The Smallest One of All: Place Attachment at Hong Kong Disneyland

ABSTRACT Hong Kong Disneyland has been a site of contention between the local government, residents, and Disney Company over status as both the smallest Disney resort and aspirational symbol of the global city. This relationship between locals and theme parks in Asia is explored using the multiple methods of 27 semi‐structured interviews with resident visitors and cast members, 1 week of on‐site participant observation, an online survey ( n = 430), and internet data documents. The findings exhibit strong place attachment within numerous key indicators. While the length of association has long been considered the most important indicator for place attachment, the study finds preexisting attachment to the Disney brand paved the way for swift cognitive, affective, and behavioral attachment to the relatively small resort that opened so contentiously only one generation earlier. The study's broader implication calls for greater examination of local themed entertainment venues for social commons.