French Hotel Turns Away Royal Family

Being a member of the royal family comes with some pretty good perks—including the ability to stay at some of the nicest places in the world. But a notable title couldn’t help Prince William, Kate Middleton, or Prince Harry score a hotel room at Le Hôtel Marotte in Amiens, France, this June.

The manager of the property, Olivier Walti, told local paper Courrier Picard that the French Foreign Ministry contacted them in January about booking suites for the famous threesome’s trip to the area this summer, but couldn’t accommodate them despite the six-month notice. “The Foreign Ministry has contacted us in January to see if we were able to accommodate the royal family on the occasion of the Somme commemorations,” said Walti. “We had to decline the offer. It is impossible. We are already booked solid. We would not tell people who have booked with us for months and who have already paid for their stay, sorry, but the royal family is coming, we will have to cancel. It’s just unthinkable ethically.”

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry, and other dignitaries are scheduled to be in Somme from June 30 and July 1 to commemorate those who died in the 1916 battle. “This is an important commemoration and they are honored to be taking part on behalf of The Queen and the Government,” a spokesman from Kensington Palace said.

The five-star property would have been ideal for the royal trio’s stay, as it’s the only luxury property situated close to the battlefields, features contemporary furnishings, a security gate, and houses a lounge, coffee shop and tea room—all for about $300 a night.

Could an Airbnb be in the royals’ future? 

Inside the Very Real World of 'Slum Tourism'- Mubai

Inside the Very Real World of 'Slum Tourism'
EgyptAir ‘selfie’ Briton Ben Innes took inappropriate photo with hijackerA lavish architectural secret lies beneath this London road© Getty Thanks to Slumdog Millionaire and organized tours, Mumbai's slums have becomes an unlikely destination.

Hurricane Katrina left physical and emotional scars on New Orleans, and America, but nowhere was its impact more devastating than the city’s Lower Ninth Ward. Three years after the storm, in October 2008, the district was still pockmarked with half-demolished homes and patches of overgrown grass. It was also dotted with artworks, site-specific installations by the likes of Wangechi Mutu and her Ms Sarah House. Those works formed part of the city’s inaugural art biennial, Prospect New Orleans, bringing tourists to drive and wander through the area in droves. But visitors were caught in an uncomfortable paradox, their art viewing underpinned by the backdrop of one of America’s poorest neighborhoods—or what was left of it.

Locals stood by as various VIPs peered at Mutu’s work. When one of the arterati mustered up courage enough to ask if she minded the influx of gawkers, she shrugged and dodged the question. “It’s nice to have the art here, because it means people are coming to see more than just our ruined homes.” Not everyone reacted to the incomers with such neutrality, though—take one hand-painted sign erected in the neighborhood post-Katrina, that read:

Both reactions are understandable, and spotlight the uneasy distinction locals in the area might have drawn between being viewed rather than feeling seen. Is it wrong, though, to go beyond the sightseeing mainstays of somewhere like the French Quarter and into a corner of the city that might be blighted or underprivileged as these visitors did? It’s an awkward, but intriguing, question, and one that underpins a nascent niche in travel. It has been nicknamed ‘slum tourism,’ though it’s a broad umbrella term travel that involves visiting underprivileged areas in well-trafficked destinations. Such experiences are complex, since they can seem simultaneously important (bringing much-needed revenues, educating visitors first hand) and inappropriate (a gesture of misunderstanding fitting for a modern-day Marie Antoinette).

Indeed, even those who operate in the field seem to struggle to reconcile those divergent urges. Researching this story, there was resistance, suspicion, and even outright hostility from seasoned slum tourism vets. Deepa Krishnan runs Mumbai Magic, which specializes in tours around the city, home to what’s estimated as Asia’s largest slum; here, about a million people live in ad hoc homes a few miles from Bollywood’s glitz (it’s now best known as home to the hero of Slumdog Millionaire). "The Spirit of Dharavi" tour takes in this settlement, a two-hour glimpse into everyday life aiming to show that the squalor for which it’s become shorthand is only part of Dharavi story. It’s also a hub of recycling, for example, and home to women’s co-op for papadum-making. Organized as a community project, rather than on a commercial basis, all profits are ploughed back into Dharavi. Yet pressed to talk by phone rather than email, Deepa balked. “I’ve been misquoted too often,” she said.

