BIM Buildings

Disney Shanghai: BIM in Theme Parks

Disney Castle in Sanghai Disney Resort

The magic of Disney is not only found in its movies and characters but also in the innovative technology they use to build their theme parks.

Let’s explore the crucial role of BIM in creating these magical worlds, focusing on the well-known example of Shanghai Disney Resort and how BIM helped transform the designers’ vision into reality.

BIM Applications in the Construction Industry

Let’s start with a quick recap of the BIM methodology. As we know, BIM is widely used in the construction industry as a collaborative digital tool for the planning, design, construction, and management of building projects. It provides valuable information about various elements of a construction project, including geometry, spatial relationships, material quantities, and schedules. Stakeholders such as architects, engineers, contractors, and owners use BIM to work together more efficiently, saving time, reducing errors, and optimizing project outcomes.

As we know, BIM has key applications in design as well as in construction and operations. In Design, BIM can be applied for structural analysis and design, MEP design and architectural design. In Construction, its applications include, for example, construction sequencing and scheduling, prefabrication and off-site construction and delivery. On the operations side, this methodology is very useful in facilities management.

Shanghai Disney Resort is an excellent example of how BIM technology can be successfully used in the construction of a large-scale theme park. The resort, which opened in 2016, was extensively designed and built using BIM. Even though it has been almost ten years since its inauguration, Shanghai Disney Resort remains a perfect example of the successful use of BIM technology in large-scale construction projects—a “city” designed, executed, and maintained to this day with BIM tools.

BIM and The Enchanted Storybook Castle

One of the most remarkable examples of BIM at Shanghai Disney Resort is the Enchanted Storybook Castle. This castle, the largest of all Disney castles, was designed using 3D modeling and coordination of all aspects of the design.

The complexity of the project—including a central spiral staircase, a boat ride, a children’s salon, and many other features—required BIM implementation throughout the entire construction process.

To facilitate collaboration among the various teams working on the castle, an open BIM approach was implemented. This allowed different teams to use different software while still being able to upload and interact with the shared BIM model.

For example, the architectural team used Revit, while the structural engineering and MEP teams used AutoCAD. An internal workflow was developed to facilitate data exchange between these disciplines. Custom scripts were created to enable the design files to automatically output daily architectural information from Revit for the other teams.

To transfer BIM model updates between Glendale, California (home to Walt Disney Imagineering), and Shanghai, a cloud-based construction collaboration platform called Buzzsaw was used. This was especially important due to connectivity issues in China at the time.

A dedicated “BIM reinforcement team” helped create smart, parametric content within the model, including artificial terrain and architectural ornamentation for a period-accurate medieval castle. These details—such as windows, doors, complex roof structures, turret towers, and the central double-helix staircase—were stored as Revit objects in a central library so they could be reused in different parts of the castle.

BIM was also used to design the castle’s fireworks launch platforms. Attributes were assigned to the geometry to allow professionals to visualize a detailed breakdown of the building materials. This included the exact quantities of concrete and other materials required for the platforms, along with information on how the materials would work together to prevent the spread of fire.

For Shanghai Disney Resort’s design, the Imagineers used a technology called DISH (Digital Immersive Showroom). DISH enabled them to create a virtual environment to explore their designs. It uses large white rooms with projectors and 3D glasses, allowing multiple people to experience attractions, hotels, and other areas of the park before construction began. This immersive tool helped Imagineers make better design decisions and ensure the park met expectations.

Other BIM Applications at Shanghai Disney Resort

In addition to the Enchanted Storybook Castle, BIM was used throughout the park for:

  • Attraction Design: BIM was used to design and coordinate the construction of various attractions, including the innovative “TRON Lightcycle Power Run” and “Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure.”
  • Facility Management: A comprehensive digital model of the park was created using BIM. This model is still used today for facility management and maintenance, providing detailed information about all of the park’s systems, which simplifies maintenance planning and asset management.
  • Cost and Material Quantity Management: BIM facilitated cost management and material quantity take-offs for the Shanghai Disney Resort project. Accurate material quantities were generated directly from the 3D model, enabling precise cost estimation and forecasting.
  • Lifecycle Cost Analysis: BIM was also used for lifecycle cost analysis at Shanghai Disney Resort, including data related to maintenance services, operations, and renovations.
  • Sustainability Analysis: By modeling the park’s energy systems—such as lighting, heating, and cooling—opportunities were identified to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. This was especially important as sustainability becomes an increasing focus within the theme park industry.

Obviously, such a project required the involvement of different companies providing BIM services, including:

  • Walt Disney Imagineering: Disney’s research and development arm, responsible for theme park design and engineering.
  • Autodesk: Provided BIM software and consulting services for the project.
  • Tefken Engineering: Trained the onsite team in BIM technology and worked with Tekla BIMsight.
  • P+A Projects: Specializing in theme park design with both architecture and engineering capabilities.

A Model of Innovation and Collaboration

The construction of Shanghai Disney Resort continues to be a prime example of BIM’s potential in creating complex and innovative theme parks, even years after its completion. BIM facilitated cross-disciplinary collaboration, optimized design, enabled efficient resource management, and mitigated risk.

The benefits of BIM are undeniable, and its use in the theme park industry continues to grow. Shanghai Disney Resort offers valuable lessons for future theme park projects and raises questions about why BIM is often limited to the design phase rather than being more widely adopted during construction and maintenance.

Where are the challenges or obstacles that prevent broader adoption of BIM in daily construction practices? The implementation of BIM, along with a cloud collaboration strategy, can significantly enhance project efficiency, quality, and profitability. BIM can be used to create more immersive experiences, optimize construction sequencing, and improve facility management.

Looking ahead, we hope to see even greater use of BIM in the theme park industry and other types of construction. As technology continues to evolve, BIM will become even more powerful and versatile, opening new possibilities for the creation of innovative and sustainable projects.