Hong Kong opened up the world's smallest Disney theme park in 2005 and was criticized for being too small – since then, its size has increased by 25%. Now, Disney Hong Kong has made an even bolder move by introducing the very first Marvel edition to a Disney theme park, the Ironman. Unlike other Marvel superheroes, Ironman has gained national popularity in China and this new themed-attraction aims to draw huge crowds from Chinese tourists.
The Ironman themed-attraction is to open in 2016, a year after the opening of Shanghai's Disneyland. The two theme parks will be complementary and act as a driving factor for more tourists to visit the sites. Hailed as the "Ironman Experience", fans would strap themselves onto the ride and fly alongside Ironman across the city of Hong Kong, fighting against evil and villains.
While this move is an obvious attempt to increase profit rate for the floundering Disney park, Disney Hong Kong would have to work extra hard to gain the attention of Chinese tourists as statistics have shown that live entertainment is preferred over thrill-rides, unlike their western counterparts. The show element would have to be central to the new attraction and it shall be worth looking forward to as Disney fans waits for the unveiling of this new addition in Hong Kong.