The organizer of another alt-tourism operation was even more reluctant, and asked not to be quoted, or included here, at all. Its superb premise—the formerly homeless act as guides to help visitors see and understand overlooked corners of a well-trafficked city—seemed smartly to upend tradition. Rather than isolating ‘the other,’ it shows the interconnectedness of so much in a modern city. The fact that both of these firms, whose businesses fall squarely into such non-traditional tours, are so squeamish about the topic is instructive—and reassuring for the rest of us when we’re conflicted about whether or not it’s ethical to treat deprivation as a distraction.

Call it poorism, misery tourism, poverty tourism—it still smacks of exploitation.

The contemporary concept of slum tourism dates back about 30 years, according to Ko Koens, Ph.D., a Dutch academic who specializes in this field and runs slumtourism.net. The South African government began bussing municipal workers into townships like Soweto in the 1980s, he explains, intending to educate them on no-go areas within their fiefdom. “International tourists, mostly activists, who wanted to show their support [for township-dwellers] started doing these tours, too. And after apartheid ended, the operators who were running them for the government realized they could do them commercially.” (It’s now a vital part of the country’s tourism economy, with some estimates that one in four visitors to the country book a Township Tour.)

Simultaneously, tourists were beginning to explore the slums or favelas of Rio de Janeiro. These are the shantytowns that six percent of Brazil’s population calls home. Bolted to the steep hills overlooking the waterfront mansions where wealthy Cariocas chose to live, these higgledy piggledy shacks perch precariously, as if jumbled in the aftermath of an earthquake. From here, the idea of slum tourism began spreading across the world, from Nairobi to the Dominican Republic, and of course, India. Mumbai Magic isn’t alone in operating tours of Bombay’s Dharavi slums—there are countless tours available of areas that now rival the Marine Drive or the Gateway of India as local attractions.

Yet though it’s a thriving new niche, many travelers remain squeamish about the idea. In part, of course, it’s thanks to the words "slum tourism," yet none of the alternatives seem any less confrontational. Call it poorism, misery tourism, poverty tourism—it still smacks of exploitation. There are also safety concerns, too: After all, Brazil supplied almost half the entries in a recent list of the world’s 50 most dangerous cities, not to mention that theworld’s latest health crisis is headquartered in the stagnant waters on which the favela residents rely. The sense of being an interloper, or that such deprivation is Disneyfied into a showcase solely for visitors, is an additional factor—especially when spoofish ideas likeEmoya’s Shanty Town hotel, a faux South African slum that offsets discomforts like outdoor toilets with underfloor heating and Wi-Fi, turn out not to be Saturday Night Live skits.

Muddled motivations add to the discomfort; one in-depth study found it was pure curiosity, rather than education, say, or self-actualization, that drove most visitors to book a trip around the Dharavi slums. One first-hand account by a Kenyan who went from the slums of Nairobi to studying at Wesleyan University underlines those awkward findings. “I was 16 when I first saw a slum tour. I was outside my 100-square-foot house washing dishes… “ he wrote. “Suddenly a white woman was taking my picture. I felt like a tiger in a cage. Before I could say anything, she had moved on.” He makes one rule of any such trips all too clear: If you undertake any such tours, focus on memories rather than Instagram posts.

The biggest challenge, though, is the lack of accreditation. It's still a frustratingly opaque process, to gauge how profits made will directly improve conditions in that slum, admits Tony Carne, who runs Urban Adventures, a division of socially conscious firm Intrepid Travel. His firm is a moderated marketplace for independent guides—much like an Etsy for travel—and offers a wide range of slum tours around the world. Carne supports some form of regulation to help reassure would-be clients of a slum tour’s ethical credentials. “The entire integrity of our business is sitting on this being the right thing to do,” he says, though he also predicts a shift in the business, likely to make such regulation unnecessary. Many charities have begun suggesting these slum tours to donors keen to see how and where their money is used, outsourced versions of the visits long available to institutional donors. He is already in to co-brand slum tours with several major nonprofits, includingAction Aid via its Safe Cities program; Carne hopes that such partnerships will reassure travelers queasy about such tours’ ethics and finances. “Everyone from the U.N. down has said poverty alleviation through tourism can only be a reality if someone does something,” he says. “It will not solve itself by committee. It will solve itself by action.”

