Disney contest gives students a close look at theme park design

The first Disney Imaginations Shanghai Design Competition, a local version of Walt Disney Imagineering's Imaginations Design Competition created in 1991 in the United States, ended late last month, with the team from East China University of Science and Technology beating five other finalists to win the contest.

Launched in June, the competition was open to students in five universities in Shanghai, as part of the company's efforts to scout for local talent in theme-park design and innovation in immersive recreational experiences and to help promote the growth of China's creative industries.

"The competition is all about imagination and how talented people come up with ideas. If you can dream it, you will be able to do it," says Howard Brown, general manager and regional executive of Walt Disney Imaginations Asia.