Shanghai Disneyland Guide: Must-Try Attractions, Ticket Comparison, Skip-the-Line Premier Access, Mobile App User Guide

Shanghai Disneyland is the first Disney theme park in mainland China and remains the only Disneyland in the country. Its biggest selling point is the world’s only “Zootopia” themed land. Since its opening in 2016, the park has become a must-visit dream destination for countless travelers to Shanghai. This year (2026), Shanghai Disneyland celebrates its 10th anniversary with a series of limited-time festivities.

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Shanghai Disneyland 10th Anniversary Limited-Time Events: New Castle Show, Parade, and Fireworks Display

2026 marks the 10th anniversary of Shanghai Disneyland, and the resort has rolled out a series of celebrations, including:

• 🏰 The all-new large-scale entertainment production “Heart of Wonder” Castle Show – Mickey and friends lead a host of Disney characters on an adventure in front of the magical Disney castle, journeying through nine classic Disney stories and introducing many new characters making their debut.
• 🚂 New parade lineups – The 2026 10th anniversary limited “Friendship Express” special parade featuring Duffy and friends, and the new “Mickey’s Storybook Express” parade incorporating Zootopia characters like Judy and Nick.
• 💥”Illuminate! A Nighttime Celebration” spectacularly upgraded – The castle light show adds a brand new segment where Mickey wields magic, combining fountains and fireworks to create a dreamy night for visitors.

1. 10th Anniversary Limited-Time New Parades

To celebrate the 10th anniversary, Shanghai Disneyland is launching two brand new parades in 2026, including the “Friendship Express: A Special Parade with Duffy and Friends” and “Mickey’s Storybook Express“. These two parades share the same route and occur back-to-back, allowing guests to enjoy both parades consecutively.

1. “Friendship Express”: A Special Parade with Duffy and Friends

Duffy and friends will don their new 10th-anniversary celebration-exclusive outfits, appearing before fans on the all-new “Friendship Express” float, inviting the audience to dance and celebrate together.

🕒 Parade Times: Twice daily, starting at 12:05 and 15:35 respectively.

2. Mickey’s Storybook Express

Led by Mickey Mouse, this parade brings together a cast of Disney fairytale characters aboard uniquely themed floats to celebrate the 10th anniversary with guests lining the route. In addition to familiar faces like Elsa, Anna, and Olaf from Frozen, several new Zootopia floats join the parade procession, bringing a concert-like atmosphere akin to “Gazelle’s concert”.

🕒 Parade Times: Twice daily, starting at 12:15 and 15:45 respectively.

Parade Route

The “Friendship Express” and “Mickey’s Storybook Express” parades follow the same route, starting from the southern entrance of Toy Story Land, traveling along the main road through Gardens of Imagination, and ending near the entrance to Zootopia. From start to finish, the parade lasts approximately 30 minutes.

2. Shanghai Disneyland Light and Fireworks Show

As night falls, just before the park closes, the most anticipated show at Shanghai Disneyland begins. This show is the “Illuminate! A Nighttime Celebration” light show, followed by the “Magic All Around: A Special 10th Birthday Celebration” fireworks display.

Although divided into two performances, “Illuminate! A Nighttime Celebration” and “Magic All Around: A Special 10th Birthday Celebration“, the lights and fireworks form a continuous show. First, the “Illuminate! A Nighttime Celebration” light performance begins, immediately followed by the “Magic All Around: A Special 10th Birthday Celebration” fireworks. Both performances take place at the centrally located Disney Castle, with the best viewing area being “Gardens of Imagination” in front of the castle. For a better spot, you can also purchase Disney Premier Access, priced at ¥299 per person.

The light and fireworks show typically occurs only once per day. “Illuminate! A Nighttime Celebration” starts at 21:15, while “Magic All Around: A Special 10th Birthday Celebration” begins at 21:30. However, during peak seasons like weekends and holidays, an additional showing of both “Illuminate! A Nighttime Celebration” and “Magic All Around: A Special 10th Birthday Celebration” is added at 20:00 and 20:15 respectively.

Introduction to Shanghai Disneyland’s Eight Themed Lands

Shanghai Disneyland currently features eight themed lands, including:

• 🎈 Mickey Avenue
• 🏰 Gardens of Imagination
• 🎠 Fantasyland
• 🌊 Adventure Isle
• 🏴‍☠️ Treasure Cove
• 🎡 Tomorrowland
• 🤠 Disney·Pixar Toy Story Land
• 🦊 Zootopia

In 2027, a ninth Spider-Man themed land is set to open, highlighting a Spider-Man roller coaster, along with a Spider-Man themed shop, restaurant, and interactive facilities. Its opening is expected to draw another wave of Marvel fans for a pilgrimage.

