Your Complete Family Guide to Shanghai Disneyland: Tips, Rides and Planning

Discover the magic of Shanghai Disneyland with our complete guide, featuring ranked rides, family-friendly tips, and essential planning advice.

Planning a family trip to Shanghai Disneyland? This comprehensive guide, based on our December 2024 visit, provides everything families need to know about visiting Shanghai Disney Resort. So go ahead and discover what you need to know before your visit, along with our tips and ride ratings to help you make the most of your magical journey. 

To find out more about visiting Shanghai, read here for our 8 Days Kids-friendly Itinerary for Shanghai with more family fun ideas and tips for your trip to Shanghai!

Background of our Trip

A trip to Shanghai Disneyland can be an unforgettable experience for families, with its world-class attractions, immersive rides, and magical ambiance. We like to share our experience and tips from our 2-day visit in December 2024. 

We stayed at the Disneyland Hotel that provided early access to the park, thus our experience may differ from families who do not stay at the Disneyland hotels (guest at both Disneyland Hotel and Toy Story Hotel enjoy a 1-hour early entry to the park). 

You should also note that our visit was in the winter period of December. This is generally a quieter lull period due to the cold weather. This meant that the park is not as packed as the summer months, and wait times for popular rides reached only 90 mins (compared to 3 hours mentioned online about summer months). 

Finally, do note that 2 popular rides were not open during our trip. Roaring Rapids and Discovery Trails were closed on both days, while we included them in our planning, we were unable to experience both rides. 

Ticketing and Entry Information

We purchased our Shanghai Disneyland tickets through Klook, taking advantage of an early bird promotion. The cost for 2 adults and 2 children was approximately $500 for two x 1-day tickets for the family ($241 per day). It’s also worth noting that guests staying at the Disneyland Hotel or Toy Story Hotel can buy tickets directly from the hotels, which guarantees entry on the days of your stay. We didn’t check if there was a price difference but this is worth considering for convenience.

We stayed at the Shanghai Disneyland Hotel, giving us the privilege of early entry, which allowed us to enter Disneyland an hour before official opening time. This advantage proved invaluable, as we were able to enjoy popular rides before the crowds arrived. This advantage is crucial as it enables you to experience some of the most popular rides before the crowds start to gather. We took the earliest bus from the Disneyland Hotel at 7 am and arrived at the park around 7.10 am. While gates are officially scheduled to open at 7.30 am, we noticed that lines started moving shortly after we arrive, giving us a head start.

Early entry is especially helpful during peak periods, though December is considered a quieter time due to the cold weather. Even so, queues for major rides stretched to 90 minutes by the afternoon.

What to Bring

To enter the park, don’t forget to bring your original passport (copies are not accepted), your hotel room key (if staying at one of the Disney hotels), and your booking (preferably printed). If you're visiting in December, be sure to pack an umbrella or poncho, as rain showers can occur.

Essential Preparations

• Download the Shanghai Disneyland App for real-time queue updates and navigation
• Set up Alipay before arrival (essential for payments throughout the park)
• Bring original passports (copies not accepted) - VERY IMPORTANT TO NOTE
• Bring your hotel key card, if you are hotel guests
• Print physical copies of bookings
• Pack weather-appropriate gear (umbrellas/ponchos for winter visits)

Disney Premier Access

The Disney Premier Access replaces the previous "Fast Pass" system. By purchasing the Disney Premier Access, you get priority access to selected rides at the park. You are not allowed to choose the rides in your pass, but to select different sets with predetermined sets of attractions. You can also purchase Disney Premier Access for a single attraction.

The Disney Premier Access can be purchased on the Shanghai Disneyland Official App, on the Shanghai Disney Resort WeChat Mini Program or on Klook. 

As we enjoyed the 1 hour early entry, we did not purchase the Disney Premier Access. However, if you are not a hotel guest, we do recommend that you purchase the access to make the most of your visit. 

Planning Your Rides: Maximising Your Time

Our 2-day plan allowed us to tackle the must-see rides on Day 1, giving us the flexibility to revisit favourites on Day 2. With early entry, we managed to experience several rides before the crowds filled the park.

Note that we had to skip a couple of attractions, including Roaring Rapids and Camp Discovery Trails, which were unavailable during our visit.

Day 1: Maximising Early Entry

Start your day with a photo in front of the Enchanted Storybook Castle—you can get a must-capture picture of the family in front of castle without any crowd.

Next, head straight to Tomorrowland to experience the Tron Lightcycle Power Run and Buzz Lightyear Planet Rescue before moving to Adventure Isle to try Soaring Over the Horizon and, if open, Roaring Rapids and Camp Discovery Trail, would have been part of our itinerary. 

