Bob Iger reflects on 10 years of Shanghai Disneyland as it defies the Chinese pullback

Spend a day at Shanghai Disneyland and you wouldn't know Chinese consumers are struggling.

Wang Jiandong and his girlfriend Yan Xu said they have been skipping meals out and scrimping on day-to-day necessities so they could afford to enjoy the park.

"We save in our daily lives so we can spend more on trips," Wang explained while taking photos with Yan in front of Disney's iconic castle. "This is a romantic place."

Shanghai Disneyland celebrated its 10th anniversary this week, with former Disney CEO Bob Iger flying in for the festivities.

"I'm feeling filled with pride really," Iger told CNBC during an interview at the park. "I've been involved in this project from the very beginning in the late '90s."

Iger said the occasion carried extra significance "knowing not only how successful it's been, but really how important it is in many respects, not just to the Walt Disney Co. but to the people of China."

Shanghai Disneyland hit 100 million cumulative visitors in 2025, according to the company. It's a relatively new but important foothold in Disney's more than 100-year history.

Disney's experiences division, which includes its theme parks, resorts, cruises and merchandise, reported nearly $9.5 billion in revenue during the company's most recent quarter, ended in March, a 7% increase year over year. The division is the second largest at Disney's, accounting for almost 40% of the company's overall revenue and nearly 60% of its operating income.

While Disney executives have noted recent softness in international visitors to the company's U.S. parks, its outposts in other countries are faring better.

According to the Themed Entertainment Association, which tracks global theme park data, the Shanghai park attracted 14.7 million visitors in 2024 — a 5% year-on-year increase — making it the fifth most-visited theme park in the world behind Disney parks in Orlando, Florida; Anaheim, California; and Tokyo as well as Universal Studios Japan.

Under newly appointed CEO Josh D'Amaro, Disney is eyeing further global expansion, with a new cruise ship berthed in Singapore and a forthcoming park and resort in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The company announced a 10-year, $60 billion investment into its parks in 2023.

"Because of the available property and because of the properties, the intellectual property that Disney has, the opportunities to expand are limitless," Iger told CNBC this week. "As long as the business is successful, which it has been, there is no reason why it won't continue to expand over time."