Robert Niles
Editor
Robert Niles

Invitation-only soft openings start at Shanghai Disneyland

May 7, 2016, 10:46 AM · Shanghai Disneyland is welcoming its first guests this weekend — including cast members and other invited local officials and commercial partners. Plenty of photos and a few video clips from Disney's newest theme park are showing up on social media, giving fans around the world their first unofficial, unfiltered look inside the gates of the sixth Magic Kingdom.


Let's take a look:

Here is our first real look at the new Soarin' Around the World show:

And here are some glimpses at the Tron Lightcycle Coaster in action:

Shanghai Disneyland opens officially on June 16. We have arranged for a writer to cover the opening for us, so keep following for more news and reviews from Disney's newest theme park!

Replies (17)

elerico
Eric Malone
May 7, 2016 at 11:02 AM · Dang, looks great!
anonymous
172.88.247.221
May 7, 2016 at 11:44 AM · I have a feeling (understatement) that this park will be a success. The pictures look like nothing we've ever seen in a Disney park. Even the level of detail in Pooh's Hunny Spin (wow those lanterns) and Buzz Lightyear's are light years above the domestic parks. And that Tron Launch - beyond awesome! I hope this is a preview to the quality of Star Wars Land.
tonyperkins
Tony Perkins
May 7, 2016 at 12:03 PM · Wow, looks amazing!!!
anonymous
104.173.229.187
May 7, 2016 at 1:00 PM · I hope I will be able to visit soon! Looks wonderful!
JamesGillies
Writer
James Koehl
May 7, 2016 at 1:19 PM · It does look impressive. How does the size compare to the other Disney Parks (Disneyland, Magic Kingdom, etc.)? Based solely on the photo, the castle looks like it is constructed with large areas of brick (or brick façade) which to me makes it look less like a castle and more like an enormous mansion, as if the Haunted Mansion at MK and the MK castle had a baby.
MaxLaZeb
Max LaZebnik
May 7, 2016 at 2:55 PM · Any photos of the new Pirates ride? I'm so determined to see how that looks!
anonymous
72.186.10.14
May 7, 2016 at 3:00 PM · Damn, this park looks really impressive! Can't wait to see how well the park does on opening day and read the reviews!
Anonymous878
Anon Mouse
May 7, 2016 at 4:34 PM · Surprised they used the same music for the new Soarin attraction. Shamu!!!. Tron looks really good.

No one crapping in a planter.

anonymous
173.55.54.180
May 7, 2016 at 5:59 PM · I am surprised at how well this turned out. It looks like the Chinese workers did their job. In fact, it looks better than ours.

What happened to the American parks?

robert
Editor
Robert Niles
May 7, 2016 at 8:34 PM · 10-million-plus tourists a year for 15-60 years?
CalvinEggnog
Gabriel Schroll
May 8, 2016 at 5:01 AM · Can't wait! I hope there is a blue sky when I go, but it should be awfully exciting. Test Track gave Tron a bad name. These light cycles seem to do it justice. Looks really great!

I actually think the photos make the park look really really flat. Just my two cents. Not that there should be skyscrapers or mountains.

I wonder what's more crowded? Opening weekend at Shanghai Disneyland? Or an average weekend at Tokyo Disney? Lol.

SC121
Sylvain Comeau
May 7, 2016 at 11:39 PM · Let's hope the park is a hit. Then maybe, just maybe, they'll stop taking it out on the stateside parks. Enough with the cheap, stingy, penny-pinching cutbacks!
CalvinEggnog
Gabriel Schroll
May 8, 2016 at 4:53 AM · Once this park is open, what will our new hashtag be, for complaints against Disney?

SC121
Sylvain Comeau
May 8, 2016 at 10:16 AM · If they do right by their parks, we won't need one.
KeithSchneider
Keith Schneider
May 8, 2016 at 11:16 AM · SPECTACULAR! Truly an epic park on par with EuroDisneyland and DisneySea at their openings. How they expand the resort will be exciting to see. Congratulations Imagineering, Shanghai Disneyland is a masterpiece!
phobicgalvan
Daniel Galvan
May 8, 2016 at 7:09 PM · I will venture to say that, upon opening, this is the best Magic Kingdom yet.
anonymous
72.134.17.102
May 8, 2016 at 7:57 PM · Not really a fan of the castle, but the Tron coaster looks cool! I agree with Gabriel Schroll that the park looks really flat. It almost doesn't feel like a Disney Park, but that may be because it's so different than what we're used to.

Another thing that is off-putting for me is the lack of greenery from the aerial pics/footage that I've seen. It looks like a concrete jungle, especially compared to Disneyland. I just want this park to be successful so DLR can stop with the budget cuts. I also really want to see the Pirate's ride because I think it will be incredible!

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First on-ride video of Disney's Tron Lightcycle Power Run coaster

First on-ride video of Disney's Tron Lightcycle Power Run coaster

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