For lunch, we ate at a random food venue within the park, before continuing our day with rides in Fantasyland, including Zootopia: In Hot Pursuit, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, and Voyage to the Crystal Grotto.

Don’t miss Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure at Treasure Cove.

On your first day, you will also want to catch these recommended shows. You can check the Shanghai Disneyland App for show timings:

• Eye of the Storm: Captain Jack’s Stunt Spectacular (Treasure Cove)
• Golden Fairytale Fanfare (Gardens of Imagination – Parade)
• ILLUMINATE! A Nighttime Celebration (Gardens of Imagination – Fireworks)

For the evening fireworks, arrive at least 90 minutes early for a good viewing spot. If you are early, you will get a spot in front of and centre to the castle. Do note that you will be seated on the floor while waiting for the show to start. We spent the time browsing, clearing and sharing photos while the kids took a nap while we waited. You can also leave your spot for the washroom but remember to get a "return pass" from the cast member to be allowed back to your area. 

Because it was a long wait, before the show started, people started to stand and stretch their legs. Once the show started, the cast members ensured that everyone remain seated so that your views are not blocked, which was great! 

After the fireworks, we dined at Disneytown (Cou Cou Steamboat), a perfect place to unwind after an exciting day.

Day 2: Revisit & Explore New Attractions

By Day 2, you’ll have ticked off most of the major attractions. If not, we highly recommend going straight for Zootopia: In Hot Pursuit (on busy days, there will even be a queue to just enter Zootopia even before queuing for the ride), followed by Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Pirates of the Caribbean if you missed them the day before.

You can also head to Toy Story Land for fun rides such as Rex’s Racer, Slinky Dog Spin, and Woody Roundup—these are perfect for younger kids.

Other attractions you may want to explore include the Alice in Wonderland Maze for photo opportunities, Mickey’s Storybook Adventure (a show), and Frozen Sing-Along Celebration.

For the evening, we chose to skip the fireworks to revisit some of the popular rides, as the queues tend to shorten when people gather for the nightly show.

Hidden Gem - Collecting Exclusive Shanghai Disneyland Stickers

A hidden gem for families visiting Shanghai Disneyland is the fun of collecting character stickers from cast members. Many staff carry stickers featuring beloved Disney characters, which they happily share with guests upon request. These stickers make great keepsakes and add a delightful layer of interaction for kids.

To maximise your collection, be friendly and polite when approaching cast members, especially those stationed at character meet-and-greet areas or ride entrances (not everyone has stickers). Simply ask if they have any stickers, you can ask "qing wen, ni you tie zhi ma?" (请问你有贴纸吗), which mean "excuse me, do you have any stickers?"

It’s a charming and free activity that keeps little ones engaged while exploring the park.

Ranking of Rides at Shanghai Disneyland

We will be ranking the rides that we took at Shanghai Disneyland based on our experience. These take into account the suitability for families and how much we enjoyed the rides. 

Note that these are not all the rides available at the park as there were rides that we did not managed to ride.

Best Rides for Families

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (10/10)

This family-friendly rollercoaster is the perfect mix of thrills and fun. It’s exciting enough for older kids but not too intense for younger ones. The wait time can extend to 90 minutes in the afternoon, so be sure to get there early.

TRON Lightcycle Power Run (9/10)

The highlight of Shanghai Disneyland! This fast and thrilling ride is perfect for thrill-seekers but will be too intense for younger children. It’s an unforgettable experience for the thrill-seekers. 

Zootopia: In Hot Pursuit (9/10)

The ride starts the fun even before you get on the ride. As recruits for the Zootopia Police Force, you’ll go through an interactive queue, with fun photo opportunities and a storyline that pulls you into the action. The ride itself is enjoyable and not too scary for kids.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for Sunken Treasure (9/10)

This cinematic, action-packed ride places you in the middle of a pirate ship battle with surprises at every turn. It’s thrilling but not too frightening for little ones, though some might find the darkness and pirate characters a little intimidating.

Watch out for a little surprise at the end!

Eye of the Storm: Captain Jack’s Stunt Spectacular (9/10)

A must-see show filled with impressive stunts, laughs, and wow moments. It’s exciting for the whole family, though the quality may vary slightly depending on the performers. Note that the show is performed in mandarin - you may lose out on some of the intricacies (especially at the beginning) if you do not speak the language, but overall you don't need to understand mandarin to enjoy this! 

ILLUMINATE! A Nighttime Celebration (9/10)

The fireworks display is a highlight of any visit to Disneyland. It’s great for photos and videos, and the crowd management was excellent during our visit. Just be prepared to arrive at least 90 minutes beforehand if you want a good spot.