Carne’s theory was echoed by my colleague Laura Dannen Redman, who visited the Philippi township in Cape Town under the aegis of a local nonprofit. It was a private tour, but the group hopes to increase awareness to bolster the settlement’s infrastructure. She still vividly recalls what she saw, half a year later. “The homes were corrugated iron, but tidy, exuding a sense of pride with clean curtains in the windows. But there was this one open gutter I can't forget. The water was tinged green, littered with what looked like weeks’ worth of garbage—plastic wrappers and bottles and other detritus. It backed the neighborhood like a gangrenous moat," she says. "They deserve better. It does feel disingenuous, shameful, even if you’re there to learn and want to help. But the end result was motivating. We did feel called to action, to pay more attention to the plight of so many South Africans.” In the end, perhaps, it isn’t what we call it, or even why we do it that matters—it’s whether the slum tourism experience inspires us to try to make a change.

See the face of world's first Minister of Hapiness !

UAE appoints Minister of Happiness

F

Ohood Al Roumi

11 FEB 2016: Forget the negative headlines from the Middle East. The United Arab Emirates thinks it's time to focus on something brighter instead. Prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, took to Twitter on recently  to announce a new Cabinet that includes the country's first-ever “minister of state for happiness.”

Lest anyone think this was another somewhat curious idea like Dubai's man-made archipelagos shaped like palm trees and a map of the world, Sheikh Mohammed insisted that happiness was more than a wish and would be guided by “plans, projects, programmes (and) indices.”

The job went to Ohood Al Roumi, who will continue her existing role as director-general of the prime minister's office. She was one of seven women named to posts in the new 29-member Cabinet.

“The new cabinet focuses on the future, youth, happiness, developing education and combating climate change,” tweeted the 66-year-old prime minister, who is also the Emirati vice-president and ruler of Dubai.

Many powerful officials kept their jobs under the Cabinet shake-up. They include the ministers of interior and foreign affairs, who hail from the ruling Al Nahyan family of Abu Dhabi, the federal capital that also controls the presidency.

The seven-state UAE federation has managed to avoid the turmoil that has roiled much of the region in recent years, attracting millions of tourists and foreign workers while focusing on industries such as trade, energy and financial services. It is home to fast-growing airlines Emirates and Etihad Airways, port operator DP World, and the world's tallest skyscraper, the Burj Khalifa.

A portion of adult Emiratis can vote for members of a largely advisory federal council, but not for president, prime minister or other top posts. Foreign residents who make up nearly 90 percent of the county's population, many of them low-paid migrant labourers, have no vote.

Among the prime minister's other new hires was 22-year-old Oxford University master's programme graduate Shamma al-Mazrui. She was named minister of state for youth affairs.

Sheikha Lubna Khalid Al Qasimi, previously minister for foreign trade, was named to the new post of minister of state for tolerance. The prime minister, who as Dubai ruler oversees a business-friendly city that is home to many faiths and nationalities and will host the World Expo in 2020, made clear he hoped her role would extend to the wider region.

The Cabinet announcements came two days after Sheikh Mohammed outlined plans to privatize some public services and merge a number of government ministries.

Sally Mbanefo , A DG with passion for Domestic Tourism

Sally Mbanefo , A DG with passion for Domestic

Despite all attempts at maligning her just because she is doing it right , Sally Mbanefo has not been deterred or allowed any of the side attraction to prevent her from spreading domestic tourism

Whatever anybody may say.

Whatever anybody can write . whatever the propaganda to tarnish her image and name , one thing is constant , this lady has performed better than any of her predecessors when it comes to spreading domestic tourism.

She believe that it will amount to fraud and fake if nigeria waste money on international exhibition and propaganda without having nothing to show on ground.

It is a Yoruba proverb that Charity begins at home . And she has religiously done this since her appointment as the Director - General of Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation

In an attempt to distract her attention , those who believe that her strides have over turned their records have tried so much to ruin her reputation by using some hack writers to write fictitious mind boggling fraud story about her.

The Federal government knows how much was released to the Corporation and whoever alleges must prove.

She is the first DG of tourism that has actually pursued the promotion of domestic tourism without wasting federal government in wasteful foreign trips with no result .

See her in Adamawa State identifying with the people and their culture.

Sally Mbanefo , DG , NTDC again ! Spreads domestic tourism to Adamawa

Sally Mbanefo, DG , NTDC , spreads domestic tourism to Adamawa

Mbanefo spreads domestic tourism to Adamawa

March 30, 2016

Mrs Sally Mbanefo dancing with the people of Bachama Kingdom.

