 17 million annually. In February 2015, Disney announced that the
resort would be completed at the end of 2015 and would be ready in Spring 2016.
In Shanghai Disneyland Park, undoubtedly, there will be many must-haves for all the Disneyland-style
signature parks, including Mickey Avenue, Gardens of Imagination, Fantasyland, Adventure Isle, Treasure
Cove and Tomorrowland.
Yet, It has its own uniqueness and something exclusive for the Shanghai Disney resort.
ii. Information on the Focus of the Social Media Campaign
My Social Media Campaign is a twitter campaign named “Five Disney Things You Can Expect in
Shanghai” with the hashtag #DisneyinShanghai.
This campaign is designed to invite guests who have already been to the Disneyland or Disney Resorts to
name five things they enjoyed most and feel the urge to recommend of future guests of the Shanghai Disney
Resort, since most of the attractions and rides in different Disney resorts are similar.
Guests can tweet their preferences for a particular attraction or ride, their impressions of a classic Disney
show or their favorite dishes at a certain Disney restaurant. People can also tweet pictures of their favorite
Disney merchandise.

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“Five Disney Things You Can Expect in Shanghai” social media campaign, or #DisneyinShanghai social
media campaign, hopes to start a heated discussion about Disney’s signature rides, shows and attractions.
Furthermore, it leaves room for the future guests or potential customers to explore the uniqueness of the
Shanghai Disney Resort. This campaign is designed to blend the magic of Disney and the cultural spirit of
China.
iii. The Significance and Necessity of This Social Media Campaign
To understand the necessity of this social media campaign, first of all, we should get to know the motivations
for the Walt Disney Company to open this new Disney resort.
• Largest Potential Market for the Theme Park Operators
The opening of Shanghai Disneyland Park is a milestone in Disney’s history. It is the first new theme park
that Disney has opened in the past ten years. It is only a 30-minute drive from the center of Shanghai, the
most developed and populous city in China. Based on mainland China, it has one of the world’s largest
customer base. According to McKinsey & Co. estimates, middle-class and affluent households in China are
expected to increase by 18 percent annually for next decade. It is estimated to welcome 330 million guests
with enough disposable income to visit the park.
• A Positive Response to the Global Competition
The Shanghai Disneyland Parks are located in the International Tourism and Resorts Zone that
demonstrates Shanghai government’s effort to create a world-class tourism destination.
This is a required action for our company to be competitive globally. On the other side of the Huangpu
River from Disney’s resort, DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. is building the $2.4 billion Shanghai Dream
Center, which is scheduled to open in 2017. Additionally, other local and international competitors are
making their way to this prospective market, such as Haiching Holding Ltd., Chinese marine animal park
developer and U.K.’s Merlin Entertainments. What’s more is that one of our biggest competitors, Universal
Studios theme park, is scheduled to open its sixth park in Beijing.

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• A Springboard for More Opportunities in Other Lines of Business
A success in the theme park industry can help Disney go further. Plenty of opportunities exist for Disney to
share a piece of cake in Chinese TV production industry.
This social media campaign shoulders the mission to draw attention from both foreign audiences and
domestic audiences. When an online debate is started, it will unquestionably attract the media’s attention and
get more media coverage. This social media campaign serves as a pre-show or warming up in anticipation of
the grand opening in Spring 2016.
III. Target audience members
(Please see appendix)
IV. Competitive analysis
i. Organization Outline
Name Six-Flags
Entertainment
SeaWorld Universal Studios
Theme Parks
Symbol
Industry Amusement Park
Operator
Marine Mammal
Theme Park Operator
Theme Park Operator
Founded 1961 1964 1964
Headquarters Grand Prairie, Texas Orlando, FL Orlando, FL
Local Branches Queensbury, NY
Vallejo, CA
San Antonio, Texas
Jackson, NY
Mexico City, Mexico
Montreal, Quebec,
Canada
San Diego, CA,
San Antonio, Texas
Orange County, FL
Los Angles, CA,
Osaka, Japan,
Sentosa, Singapore