Other Must-Try Rides

Voyage to the Crystal Grotto (8/10)

A relaxing boat ride through the Enchanted Storybook Castle, filled with fun photo opportunities with various Disney characters while on the boat. A calm and enjoyable experience for the whole family.

Buzz Lightyear Planet Rescue (8/10)

Perfect for younger children, this interactive ride lets you shoot targets with a blaster as you try to help Buzz Lightyear save the galaxy. The ride keeps score, giving it a competitive element that adds fun for the whole family.

Soaring Over the Horizon (7/10)

Imagine it as an IMAX experience where you will experience flying through beautiful landscapes. It's a little frightening hanging your feet from high up, and there are moments where you may feel the feeling of "swooping" down from the air. But overall, it is an immersive safe ride with very little actual movements.

Alice in Wonderland Maze (7/10)

The maze offers a couple of nice photo spots, but it really ranks highly since it is in the middle of the park, takes very little time and easily accessible at most times. So just head in and grab some photos!

Rides for When You Have Extra Time

Jet Packs (6/10)

A simple ride that allows you to get to probably the highest point at Disneyland Shanghai, giving you a view of the entire park. 

Slinky Dog Spin (6/10)

A fun but simple ride, especially loved by younger kids. It’s a classic amusement park ride, so it’s good for a quick thrill, but not essential. There are other amusement park rides at Toy Story that you may wish to try like the Rex's Racer and Woody's Roundup.

Hunny Pot Spin (6/10)

It's a simple tea cup ride but the kids had fun spinning around, and definitely hop on if you have the time and the queues are not long! 

Golden Fairytale Fanfare (6/10)

A parade featuring Disney princesses that is performed in front of the Enchanted Storybook Castle—great for photos, but you can skip it if you’re not a fan of the characters.

Peter Pan’s Flight (5/10)

A calm, whimsical ride through Neverland. It’s sweet, but not the most exciting ride at the park.

Mickey’s Storybook Adventure (5/10)

A character show that younger kids might enjoy, but it’s skippable if you’re looking to spend your time on rides.

Disney Winter Magic Cavalcade (5/10)

A holiday parade that can be missed if you’re not particularly interested in the characters. It’s a good opportunity to grab food while others are busy watching the parade.

Frozen: A Sing-Along Celebration (4/10)

Great for Frozen fans, but the songs are sung mainly in Mandarin, which may be a letdown for those expecting the English versions.

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (4/10)

A simple, gentle ride ideal for young kids, but not as thrilling as some of the park’s other attractions.

“Once Upon a Time” Adventure (3/10)

An exploration of the Enchanted Storybook Castle with photo spots and hidden gems to be spotted. Not essential unless you're a big fan of the princesses and definitely not great if you do not like stairs.

Meet & Greets and Performances

These happen throughout the day, throughout the park. We didn't make an effort to seek out any particular characters, and it will be best to check the Shanghai Disneyland App for timings if you have a character that you must meet!

You can simply join the queues for meet & greets when you see your favourite characters. But do note that these can take quite some time as the characters do spend time interacting with guests (which is great when it is your turn). 

Additional Tips

1. Download the Shanghai Disneyland App: This app is a lifesaver for navigating the park, checking queue times, and staying updated on show schedules. It’s a great tool for planning your day.

2. Arrive Early: With early entry for hotel guests, we had a head start. However, even without this privilege, it’s a good idea to get there as early as possible to avoid long queues.

3. Ticketing: Purchase your tickets in advance, preferably through a service like Klook to take advantage of early bird promotions.

4. Visit on Off-Peak Days: The park is quieter from Monday to Thursday during the winter months. Avoid weekends and summer, as queues can be much longer.

5. Set Up Alipay: Alipay is the most convenient way to pay for everything in the park and around Shanghai. Set it up ahead of your trip to save time.

6. Bring Your Passports: a reminder to bring your actual passports, copies are not accepted. They will turn you away if you do not have your passports at the entrance. 

Dining and Facilities

For dining, we were recommended Wandering Moon Teahouse and Barbossa’s Bounty, but we opted to eat at the nearest available spots to avoid the lunch rush. We also had lunch at irregular hours, allowing us more time for rides.

Facilities at the park include stroller rentals. There are also plenty of rest areas and battery pack rentals for charging your devices, which can be paid for via Alipay. Drinking water stations are available throughout the park, ensuring you can fill your bottles and stay hydrated.

In ending, we highly recommend you plan ahead so that you and your family can have an amazing experience filled with magic and fun at Shanghai Disneyland.