THE Hama Bachama of the Bachama Kingdom in Adamawa State, His Royal Majesty, Homun Honest Irmiya Stephen (Kwire Mana, Kpafrato II), has described the Director General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mrs Sally Mbanefo, as a strong, courageous and diligent woman, who has given hope to the development and promotion of the cultural heritage, history and tourism potentials in the Bachama kingdom.

The resourceful and ebullient monarch said this during the visit of the NTDC boss to the kingdom recently, adding that, “the people of Adamawa are so happy to host Sally Mbanefo who has brought the Federal Government presence to Numan Kingdom.

The people of Bachama Kingdom were joyful for this historic and unprecedented visit.

Mattias Ngaro, Adamawa State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism; Sally Mbanefo, His Royal Highness, Homun Honest Irimiya Stephen and others.

“Sally Mbanefo is so courageous to have come to pay a visit and honour the Bachama Kingdom, and the Adamawa people at large. She came to Bachama Kingdom when people are afraid of Adamawa State because of insecurity. No Director General of NTDC has ever visited the kingdom. In fact, one of your   past predecessors in the corporation, who is my good friend, never honoured the invitations given to him.

“This Kingdom and Adamawa at large is so peaceful. In Bachama Kingdom, every tribe coexists peacefully. In fact, we have Igbos as political office holders and appointees in the state. And there is a good level of security; no insurgency whatsoever in Adamawa State.

“Bachama Kingdom has innumerable rich tourism potentials, with enviable cultural heritage and history which are worth promoting and developing.”

The Hama Bachama, who congratulated Mrs Mbanefo on her efforts at promoting tourism and culture in Nigeria, described her visit as a hope for the development and promotion of the great tourism potentials, cultural heritage and history of the kingdom.

The Kwire Mana, Kpafrato II urged the Federal Government to tap into the tourism potentials of every state, particularly Adamawa, whose rich culture is unique. It was a delight to see the DG participating in every dance with him.

Mrs Mbanefo, in her response, described the Adamawa people as hospitable and very intelligent, with a rich cultural heritage and history, which are great tourism potentials, which if developed and promoted will not only create job opportunities in the kingdom and the state at large, but it will also strengthen unity among the people.

“Tourism is a value chain, which cut across every sector. That is why NTDC under my administration will not relent on its efforts at promoting domestic tourism in Nigeria to create more jobs, promoting unity among the Nigerian people, reducing urban migration and reduce crime rates in the country,” Mrs Mbanefo.

The NTDC boss, who said that she was in the Kingdom to support the tourism efforts of the Hama Bachama of the Numan Kingdom, described the cultural heritage of the kingdom as unique and worthy of being exported globally, just like the Sango festival in the Oyo town in Oyo State.

Mrs Mbanefo and others displaying traditional grinding model.

Her words: “Sango festival has been exported to over 40 countries. This Kwete festival, among other festivals and the cultural heritage of Numan Kingdom, are so fantastic that they will be well accepted and celebrated if developed, promoted and exported. And this will not only put the Numan Kingdom on the global tourism map, but it will also make Nigeria stand tall in the comity of tourism nations.”

Mbanefo promised to partner with the Hama Bachama and the state government to develop and promote the great cultural heritage and tourism potentials in the kingdom and the state at large, while charging members of the community to continue their support for the monarch.

The Adamawa State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mattias Ngaro, lauded the bold step of Mbanefo on visiting the kingdom and the state at large, with a view to collaborating with the people, the traditional authorities and the government of the state to develop the rich cultural heritage and tourism potentials in the state.

“It was in my plan to bring the NTDC boss, Mrs. Sally Mbanefo, to Adamawa State to appreciate our rich cultural heritage and tourism potentials. But till now, I could not achieve this. Thank God that His Royal Highness, Homun Honest Irmiya Stephen (Kwire Mana, Kpafrato II), finally made this possible. The Adamawa State government will cooperate and partner with the NTDC to ensure that our rich cultural heritage and tourism potentials are well developed and promoted for national and international acceptance,” Ngaro said.

Exhibiting delight at the visit of the NTDC boss to the kingdom were performances by various traditional dance troupes at the monarch’s palace where the reception was held. The troupes included Wuro Kadwe from Lamurde, Jabin Imburu, Wuro Wajale from Lamurde, Igbo dancers and Mbowo Gra Njiya from Numan.

