~ Straits Times Nov 23, 2004~

Auspicious date picked for HK Disneyland

HONG KONG Disneyland will open on Sept 12 next year - an auspicious day chosen by a feng shui master, Disney announced yesterday.

Hong Kong Financial Secretary Henry Tang and Disney executive Don Robinson unveiled a banner showing the opening date at a press conference as Mickey Mouse looked on.

In keeping with local tradition, Disney officials consulted a feng shui expert in picking the date. Feng shui is the Chinese art of choosing dates and arranging the layout of objects to improve fortunes.

'He has assured us that Sept 12 is a fabulous day to open Hong Kong Disneyland,' said Mr Robinson, Hong Kong Disneyland Group's managing director.

'Never has a Disneyland been built so fast. It's the first Disneyland in China and will be, for quite some time, the only Disneyland in China,' said Mr Tang.

This is despite reports that Disney is in talks with the Shanghai authorities on the construction of a theme park in the eastern Chinese city, and is currently choosing a site.

To ensure the success of Disneyland in Hong Kong, Disney officials in the territory had also consulted a feng shui master on its construction.

On the master's advice, the company rotated the orientation of the entire park by several degrees in the early design phase.

-- ASSOCIATED PRESS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE