ABSTRACT
This chapter examines why and how Disney constructed local identities for Shanghai Disneyland and their implications. While no local identity was found at the other overseas Disneyland, Shanghai Disneyland was purposely constructed as “authentically Disney and distinctly Chinese,” “China’s Disneyland,” and “a citizen of Shanghai.” In China, localization is an important strategy for Disney to win the entrée. Back in 2005, The Walt Disney Company (China) Ltd. was coined as “The Chinese Walt Disney Company” to promote its business through local partnership and stratified localization. Local identities for Shanghai Disneyland and Disney’s other lines of business in China serve to avoid the social critics of cultural imperialism in addition to increasing local audience relevance. In the case of Disney’s business in China, capitalism thrives on the contradictory direction of imperialist homogenized global culture. The findings suggest a reorientation of the cultural imperialism tradition. Local identities of Shanghai Disneyland indicate state-capital-led glocalization: glocalization led by economic capital of the state (direct investment) and economic capital with the state (market potential).