After the special reception, the His Royal Majesty, Homun Honest Irmiya Stephen, took the NTDC DG on to over seven tourism locations and attractions in the neighboring villages, where she was also welcomed by different dance and warrior troupes, entertaining her with different fascinating performances.

The tourism locations and attractions included the fantastic big lakes, which are far bigger than what is celebrated in America as the “big lakes,” and Women Exhibition Centre, Sangha, Lamurde Local Government, Adamawa State, just to mention a few.

“The performances of the warrior troupes made it clear that the people of Adamawa are super warriors,” Sally Mbanefo remarked.

See what happened to these men of power, MKO , Abacha , Otedola !

See what happened to these men of power, MKO , Abacha , Otedola  ! 

Do we want to go any length to get money & power? When it will all end when we least expect. In this pix except for Otedola all others died abruptly!!!. Now they will be facing reality & regretting that they should have done more or they should not have done at all. Ours too is coming PDP or APC. Muslim, Xtian, North/West, N/East N/Central, S/West, S/South, S/East, whatever, its all VANITY UPON VANITY only Justice, Truth (even against self or family) & fairness to others is everlasting....... "theris God oh"

Thanks , Niyi Longman Bello 

Why Ooni , Praises the Lord !

The Ooni of Ife , His Imperial Majesty , Oba Adeyeye Enitan Babatunde Ogunwusi praised the Lord almighty publicly .
His imperial majesty thank the Almighty for his mercies over us all
The humble and

EgyptAir hijacker frees passengers, except four foreigners,

EgyptAir hijacker frees passengers, except four foreigners, crew On March 29, 201610:29 amIn NewsComments 21 0 1 0 A hijacker who diverted an EgyptAir flight to Cyprus on Tuesday has released everyone on board except four foreign passengers and the crew, the airline said on Twitter. The company had earlier tweeted that five foreigners and the crew remained on board, after negotiations with the hijacker who commandeered the domestic flight to Larnaca airport. The identities of the foreigners was not immediately clear. Cyprus police said the hijacker had contacted the control tower at 8:30 am (0530 GMT) and the plane was given permission to land at 8:50 am. A crisis team was deployed to the airport, the main entry point for tourists to the Mediterranean resort island, reports AFP. The plane was parked on the tarmac away from the new terminal building but just 200 metres (yards) from a beach where dozens of foreign tourists were out. The aircraft was cordoned off by armed police. The airport was closed during the crisis with incoming flights diverted to Paphos on the island’s western edge. The hijacker made no immediate demands, Cypriot state television reported. The EgyptAir plane was headed from the Mediterranean coastal city of Alexandria to Cairo with 81 passengers on board when it was seized, Egyptian civil aviation said. The airline tweeted: “Our Flight MS181 is officially hijacked.” The Cyprus foreign ministry confirmed in a statement that the flight “was hijacked and diverted to Larnaca international airport”. It said “crisis management plans” had been put in place and that the country’s National Crisis Centre had been in contact with Egyptian authorities. Cyprus government spokesman Nicos Christodoulides said on Twitter that President Nicos Anastasiades had spoken by telephone with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. The motive of the hijacking was not clear. The incident came after a Russian airliner was downed on October 31 over the Sinai Peninsula, killing all 224 people on board. The Islamic State group claimed to have smuggled a bomb on board the plane. Larnaca is no stranger to hostage crises. Several hijacked planes were diverted to the airport in the 1970s and 1980s. In 1988, a Kuwait Airways flight hijacked en route from Bangkok to Kuwait was diverted to Mashhad and later to Larnaca, where hijackers killed two Kuwaiti passengers and dumped their bodies on the tarmac. In February 1978, an Egyptian commando unit stormed a hijacked Cyprus Airways DC-8 at Larnaca airport, where 15 passengers were being held hostage. Some 15 Egyptian soldiers were killed and 15 wounded. All the hostages were freed and the hijackers arrested

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/03/egyptair-hijacker-frees-passengers-except-four-foreigners-crew/

Wale Ojo lanre preparing food on Easter day

Wale Ojo lanre preparing food on Easter day

Incredible pictures from Shanghai Disneyland !