1. Mickey Avenue

Upon entering the park, you are greeted by this bustling welcome avenue. This is the place to meet and take photos with classic characters like Mickey, Minnie, and Donald Duck. The retro, fairytale-inspired buildings lining the street house the park’s largest store and specialty eateries.

The border of Mickey Avenue and the adjacent land “Gardens of Imagination” hosts the 10th-anniversary limited event “Disney Color-Fest: A Street Party!“, and this area is also a popular spot for watching the parade. Furthermore, the location hosts one of Shanghai Disneyland’s most popular shows, “Mickey’s Storybook Adventure“.

2. Gardens of Imagination

This is the first garden-themed land in a Disney park worldwide, inspired by traditional Chinese gardens. It’s an excellent location to watch the “Heart of Wonder” castle show, as well as “Illuminate! A Nighttime Celebration” and the fireworks.

🎆 Main shows and attractions within the “Gardens of Imagination” land include:

• Heart of Wonder Castle Show
• Illuminate! A Nighttime Celebration
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant
• Fantasia Carousel

3. Fantasyland

Located in the park’s center, “Fantasyland” occupies the largest area and is home to Disney Castle. The magnificent “Enchanted Storybook Castle” is the tallest and largest Disney castle in the world, bringing together the stories of every Disney Princess.

🎆 Main shows and attractions within the “Fantasyland” land include:

• Frozen: A Sing-Along Celebration
• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• Voyage to the Crystal Grotto
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• Hunny Pot Spin
• Once Upon a Time Adventure

4. Adventure Isle

This land is themed around forest exploration, filled with mystery and the unknown, notably featuring wilderness climbing challenges.

🎆 Main shows and attractions within the “Adventure Isle” land include:

• Soaring Over the Horizon
• Roaring Rapids
• Camp Discovery Challenge Trails
• Camp Discovery Young Adventurers’ Area

5. Treasure Cove

The first land globally themed around the “Pirates of the Caribbean” film series, it is brimming with Caribbean-style architecture from the Age of Piracy and a nautical atmosphere, complete with a massive battle galleon, making you feel like you’ve stepped into that golden age of seafaring.

🎆 Main shows and attractions within the “Treasure Cove” land include:

• Eye of the Storm: Captain Jack’s Stunt Spectacular
• Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure
• Explorer Canoes

6. Tomorrowland

“Tomorrowland” is a land exuding futurism and technology, designed using the movie “Tron: Legacy” as a blueprint. The land features the world’s first TRON Lightcycle Power Run attraction, which is the fastest roller coaster among all Disney parks globally.

🎆 Main shows and attractions within the “Tomorrowland” land include:

• TRON Lightcycle Power Run
• Jet Packs
• Buzz Lightyear Planet Rescue

7. Disney·Pixar Toy Story Land

“Disney·Pixar Toy Story Land” is themed around “Toy Story” and is filled with classic characters like Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Jessie, Slinky Dog, Mr. Potato Head, Rex, and the Aliens.

🎆 Main shows and attractions within the “Disney·Pixar Toy Story Land” land include:

• Rex’s Racers
• Woody’s Round-Up
• Slinky Dog Spin

8. Zootopia

Shanghai Disneyland’s biggest exclusive highlight is the world’s first “Zootopia” themed land, which opened on December 20, 2023. As the park’s eighth themed land, it has become the most attractive and popular area since its opening. During crowded periods, “Zootopia” implements crowd control measures, requiring guests to queue to enter the land itself, with waiting times potentially ranging from half an hour to an hour.

Stepping into “Zootopia”, you’re instantly immersed in the film’s mammalian metropolis. Along the land’s main thoroughfare, “Mane Street”, stand distinctive buildings inspired by the habits of various animal species, brimming with surprises and thoughtful details everywhere.

“Zootopia: Hot Pursuit” is the sole attraction within the “Zootopia” land and the most popular ride in Shanghai Disneyland, with queue times measured in hours. During the ride, guests board a police cruiser to join Officer Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde on a thrilling chase. The attraction features meticulously designed scenes like Glacier Town, Sahara Square, and the Rainforest District, utilizing cutting-edge audio-animatronic technology to bring the film’s characters vividly to life right before your eyes.

