If you ask me, Shanghai Disneyland is the most underrated Disney park! There are so many exciting things to do and it should definitely be on the bucket list if your kids (or you!) are Disney fans!
Here are some tips to consider if you’re planning to visit Shanghai Disneyland with kids.
1. Get a 2-Day Ticket
Shanghai Disneyland is the BIGGEST Disneyland in Asia. So if you want to explore it thoroughly, it’s best to get yourself a 2-Day Ticket.
Honestly though, if you plan well, get fast passes and don’t plan on riding every single ride, you can do it in a day. But the park is huge and it’s a long walk from one end to another so if you wanna explore leisurely without pressure, then give yourself 2 days.
2. Purchase Tickets at a Discounted Rate
I’m sure you know by now never to purchase tickets based on their published rates, right? Hehe. Always try to score cheaper tickets (after all, Disneyland ain’t cheap!)
I always go with KKday for my travel tickets and got our 2-day tickets there for Shanghai Disneyland. The rates at KKday are cheaper than getting at the official Shanghai Disneyland website, plus you even get additional discounts when you use the app!
IMPORTANT TIP: Bring your passport as cast members will be checking upon entry.
3. Download the App
I don’t know how people survived Disneyland before apps were created. Seriously! I was impressed the first time I used a Disneyland app when we visited Hong Kong 2 years ago. And now, the apps have only gotten better!
Here are my favorite features of the Shanghai Disneyland app. It gives you the following:
- Wait times for each ride in real time
- Schedule of the shows and parades
- Chance to book your fastpasses directly
- Ability to check your location via its GPS enabled map: Perfect for people who still can’t find their way even with a map in their hands (ahem)
You’re crazy if you plan on going without the app!
4. Stay at a Disney Hotel to Enjoy Priority Access
Booking at a Disney Hotel gives you different privileges but probably my favorite perk is having priority AND early access to the park!
We booked a night at Toy Story Hotel and we were able to enter Disneyland through the special entrance via Disneytown. You can also go in earlier than the scheduled opening time and you know what that means: you get to go on the popular rides before the lines get ridiculous! Hooray!
Check out our review of Toy Story Hotel here!
5. Make sure you have a game plan
Ok, now that you’re in, make sure you have a game plan so that you can maximize your time well.
- Do you plan on watching the parade/s or any of the shows? Find out what time they start and where so you can be sure to be around that area during that time.
- Which rides are on your must-ride list? Find out which of these have the longest wait time and make that your first stop once you enter the park because this is when wait time is shortest.
- Find out which of the rides you want to go on have Fastpass access and decide on the first one you will book. More below.
6. Book Your Fastpasses Upon Entering
Fastpasses are amazing. It allows you to book a slot at the ride of your choice early so you can come back for it at the designated time without having to go through the actual line.
Things to know about Fastpass access at Shanghai Disneyland:
- You can book your Fastpass tickets via the Shanghai Disneyland App
- It’s free!
- Not all rides have Fastpass access; you can check the app for the list
- You can book for your whole group; just scan their ticket’s QR codes
- You can only book once you’re already inside the park
- Once you book one, you’ll have to wait a few hours before you can book your next. So make sure the first one you book is your #1 choice
For us, I immediately booked Fastpass tickets for Soaring Over the Horizon, which is the ride that gets the longest wait time at Shanghai Disneyland! I booked upon entering at around 9:20am and got the 3pm time slot.
After 2 hours, I was allowed to book another so we booked for Tron for the 7pm time slot.
7. Bring a stroller
It’s my favorite tip for parents traveling to Disneyland with kids: make sure you bring your stroller! I’ve also mentioned this regarding Hong Kong Disneyland because we didn’t bring one back then and we regretted it so much. Now we’re wiser. Haha.
Shanghai Disneyland is big and there’s a lot of area to cover. The attractions area also spaced widely apart and it’s hard for little legs to keep up! I’m sure glad we brought our stroller! My son was even able to take a nap (and Mor and I were able to take turns riding Pirates of the Caribbean while he was napping. Ha!)
There are parking areas for strollers and cast members who take note and help secure them.
8. Secure spots early: Beware of people pushing!
To our dismay, we experienced a lot of people pushing themselves in front during the shows (parade, fireworks, etc.) and it was so annoying. Which is why it’s a must to secure good spots early AND to hold your fort and not give in! Haha jk. Or maybe not.
Our son was eagerly waiting for the parade to start and there were SEVERAL people (different times!) trying to sneak their way in front of him, blocking his view! Of course, this really frustrated us and we had to tell these people off for being so rude. 😐
Disclaimer: Obviously, this is not a blanket statement on all Shanghai Disneyland visitors. I am only saying that we experienced it a lot during our short visit and so I’m sharing a warning that this may also happen to you.
9. Skip the Halloween Parade if with younger kids
We were here a few days before Halloween and they had a night parade featuring Disney Villains. I thought it would just be a cute parade but oh boy was I wrong! My 4 year old didn’t find it cute at all. #parentingfail for me!
The villains were expectedly in character (shouting at the on lookers and giving evil glares.) But what surprised me were some of the scary elements in the floats. At one float, there were dementor looking figures on sticks, which Luke definitely found creepy! He voluntarily turned around and covered his eyes and told me to tell him when there are no more scary characters. Huhu.
10. Arm yourself with basic Mandarin phrases!
Shanghai Disneyland may be an international tourist destination but most of the cast members here still speak only very little English (and some speak no English at all!) So arm yourself with a few Mandarin words. What about “spoon and fork” for your kids?
Or better yet, download an app that allows you to translate English phrases to Mandarin and vice versa. Just make sure it’s downloadable offline OR that it’s not blocked by China’s Great Firewall.
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