Week six - Shanghai Disneyland

Why Shanghai Disneyland's spell is wearing off after six months

High prices and subpar service leave visitors disenchanted

SHANGHAI Half a year after its ballyhooed debut, Shanghai Disneyland is struggling to keep the turnstiles spinning as complaints about high prices and disappointing service spread online.

On a clear morning in early December, lines at the gates were almost nonexistent. Gone were the crowds seen around opening day back in June. In the afternoon, electronic signboards showed only short waits -- five to 50 minutes -- for all but the most popular attractions. Workers killed time chatting at deserted gift shops.

Many of the visitors who did make the trip brought in packed lunches and drinks from convenience stores, including thriving shops inside the nearby subway station. Come lunchtime, patrons spread out on benches to eat.

"I heard everything in the park was expensive, so I bought lunch ahead of time," a college student from Jiangxi Province said, adding that she did not plan to pick up souvenirs or gifts.

High prices were the most common complaint among the visitors. Admission runs 370 yuan ($53.50) on weekdays and 499 yuan on weekends and holidays -- sizable sums given the average monthly wage is just under 6,000 yuan even in Shanghai, where people tend to earn more than in other areas. Tokyo Disneyland, by comparison, charges 7,400 yen ($64.30) for a day's admission.

A 26-year-old Dalian woman visiting with friends said she spent over 2,000 yuan, or half a month's wages, on the two-day trip, including lodging and airfare.

"There are plenty of staff around, but they can't even give clear directions," a college student from Hangzhou said, having asked two separate workers for navigational help, to no avail.

Ongoing expansion projects could burnish the venue's appeal. But large-scale renovations are also in store for Disney parks in Tokyo and Hong Kong, creating more competition. If Shanghai Disneyland cannot solve its customer service problem, cultivating repeat customers will remain challenging, limiting growth in admissions.

ＵＲＬ：http://asia.nikkei.com/magazine/THE-HUNT-FOR-HIDDEN-ASSETS/Business/Why-Shanghai-Disneyland-s-spell-is-wearing-off-after-six-months

ＷＨＯ：Shanghai Disneyland
ＷＨＥＮ：December 22, 2016
ＷＨＡＴ：It leave visitors disenchanted
 ＷＨＹ：High prices and subpar service
ＷＨＥＲＥ：Shanghai
ＨＯＷ：It was worse than opening

ＫＥＹＷＯＲＤＳ：
1 spell : 魅力，風潮
2 subpar : 欠佳
3 disenchant : 使清醒
4 struggling : 奮鬥的
5 turnstile : 旋轉門
6 deserted : 廢棄的
7 patrons : 顧客 
8 Jiangxi Province :  江西省
9 lodge : 住宿
10 airfare : 機票
11 Hangzhou : 杭州

12 navigational : 導航,航
13 avail : 裨益
14 venue : 管轄地
15 cultivate : 培養,培育