Besides the must-ride “Zootopia: Hot Pursuit” and discovering numerous surprising photo spots throughout the land, a unique snack inspired by the paw-shaped popsicles Nick sells in the movie, the Pawpsicle, is also a must-try treat here. The pink paw print shape of the Pawpsicle is super eye-catching, though the hawthorn flavor might not appeal to everyone. I just took a few bites and didn’t finish it, mostly using it for a photo opportunity.

Must-See Shows and Must-Do Attractions at Shanghai Disneyland

When visiting Shanghai Disneyland, the main activities generally fall into these five categories:

• Watching the parades;
• Watching the light and fireworks show;
• Watching the stage shows;
• Riding the attractions;
• Meeting and taking photos with Disney characters.

The parades, light show, and fireworks have already been introduced above. Let’s now introduce some must-see shows and must-do rides at Shanghai Disneyland.

1. Must-See Shows at Shanghai Disneyland

Watching stage shows is an important part of any Disney park visit. The show lineup at Shanghai Disneyland includes:

• “Heart of Wonder” Castle Show
• Disney Color-Fest: A Street Party!
• Mickey’s Storybook Adventure
• Frozen: A Sing-Along Celebration
• Eye of the Storm: Captain Jack’s Stunt Spectacular

All these shows are worth watching. If time permits, it’s recommended to see each one. If time is limited, the top recommendation is “Mickey’s Storybook Adventure”, followed by the “Heart of Wonder Castle Show”. Frozen fans also shouldn’t miss “Frozen: A Sing-Along Celebration“.

1. “Heart of Wonder” Castle Show

The “Heart of Wonder Castle Show” is an outdoor live entertainment and stage performance held in Gardens of Imagination. On the stage in front of the Disney Castle, Mickey and friends lead the audience through nine classic Disney stories, encountering new characters and enjoying freshly interpreted classic melodies.

🕒 Show Times: Four shows daily, at 10:15, 13:05, 14:50, and 16:35.

🎁 Can Disney Premier Access be purchased? No.

2. Disney Color-Fest: A Street Party!

“Disney Color-Fest: A Street Party!” is an outdoor meet-and-greet style show taking place on the parade route avenue between “Mickey Avenue” and “Gardens of Imagination”. Mickey, Minnie, and Donald Duck, clad in pop art-inspired outfits, lead everyone in dancing.

🕒 Show Times: Three shows daily, at 10:45, 14:00, and 17:00.

🎁 Can Disney Premier Access be purchased? No.

3. Mickey’s Storybook Adventure

“Mickey’s Storybook Adventure” is the most popular stage show at Shanghai Disneyland, with a duration of approximately 28 minutes. The story follows Mickey, Goofy, and Olaf’s adventure in a magical library, traversing 13 classic Disney tales and encountering 23 Disney friends.

🕒 Show Times: Seven shows daily, approximately one per hour, at 10:40, 11:40, 12:45, 13:50, 15:05, 16:10, and 17:15.

🎁 Can Disney Premier Access be purchased? Yes, ¥180 per person.

4. Frozen: A Sing-Along Celebration

“Frozen: A Sing-Along Celebration” is a live stage show held at the Evergreen Playhouse, lasting about 20 minutes. The audience joins Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, and Olaf for an interactive performance, immersed in the sing-along fun from “Frozen 2”.

🕒 Show Times: Ten shows daily, approximately every 45-60 minutes, at 10:45, 11:30, 12:15, 13:15, 14:00, 15:30, 16:30, 17:15, and 18:00.

🎁 Can Disney Premier Access be purchased? Yes, ¥180 per person.

5. Eye of the Storm: Captain Jack’s Stunt Spectacular

“Eye of the Storm: Captain Jack’s Stunt Spectacular” is a “Pirates of the Caribbean” stage show performed at the Fantagio Theatre in Treasure Cove, lasting about 30 minutes. The production features grand-scale action effects, with a plot that is both thrilling and hilarious.

🕒 Show Times: Twelve shows daily, approximately every 30-40 minutes, at 10:30, 11:10, 11:50, 13:00, 13:30, 14:00, 14:30, 15:10, 16:30, 17:00, 17:30, and 18:10.

🎁 Can Disney Premier Access be purchased? Yes, ¥180 per person.

2. Must-Do Attractions at Shanghai Disneyland

Rides are the core focus of a theme park visit. Shanghai Disneyland has over 30 attractions, including thrilling roller coaster-type rides, as well as milder experiences suitable for cautious guests, children, and families.