Incredible aerial pictures show how Shanghai Disneyland is taking shape fast... as opening day tickets sell out within HOURS

• The latest Disney resort, occupying 963 acres, is set to open in Shanghai in east China on June 16 this year
• New aerial shots show the 196ft-tall castle, rides and hotels taking shape inside the £3.8billion park
• Tickets for the opening day sold out within hours of being listed on the company's official ticketing website today

By BECKY PEMBERTON FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 09:42 GMT, 28 March 2016 | UPDATED: 17:04 GMT, 28 March 2016

s

China's version of the happiest place on earth is fast taking shape, as new aerial photographs taken yesterday reveal. 

Images show Shanghai Disneyland's lofty 196-foot-tall castle and resort buildings undergoing their final stages of construction.

And it appears that fans are excited about the developments, as tickets for the June 16 opening day sold out within hours of being listed on the company's official ticketing website at midnight today.

Scroll down for video 

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The park can be seen in the final stages of construction, with its lofty 196-foot-tall castle and resort buildings looking spectacular

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Tickets for the June 16 opening day sold out within hours of being listed on the company's official ticketing website at midnight today

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The 963-acre Shanghai Disneyland is the company's sixth park worldwide. It has promised that it will pay homage to traditional Chinese culture as well as showcasing Disney's favourite films 

And rooms are fully booked at the Toy Story Hotel and the Shanghai Disneyland Hotel for the first two weeks, according to the booking website.

The 963-acre Shanghai Disneyland is the company's sixth park worldwide. It has promised that it will pay homage to traditional Chinese culture as well as showcasing Disney's favourite films.

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Despite being eight times the size of the 126-acre Hong Kong Disneyland, the park, which cost $5.5billion (£3.8billion) to build, is said to be the cheapest out of all the Disneyland resorts.

Off-peak tickets will cost visitors 370 yuan (£39) and then rise to 499 yuan (£51) during peak times.

The company hopes to attract the 330million Chinese who reside within a three-hour train or car trip of Shanghai, and Chief Executive Officer Robert Iger has cited the resort as Disney’s greatest opportunity since Walt himself invested in land in central Florida in the 1960s.

Drone footage shows the vast development of Shanghai Disney

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Despite being eight times the size of the 126-acre Hong Kong Disneyland, the park, which cost $5.5billion (£3.8billion) to build, is said to be the cheapest out of all the Disneyland resorts

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The company hopes to attract the 330million Chinese who reside within a three-hour train or car trip of Shanghai

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The Enchanted Storybook Castle is the tallest out of the six Disney venues and the park will feature six themed lands, packed full of family attractions and live entertainment offerings

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Off-peak tickets will cost visitors 370 yuan (£39) and then rise to 499 yuan (£51) during peak times, distinctly less than other Disney parks

Even though it is the cheapest ticketed Disney park, it is aiming for record-breaking features.

The Enchanted Storybook Castle is the tallest out of the six Disney venues and there will be six themed lands, packed full of family attractions and live entertainment options. 

In other Disney parks, the castle is the home of Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty. However, this new 'sorority' castle is dedicated to all the Disney princesses, including Snow White.

It will form the focal point of the evening spectacular fireworks display, which will also feature a laser show and projections on the castle. 

The Enchanted Storybook Castle, as it is properly known, will house a table-service restaurant, Bibbidi Bobbidi boutique, a store and two attractions: the Once Upon A Time adventure, following the story of Snow White, and a boat ride, Voyage to the Crystal Grotto.

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In other Disney parks, the castle is the home of Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty. However, this new 'sorority' castle is dedicated to all the Disney princesses, including Snow White

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The idea of creating a park in mainland China has been planned since the 1990s with the park eventually given the go ahead in 2011

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Star Wars will also feature in the new park with a ride in Tomorrowland along with a Tron themed ride where thrill seekers climb aboard motorcycles

Walt Disney Co. also says the park will reflect China's own culture - something Chinese officials sought to ensure before permitting the icon of US entertainment to enter the country.

'When it opens in June, Shanghai Disney Resort will be a one-of-a-kind, world-class destination that is authentically Disney and distinctly Chinese,' Disney chairman and chief executive Robert Iger said in a statement.

'The resort reflects Disney's legendary storytelling along with China's rich culture, and showcases some of the most creative and innovative experiences we've ever created,' he said.

The idea of creating a park in mainland China has been planned since the 1990s with the park eventually given the go ahead in 2011.

Star Wars will also feature in the new park with a ride in Tomorrowland along with a Tron themed ride where thrill seekers climb aboard motorcycles.

