“Disney is too far, so please come to Shijingshan.”
Who can resist an invitation like that? Katie (a fellow teacher and buddy from camp) spent a few hours at the Beijing version of Disney, the Shijingshan Amusement Park.
With its slogan “Disneyland is too far,” Beijing’s Shijingshan Amusement Park features a replica of Cinderella’s Castle, with staff dressed like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and other Disney characters. None of this is authorized by Disney – but that has not stopped the state-owned park from creating its own counterfeit version of the Magic Kingdom in a brazen example of the sort of open and widespread copyright piracy that has Washington fuming.
In my opinion, the park in Beijing is just a silly, sub-standard reproduction of a Disney property. Has anyone noticed the remarkable similarities between
the 
Cinderella Palace and the 
Neuschwanstein Castle?
Of course!! Come on … Perhaps what goes around, comes around? In any case, if I were a Disney exec, I would not consider the Shijingshan Amusement Park much of a threat. We had a good time, but Disney it ain’t.
Katie and I are planning to do the Great Wall tomorrow – we are still debating if it would be best to join a full day tour or just venture out on our own. In any case, we plan to leave the city at some ridiculous hour to beat the crowds and make the most of the day. Katie is a true morning person, so I had to warn her that I do not acknowledge the existence of single-digit morning hours – but we have both already packed our ipods and snacks, so we will be just fine.
Tags: Travel
Nancy
I Loooove the idea of this place!Notice I said idea.I would expect shabby character costumes with ill-fitting heads.This has been the subject of some popular “viral videos” on the nets lately.At least they say please as part of their invitation.That’s more than you’ll get out of D****y.
hey, dude, it was pretty weird. Not exactly the normal tourist thing to do, but we had fun.