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Leadership team Jim Reid-Anderson
Chairman, CEO
Joel Manby,
President & CEO
Dan Brown,
Chief Parks
Operations Officer
Thomas Williams,
Chairman & CEO
Jeff Fleeher,
CFO
Revenue $1.176 billion (2014) $496.9
million(Q3,2015)
Stock
Information
Symbol NYSE: SIX NYSE:SEAS NASDAQ:CMCSA
(Parent: Comcast )
Change
/net
+0.57 (1.09%) -0.15 (-0.84%) -1.05 (-1.74%)
Share
volum
91.84M 803,650 2,781,414
Parent Company None SeaWorld
Entertainment
NBCUniversal
Subsidiaries None None Universal Orlando
Resort; Universal
Studios Hollywood;
Universal Creative;
Mission Statement To deliver family fun
and create fond
memories for all of our
guests!
We are a leading
theme park and
entertainment
company that blends
imagination with
nature and enables
our guests to
celebrate, connect
with, and care for the
natural world we
share.
To be recognized as
the number one
entertainment
destination in the
world!
To provide an
environment where
our Team Members
are proud to work,
deliver unforgettable
experiences to our
guests, and generate
superior financial
returns.
ii. Major Competitor’s Social Media Presence --- Facebook
Name Six-Flags Entertainment
Corp
SeaWorld Universal Studios Theme
Parks
The frequency
of their post
Seven days/ post
( Not frequently and
consistently)
Post daily
( 3 or 4 post one
day)
Post daily
The degree of
user’s
engagement
5,078,520 people likes 1,474,450 people
likes
1,460,015 people likes
The Type of Images(real-time pictures) Blog post, videos, Blog post, images, videos

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Content pictures
Major Competitor’s Social Media Presence --- Twitter
Name Six-Flags
Entertainment Corp
SeaWorld Universal Studios
Theme Parks
The frequency of
their post
Tweet weekly Tweet daily Tweet daily
The degree of user’s
engagement
11,200 tweets,
92,000 followers
19,200 tweets,
106,000 followers
22,800 tweets
322,000 followers
The Type of Content Images, videos Blog posts, videos,
images
Blog post, images,
videos
iii. Competitor Social Media Goals
• Universal Studios
Universal Studios is an active social media user. Twitter is one of its social media platforms to support and
promote its brand. There are 321,000 followers on their Twitter account. And it has accumulated 16,200
likes for its tweets.
Most of the tweets include a link to its official website pages on certain topics. Universal Studios mainly uses
Twitter to increase the official website traffic and promote their rides, attractions and vacation packages. It
wants to create the new sale points for business with the hash tag topic of #Universal Holiday.
Understanding that most journalists, reporters and bloggers are heavy users of Twitter, it is also effective for
the company to gain their visibility and even make some large-scale conversations.
Universal Studios inserts blog posts, images and videos into its Facebook page to increase its website traffic
and promote its travel packages and campaigns.
• SeaWorld
SeaWorld updates its tweet frequently and most of the tweets are concentrated on the marine animal
introduction and conservations. The company aims to be a leading theme park to educate the public to care

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for the nature.
SeaWorld also has an official Facebook page. Unlike Universal Studios or Six Flags, SeaWorld includes
plenty of blog posts that focus on the conservation of marine animals in its pages. This echoes its
commitment to animal research and conservation.
• Six Flags
Comparing to SeaWorld and the Universal Studios, Six Flags does not update its social media activities
frequently. According to the data collected manually, from November 1 to December 1, Six Flags tweeted 67
times. Nearly half of the tweets included a link to Six Flags’ official websites. It was clear that Six Flags hopes
to use the social media platforms to convey its marketing information and corporate strategies to its potential
consumers.
V. Goals and Objectives
• To increase the official website traffic of Shanghai Disney Resort by ten percent at the end of this
social media campaign, March 1, 2016
• To obtain media coverage and reports from four major media outlets based in Shanghai, namely, Xin
Min Evening News, the Bund, Conde Nast Traveler and Dragontv.
• To increase the online tickets sales and resort booking by five percent at the end of March,
2016.
VI. Tactics
i. Social Media Platforms
Twitter will be used for this “Five Things You Can Expect in Shanghai” social media campaign.

