Shanghai subway seeks input on design

Shanghai's subway operator invited residents to vote for the decoration design plan for the Disneyland metro station, which will run to Shanghai Disney Resort. Shanghai Shentong Metro Group Co Ltd released its six proposals for the decoration of the Disneyland station over the weekend and asked residents to select the most aesthetically pleasing plan. The most popular plan will become an important reference when the station is decorated, the company said. Shanghai Shentong Metro Group Co Ltd and Shanghai Disney Resort said that domestic and overseas design teams submitted 10 design plans in the past two months. The decoration plan is required to integrate Chinese elements, Shanghai culture and The Walt Disney Co features. Under those conditions, six of the proposals qualified for public voting. Residents can visit the company's website, shemtro.com, or its micro blog to get more information on the six design plans. Voting will end on Nov 17, and the results will be announced at the end of the month. The Disneyland Line, an extension of Metro Line 11, is expected to open at the same time as Shanghai Disney Resort, which is expected to open in Pudong New District in 2015. The 9.2-km Disneyland Line will use six-car trains and have a maximum speed of 100 km per hour. The first 7.7 km of the line will be above ground. According to previous media reports, the Disneyland station will be built as an added attraction and will take children's needs and convenience into account. The construction of Shanghai Disney Resort began in 2011. The resort will initially include Shanghai Disneyland, a Magic Kingdom-style park; two themed hotels; a large retail, dining and entertainment venue; recreational facilities; a lake; and parking and transportation hubs, according to Xinhua News Agency. Most of the resort's foundation construction has been completed, and the work has shifted to the vertical construction of buildings, Shanghai Disney Resort said. Shanghai Disneyland, Disney's first theme park on the Chinese mainland, is expected to attract 7.3 million visitors a year when it opens. A large transport terminal is under construction alongside Shanghai Disney Resort. The terminal, at the western entrance to the 3.9-square-km resort, will include five bus booths, parking lots for taxis and cars, a terminal for buses running inside the park, bathrooms and six lounges.