Worthwhile Parks Near Shanghai?

Happy Valley is about an hour and 20 minute Metro ride from Disney. The Metro is real cheap and will only cost you a few dollars each way. The park has a great assortment of coasters. I really enjoyed my visit there.

From the Disney Metro station there is only one station change couldn't get any easier.

Are you staying at the Disney Resort?

Awesome, Paul! Thank you! I'm staying with friends about a half hour outside the city center. We'll likely stay on Disney property for a night or two, though.

We stayed at the Toy story hotel for about $130 per night. Staying at one of the resort hotels gives you access to a special entrance located next to the Wolf Gang Puck restaurant. You will be able to bypass the main entrance which can be more crowded than you have ever seen at any Disney park.

I have read some reports that only those that buy the tickets at the hotel can use the entrance. They also gave us a free Fast pass for each day. (Soarin is not one of them) We chose the Seven Dwarfs coaster for both days and it was a great choice.

Avoid eating at the park. It's much faster and cost the same to eat at Disney town. We ate at Wolf Gang and Cheesecake Factory. Good food and no wait.

Arrive atleast one hour early they open the gates early everyday.

That's fantastic advice, Paul! I just bought my flight yesterday, and I'm planning to be at the parks September 7-8. I can't wait!

Has anyone ever attempted to visit Shanghai Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland in the same trip?

Hi Clayton, I did that last Feb. Can I help?

Absolutely, Ben! I'd love some advice! I'm staying with a close friend in Suzhou, about 2 hours outside Shanghai proper. We're planning on taking 2 days to do the park and spending 2 nights at the Toy Story hotel. But, I'm wondering if this is really a 2-day park. Do you have any thoughts on that?

For me, one day was enough. FWIW, I skipped the rides I'd experienced elsewhere like Soarin', Seven Dwarves and Buzz. Yeah, Buzz is different in Shanghai, but given I've never been a fan of the other versions I had no great desire to sacrifice time on it there.

But with the extra time from dropping those I managed Pirates and Tron something like 8 times each. I managed to do everything else I wanted to do, including shows and mazes. And I visited during the crazy-busy New Year period. Longer hours, yes, but definitely with the crowds to make up for that. (The park really clear out post-fireworks though, hence marathon-ing Pirates at a walk-on single rider queue.)

I'm sure you could find entertainment for two days if you so desired - that'd give you a chance to ride the clones, visit Disneytown, blow a chunk of time getting a good spot for the evening show and have a less frenetic pace during the day.

For me, spending more than one day in a single theme park when I'm in a new place feels like a waste of my time - I only had four days in the Shanghai area and wanted to see/do as much as I could as it was my first time in China. But that's a matter of personal preference, and if you're going to have longer there, then I guess that's less of an issue for you anyway.

I didn't stay on-site, but it looks like it'd be even easier to do the park in one day if you did, given the FastPass reservation and early entry. Soarin' is the only ride that seems to have prohibitively long queues, so being able to do that first thing and use your FP on 7DMT would really free you up.

Lastly, whatever you do - don't miss out on the Challenge Trails! Best thing in the whole park as far as I'm concerned, and something I deeply wish Disney would clone over to my local DLP's Adventureland.

Fantastic! I'll be in Shanghai for a week, and it'll be my second time there, so I'm okay spending a couple days there, if it means I don't have to run around like crazy to get to everything. Where did you stay, if you don't mind me asking?

Thanks again!

I stayed at a hotel just off Nanjing Road, which seemed sensible at the time given its central location and the bargain rate I got. But was actually the only decision I made in my whole trip that I really regretted! It was convenient to get around (trip to SDL took me about an hour, I think) but I wish I'd invested a little more time & money and stayed in a nicer, less commercial neighbourhood.

Ah, gotcha. Don't stay on Nanjing Road, got it! :-)