Michael Moriarty is managing director of Hong Kong Disneyland Resort. Here, he is responsible for the overall management of the theme park and its three hotels. Moriarty has worked for The Walt Disney Company for 14 years in various senior roles, including as chief financial officer of Hong Kong Disneyland.
As chief financial officer, he was responsible for driving revenue and operating income during the first major expansion of the resort, which included the addition of developments such as Grizzly Gulch, Mystic Point, home to the award-winning attraction, Mystic Manor, and Toy Story Land.
Moriarty tells blooloop: “Hong Kong Disneyland brought me here in 2006. Since then, I’ve fallen in love with Hong Kong and Hong Kong Disneyland. It is wonderful to see how the resort has been woven into the social fabric of this amazing city.”
As managing director of the resort, he oversaw the creation of World of Frozen, the world’s first Frozen-themed land.
The immersive zone features two rides – Frozen Ever After and Wandering Oaken’s Sliding Sleighs. The former is a state-of-the-art boat ride through the North Mountain, where guests see Elsa’s Ice Palace. The latter is a family-friendly coaster that sends riders through caves and over fjord waters.
“World of Frozen – the world’s first and largest themed land based on the hit Walt Disney Animation Studios Frozen films – represents our largest expansion in Hong Kong Disneyland’s history,” Moriarty says.
Bringing Arendelle to life: World of Frozen
“Powered by unrivaled creativity and innovation, it takes storytelling to the next level, bringing a brand-new experience to life, which our guests absolutely love. It has been a game-changer. Not just for Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, but also in terms of how we immerse guests in our unique Disney stories.”
He adds: “Every aspect of World of Frozen was tailor-made for our park, from the music to the decor. The natural scenery of the Lantau mountains blends into the kingdom of Arendelle and becomes part of the atmosphere. The small details are really what make World of Frozen a truly enchanting destination worth visiting.”
World of Frozen also features themed dining and retail outlets. Plus, there is an interactive theatrical experience called Playhouse in the Woods. This features projection-mapped content, special effects and sensory elements.
“A living, breathing land goes one step further than watching a movie,” Moriarty says. “Guests are active participants in the experience, so we can really create fully immersive spaces that they can play in.
“One such place is our interactive theater Playhouse in the Woods, where guests are part of the performance. They get to meet Anna and Elsa, and each interaction is unique and personal.
“Something really special in World of Frozen is that you can also find Frozen friends throughout the land. Anna, Elsa, Oaken and Kristoff may be found wandering around Arendelle from time to time. In fact, it’s as if the whole land is an extension of immersive theater.
“Even our cast members, or the citizens of Arendelle, are part of the land. They have their own unique stories that guests can discover as they interact with them.”
Retail, F&B and more
As for retail and F&B within World of Frozen, Nordic-inspired cuisine is on offer at the Golden Crocus Inn, and desserts can be found at Northern Delights. Souvenirs and toys are available at Tick Tock Toys & Collectibles.
World of Frozen debuted in November 2023. The opening ceremony was attended by Moriarty, alongside Disney CEO Bob Iger; Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Experiences; Jill Estorino, president and managing director of Disney Parks International; and Jennifer Lee, chief creative officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios and the writer and director of Frozen and Frozen 2.
After the successful launch of the themed land, Hong Kong Disneyland immediately started its preparations for its 20th anniversary celebration, dubbed The Most Magical Party of All. The year-long celebration started this June.
Opened on 12 September 2005, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort also marked its anniversary exactly 20 years later on 12 September 2025. The event brought together cast members, guests and leaders. It was accompanied by several announcements about Hong Kong Disneyland’s expansion, which Moriarty covers below.
Celebrating Hong Kong Disneyland’s 20th anniversary
“The resort is pulling out all the stops to make this an unforgettable celebration for our fans, guests, cast and community, putting Hong Kong Disneyland in the global spotlight,” he says.
“The anniversary celebration has already become one of the city’s most talked-about events, drawing large crowds, boosting tourism, and reinforcing our position as a flagship entertainment destination in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area region.”
“This celebration showcases how Disney entertainment has evolved to new heights. We have three unmissable entertainment experiences – a brand-new castle stage show, the largest-ever parade in Hong Kong Disneyland’s history called ‘Friendtastic!’, and an enhanced version of our popular nighttime spectacular, ‘Momentous: Party in the Night Sky,’” he adds.
“Beyond entertainment, 80 brand-new food and beverage items and over 300 all-new exclusive merchandise items will be available, and guests can get up close and interact with more than 30 beloved Disney characters, both classic and new, as we bring everyone together for the festivities.”
