The second but largest one in China and the sixth one in the whole wide world, Disneyland Shanghai opened its gate to the public in 2016 and has been a huge hit ever since. The park has all of Disneyland’s fundamentals with some Chinese elements thrown in to give it a regional feel.
Before delving any further, please note that it is highly recommended to steer clear of weekends and public holidays if you want a positive experience. And what an amazing experience it will be when you do venture here, since the park is enormous in size and has some unique rides for the die-hard fans.
The theme park is some 25 kms apart from downtown but visitors can approach it easily and economically through metro line 11 (purchase return tickets beforehand for hasty getaway) and Pudong buses 50 – 52 (exit at South Transit hub and hop on a shuttle bus 2/3; or walk a mile roughly). Shuttle buses are also available at major bus station around Shanghai. Park timings are from 09:00 to 21:00 (weekdays) and 08:00 to 22:00 (weekends, public holidays and during summer vacations)
Tickets are better bought in advance because there maybe long ques at the entrance. There is a tiered pricing system in effect with separate prices for senior citizens/ kids measuring 3.3-4.6ft and adults. Time of the year also affects prices. Standards weekday prices are RMB399/day and RMB718/ 2 days; kids/seniors for RMB299/day and RMB538/ 2 days.
Prices during weekends, public holidays and during the month of July and August for standard ticket are RMB575/day and RMB1,034/ 2 days; kids/seniors for RMB431/day and RMB774/ 2 days. It gets even more expensive during Chinese New Year and National Day holidays.
Once you’ve entered the enchanting world, it is best to have the dedicated application on mobile to make the most of everything the park has to offer, including fastpass, information about wait times and live performances. There are 7 worlds to explore namely Mickey Avenue (at the very front, seen as you enter), Fantasyland (the biggest of all the worlds on site), Toy Story Land (a new addition opened in 2018), Adventure Isle (that includes a hand-gliding flight experience), Gardens of Imagination (the heart of the land and the one representing the oriental culture with its 12 zodiac characters), Tomorrowland (featuring a future that includes the amazing TRON roller-coaster, a must go) and Treasure Cove (run by Captain Jack Sparrow!). The must do rides include the TRON ride, Pirates ride and the ones in Adventure Isle.
Food is pricey and souvenirs are mainly Disney memorabilia, with a distinct lack of XL sizes for shirts. They let sealed snacks and water bottles pass and you can refill water from fountains throughout the park. Comfortable shoes are a must due to the huge expanse of the park. Bring a portable charger and maybe your own (reliable) internet. Two hotels (Shanghai Disneyland and Toy Story Hotel) are available on site for those who want an immersive experience.