THE world’s first Zootopia land, scheduled to open to the public starting Dec. 20 at Shanghai Disney Resort, has kicked off trial operation last week.

The new themed land is based on the Walt Disney Animation Studios movie “Zootopia” which was released in 2016 and is the eighth themed land in Shanghai Disneyland. According to the resort, the Zootopia land involves many latest original design concepts from the international Disney engineering team.

The major attraction in the land is Zootopia: Hot Pursuit, where guests can hop on an all-terrain cruiser powered by a trackless ride system in an action-filled chase through Zootopia’s different districts.

Other themed entertainment experiences and character moments include the Zootopia Park Apartments, where a lineup of animal residents will interact with each other and guests throughout the day, appearing from time to time, in a show.

Guests will also get the chance to spend at Fashions by Fru Fru, a merchandise store owned by Fru Fru, a Zootopia fashionista. The land will also offer a range of casual walk-up dining options.

At Jumbeaux’s Café and Zootopia Market, visitors can find a variety of treats, including chocolate marshmallows, donuts, refreshing drinks, popcorn and the signature frozen paw-shaped Disney Zootopia Pawsicle.

Park officials said that Zootopia is driven by Shanghai Disney Resort’s guiding principle of being “authentically Disney, distinctly Chinese.” They describe it as a “fully activated land that seamlessly blends Disney’s signature storytelling and creativity with groundbreaking, state-of-the-art technology.”

Shanghai Disney Resort opened with six themed lands June 16, 2016. Its seventh land, Disney Pixar Toy Story Land, opened in 2018, making Shanghai Disneyland the fastest-expanding Disneyland in the world. In August this year, the resort began construction of its third themed hotel.

(SD-Xinhua)