When Shanghai Disney Resort opened in June 2016 (after a reported cost of $5.5 billion), it offered all the things Disney fans expect at the “Happiest Place on Earth” — dazzling rides, iconic Disney characters, colorful shows and a castle — in addition to a whole new set of uniquely Chinese elements to navigate.
If your clients are planning a visit to mainland China’s first and only Disney resort to date, here’s a handy guide to the good, the bad and the Mickey — along with some insider hacks.
Lay of the Land
Occupying a whopping 1.5 square miles, Shanghai Disney Resort’s grounds include seven themed lands inside the park: Adventure Isle, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, Treasure Cove, Gardens of Imagination, Mickey Avenue and Toy Story Land, which just opened this April. There’s also the Disneytown shopping and entertainment district; Wishing Star Park and its Dragonfly Playground; the 800-room Toy Story Hotel; and the 420-room European-style Shanghai Disneyland Hotel. A fantastic resource for park updates is Disney’s official parks blog disneyparks.disney.go.com.
Bonus Tip: Guests of the resort’s hotels receive priority park entry and can reserve FastPasses in advance.
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Getting Tickets and Extras
Park tickets are available directly from the Shanghai Disney website, Alibaba’s Fliggy Flagship Store and other venues listed at Shanghai DisneyResort.com. Prices fluctuate depending on peak or non-peak dates; for the former, one-day admission runs $86 per adult and $65 for children.
The official Shanghai Disney app is a must. Once ticketed and on park grounds, clients can use the app to add Premiere Access for expedited entry to select attractions or FastPass if they prefer to choose a timed entry (both options accrue an additional cost, but it’s worth it). Also, clients should link all members of their group on the app, as well. If you feel like splurging on expedited entries, the best show seats, a personal guide/concierge and many other perks, Disney Premiere Tours run an additional $405 per person, for three hours, or $2,400 ($2,700 on “peak days”) for up to six guests for six hours.
Bonus Tip: Sundays are typically less crowded, as Chinese locals usually spend that day at home with family.
Ride On
Two of Shanghai Disneyland’s most buzzed about, exclusive attractions are its high-tech Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure and Tron Lightcycle Power Run. But don’t miss Soaring Over the Horizon — the park’s version of Disney California Adventure’s Soarin’ Around the World. Instead of a glider, you ride a shapeshifting creature. Also exceptional is the production, “Tarzan: Call of The Jungle,” a hidden gem that adds breathtaking Chinese acrobatics to the well-known children’s tale.
Bonus Tip: Rainy days can work to your clients’ advantage, since most rides are indoors and operate regardless of weather.
When Hunger Strikes
There are almost four dozen restaurants and food kiosks spread over the resort, including familiar brands such as The Cheesecake Factory, Wolfgang Puck Kitchen and Bar and Starbucks (of course). However, when in China, do as the Chinese do: At Gardens of the Imagination, try a Sichuan crispy chicken leg, or opt for a Shanghainese pork cake at the Picnic Basket kiosk. Another option is to savor a sit-down Shanghainese and Cantonese meal at Disneytown’s signature dining restaurant, Crystal Jade.
Bonus Tip: Bargain-hunting families should hunker down at Adventure Isle’s Chinese-Western venue Tribal Table, where a “chicken set for four” includes a whole chicken, sweet-and-sour chicken, a turkey leg, corn on the cob, four bowls of rice and drinks.
Shanghai Surprise
Jingjo Phadetpai, a former Walt Disney World cast member and enthusiast who has visited all of Disney’s parks, says Shanghai Disney offers a few unique challenges.
“Shanghai’s attractions are placed farther apart than any of the usual Disney Parks,” Phadetpai said. “The pro of this sprawl is that it doesn’t get crowded on the streets. But the con is more walking to get from point A to B.”
As for the unfortunate mainland Chinese habit of aggressively cutting in line (even a few inches of personal space serves as invitation for someone to jam themselves in): Phadetpai says clients should remain vigilant and stay close to the person in front of them.
“One woman kept trying to shove us and get in front while we were in line,” he said. “She didn’t succeed because my friends and I took turns standing close together like a wall. Plus, we tend to talk with our hands so nobody could get too close to us.”
Bonus Tip: A two-day visit is ideal due to the time required navigating the park.
The Details
Shanghai Disney Resort
www.shanghaidisneyresort.com
