Introduction – Disney in China
Everything Disney appeals to Chinese consumers. Fake Disney toys have been stored on the shelves of every toy market for as long as I’ve been in China (over a decade) and Mickey Mouse can be seen on everything from thermos flasks to car interior accessories. for adults. So when Disney announced that it would open a $ 5.5 billion theme park in Shanghai, China was thrilled.
Visiting Shanghai Disneyland in the first weeks
It has been a long time coming. Expected to open earlier, Shanghai Disneyland officially opened its doors on June 16, 2016. In the weeks leading up to the opening date, the park held a soft launch testing everything from its attractions to its staff (called ‘members of the cast »by Disney). I had the pleasure of going with my friends and our daughters in the first week of the soft launch, when the crowds were still thin. The park was immaculate. Every staff member greeted and smiled. I have never been with happier people in my life.
I wanted to hate him, but the day ended up being purely magical. Disney has done well.
In the weeks leading up to opening week, the park has let in more and more people, bracing for the anticipated real capacity crowds after opening. But aside from the reports of horribly long lines, everyone I’ve talked to has really enjoyed the experience.
The Nitty Gritty: location, how to get there, prices, etc.
Shanghai Disneyland se llama Disneyland o «di shi ni».
Shanghai Disneyland Location:
The Disney Resort is located in the Pudong district of Shanghai. We have been watching the park’s progress on our trips to Pudong Airport, as Disney Castle is now a visible landmark on the Pudong skyline as you head to or from the airport.
How to get to Shanghai Disneyland:
The Chinese and Shanghai governments have gone to great lengths in infrastructure to make getting to Disney an easy feat. The Disney website has excellent travel information. The best option is to go by subway to avoid traffic, line 11 has a special stop for Disney.
Park details:
- Website in English (and online ticket booking): Shanghai Disneyland Resort
- Open: from June 16, 2016 every day. Check the park’s website for daily opening hours as these may vary seasonally.
Ticket prices:
Ticket prices vary according to height and age (as always in China). There are three different ticket prices:
- Standard tickets for visitors whose height is 1.4m or more
- Children’s tickets for visitors whose height is 1-1.4 m
- Tickets for people aged 65 and over.
Ticket prices will vary by season, so it is best to check the resort’s website for prices and to reserve tickets.
Planning a trip to Shanghai Disneyland and where to stay
Depending on where you are coming from and how long you plan to spend at Disneyland will of course determine your plans. People who live in Shanghai will probably plan a day trip. If you are coming from out of town or from abroad, you may want to go in search of the Toy Story hotel. Otherwise, you can easily get to and from Shanghai Pudong or other downtown hotels so you don’t have to stay at the resort if you don’t want to. Tickets can be purchased for one or multiple days to make that part yours.
Tips for visiting Shanghai Disneyland
Having been there from the beginning, I’ll share some tips on what to wear and bring.
- Food and water outside: there are security personnel checking the bags at the entrance. When we were there, we were able to convince them to let us keep our children’s water bottles, but this attitude can change. It is better to leave all food outside at home. They will make exceptions for baby food / bottles.
- Sun protection: the park is so new that the trees are not yet shading and there are very few places to find shade and rest. Wear or bring sun protection in the form of sunscreen and hats.
- Comfortable Shoes – I think it goes without saying, but you’ll be on your feet all day
- Strollers and Wheelchairs – You are allowed to bring your own stroller (and wheelchair), but they can also be rented near the main entrance.
Disneyland Resort Services
You may want to learn about a number of services before entering the park and realizing that you want or need them. Near the main entrance you can find the following services:
- Information office “Guest Services” for questions
- Lost objects
- Stroller and wheelchair rental
- Package Pickup : Before you transport your daughter’s complete new Elsa outfit around the park, know about it! You can have all your purchases in the park sent to the parcel pickup office (just outside the main entrance)
Other services located throughout the park are:
- ATMs are located throughout the park (ICBC bank, international cards can be accepted)
- Lockers are located on Mickey Avenue, near Carefree Corner. Time-limited lockers (for storage on the go) are also found on TRON, Roaring Rapids, and Challenge Trails.
- First aid stations are on Mickey Avenue and Tomorrowland.
- The Baby Care Center is located next to the First Aid station on Mickey Avenue. Here you can warm bottles, prepare baby food, and enjoy a private space for breastfeeding.
- Places are designated smoking throughout the park. Find them using a map.
- Probably the most important service is the Fast Pass . Getting fast passes is key, especially during peak summer months. Go early to Fast Pass stations and try to get them before they sell out for the day.
Disneyland Resort Features and Attractions
The ticketed portion of the park is divided into six sections. Outside of the ticket section is a shopping and entertainment complex called Disneytown that claims to include the largest Lego store in the world.
Mickey Avenue is the first section of the park that you will experience after passing through the main entrance. Mickey Avenue is lined with shops and restaurants and is also home to a number of park amenities (see above). You will be drawn to the next section of the park that is in front of the huge enchanted castle from the storybook.
This section, called the Gardens of Imagination, has a number of attractions for smaller children, such as the Fantasia Carousel and Dumbo the Flying Elephan t ride. You’ll want to find a place in the Gardens of Imagination to see the incredible Golden Fairytale Fanfare musical show that shows all the Disney princesses and their feasts. (Check the daily schedule online or in the daily schedule for hours.)
Beyond the castle is Fantasyland, where the Disney princesses reside. There are multiple food and beverage outlets, shops, and a host of attractions here. Favorites are Peter Pan’s flight, where he soars above London to Neverland in his own pirate ship, and the interactive Alice in Wonderland maze .
From Fantasyland you can go straight to Pirates of the Caribbean themed Treasure Cove . Here’s a wonderful water-themed playground called Shipwreck Shore that was already popular in the spring when we visited, so it’s sure to be a big hit in the summer. And the most popular trip is definitely Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure.
Just south of Treasure Cove is Adventure Isle, where you go from fighting pirates to running through roaring rapids or trying your luck on ropes. Adventure Isle has more for older guests, but little ones will enjoy meeting Disney characters at Happy Circle or watching Tarzan – Call of the Jungle on the Storybook setting.
Tour the Gardens of Imagination and head west to Tomorrowland, my favorite part of the park. It was here that I met Darth Vader personally. Rather, I was selected by him from a crowd to take a photo. Darth is one of the many characters that roam Tomorrowland (he travels with two Stormtrooper controllers). Besides character sightings, TRON Lightcycle Power Run is the most popular attraction.
Expert Notes on China Travel
I’m not a big Disney person. I want to not like it, but I have to admit that I enjoy watching movies with my kids and now that Star Wars is part of the franchise, maybe it’s time to admit I’m a fan. We visited Shanghai Disneyland with low expectations but were absolutely blown away. Our children were in awe and excited and loved every minute of it. They were more interested in looking and seeing than riding and the highlight of their day was without a doubt the Character Parade. I loved that Mulan, my personal favorite of the Disney princesses, has such an important role, in the warrior dress, in the parade.
We stayed until we were completely exhausted and went home very happy. I believe that if visitors can deal with the lines, which are expected to be extremely long and annoying, they will enjoy their time.
While it is common in the travel industry for writers to receive free services, this review is based on the experience of the writer at their own cost.
