Nine things you need to know about the world’s biggest Disney Store

The world's biggest Disney Store opened in Shanghai on Wednesday, and it's not just size that impresses. It's also Disney's first store in China.

And it closed an hour after it opened because of the overwhelming number of people who wanted to get in. Media reports say some people lined up for three hours. Here's what you need to know about the Disney Store Shanghai.

The outdoor plaza leading to the Shanghai Disney Store in the city’s Lujiazui area of Pudong. The store opeed Wednesday.

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Photo courtesy Disney

1. How big is it?

Almost 54,000 square feet, which includes the store holding Disney merchandise plus an outdoor plaza, about a third of the size of a Costco.

2. Where is it?

It's in the Lujiazu area of Pudong, a financial district on the east bank of the Huangpu River. More than 40 million tourists visit the area each year, according to a Disney release. And that means an opportunity to sell Mickey and Minnie to China's burgeoning middle class.

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3. Why did it open precisely at 1:14 p.m. on May 20?

Every texting Chinese teen knows the answer to this question. If you flip the "1:14 p.m." to military time, you get the number sequence "520 + 1314," which means "I love you forever" in Chinese number reading -- and on Twitter.

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4. What's new at this store?

Plenty.

--A 19-foot-tall Magic Kingdom Castle that runs an hourly projected musical show

--A Marvel area with statues of superheroes Iron Man, Thor and the rest of the gang, including an 8-foot-tall Hulk

--An area where Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Daisy and Donald Duck are floating in hot-air balloons

--A roof shaped like Mickey Mouse that's illuminated with more than 8,000 LED lights.

5. What else is fun at this store?

Look for Disney characters hanging out in a 12-foot tree, a crystal chandelier with Tinker Bell spreading Pixie Dust and a gateway inspired by "Monster's University."

6. What's the entrance like?

The outdoor plaza at the store features plants in the shape of Mickey Mouse and other characters.

7. How expensive is it?

Media reports say items cost 20 yuan ($3) to 1,000 yuan ($161).

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8. With a store like this, who needs a theme park?

Shanghai Disneyland has been delayed but is on track to open in 2016, the company says. The company just topped off the Storybook Castle at the resort, one billed as being the largest and most interactive of the Disney theme-park castles.

9. When did Disney Stores begin?

They debuted in 1987, and the first one opened in Glendale. Now there are 200 stores worldwide, including more than 40 in Japan and more than 70 in European countries.