Shanghai Jinjiang Amusement Park welcomes "Harry Potter". This piece of land has finally waited for an IP that is worthy of it | Marketing Observation

Text | Wang Yuchan

Editor | Qiao Qian

On February 12, Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences announced that it will establish Warner Bros. (Shanghai) Studio Tour - The Birth of "Harry Potter" (hereinafter referred to as "Harry Potter Studio Tour (Shanghai)") in the Jinjiang Amusement Park area in Shanghai.

This is the first landing of the Harry Potter Studio Tour in China, and the new project is expected to open in 2027. Currently, the project development is in the regulatory approval stage.

The Harry Potter Studio Tour (Shanghai) is expected to cover an area of approximately 53,000 square meters, including indoor areas (soundstage) and outdoor areas (backlot). It is estimated that the entire tour for visitors will take about half a day. In addition, a landscape park area will be carefully prepared in front of the project facilities as a recreational and resting place for tourists and the general public.

According to the information provided by Warner Bros., in the indoor area of the park, tourists will embark on a behind-the-scenes exploration of the movies, appreciate the design of the behind-the-scenes tour, and understand the magical world of Harry Potter. Tourists can not only explore the iconic scenes depicted by the creators of the "Harry Potter" movies, view the original costumes and props used in the movies, but also experience the scenes in the movies through interactive devices to reveal how the globally popular novel series is vividly presented on the big screen.

Diagon Alley Scene Map - This image is provided by Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences

A Swift Collaboration: Warner Bros. "Finds a Bargain" in Downtown Shanghai

Information released by the Shanghai Minhang District Information Office shows that this is a rapidly advancing negotiation: The two sides began contact in November 2023, signed a memorandum of cooperation on May 20, 2024, and signed a formal framework agreement on January 31, 2025. The Harry Potter Studio Tour (Shanghai) project is expected to officially start construction in the second half of this year and be completed and open in the second half of 2027.

Such a smooth transaction inevitably reminds people of everything that Disney experienced in Shanghai. In another year, it will be the tenth anniversary of the opening of Shanghai Disneyland. In these ten years, the attitude of the Shanghai Municipal Government towards overseas IPs has undergone a tremendous change.

In 2016, Tang Jun, the former senior vice president of Disney China Affairs who was fully involved in the negotiations for the settlement of Shanghai Disneyland, said: "It took us 10 years to settle Disney in Shanghai."

It is not an exaggeration to say that Warner Bros. found a bargain in downtown Shanghai - In today's Line 1 in downtown Shanghai, it is impossible for any company to open a park of such a large area. This is also the reason why Disney is far in Chuansha, Pudong, Legoland is far in Fengjing, Jinshan, and Peppa Pig World is far in Changxing Island, Chongming.

The cooperation between Warner Bros. Discovery Group and Jinjiang International Group can be said to be mutually beneficial. For Warner Bros., this is the first major new project progress in the global experience business since the group announced the establishment of the Global Experiences Division in September last year; for Jinjiang, an old state-owned enterprise in the comprehensive hotel and tourism industry, it also injects new blood into its aging park business.

In January this year, when Shanghai Jinjiang Amusement Park announced its closure for upgrading, it triggered a small wave of nostalgic public opinion in Shanghai. As one of the oldest amusement parks in Shanghai, Jinjiang Amusement Park is close to the central area of the city and has a high reputation and emotional recognition among Shanghai citizens.

In recent years, due to aging equipment and lack of competitiveness, the annual tourist volume of Jinjiang Amusement Park is only about 1 million, less than one-tenth of that of Shanghai Disneyland (13 million in 2023). However, the value of this land is very high - not only on Shanghai Metro Line 1, but also close to Shanghai South Railway Station, adjacent to Xujiahui, Caohejing and other business districts, and the surrounding supporting facilities are complete.

Jinjiang provides geographical superiority, and Warner provides the attractiveness of the evergreen IP. As one of the most profitable IPs in the world, Warner has produced eight hit "Harry Potter" series movies, three epic "Fantastic Beasts" series movies, and authorized Universal Studios to build five Harry Potter theme parks around the world - in Universal Studios in Beijing, Orlando, USA, and Osaka, Japan, the Harry Potter theme park is the most popular park.

What Impact Will the New Park Have on Beijing Universal and Shanghai Disneyland?

Will the Harry Potter Studio Tour (Shanghai) take away the business of Shanghai Disneyland and Beijing Universal Studios?

No.

The annual tourist volume of both Beijing Universal Studios and Shanghai Disneyland is around 13 million. In terms of playability, the new 53,000-square-meter park of the Harry Potter Studio Tour (Shanghai) is only suitable for a half-day tour, which is still too far behind the 910,000-square-meter Shanghai Disneyland. In addition, it is only half the size of the "Harry Potter's Wizarding World" theme park at Beijing Universal Studios (100,000 square meters).

The most suitable tourists for the Harry Potter Studio Tour (Shanghai) are the "Harry Potter" fan groups in Shanghai and East China who plan a half-day tour. In April 2024, the Shanghai Minhang District People's Government mentioned in a reply to a CPPCC proposal that according to the preliminary estimate, the Jinjiang Amusement Park, which introduces the Harry Potter theme park, is expected to receive 2 - 2.5 million tourists annually, with a revenue of 150 - 200 million US dollars and an EBIT of 40 - 80 million US dollars.

Information released by the Shanghai Minhang District Information Office shows that, unlike Disney and Legoland, the "Harry Potter Studio Tour" is similar to a museum experience project, with 90% of the visiting routes indoors and a full reservation system.

"It is not an amusement park. It should be said that it is two business forms, a concept of dislocation competition. Tourists need to make an appointment for the date and time to enter the studio for a visit. In terms of ticket prices, the project will be benchmarked against the Harry Potter Studio Tour projects that have been built in the UK and Japan. It is understood that the current ticket prices of the two projects in Japan and the UK are between 320 - 460 yuan." A staff member of the Minhang District Information Office said.

Because the total area of Jinjiang Amusement Park is 103,000 square meters, and the area of the Harry Potter Studio Tour (Shanghai) is 53,000 square meters, the new park is actually only half of Jinjiang Amusement Park. Regarding the question of "Whether Warner Bros. will participate in the construction of the remaining half of the park", 36Kr contacted Warner Bros. Discovery Group, and the other party said it is not convenient to respond for the time being.

Aerial View of Jinjiang Amusement Park

At present, the municipal government hopes that the remaining part of the land can retain some elements of the traditional Jinjiang Amusement Park and build some convenient supporting facilities.

According to the information from the Minhang District Information Office, because the "Shanghai Great Wheel Ferris Wheel" in Jinjiang Amusement Park has a special memory value for Shanghai people, it "will only be updated and will not be demolished". The tentative height of the new Ferris wheel is 118 meters, and the final height needs to be approved by the relevant national departments. The design elements of the Ferris wheel will not involve Harry Potter-related content.

In addition, after the renovation and upgrade of Jinjiang Amusement Park, there will also be an underground parking garage to alleviate the parking pressure of citizens, and a landscape park will be set up at the entrance. The Harry Potter Studio will launch western-themed theme catering and hotels. The surrounding supporting facilities are planned by the government, and the two sides jointly promote the commercial layout and cultural tourism experience around the park.

"The Painful City" Shanghai is waiting for more overseas IPs to land. It is expected that the Shanghai Legoland Resort will officially open this summer. In 2027, in addition to Harry Potter, Shanghai citizens will also welcome the completion and opening of the Peppa Pig Outdoor Theme Park.