Shanghai Disney Resort has announced a new expansion to Shanghai Disneyland that will bring the characters of Zootopia to life.

Zootopia will become the eighth themed land at Shanghai Disneyland, which opened in June 2016, and the first ever Zootopia themed land at any Disney park worldwide.

This will be the second major expansion for Shanghai Disneyland, just one year after the opening of Toy Story Land.

Bob Chapek, Chairman of Park, Experiences and Consumer Products, said: “We are thrilled to announce that Shanghai Disneyland will be home to the world’s first Zootopia themed land. The rapid rate of expansion at Shanghai Disney Resort demonstrates our confidence and commitment to the company’s future development in China.”

The Zootopia land will feature a new major attraction that will use state-of-the-art technology to bring the Academy Award winning movie to life. There will also be entertainment, merchandise and food & beverage offerings.

Zootopia – a box office success that resonated in China

Yang Jinsong, Chairman of Disney’s Chinese joint venture partner for Shanghai Disney Resort, said: “Since the resort’s Grand Opening in 2016, Shanghai Disneyland has gone from strength to strength – continuing to expand and enjoying ever-rising attendance rates while also providing a safe and enjoyable experience for our guests. Shanghai Disneyland has rapidly become one of the fastest growing Disney parks and has been key to the development of the Shanghai International Resort as one of the most visited leisure destinations in the country. This new expansion will provide our guests with an even richer selection of offerings, and will further boost our market competitiveness.”

Zootopia was a box office success around the world – but particularly in China where it became the highest-grossing animated feature film of all time.

Construction is set to begin later this year.

Officially opened on June 16, 2016, Shanghai Disney Resort was built at a cost of $5.5 billion. It comprises Shanghai Disneyland theme park, two themed hotels, the Disneytown dining and retail district and Wishing Star Park recreation area. Signature features include the world’s tallest Disney castle, the Pirates of the Caribbean themed zone Treasure Cove. plus unique attractions such as the TRON Lightcycle Power Run motorbike coaster. The latter is reported to be the most popular attraction inside the park, in spite of some Chinese guests’ reticence to ride a rollercoaster. It received over 11 million visits in its first year of operation.