Brand Loyalty to Disney Theme Parks in Mainland China

Since 2005, Disney has attempted but failed to establish brand loyalty among Chinese consumers in the theme park market. Disney is going to retry achieving this goal through Shanghai Disney Resort, which is a theme park that opened on June 16, 2016. Facing its past failures, the challenges of appealing to unique Chinese cultural preferences, and having to cooperate with a restrictive government system, will Disney be able to implement its authentic brand identity and establish brand loyalty among Chinese consumers through its new theme park? To answer this question, a qualitative analysis of the entertainment offered at Shanghai Disney Resort was conducted in order to determine whether or not the authentic “Disney” theme park brand was actually present. Also, Chinese guests who visited Shanghai Disney Resort were asked whether or not they would consciously choose to visit a Disney theme park over a competing brand’s, if given a choice. Based on the results of these interviews, a majority of Chinese consumers in the theme park market would choose to visit a Disney theme park over a competitor’s. It is too early to definitively conclude, however, whether or not, in general, Chinese consumers in the theme park market are brand loyal to Disney, since the park recently opened, and since there are no statistics regarding the number of guests who have returned to the park after their first visit. Ultimately, Disney is still educating Chinese consumers about its unique brand with the hope that these consumers will eventually become loyal to Disney’s brand