Disney says "well over" 1 million people have visited Hong Kong Disneyland, finally relenting in releasing visitor figures amid speculation of disappointing attendance and criticism that the park -- mostly owned by the territory's government -- wasn't transparent enough.
"Hong Kong Disneyland has welcomed and entertained well over 1 million guests," Walt Disney Parks and Resorts said in a statement issued on Wednesday.
The statement came after park officials repeatedly refused to disclose visitor numbers because of their sensitive nature.
The South China Morning Post reported on Monday that its reporters counted several thousand fewer park guests than the projected first-year daily average of 15,342 on two days this month.
In the statement, Disney Parks and Resorts chairman Jay Rasulo said such calculations are "meaningless" because they don't factor in seasonality.
"The bottom-line is this: Attendance is ramping up well, which continues to give us confidence that we are on track to achieve our long-term attendance goals," Rasulo said.
Critics who say the park must be held accountable to the public because of the level of government investment.
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