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• First, Twitter is the best social communication tool to see what’s going on around the world. By
using Twitter as one of the social media platforms, it is easy to convey the Shanghai Disney Resort’s
messages around the clock and engage people worldwide whatever their time zones may be.
• Second, the hashtag function in Twitter makes it easier for PR practitioners to start nationwide
debates or conversations about our campaign online. The purpose of this online campaign is to draw
as much attention as possible from guests worldwide to the Shanghai Diseny Resorts.
• Third, Twitter is the best place to pitch the media, namely reporters, journalists and bloggers. Media
coverage is needed especially in China where public figures or influencers lead the trends and heavily
influence the middle-class families. What is frequently tweeted or often or what tastemakers or
opinion leaders recommended will immediately become a new trend.
ii. Timeframe of This Campaign
This campaign is scheduled to run from February 22, 2016 to March 1, 2016.
• First, it has already been announced that the Shanghai Disney Resort will welcome its guests in
Spring 2016. A social campaign focused on the features of the Shanghai Disney Resorts prior to its
opening will undoubtedly bring more spotlight and win more publicity.
• Second, February 22 is the Lantern Festival of the Year 2016, marking the last day of the lunar New
Year celebration. It also officially ends the long Spring Festival holiday. Chances are high that a large
number of people will be bothered by holiday syndromes. A Twitter campaign during this time
asking for offering advice on how to maxiamze your holiday experiences in Shanghai Disney Resorts
will appeal to most of people who are unwilling to return to work.
• Third, the Tomb-Sweeping Festival is the first official three-day break after Spring Festival. The
Tomb-Sweeping Festival will take place at the very beginning of Apirl. As such, high-profile theme
parks like the Shanghai Disney Resort, have opportunities to become preferred travel destinations of
many.

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iii. Content Calender
• Tweets will be posted on a daily basis, provided the fact that the length of this campaign is only one
week.
• The campaign will be tweeted routinely, three times a day, usually at 8:00 a.m., noon, at 6:00 p.m.
when the majority are having meals or commuting.
• Visually-appealing images (including concept arts), short videos and blog posts will be included in
the tweets.
VII. Resources and Staff
• Public relations consultants, together with interns, will be responsible for developing the content.
Interns can help with tweet drafting, information screening and picture collection.
• Public relations social media account manger for the Shanghai Disney Resort will be in charge of
checking and posting the content.
VIII. Results and Measurement
Unlike the traditional way to measure a social media campaign success by merely counting
“followers” on Twitter, the measurement of success in this social media campaign is a two-phase
process.
• Phase 1－Engagement measurement
‘Engagement’ tracking metrics include the clicks on the links to the Shanghai Disney Resort website
in the tweets and retweets, as well as mentions and direct messages on Twitter during this campaign.
• Phase 2 ---Conversion measurement

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An online survey about the motivation for online tickets sales and hotel booking will be conducted.
In this survey, participants will be questioned whether they were influenced by this social media
campaign when making purchase decisions.
Reference:
http://aboutdisneyparks.com/news
http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/15/travel/disneyland-shanghai-first-look/
http://www.insidethemagic.net/2015/10/photos-shanghai-disneyland-releases-new-concept-art-for-treasure-
cove/
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/tourism/os-cfb-tourism-column-0727-20150726-story.html
http://www.svmsolutions.com/resources/articles/how-measure-social-media-marketing-success
https://www.shanghaidisneyresort.com.cn/en/press-room/
http://www.seaworldinvestors.com/financial-reports/default.aspx

