A 3-Day In-depth Tour of Shanghai Disney Resort by a “Runaway Princess from Chongqing”
Hello, dear foreign friends! Today, I’m excited to share with you a wonderful travel experience in Shanghai Disney Resort.
The author of this journey has a big dream of visiting all the Disney parks around the world. After visiting those in Hong Kong, the United States (Los Angeles), and Japan Tokyo, this time, she came to Shanghai Disney Resort.
This year, due to special circumstances, traveling abroad was not possible. So, Shanghai Disney became a must – visit destination for her. They did thorough preparations in advance. To avoid long queues, they bought the Premium Access Card early and chose to stay at the Disney’s Paradise Hotel in the Disney Resort. This time, the trip was extremely comfortable, relaxing, and full of joy, quite different from their tiring experience in Tokyo Disney. They really felt like runaway princesses during this trip.
Shanghai is always the author’s top – loved city with a touch of sophistication. Every time she comes to Shanghai, whether for business or self – guided tours, she always visits those charming old streets under the plane trees and cute cafes.
Shanghai Disney Resort: A Comprehensive Guide
Shanghai Disney Resort is located in Chuansha New Town, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, and it’s quite large. It consists of:
1. Shanghai Disneyland: The main attraction full of magic and fun.
2. Two Theme Hotels: The Disney’s Paradise Hotel and the Toy Story Hotel.
3. Disney Town: A place for shopping, dining, and entertainment.
4. A Subway Station: Disney Station.
All visitors have to pass through Disney Town to enter the Disneyland. There is an artificial lake between Disney Town and the Disney’s Paradise Hotel. Guests staying at the Disney’s Paradise Hotel can take a free shuttle boat (with the room card) to and from Disney Town. There is also a small grocery store at the hotel’s dock for guests’ snack needs. You can also choose the free shuttle bus from the hotel to the park.
Our Itinerary
- Day 1: Fly from Chongqing to Shanghai. Check in at the Disney’s Paradise Hotel. Explore Disney Town and have a buffet dinner at Lumière’s Kitchen.
- Day 2: Spend the whole day playing in Shanghai Disneyland. Stay at the Toy Story Hotel at night.
- Day 3: Take the subway to the city center. Check in at the Hermitage Hotel. Visit the Shanghai Four – Line Warehouse Anti – Japanese War Memorial and the Bund after having coffee at Seesaw Cafe.
- Day 4: Visit the Wukang Building and explore the area around Wukang Road. Then head back to Chongqing.
Accommodation in Shanghai Disney Resort
Disney’s Paradise Hotel
The hotel is quite far from Shanghai Pudong International Airport. Since taking the subway requires multiple transfers, the author chose to take a taxi. They booked a one – night stay on the hotel’s official website in advance and checked in at the front desk with their ID cards. The price was 2300 yuan per night, including a 15% service charge.
The hotel lobby has a high ceiling, following the “Art Nouveau” style. It features a central sculpture of Mickey Mouse and his friends, which is a tribute to “Fantasia”. The walls behind the two front desks are decorated with photo walls of Disney cartoon stars, each one mimicking the composition of world – famous paintings but with Disney characters as the main characters. There is also a small rest area with a TV playing cartoons, and the small benches are clearly for children. From the lobby, you can overlook Disney Town and the Cinderella Castle across the lake.
After checking in, they waited for the welcome ceremony of Disney cartoon stars. When the symphony started, the author’s sister quickly ran to the center of the lobby to greet Mickey, Donald Duck, and Goofy waving from the second floor. The whole hotel is filled with music, and even the elevator buttons are in the shape of Mickey Mouse.
The room has a strong American style, leaning towards a vintage castle – like decoration. There are many reasons to choose this hotel:
1. You can enter the park one hour earlier through a dedicated channel.
2. There are free shuttle services to Disney Town, the subway station, and the Toy Story Hotel. You can also take a boat.
3. Mickey and Minnie come out to welcome guests about once an hour in the lobby.
4. The unique bedside lighting shows the castle and Mickey.
5. If you have children, you can stay on the executive floor and enjoy Mickey’s bedtime stories at night.
6. You can interact with Disney characters at Lumière’s Restaurant.
7. If you buy a lot of things in Disney Town, they can be delivered back to the hotel for free.
8. Hotel guests can store their luggage outside the Disneyland for free, while ordinary visitors have to pay.
9. When buying tickets for the next day at the hotel, you can get a FastPass (FP) for a free project.
10. You can take away the two official Disney cups in the room, and the room card can be kept as a souvenir.
The hotel also has a large garden outside, which is very symmetrical and gives a sense of exquisite beauty. In the center of the hotel’s fountain, there is a unique large – scale glazed peony sculpture with classic Disney fairies around it. The peony, a traditional Chinese flower made in Shanghai, is one of the largest glazed flower sculptures in China.
At night, they went to Lumière’s Kitchen on the first floor for a buffet. The restaurant has a theme of “Beauty and the Beast” with an animated – style spiral staircase. There is also a traditional Chinese sugar – painting stall at the entrance, where you can get a free sugar – painted Disney character. The main purpose of coming here is to meet the cartoon star friends. They come to the dining area every half an hour to greet guests, dance, and take photos. The buffet price is 388 yuan per adult and 268 yuan per child aged 3 – 10, with an additional 15% service charge. The buffet doesn’t include drinks, which need to be ordered separately.
Toy Story Hotel
This hotel is more in a cute style, themed after the Disney·Pixar movie “Toy Story”. It has 800 rooms, and its exterior shape resembles the number 8 and the “infinity” symbol, which has auspicious meanings in Chinese culture.