The Lion King the musical will make its debut in China with the entire show performed in Mandarin.

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Walt Disney Co also says the park will reflect China's own culture - something Chinese officials sought to ensure before permitting the icon of US entertainment to enter the country

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Chief Executive Officer Robert Iger has cited the resort as Disney’s greatest opportunity since Walt himself bought land in central Florida in the 1960s

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A man uses his mobile to film fireworks near the Enchanted Storybook Castle at the Shanghai Disney Resort in Shanghai on Monday

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Fireworks are set off near the Enchanted Storybook Castle, which is very closed to being completed

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The joint venture between Disney and its partner Shanghai Shendi Group is hoped to extend the 60-year legacy of Disney Parks around the globe

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Towering success? Officials hope that the park will draw crowds of around 17million per year

A PARK OF FIRSTS: SHANGHAI DISNEY RESORT HOPES TO WIDEN ITS APPEAL 

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Treasure Cove is the first pirate-themed land at a Disney park, created especially for Shanghai Disneyland. The land will feature five neighbourhoods

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In the park there is set to be the first carousel in a Disney park that features the symphonic music and mythical creatures from the Disney film Fantasia

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Visitors will journey through the adventures of Pooh and his friends with oversized storybooks telling the story in Chinese

Aside from the tallest castle, Shanghai Disney Resort will also feature 'Treasure Cove,' the first ever 'land' exclusively dedicated to The Pirates of the Caribbean films.

A new take on the classic boat ride, 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure,' will see guests spin and swirl to synchronised music, and encounter pirates, mermaids and a kraken.

Meanwhile, there will also be a live stage show where Captain Jack Sparrow shows off his swordfighting skills.

If pirates aren't your thing, there are plenty more attractions to be seen, including the Alice in Wonderland maze - the first attraction dedicated to Tim Burton's version of the classic tale.

Hungry guests won't be disappointed, as there will be a massive range of themed restaurants serving a variety of culinary delights, including Remy’s Patisserie, a French-inspired bakery styled on Ratatouille, and Sweethearts Confectionery, a sweet shop representing Minnie Mouse's childhood home.

Officials expect that the park will draw crowds of around 17 million per year and to widen its appeal, the park isn't limiting its target audience to small children.

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Staying at the fantasy world: There are two hotels at the new resort including the Shanghai Disneyland Hotel and the Toy Story Hotel

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Star Wars Launch Bay will be a celebration of the Star Wars Galaxy, where guests will meet heroes and villains of the saga, visit iconic intergalactic set-pieces, view props and memorabilia from the most recent Episode, and be immersed in the Skywalker story through a cinematic experience

For those bored of princesses and Mickey Mouse, Shanghai Disney Resort also offers some high-tech attractions based on its supernatural and sci-fi films.

Star Wars fans will be able to meet the movie's heroes and villains and look at its intergalactic set pieces.

Thrill-seekers can enjoy the 'Tron Lightcycle Run,' a roller-coaster attraction based on Disney's beloved sci-fi classic. Meanwhile, budding artists can try their hand at comic book animation in Marvel Universe.

While the Shanghai park celebrates Disney's newer films, it doesn't neglect the company's origins.

The Steamboat Mickey fountain, which will be located at the park's entrance, is a tribute to the 1928 animated film that first introduced Walt Disney's marvellous creations to the world.

The joint venture between Disney and its partner Shanghai Shendi Group is hoped to extend the 60-year legacy of Disney Parks around the globe.

Disney is extremely popular in China and in May last year the world's largest Disney store, which is also in Shanghai, was forced to close after only one hour because so many Chinese fans packed themselves inside.

Hundreds of people had queued for over three hours to get inside the 54,000 square foot shop.

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Cool! A Tron themed ride where visitors sit on motorbike carriages will be included in Tomorrowland at the newest Disneyland park

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Disney construction teams painting the Enchanted Storybook Castle earlier this year (right), the tallest, largest, and most complex Disney castle ever built. Ride testing started taking place a few months ago at the Roaring Rapids (left), where guests will embark on a rafting ride straight through the heart of Adventure Isle

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Fantasyland will be the largest of all the lands in Shanghai Disney Resort and home to the Enchanted Storybook Castle

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Bronze statues of Mickey and Minnie in formal attire will welcome guests to the Shanghai Disney Resort Hotel