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Appendix
Background Information on the Shanghai Disney Resort
The Shanghai Disney Resort is the sixth Disney resorts in the world, following the opening of Disneyland
Resort, Walt Disney World Resort, Tokyo Disney Resort, Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland. It is
the first Disney Park in mainland China and ranks the second within the Greater China region. It is still under
construction with completion anticipated for Spring 2016. The construction is comprised of different phases.
Phase One of the theme park’s development will feature a combination of classic Disney theme park and
traditional Chinese elements. The rest of phases include the completion of two other theme parks and resorts.
The new theme park will cover 963 acres in Pudong District, Shanghai, or approximately three times the size
of the Hong Kong Disneyland Park. The park is estimated to cost 24.5 billion yuan ($3.7 billion USD) and is
expected to draw attendance of 17 million annually. In February 2015, Disney announced that the resort
would be completed at the end of 2015 and the resort would be ready in Spring 2016.
In Shanghai Disneyland Park, undoubtedly, there will be many must-haves for all the Disneyland-style
signature parks, including Mickey Avenue, Gardens of Imagination, Fantasyland, Adventure Isle, Treasure
Cove and Tomorrowland.
Yet, It has its own uniqueness and something exclusive for the Shanghai Disney resort.
• No Main Street, U.S.A
First, the iconic entrance, Main Street, U.S.A is missing. Instead, it has a Mickey-themed shopping district on
both sides of the turnstiles. Mickey Avenue, different from the one in Disneyworld Resort, only has three
colors, blue, red and white. It also includes a 1,200-seat theater that will feature Broadway-style shows, such
as Disney’s “the Lion King” in Mardarin.
• the Highest Castle in history
Second, the landmark “Cinderella Castle” will be replaced by “Sorority Castle”. Within “Sorority Castle”,
guests will have opportunities to meet all the disney princesses. It will be the largest and tallest castle Disney
has ever built. And under the caslte is a waterway for the boat rides. Voyage to the Crystal Grotto is designed
to start from Fantasylannd, meander past islands and finally enter into the waterway under the castle.
• Unique Treasure Cove
Third, the Pirates land would be changed into Treasure Cove, which is much larger in size than any other
Pirates lands and has the exclusive Captain Jack’s Stunt show.

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• Toy Story Themed Hotel
Forth, given the popularity of Toy Story in China, the Shanghai Disneyland includes a Toy Story themed
budget hotel. It is like All Stars Resort Hotel in Orlando. Yet, the hotel has Toy Story themed decoration.

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Target Audience Persona 1

Princess Bingbing

Age

22-25

Income
$30,000/year

Education Level

undergraduate or graduate

Problems • Newcomers in the fierce working environment
• Unsatisfied with their entry-level jobs
• Desires to escape from the competion in the job market

Goals/aspiration To be treated as a princess and be taken good care of

Media
consumption
habits
• A heavy user of all kinds pf social media, such as Twitter, Facebook,
Instagram and Wechat.
• A strong enthusiasm for posting selfies on line and waiting for the likes from
friends.

Interaction with
our company
• A possible follower
on twitter;
• Likes or retweet the image of kawaii Disney merchandise or yummy desserts;
• Has an inclination to purchase princess-like dress.

Interaction with
our competitors

A possible follower, too

15


Little Angela

Age

2-8

Income
No income but a strong influencer in their parents’ purchase decision

Education Level
Preschool children or primary school students

Problems • New comers in the fierce working environment
• unsatisfied with their entry-level jobs
• desires to escape from the competion in the job market

Goals/aspiration • Have fun
• Play with Mickey and Minnie

Media
consumption
habits
Unconcious receviers for the marketing messages embeded in TV
advertisements.

Interaction with
our company
A strong supporter

Interaction with
our competitors

• Limited access to the rides at the universial studios theme parks;
• Limited access to the rides at the Six Flag;
• A supporter for SeaWorld

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Mr.& Mrs. Smith
Age 30-35

Income
An annual income of $60,000-$100,000

Education Level
Undergraduate , graduate or PhD

Problems Their young preschool children are sometimes annoying and need
elaborative care around the clock.

Goals/aspiration • To find a place that provides activities to suit every family member,
delicacies to satisfy the appetite, and first-class resort to take a nap;
• To look for a captivating and carefree vacation

Media
consumption
habits
• Blog readers
• Social media users, account holders for Facebook, twitter and Linkin
• E-newspaper readers

Interaction with
our company
Strong supporters

Interaction with
our competitors

• Full access to the rides at the universial studios theme parks;
• Full access to the rides at the Six Flag;
• A supporter for SeaWorld

.

