Step into "The Little Mermaid"！ The world's first Hans Christian Andersen theme park opens in Shanghai in June

Covering an area of 81,000 square meters, Shanghai Hans Christian Andersen Fairyland creates a classic fairy tale town. (Photo/Shanghai Hans Christian Andersen Fairyland)

_Following the opening of Shanghai Disneyland last June, this year will also see the launch of the world's first Hans Christian Andersen Fairyland. (Photo/Shanghai Hans Christian Andersen Fairyland)

Following the opening of Shanghai Disneyland last June, this year will also see the launch of the world's first Hans Christian Andersen Fairyland. Authorized by Denmark, the theme park features seven major zones and 40 rides, allowing visitors to step into the magical worlds of fairy tales such as "The Little Mermaid," "The Ugly Duckling," and "The Little Match Girl" without flying to Denmark. The Andersen Museum within the park also opened ahead of schedule last week, giving fairy tale fans an early glimpse of the classics.

Shanghai Hans Christian Andersen Fairyland spans 81,000 square meters and is located in the Xinjiangwan area along the Huangpu River. Authorized by the Danish government and the world's first of its kind, the park broke ground in 2009 to create a classic fairy tale town, recreating scenes from beloved stories such as "The Little Mermaid," "The Ugly Duckling," "Thumbelina," "The Little Match Girl," "The Emperor's New Clothes," "The Steadfast Tin Soldier," and "The Wild Swans."

The park recreates scenes from classic fairy tales such as "The Little Mermaid," "The Ugly Duckling," "Thumbelina," "The Little Match Girl," "The Emperor's New Clothes," "The Steadfast Tin Soldier," and "The Wild Swans." (Photo/Shanghai Hans Christian Andersen Fairyland)

Shanghai’s global-first Hans Christian Andersen theme park is set to open in June. (Photo/Shanghai Hans Christian Andersen Fairyland)

The world’s first Hans Christian Andersen theme park features seven major themed zones, including 20 themed landscapes, three themed theaters, and a total of 40 rides. It also incorporates AR (augmented reality) and VR (virtual reality) technologies. Ticket prices are around 180 RMB. In addition to park hotels, restaurants, and souvenir shops, the site also houses an international kindergarten.

Among them, two major themed venues—the Andersen Museum and the Science & Low-Carbon Experience Hall—are currently open for trial operation. The overseas-first Andersen Museum houses three original editions of "Andersen's Fairy Tales" donated by a Danish museum and displays thousands of exhibits, including Andersen statues, manuscripts, and paper-cuttings, featuring some previously unpublished works by Andersen.