Shanghai Disneyland set to break even

Balloons and souvenirs are two of many things visitors to Shanghai Disneyland can get while visiting the attraction. [Photo/VCG]

Feng Xuegang, vice-dean of the School of Economics and Management at East China Normal University in Shanghai, said a crucial reason for the park's early success is that the brand has gone to great lengths to ensure that the park featured unique Chinese elements not found in its other parks.

"From building a garden featuring the Disney versions of the Chinese zodiac animals to recruiting local talent in the resort, it is clear the company has placed much focus on localization to win the China battlefield," he said.

Shanghai Disneyland also came at a time when social media in the country are booming, according to Xia Lingen, a professor of the Department of Tourism at Fudan University in Shanghai.