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News Release
Shanghai, China. – November 1, 2015 – Today at Shanghai World Expo Center, the Walt Disney Company
announced that the first phase of construction of the Shanghai Disney Resort would be completed at the end
of 2015 and its Grand Opening would be in the early spring of 2016. The Shanghai Disney Resort, the sixth
Disney resort in the world and the first one in mainland China, will cover 963 acres in Pudong District,
Shanghai. The park is estimated to cost 24.5 billion yuan ($3.7 billion USD) and is expected to draw
attendance of 17 million annually. It will blend the magic of Disney storytelling with the cultural spirit of
China. It will also combine the classic Disney signature parks with the exclusive attractions for the Shanghai
Disney Resort.
There will remain these six Disneyland-style signature parks, namely, Mickey Avenue, Gardens of
Imagination, Fantasyland, Adventure Isle, Treasure Cove and Tomorrowland. Yet, it has its some attractions
and design exclusive for the Shanghai Disney resort. There is:
No Main Street, U.S.A
The iconic entrance, Main Street, U.S.A is missing. Instead, it has a Mickey-themed shopping district on
both sides of the turnstiles. Mickey Avenue, different from the one in Disneyworld Resort, only has three
colors, blue, red and white. It also includes a 1,200-seat theater that will feature Broadway-style shows, such
as Disney’s “the Lion King” in Mandarin.
The Highest Castle in History
The landmark “Cinderella Castle “will be replaced by “Sorority Castle”. Within “Sorority Castle”, guests
will have opportunities to meet all the Disney princesses. It will be the largest and tallest castle Disney has
ever built. And under the castle is a waterway for the boat rides. Voyage to the Crystal Grotto is designed to
start from Fantasyland, meander past islands and finally enter into the waterway under the castle.
Unique Treasure Cove
The Pirates land would be changed into Treasure Cove, which is much larger in size than any other Pirates
lands and has the exclusive Captain Jack’s Stunt show.
Toy Story Themed Hotel
Given the popularity of Toy Story in China, the Shanghai Disneyland includes a Toy Story themed budget
hotel. It is like All Stars Resort Hotel in Orlando. Yet, the hotel has Toy Story themed decoration.
The Opening of the Shanghai Disney Resort is a momentous marketing strategy and a
Milestone in Disney’s history.
The Shanghai Disney Resort:
Attracts the Largest Potential Consumer Base. Shanghai Disneyland Park is the first new theme park that

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Disney has opened in the past ten years. It is only 30-minute drive from the center of Shanghai, the most
developed and populous city in China. Based on mainland China, it has one of the world’s largest customer
base.
According to McKinsey & Co. estimates, middle-class and affluent households in China is expected to
increase by 18 percent annually for next decade. It is estimated to welcome 330 million guests with enough
disposable income to visit the park.
Responds to the Global Competition Positively
The Shanghai Disneyland Parks is located in the International Tourism and Resorts Zone that demonstrates
Shanghai government’s effort to create a world-class tourism destination. Both International and local theme
park operators are all making their way to this prospective market
This is a required action for our company to be competitive globally.
Serves As a Springboard for More Opportunities in Other Lines of Business
A success in the theme park industry can bring Disney to go further. There exist plenty of opportunities for
Disney to share a piece of cake in Chinese TV production.
Supporting Quotes:
Bob Iger, CEO, the Walt Disney Company
“We are building something truly special here in Shanghai that not only showcases the best of Disney’s
storytelling but also celebrates and incorporates China’s incredibly rich heritage to create a one-of-a-kind
destination that will delight and entertain the people of China for generations to come. We are taking
everything we’ve learned from our six decades of exceeding expectations – along with our relentless
innovation and famous creativity to create a truly magical place that is both authentically Disney and
distinctly Chinese.”
Supporting Resources:
DisneyParks Blog by Disney Park’s Thomas Smith
Video of the under-construction Disney Resort
Shanghai Disney Resort Press Release: Disney Unveils New Magic in Shanghai: Resort Filled with Innovative
Attractions and Entertainment Created Especially for Chinese Guests
About Walt Disney Theme Parks and Resorts worldwide, INC.
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (WDPR) is one of the world’s leading providers of family
travel and leisure experiences, giving millions of guests each year the chance to spend time with their
families and friends, making memories that last a lifetime. For ongoing news, please go to

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http://aboutdisneyparks.com/news. For future news about the Shanghai Disney Resort, please visit
https://www.shanghaidisneyresort.com.cn/en/press-room/
# # #
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Risk Scenarios and Issues Management
A. Background 

Client: Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
Industry: Theme Park Operation, Hospitality, Attraction Design
B. Risk Scenarios 
Operational 

