Shanghai Disneyland is preparing for the Chinese New Year, with Mickey Mouse and LinaBell getting new outfits.
For the Chinese people, the most important festival of the year is approaching. Disney has once again reached the moment that tests the team's localisation ability the most in a year.
Disney Company announced that from January 15 to February 14, 2025, Shanghai Disney Resort will launch the Chinese New Year celebration activities. The park will feature new Year of the Snake-themed decorations, various lanterns, and a series of entertainment shows, dining, and consumer products specially created for the Spring Festival.
The zodiac symbol selected by Disney for the Year of the Snake is "Gary", a new character in the animated film "Zootopia 2" that has not yet been shown on the big screen. In previous years, Disney's "zodiac animals" were usually played by classic characters that are familiar to the audience, such as Mickey for the Year of the Rat, Judy for the Year of the Rabbit, and Mushu for the Year of the Dragon, etc. Gary, as a character that has not yet officially appeared, takes on this important task. One reason is that there are indeed relatively few snake-like animals in the Disney universe, and the second reason is to warm up for "Zootopia 2", which is planned to be released at the end of 2025.
The image of Gary
As the world's first and only park with a "Zootopia" theme park, visitors will encounter Gary in various New Year decorations and performances this year. The "Twelve Friends Garden" will once again transform into a New Year-themed "Wishing Garden", and festival-themed decorations featuring Gary's image will appear in front of the mural symbolising the Year of the Snake. From the New Year's Eve on January 28 to the Lantern Festival on February 12, every night, the night show "New Year Celebration: Your Home" will also incorporate Gary's elements.
The Disney character dolls will also change into New Year costumes. Mickey and Minnie will wear traditional red costumes. The gourd pattern on Duffy's clothes represents "Good Fortune and Happiness". The clothes of his friends will be decorated with auspicious elements such as fish, persimmons, butterflies, and Ruyi. Winnie the Pooh and his friends will also change into new outfits with red and gold as the main colors. In addition, Mickey and his friends will hold a celebration in the New Year, playing music, singing and dancing to drive away the "Nian Beast".
The New Year costumes of Mickey and his friends
In addition, Disney has also prepared special performances for the Spring Festival, such as the "New Year Drum Beating Ceremony" and "Mickey Avenue Shanghai Swing Dance" that are staged every day. "God of Wealth Goofy" will also appear on Mickey Avenue to bring tourists a good omen of "Wealth and Prosperity" in the new year.
The New Year costumes of Duffy and his friends
The streets and alleys of the Zootopia park will also be decorated with lanterns in the shapes of various animals such as elephants, rabbits, and antelopes, and the doors and windows of every household in the animal city will be decorated with Spring Festival stickers. Judy and Nick are also ready to welcome the New Year in new outfits, wearing red hooded scarves to perform patrol tasks in the winter. In addition, the "2025 New Year Zootopia Series" products will launch keychains, New Year red envelopes, and various styles of accessories.
The New Year costumes of Judy and Nick
In terms of consumer products, Disney will launch the "2025 New Year Mickey and Friends Series", including a variety of products decorated with Mickey, Minnie, and their friends wearing festive red traditional Chinese costumes. The "2025 New Year Duffy and Friends Series" includes theme headwear, Duffy theme backpacks, plush toys, and plush keychains. The clothes of Duffy and his friends are decorated with various auspicious elements that can be combined into blessings.
In addition, in the newly launched "2025 Duffy and Friends Year of the Snake Series", the keychains of Duffy and his friends have changed into new Year of the Snake outfits. In the "2025 New Year Winnie the Pooh and Friends Series", Winnie the Pooh and his friends also wear lucky "snake" headgear and traditional snake element decorations to welcome the New Year. This year, the resort will once again launch the "New Year Lucky Bag" filled with good luck and blessings to bring tourists good fortune in the Year of the Snake. The "2025 New Year Duffy and Friends Series" will be on sale from January 9, 2025. More details about other series will be announced on the official channels of Shanghai Disney Resort in the near future.
During the festival, Disney Town will also bring special performances and activities - tourists can participate in traditional folk culture experiences at the New Year Market, taste festival snacks, enjoy traditional folk performances, or join the New Year Ruyi Workshop to make New Year decorations by themselves.