Giving back to the community
Hong Kong Disneyland has a long history of giving back to the community. To celebrate its 20th anniversary, the resort is “sharing the magic” with a series of initiatives, Moriarty says. This includes doubling its park ticket donations to nonprofits to 200,000.
“We also committed more than HK$5 million ($644,000) to promote happiness and wellbeing for kids across the Hong Kong community, including hospital transformations with Disney murals and mobile movie theatres, and youth development initiatives such as an exciting youth dance competition.”
Ahead of its anniversary, for the 2024 fiscal year, Hong Kong Disneyland reported its highest net profit, revenue, attendance and EBITDA since opening in 2005. The resort recorded a historic net profit of HK$838m ($107m), and attendance reached a record high of 7.7 million guests.
Business performance: adapting and innovating for growth
“Hong Kong Disneyland delivered its strongest business performance to date in fiscal year 2024. This was due to very intentional business strategies that put our guests at the center of everything we do – tailoring innovative experiences that give them what they want,” Moriarty says.
“We bring our guests closer to the magic and the Disney stories, music, and characters that they love – leaving them feeling enchanted. We create distinctly Disney products that cater to the rising trend of experiential tourism, rolling out one-of-a-kind events, driving repeat visitation and deepening Disney fandom.
“Guests can expect to experience something new every time they visit.”
“We strengthened our go-to-market approach, showcasing Hong Kong Disneyland as a top reason to visit the region. This has led to growth from local, mainland China and other markets. In FY24, we achieved a 96 percent guest satisfaction rating, the highest on record.
“The achievements and strategies that we have put in place have reaffirmed Hong Kong Disneyland’s role as a tourism flagship in Hong Kong. [This] has positioned us well for opportunities ahead.”
Hong Kong Disneyland opened to the public in 2005 and has undergone significant evolution over the years. Now that World of Frozen is open, the resort includes a theme park with eight themed lands and three hotels.
Evolution of Hong Kong Disneyland
Moriarty says: “Our theme park continuously grows and evolves to embrace new stories and experiences. It is exciting to make all these new worlds come to life for our guests.
“It’s been magical to watch Hong Kong Disneyland grow over the past 20 years, welcoming new lands, attractions and experiences, some of which are unique to Hong Kong Disneyland, and with that increasing our guest capacity as well.
“There’s something for every guest.”
Hong Kong Disneyland has a solid pipeline for future growth. Current expansion plans include more Marvel-themed experiences and a brand-new Pixar entertainment offering. Concept art for both attractions was shared as part of the 20th anniversary celebrations on 12 September.
The Pixar offering is an immersive theatrical adventure.
“Guests will join their favorite Pixar characters in a fun and heartwarming experience unlike anything we have ever done before at Hong Kong Disneyland. Using cutting-edge theatrical technology that blends real and digital environments, this entertaining live experience celebrates the joy of friendship and the power of play,” Moriarty says.
“Generations of Pixar fans will personally and universally connect through storytelling that surprises and delights in a way that only Disney can deliver.”
New Marvel attractions and experiences
Hong Kong Disneyland announced plans to expand its Marvel experiences during last year’s D23 fan event. Moriarty adds:
“Marvel is a hugely popular brand. Following the immense popularity of its existing Marvel-themed attractions, from Iron Man Experience and Ant-Man and The Wasp: Nano Battle, both of which are available only at Hong Kong Disneyland and have entertained millions of guests since their launches in 2017 and 2019, an upcoming new project marks the third major attraction to the Stark Expo experience.”
“An exciting new Marvel-themed experience will expand Tomorrowland at Hong Kong Disneyland. This new expansion will feature an all-new attraction, plus entertainment and shopping offerings.
“Inspired by Tony Stark’s vision for a better future, the area brings together brilliant minds from the Avengers and their friends working together in Hong Kong to showcase their cutting-edge inventions and technologies.
“Unique to Hong Kong, this immersive experience will further expand the Stark Expo, allowing guests from around the world to go on a variety of adventures and team up with a wide array of heroes.”
The cast behind the magic
Moriarty thanks the Hong Kong Disneyland cast, which he says is “integral to bringing all these experiences to life and goes above and beyond to provide guests with an amazing experience through curated, playful surprises at every step of their journey”.
He adds:
“As our resort turns 20, I want to thank our amazing cast members and Imagineers here, who constantly come up with new and innovative ways to enhance the guest experience, and our fans and guests, who have supported us since day one.
“Our success is built on their genuine love and passion – and we never take it for granted. We have to stay relevant, on top of trends, and connected to our audience every day. We listen, we take risks, and we push boundaries, sometimes even surprising ourselves along the way.”
Images courtesy of Disney