1) Ride Malfunction Crisis
Rides and attractions are necessity for a theme park. Any ride malfunction will result in panics, distrust and
even injuries or fatality. Although the company put “safety” as one of its four core values, ride malfunction
crisis still happen occasionally.
2) Poor Weather Condition 
Some outdoor attractions and shows are constrained by the weather conditions. Frequent hurricanes in
Florida, high temperature in Orlando and Orange county can also be a source of issues.
3) Lost or Missing Children
4) Employee or Guest fatality or multiple injuries
Although the company has listed the safety rules at length and given height and age limit to its rides,
accidents caused by guests’ negligence still happens. With the increasing number of guests with toddlers,
how to handle one of these accidents is what the company needs to think about.
Human Resources/ Employees
1) Employee malfeasance or impropriety
The structure of employees has four layers: full-time, part-time, college program participants and seasonal.
The background of employees is diverse, which may cause employee malfeasance or impropriety is on-site
training is absent or inadequate, given the monorail fatal accident in 2014.
Legal
1) Financial deficit
NO.1 world’s theme park operator as Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, it is still faced with deficit because of
its high operating expense, wage payable and long-term liabilities.
2) Reputational threat via social media
Special Situations

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1) Pandemic
One major group of customers are toddlers and young children, who are vulnerable to seasonal flu or
contagious infections. This can be a potential risk for the company if the leadership think about the
Disneyland measles crisis in 2015.

22

Social Media Post Sample for Walt Disney World
Facebook
Time
Trick-or-treat? Disney’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is just around the corner!
Geography
Can’t bear the bitterly cold winter around the Great Lakes? Go all the way down to the south to enjoy a warm
Christmas in Disney World Resort this year!
Audience
It is universally acknowledged that Disney is the best place to have family fun. (A short video included
below)
Interests
It is never too late to be a princess in Disney world! ( A picture included below)
Useful
This year’s International Epcot Food & Wine Festival comes on November 6! Get ready to taste your way
around the world!
Interesting
Hats off! Big Thunder Mountain welcomes its 35th birthday.
(a video about the ride will be included here)
Twitter
Time
All yummy treats await you at Disney’s #NotSoScary Halloween Party! ( A picture included below)
Geography
It is not a dream any more to put on your Bikini in the winter at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park! (A
picture included below)
Audience
It is a once-in-a-blue-moon time to spend your family-reunion time at #magicalkingdom#
MerryChristmas!
Interests
Participating in #EpcotFoodFestival for gourmets and chowhounds means over-eating involuntarily.
https://contentlink12345
Useful
Extra hours are provided at Christmas in Hollywood Studio # MerryChristmas! https://contentlink12345

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Interesting
What’s your feeling when riding on this 35-year-old ride at Disney! #BigThunderMountai
Semi-month Social Media Post Calendar
(Oct.1,2015 – Oct.14,2015)
Thursday, October 1
Facebook
10:00 a.m.: Post, “October 1 can never be neglected in Disney’s history! It marked the officially open
of Magic Kingdom Park in 1971 and the open of Epcot in 1982.” (A documental video included below)
Twitter
9:30 a.m.: Tweet, “Today, Magic Kingdom Park welcomes its 44th birthday and Epcot turns 33!”
(One picture included below)
Friday, October 2
Facebook
9:30 a.m.: Post, “The 20th Epcot International Food & Wine Festival is here through November 16!
Get yourself ready to taste your way around the world!”
Twitter
9:30 a.m.: Tweet, “Participating in #EpcotFoodFestival for gourmets and chowhounds means over-
eating involuntarily. https://contentlink12345.”
Monday, October 5
Facebook
9:30 a.m.: Post, “Eager to make the most of the Epcot International Food& Wine Festival? Thirst for
all the delicacies around the world? While here, make sure to enable location for the Facebook app with
Bluetooth on, and then scan your News Feed. https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/events-tours/epcot/epcot-
international-food-and-wine-festival/#/drawer=drawerFacebook. “(a picture included)
Twitter
9:30 a.m.: Tweet Cross out every delicacy you can have at#EpcotFoodFestival with the help of our
Facebook app!
Tuesday, October 6

