Chinese "Disneyland:" 'Magic Kingdom' or 'Tower of Terror'?
Laura Robertson
CBN News
May 10. 2007
Notice anything different about Snow White in this video? Look a little bit closer at the Sleeping Beauty or Bugs Bunny. It doesn't take a Disney enthusiast to see a little Chinese flair to these beloved characters. The only problem is that Shijingshan isn't a true Disney Theme Park: it's a counterfeit.
From Nike shoes to Chanel bags to North Face jackets, any foreigner who's been to China has been bombarded with merchants trying to sell "real" Rolex or Ralph Lauren. Given that these products have been so successful, why not copy a theme park?
Park officials vehemently protest that they've broken any type of copyright violations, and say their characters are very different from Disney's. Afterall, Cinderella, Snow White, and others were birthed by the Brother's Grimm, not Walt Disney and his brothers.
Yin Zhiqiang, the park's deputy general manager, told the AP "the characters in our park just look a little bit similar to theirs. But the faces, clothes, size, and appearances are different." He said that Cinderella looks like a Chinese country girl, not Disney's European figure.
In one interview, he even says that the "Minnie Mouse" isn't a mouse at all, but it's really a cat with large ears. Here's the picture, and you be the judge:
You can also judge for yourself whether or not the Shrek, Goofy, Mickey Mouse or Hello, Kitty! are the real deal at
Japan Probe, which has excellent coverage of the theme park, including several pictures and videos like this one.
DIsney executives, however, say the resemblance between the characters is far too similar, and since the foreign media, particularly the Japanese media has picked up the story, many of the Disney characters have vanished. Also gone is the sign that read in Chinese, "Disney is too far, so please come to Shijingshan!" at the park's entrance.
It's quite possible that within weeks, the park will have a new "Disney-free" image, with China's Fuwa (the Olympic Mascots) booting out Cinderella and Mickey Mouse. With the U.S. filing a new case against China with the W.T.O., the last thing we need is a dispute over the authenticity of an amusement park.
With some of the incriminating evidence now only a past memory, it's probable that business will continue as usual. for park enthusiasts. And with so many rides, long lines, and fun, the kids might not even know that Mickey Mouse (I mean that cat with big ears that strongly resembles a mouse) is gone.
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