HONG KONG — Hong Kong Disneyland's debut was marred by public relations debacles that left Mickey Mouse looking like Cinderella's stepmother in this former British colony.

In the days surrounding the opening this fall of Hong Kong Disneyland, the entertainment giant enraged local pop stars, antagonized labor leaders and earned a rebuke from its own partner in the theme park, the Hong Kong government. Last month, a disgruntled, fired employee climbed atop Space Mountain and threatened to kill himself until he was talked down.

The nasty headlines have taken a toll. After surveying 500 Hong Kong consumers, Media, an Asian trade magazine, found that 24 percent had a negative view of Hong Kong Disneyland vs. 42 percent with a positive view.

Disney says that some blips were inevitable in a project as big as the $1.8 billion theme park and that, overall, things have gone well since Disneyland opened Sept. 12. "For a project of this scale, things happen," says Hong Kong Disneyland spokeswoman Irene Chan. "Compared to other openings, this was very smooth."

Planting a U.S. cultural and corporate institution on Chinese soil was bound to be challenging. Last month, the territory's leader, Chief Executive Donald Tsang, urged Hong Kong residents to be patient with the newcomer: "We have to remember that Disneyland is a new organization (in Hong Kong)," Tsang said. "It may need time to understand the situation of Hong Kong and especially the culture of Hong Kongers and figure out how to make all its employees happy."

Disney ran into similar troubles when it opened Euro Disney (later renamed Disneyland Resort Paris) in 1992: French critics decried what they saw as U.S. cultural imperialism; theater director Ariane Mnouchkine famously called it a "cultural Chernobyl." Hundreds of Euro Disney workers walked off the job within days, complaining about working conditions.

The 310-acre Hong Kong Disneyland opened to high hopes. The park, the smallest of Disney's five locations around the globe, is intended to polish Hong Kong's image, draw tourists from mainland China and boost the local economy.

But in the early weeks, Disney's corporate image has suffered several blows. Consider:

A Disney official refused to let government food inspectors onto the premises until they took off their caps and badges, apparently so they wouldn't be noticed by park visitors. That started a public furor.

"They are trying to make Hong Kong a colony of Disney," says labor leader and legislator Lee Cheuk-yan. The Hong Kong government declared Disney's behavior "unacceptable" but rejected calls by local politicians to bring charges against the company for obstructing the inspectors.

Disney has apologized and vowed that "this kind of incident would not happen again," spokeswoman Chan said by e-mail.

Labor activists charged Disney is forcing staff to work 11- and 13-hour days, providing inadequate breaks and rewriting daily work schedules without notice. "Their management is very backward," says Elaine Hui of the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions, which is trying to organize Disneyland workers into a union.

Disney doesn't believe a union is needed: "We believe it is more effective for us and our cast alike to work and communicate directly with each other," Chan says.

The good news for Disney: The park itself seems to be making a positive impression on visitors. "It was like a wonderland," says college student Autumn Wong, 20. Disney says 80 percent of visitors rate their experience as "good" or "excellent."

Tat Mui, 65, a retired draftsman, echoed chief executive Tsang's call for patience: "Hong Kong people are very picky. Disney is a good place to go. Give it time."