24

Facebook
10:00 a.m.: Post, “Attention please! Halloween surprises lie ahead in Magic Kingdom Park. Trick-or-
treaters will gather up to wait for the “Not-So-Scary” happy haunted hallows.”
Twitter
9:30 a.m.: Tweet, “What do you most expect from #NotSoScary Halloween Party? Reply your
answer and we will make it special for you!”
Wednesday, October 7
Facebook
10:00 a.m.: Post, “Ring in 2016 with New Year’s celebration at Walt Disney World Resort. Enjoy the
festive music, spectacular fireworks and delectable culinary delicacies. Reservation is available now!” (A
video features New Year’s Celebration at Walt Disney World Resort)
Twitter
9:30 a.m.: Tweet, “Tweet your first idea of Disney World Resort when you were young.We will
make it reappear!”( A picture included below)
Thursday, October 8
Facebook
10:00 a.m.: Post, “Epcot International Food & Wine Festival is not merely about delicacies. Its
Beverage Boot Camp also gives you some basic training to help you walk the room and shine during a
banquet.” (A picture included below)
Twitter
9:30 a.m.: Tweet, “How to sharpen your ability in the world of libation? Come and join Beverage
Boot Camp during#EpcotFoodFestival!”
Friday, October 9
Facebook
10:00 a.m.: Post, “To eat or not to eat? It is a question!” ( A short documental video icluded below)
Twitter
9:30 a.m.: Tweet, “To eat or not to eat? It is a question # EpcotFoodFestival
https://contentlink12345.” (A blog link to the offical website of Epcot included below)

25

Monday, October 12
Facebook
10:00 a.m.: Post, “The 20th Epcot International Food & Wine Festival gets into full swing! Satiate
your hunger and thirst with delectable dishes, tantalizing desserts and fine wine!”
Twitter
9:30 a.m.: Tweet, “Click to see what is on the mouthwatering menu of our Food & Wine Festival!
https://contentlink12345.”
Tuesday, October 13
Facebook
10:00 a.m.: Post “East or West, home is the best!” We try our best to provide you with any ideal home
of any standard during your stay in Disney World Resorts, ranging from value resorts to deluxe villas.
di.sn/6019BKcIX
Twitter
9:30 a.m.: Tweet “Check out your ideal “home” in Disney World Resort today!
https://contentlink12345 ( (A link to our hotel booking website included below)
Wednesday, October 14
Facebook
10:00 a.m.: Post What would happen if the asteroid hadn’t crashed on Earth and the giant dinosaurs
had never become extinct? Disney Pixar’s the Good Dinosaur is coming to the screen this Thanksgiving.
Learn how you can see the preview of the movies and the clips from the flim. http://di.sn/6187BMnGN
Twitter
9:30 a.m.: Tweet #theGoodDinosaur There is nowhere else except Disney World Resort that you
can see the new Pixar’s animation ahead of time!
(NOTE: The very reason I choose 9:30 time slot for my tweet update is that it is usually a time when white-
collared workers commute from home to offices. With nothing else to do, they usually scroll down the
websites on their mobile. Therefore, our tweet at that time can reach a greater number of people.)

26

Op-Editorial
the two publications that my readers read are:
the New Yorker (Culture section) and Cartoon Brew
Cartoon Brew is a website focus on animation news. Established in 2004, the website has posted news
articles, blogs, cartoon reviews and commentaries regarding the animation industry. The co-founders and co-
editors were Amid Amidi and Jerry Beck. Beck left his post in February 2013.
Choose one publication and Identify the name of the editor:
Cartoon Brew
Amid Amidi, chief editor of Cartoon Brew
Identify a topic for your op-ed:
It is unwarranted that Meryl Streep’s accusation of Walt Disney as a “gender bigot”.
Identify the author of your op-ed:
Floyd Norman
Detail why you chose this person to write the article:
There are three reasons why I choose Floyd Norman as the author of my Op-Ed.
First, Floyd Norman has remained a loyal relationship with Walt Disney Production. He was the first
African-American animator at the studio on a long-term basis. His first animated work was Disney’s
masterpiece, Sleeping Beauty, in 1958. He was fortunate enough to work with Walt Disney on Disney’s final
project, the Jungle Book. He also worked for other animation studios like Pixar Animation Studio in the past.
Unquestionably, he is the very person who are both familiar with Uncle Disney and the 1950’s animation
industry. Chances are that he is one of the reliable source of information regarding Walt Disney’s philosophy
of race and gender.
Second, it can never be more powerful to ask a person of color to tell the truth and come to Disney’s defense.
If Disney had been disrespectful to the people of color legend, Norman would not have been part of it.
Third, Norman is a current columnist and an active blogger. He has a strong passion for writing.
Draft your key messages for the op-ed: outline, bullets, brief sentences
It is a fact industry-wide that women were not entitled the rights and opportunities they deserved back in the
thirties. Even then, Disney did a much greater job. As the head of Disney studio, Disney frequently ignored
his own company’s policy and promoted really talented women to higher positions.
To err is human, to correct divine. Disney has made great strides in depicting races with a view to making the
world a more inclusive place for all the minority groups.
It is unfair to isolate Uncle Disney and its movies from the timeline of American history and hold them to the
contemporary standards. It is not a good practice to apply a 21st-century morality to entertainment products

