New Zootopia Themed Land Announced for Shanghai Disney Resort

© Shanghai Disneyland

Last night the Shanghai Disney Resort made a surprise announcement of an entire new land, themed around the Zootopia feature film.

Zootopia, which opened in theaters in 2016, has grossed more than $1 billion, and in China, where Shanghai Disneyland is located, the film grossed more than $200 million and is the country's most successful animated film ever.  The film obviously has a lot of fans in China, so it sure makes sense for Disney to create their first-ever land based off the franchise in this location.

At Shanghai Disneyland, the Zootopia area will be the park's 8th themed land, and we do not have an official opening date for the project yet.  Visitors will be fully immersed in the metropolis of Zootopia, and the star attraction will be a "new, major attraction that seamlessly blends Disney’s storytelling and state-of-the-art technologies in order to bring this fan-favorite movie and its characters to life."  No further details just yet on exactly what kind of ride we can expect, but the concept art up top does allude to a rather large structure in the background.

In addition to the ride, the land will also feature entertainment, food and beverage and retail offerings, all set in the Zootopia world.

“We are thrilled to announce that Shanghai Disneyland will be home to the world’s first Zootopia-themed land,” said Bob Chapek, Chairman of Parks, Experiences and Consumer Products, The Walt Disney Company. “The rapid rate of expansion at Shanghai Disney Resort demonstrates our confidence and commitment to the Company’s future development in China.”

Construction is slated to begin later this year, and as with most large expansions Disney plans to reveal more facts and information as time progresses.