We just returned to Europe after a 2-day visit to Shanghai Disneyland and wanted to share our experience, especially what we did right and wrong. We are experienced Disney visitors (Paris, Orlando, California, and Disney Cruises), but Shanghai felt very different in terms of planning, crowd behavior, and operations.
Preparation and arrival:
We set up Alipay before the trip, which was essential since almost all payments were done through it. We did not use WeChat. We also used Didi for transport, which worked well. Pre-filling the China arrival form helped speed up immigration.
On arrival day, we dropped our bags at a nearby hotel and entered the park around 11 AM. Entry required security screening and passport verification, which took about 30 minutes. The park was very hot and humid, and many attractions already had long waits.
We used a mix of low-wait rides (under 20 minutes), shows, and Premier Access for some attractions. Highlights included Pirates and Zootopia, while some shows were too loud or overwhelming.
Day 1 summary:
We explored several areas, did shorter waits, watched the parade, and used Premier Access for Zootopia and other rides. Rain started later in the day but we were prepared. We skipped fireworks due to weather and left around 6 PM. We also had a late lunch/early dinner at Cheesecake Factory inside the park area.
Day 2 summary:
We arrived early using an entry pass (confusing at first, not the same as early bird entry). We made some planning mistakes early on, including buying Premier Access for Seven Dwarfs instead of using single rider. We prioritized Tron, Soaring, and Rapids early, which helped.
Character meet-and-greets had extremely long waits, often 60 to 120 minutes, with guests spending a lot of time taking photos. Rain returned during the day but we continued rides and shows.
We completed a wand interactive activity and collected a charm, which was a fun experience. We repeated several rides we enjoyed, especially Pirates, which had very short waits later in the day.
We finished the day with fireworks viewing in a reserved area, which we highly recommend as it was comfortable and worth it. Exiting the park was crowded but manageable with some navigation strategy. We returned to our hotel around 9:20 PM.
Key takeaways:
One day can be enough if you start early and plan well
Single rider lines are better value than Premier Access for some rides
Early entry and reserved fireworks viewing were worth it
Character meet-and-greets require significant time commitment
The park can feel very crowded and competitive
Observations and challenges:
English support is limited, so translation apps are necessary
Staff interaction felt less helpful compared to other Disney parks
Guests often run and queue behavior can be aggressive
Personal space and line etiquette felt different from US/EU parks
Character experiences and photo sessions are very time-intensive and high priority for many visitors
Final impression:
Overall, it was an interesting experience but quite different from other Disney parks. While we enjoyed the trip and managed to do most attractions, it was not our favorite Disney park, and we are unlikely to return. Still, it was a valuable experience and helpful to learn how to navigate it more efficiently.
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