Culture shock in Hong Kong Disneyland as Mainland Chinese comes to visit it

Mainland Chinese tourists visiting Hong Kong Disneyland on its debut day smoked in nonsmoking areas went barefoot and even let children urinate in public, local newspapers reported.

The Apple Daily described the behavior of mainland tourists as "disgraceful" while acknowledging that they "brought good business" to the park as it opened its gates Monday to 16,000 visitors. The park estimated that about a third were from mainland China.

The Ming Pao Daily reported Tuesday that visitors from mainland China disregarded the theme park's rules and smoked cigarettes in restaurants and other nonsmoking areas. It ran a photo showing a woman in a Minnie Mouse cap smoking in an open area.

The newspaper carried another photograph showing a woman from the southern Chinese province of Guangdong helping a young child loosen his trousers to urinate beside a flower bed.

Hong Kong Disneyworld spokeswoman Esther Wong declined to say whether she thought the reports would tarnish the park's image. She said the rules require that all guests wear shoes within the park.

"All our cast members are trained to handle different guest situations," she said. "Cast members" is Disney lingo for its employees, reports the AP.