Companies in the GBA | Will Fantawild Become "Disney of the East" With "Boonie Bears"?

On May 25 and June 1, 2024, Two Fantawild Water Parks opened in Yingtan, Jiangxi Province, and Linhai, Zhejiang Province, respectively. One of these two cities is a fifth-tier city, while the other is a county-level city affiliated with Taizhou. Compared with other theme parks, Fantawild's strategy focuses more on an even layout. In the second and third-tier cities, over 30 Fantawild theme parks have been put into operation. While you may not get a Disneyland or Universal Studios in your city, don't be disappointed, a Fantawild theme park is probably there instead.

Back in the 1990s, Fantawild started its business with computer system integration and dabbled in producing movies, becoming a supplier of multiple amusement parks in China. In 2006, Fantawild ventured into the theme park business with the Chongqing Jinyuan Fantawild Sci-Fi Theme Park opening in April of that year. In 2008, Fantawild opened its first amusement park, Wuhu Fantawild Adventure, Which was overwhelmingly well-received and later became a national 5A scenic spot.

In 2012, Fantawild launched one of the best-selling animation IPs in China, Boonie Bears. When Briar and Bramble first appeared on CCTV children's channel, they set new rating records. No one could have thought that this animation IP would remain popular for over a decade. In 2023, a Boonie Bears movie earned 1.5 billion yuan at the box office, a remarkable achievement coveted by many film companies.

At present, Fantawild’s main source of revenue is theme parks. However, the IP of "Boonie Bears" is always a priority. After all, the high gross profit margin has proved that it’s easier to make money from animation than building parks.

According to its IPO prospectus, Fantawild states that its main business and cost structure is similar to that of Disney. Despite the fact that Fantawild cannot yet be compared with Disney, whether in terms of revenue scale or brand influence, as a young brand founded for only 18 years, Fantawild has already created popular animation IPs like “Boonie Bears” and has become one of the few companies owning theme parks that combine culture with technology. So it seems fair to call it the “Disney of the East.”

However, with greater expectations come greater growing pains. Unlike Disneyland or Universal Studios that has created a universe of IPs, Boonie Bear is Fantawild’s sole IP. Although it has managed to break out of the kids-only circle, its main attraction still lies in childhood nostalgia, limiting its growth momentum. Therefore, Fantawild opts for cooperation with local tourism sector. Examples include the Fantawild Dragon Kingdom in Zigong and the large-scale special effect live performance in Jingzhou, Qu Yuan. These projects demonstrate how Fantawild combines its tech abilities with rich experience in content development, to empower the local cultural and tourism industry. Fantawild understands perfectly that theme parks can offer more than just adrenaline, there’s also rich cultural experience and a complete "kingdom of fantasy."

If Fantawild can create more IPs like “Boonie Bears” in the future, It will be truly worthy of being “the Disney of the East”.

出品：南财国际传播中心 21新媒体中心 创意互动中心

策划统筹：于晓娜 丁青云

内容统筹：谭婷 张楠

责任编辑：吴桂兴

执行统筹：黄欣然 

设计统筹：林军明

视频统筹：白宇航

监制：施诗

英文翻译&配音：李莹亮

海外运营监制: 黄燕淑

海外运营内容统筹: 黄子豪

运营支持：曾静娇

审校：强燕 张晔 黄志明