27

made in sharply different times.
Standards do change. No blame for Us
There are always whispers of racism and sexism that lingers from our imperfection in the past. There are
always accusations of our roles in shaping stereotypes in the young toddlers. Recently, the world famous
Oscar-winner Meryl Streep even lambasted Uncle Disney for “gender bigot”. I have to say, it is enough. It
may be a good time to see things from another angle.
Yes, in 1930s, there existed a clear line in work between males and females in our studio, as is pointed out in
the rejection letter rom Walt Disney to Ms Fort, who inquired about an animation position in the studio. In
the letter, Walt Disney said “women do not do any of the creative work in connection with preparing the
cartoons for the screen, as that work is performed entirely by young men.” Meryl Streep views this as an
action of sexism.
Yet, It is a fact industry-wide that women were not entitled the rights and opportunities they deserved back in
the thirties. This was never a sole case at Walt Disney. The hierarchy of work was almost universally the
same in every animation studio then: the majority of female found their positions in ink-and-paint while male
dominated the positions of art direction and animation. So if Disney was accused of a “gender-bigot” because
of this, it would only be fair to label every Disney’s contemporary. If it could be counted as a bias against
women, it was a bias that could be traced to the larger culture force shaping the perception about women. It
is indeed not Disney’s fault but ours if we isolate Uncle Disney and its movies from the timeline of American
history and hold them to the contemporary standards.
Also, Worth to be mentioned, even in the thirties or forties, Disney did a much greater job. As the head of
Disney studio, Disney frequently ignored his own company’s policy and promoted really talented women to
higher positions. The lists of young outstanding women who filled the ranks of the animation department
went on and on even in the forties.
To err is human, to correct divine. Should our company have had stereotypes about races at the very
beginning, the effort that we have taken and are taking to make up for the sin can never be neglected.
Confidently speaking, in the last 20 years, we made great strides in depicting races with a view to making the
world a more inclusive place for all the minority groups. This is rare to be seen in other mainstream produces
who largely avoided characters of color.
In 1992, we created Princess Jasmine in our animation Aladdin, who came from the Middle Eastern kingdom
of Agrabah. And in the year of 1995, we brought Pocahontas to the screen, who was notable for her saving

28

thousands of Native Americans. Three years later, we put Mulan on the theatre. Unlike most animated films
at that time, Mulan has realistic-looking eyes. She was not the westernized versions of Asian people any
more. Then We welcomed Princes Tiana, our first African American princess in Disney franchise, in 2009
animated film the Princess and the Frog.
Yes, there did exist some minor flaws in our past films owing to animators’ individual insights and owing to
the unavoidable external influence. However, it is not a good practice to
apply a 21st-century morality to entertainment products made in sharply different times. It is even rigorous
to criticize a company as a whole for one particular piece of its work and intentionally neglect its overall
contribution.

29

Diversity Statement
“Diversity and inclusion have long been at the heart of how we conduct business, how we create our
workforce and how we shape our corporate culture. It is fundemental to our success. By making diversity and
inclusion a priority, we build a better company both for our employees and customers all over the world. “
Our Diversity Principles
Diversity in our workforce:
We will spare no effort to build a workforce that represents the global marketplace and reflects our guests all
over the world. We are dedicated to bringing people together regardless of age, background, ethnicity, race,
and sexual orientation, to understand their needs and cultures as much as possible.
Diversity in our corporate culture:
We attach great importance to the recruitment and professional development of our diverse cast members and
employees. Our Diversity Leadership Council, led by our vice president and other executives of different
lines of business, works hard to develop diversity and inclusion strategies.
Diversity in our business:
There is a growing demand for us to create entertainment and experiences that are relevant to our audiences’
lives. We make it our mission to present the rich diversity of the world through our animations and shows to
our guests.

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