The front – desk area is decorated with cute candy abacuses. The whole hotel is full of rich colors, like a candy house. The corridor columns look like they are made of toy pieces. The price of this hotel is about half of that of the Disney’s Paradise Hotel. They booked it on the official website for 1150 yuan per night, including a 15% service charge.
The carpets in the room corridors are printed with the IP images of “Toy Story”. Almost every detail in the room shows the figures of “Toy Story” cartoon stars. For example, the lamp has a pattern of Slinky Dog, and the bathtub curtain is also in a cartoon image. The most adorable thing is the bedside table, which is designed like a Rubik’s cube.
On the first basement floor, there is a children’s playroom where you can leave your kids under the care of the staff. The whole corridor is decorated with hand – painted wall paintings of “Toy Story”. There are also family activity centers in the hotel for various interactive activities, handicrafts, children’s games, and storytelling.
There are many benefits to staying at this hotel:
1. It’s cheaper than the Disney’s Paradise Hotel.
2. It’s closer to the park, suitable for those without the Premium Access Card to enter the park earlier.
3. There are free shuttle buses to the park, and you can enter the park one hour earlier through a dedicated channel.
4. When buying tickets at the hotel concierge, you can get a premium ticket for a popular project.
5. The room card and park card don’t need to be returned and can be kept as souvenirs.
6. You may encounter Woody, Jessie, and Buzz Lightyear greeting you.
7. Goods bought in Disney stores in the park (except the “Crystal Treasures” store) and in Disney Town can be delivered for free to the Big Bear Department Store in the hotel.
8. Hotel guests can store their luggage at the main entrance of Shanghai Disneyland or in the hotel.
There is a gift shop on the first floor of the lobby. In the open – air “Woody’s Roundup”, there is a life – size Woody riding his horse Red. The hotel consists of the Woody’s Cowboy Wing and the Buzz Lightyear Wing, forming an infinity symbol when viewed from above, which makes people think of Buzz Lightyear’s famous quote: “To infinity and beyond!” In the “Buzz Lightyear Courtyard”, there is a huge Buzz Lightyear welcoming guests. They had a meal at Sunshine Bazaar on the first basement floor, and there were Chinese kites with “Toy Story” animation stars floating above.
Shopping in Disney Town
After checking in at the Disney’s Paradise Hotel, they took the shuttle to Disney Town to buy some necessary items. There are seven Mickey Mouse statues made with traditional Chinese glazed techniques in Disney Town. These statues, made by Chinese artists, range from 1 to 1.2 meters in height. The seven – colored statues represent the five elements in Chinese culture (metal, wood, water, fire, and earth), as well as the dragon and phoenix symbolizing harmony.
Disney Town, located on the outskirts of Shanghai Disneyland and beside the Wishing Star Lake, combines shopping, dining, and entertainment. It covers an area of over 46,000 square meters, so it may seem a bit empty. It fully applies the traditional Shanghai Shikumen architectural style, full of Shanghai charm. The most famous one is the inflatable Donald Duck by the lake. It includes five major areas: “Town Square”, “Foodie Street”, “Broadway Avenue”, “Broadway Plaza”, and “Disney Town Lakeside”.
The first stop was the 3000 – square – meter Disney World Store, which has a nostalgic – style circular train turntable garage exterior, symbolizing travel and adventure. It has the most complete range of Disney products, including clothing, accessories, toys, and collectibles. There are also various specialty stores. Opposite it is the world’s largest Lego toy flagship store. There are also many restaurants in the town, such as Heytea and Cheese Factory. You can even go out of the park to have lunch here and then re – enter the park.
Playing in Shanghai Disneyland
Before entering Shanghai Disneyland, you need to do two things:
1. Download the official “Shanghai Disney Resort” app to check the queuing times and show schedules.
2. It’s advisable to buy a Shanghai Disney FP (Premium Access Card).
The FP can be bought on the official Shanghai Disney website or app, divided into classic and deluxe packages. In September 2020, the classic package cost 960 yuan per person (the price may fluctuate slightly according to the number of visitors). The benefits are:
1. You can enter the park quickly through a dedicated channel at the Disney Town entrance. You can pick up the premium card at the Walt Disney Grand Theatre with your ID card.
2. You get FastPasses for 8 major projects, including “Soaring: Over the Horizon”, “Roaring Rapids”, “Tron Lightcycle / Run”, “Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters”, “Peter Pan’s Flight”, “Seven Dwarfs Mine Train”, “The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh”, and “Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure”.
3. There are reserved viewing areas for the “Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire” and the “Ignite the Dream: Nighttime Spectacular”.
4. You can avoid queuing when buying a turkey leg.
Thanks to this card, the author experienced almost every worthwhile project in the park, even playing the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train twice.
Shanghai Disneyland has seven major themed lands: Mickey Avenue, Gardens of Imagination, Fantasyland, Adventure Isle, Treasure Cove, Tomorrowland, and the Disney·Pixar Toy Story Land.
As soon as they entered through the fast – pass lane, the first area on the left was Tomorrowland. It has six interactive play areas: Tron Lightcycle / Run, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, Jet Packs, Star Wars Launch Bay, Marvel Super Hero Headquarters, and Stitch Encounter, as well as the Starliner Diner.
Tomorrowland – Tron Lightcycle / Run
This is an exciting high – speed ride that gives you a thrilling experience as if you are flying into the future. The high – tech environment and the fast – paced speed make it a favorite among many visitors.
In conclusion, Shanghai Disney Resort offers a wonderful combination of accommodation, shopping, and entertainment. Whether you are a Disney fan or just looking for a fun and relaxing trip, it’s definitely worth a visit!
