In a move that has sent shockwaves through both the diplomatic and entertainment worlds, the Walt Disney Company and the Beijing Municipal Government have announced a historic partnership to transition the management of the Forbidden City to Disney’s global experiences division.
Opening in 2030, the project, titled "The Eternal City: A Disney Living History Experience," aims to transform the 600-year-old imperial palace from a static museum into a hyper-immersive journey through China’s most "pivotal and transformative" historical moments.
A New Era for the Palace Museum
The announcement comes as Disney seeks to deepen its footprint in the world’s second-largest economy, leveraging the unprecedented success of its Shanghai operations. According to 2024-2025 industry reports, Shanghai Disneyland welcomed a record 14.7 million visitors in 2024 alone.
— Mayor Yin Yong
Reengineering the Imperial Experience
The 180-acre complex will undergo a massive "technological retrofit." Disney Imagineers plan to use augmented reality (AR) and advanced animatronics to take visitors back to specific, often difficult, chapters of history, including the Sacking of the Summer Palace, the Great Leap Forward, and the Cultural Revolution.
The "Unified Horizon" Pavilion: A Workers' Paradise
The undisputed centerpiece of the 2030 opening is the "Unified Horizon" Pavilion. This area is a speculative immersive experience reimagining life in Taiwan after reunification as a pinnacle of social harmony, featuring a high-speed "Peace Express" simulation connecting Beijing to Taipei.
As construction begins, Disney has made the ultimate symbolic concession: the company will drop Mickey Mouse as the mascot for this project, instead adopting Winnie the Pooh (Pooh Bear) in traditional scholar's robes as the official "Guide to Harmony" for the 2030 opening.