Theme parks are a great way to introduce part of the Chinese culture to a World History or Economics class. Amusement parks are relatable to children of all ages and across all socio-economic levels.
One leader in global entertainment is Disney. For all intensive purposes, it looks as if Disney has created a global brand; Disney has successfully exported its brand through movies, Disney English, and its theme parks in East Asia, yet it still faces challenges as it seeks to protect its brand while navigting the complexities of foreign companies and governments. The United States product must adapt to the local culture (e.g., KFC and McDonald's). From inception to the opening day, it takes eight to ten years to build a major theme park.
While some of the themes of amusement are questionable, have consequently met the PRCs economic axe of unwavering censorship.
Many of these theme parks in China are built to impress, but often fall into disarray after years of neglect. The stunning architechture of some of the theme parks shows creative potential and ability, but there must be cultural awareness and cultural sensitivity to make the concept of the theme park last.
Accidents at Chinese theme parks are extremely high due to the poor maintenance of its theme parks. Compared to the United States, accident rates are very low
as builders must follow strict standards of construction, maintenance, and safety. Chinese theme park builders are more concerned with designing, building, and taking the profits, but the potential for profits in China is so great that Disney and lesser known amusement park businesses still seek to stake their claim in China. When these companies decide to build in China they must consider: how the Chinese people experience space, how to build the park to engage people in impression management, how to provide cognitive consistency when people enter the theme park to create a positive "photo-reconstructed" memory of the trip?
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