While the definition of a must-do ride can vary significantly from person to person, the following are undeniably must-experience attractions at Shanghai Disneyland.

🚀 Thrilling Attractions: High-speed, adrenaline-pumping rides perfect for young guests seeking extreme experiences.

• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
• Roaring Rapids
• TRON Lightcycle Power Run
• Jet Packs
• Rex’s Racers

🏰 Family-Friendly Attractions: Moderate thrill rides with superb immersive experiences, suitable for all guests.

• Zootopia: Hot Pursuit
• Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure
• Soaring Over the Horizon

🎠 Kids’ Favorites: Mild rides suitable for young children and families.

• Peter Pan’s Flight
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• Hunny Pot Spin
• Slinky Dog Spin
• Woody’s Round-Up
• Buzz Lightyear Planet Rescue

🏴‍☠️ Outdoor Adventure Activities: Physically engaging outdoor activities.

• Explorer Canoes
• Camp Discovery Challenge Trails
• Camp Discovery Young Adventurers’ Area

1. Zootopia: Hot Pursuit

“Zootopia: Hot Pursuit” is the most popular attraction at Shanghai Disneyland. If you could only experience one ride at Shanghai Disney, it would undoubtedly be “Hot Pursuit”. This is an indoor trackless ride experience where guests, as new police officers of the Zootopia Police Department, board a cruiser with Judy and Nick to chase down an escaped villainous sheep, speeding through Glacier Town, Sahara Square, and the Rainforest runway. The thrill level is mild, with small drops and dark scenes, making it suitable for families.

👶 Height Requirement: 81 cm

🎁 Can I purchase Disney Premier Access? Yes, 180 RMB per person.

2. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

“Seven Dwarfs Mine Train” is a thrilling outdoor roller coaster that races through the diamond mine from *Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs*.

👶 Height requirement: 97 cm

🎁 Can I purchase Disney Premier Access? Yes, 180 RMB per person.

3. Soaring Over the Horizon

“Soaring Over the Horizon” is a 9D dome screen flight simulator experience. Guests sit in suspended seats to embark on an aerial adventure, enjoying scenic views of the Earth from above. The experience includes sensations of sudden drops, turns, and dives, but relies mainly on visual effects, so it is not intensely thrilling.

👶 Height requirement: 102 cm

🎁 Can I purchase Disney Premier Access? Yes, 180 RMB per person.

4. TRON Lightcycle Power Run – Presented by Chevrolet

“TRON Lightcycle Power Run” is one of the most thrilling, exciting, and popular high-speed roller coaster rides at Shanghai Disneyland, featuring sudden drops and dark scenes. Guests enter the digital world of TRON and race through the darkness on Lightcycles.

👶 Height requirement: 122 cm

🎁 Can I purchase Disney Premier Access? Yes, 180 RMB per person.

5. Roaring Rapids

“Roaring Rapids” is a white-water rafting adventure. Guests board a raft and venture into the dark depths, racing against a colossal beast and churning through the rapids. The ride features splashes, sudden drops, and dark scenes.

👶 Height requirement: 107 cm

🎁 Can I purchase Disney Premier Access? Yes, 180 RMB per person.

6. Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure

“Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure” is an immersive experience based on the film franchise. Guests join Captain Jack Sparrow’s pirate crew on a treasure hunt, where they might encounter sea monsters along the way. The ride includes dark scenes but offers only mild thrills with small drops, making it suitable for families.

👶 Height requirement: 81 cm

🎁 Can I purchase Disney Premier Access? Yes, 180 RMB per person.

7. Rex’s Racer

“Rex’s Racer” is a thrilling pendulum ride. With the help of Triceratops Tracy, Rex invites guests to board a remote-controlled racer for an adventure on a “U”-shaped track.

👶 Height requirement: 120 cm

🎁 Can I purchase Disney Premier Access? Yes, 180 RMB per person.

8. Peter Pan’s Flight

“Peter Pan’s Flight” is a family-friendly ride where guests soar through the sky with Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, and friends on a journey to Never Land.

👶 Height requirement: 81 cm

🎁 Can I purchase Disney Premier Access? Yes, 140 RMB per person.

9. Woody’s Round-Up

“Woody’s Round-Up” is a family-friendly ride where guests sway to the music in western wagons.

👶 Height requirement: 81 cm

🎁 Can I purchase Disney Premier Access? Yes, 140 RMB per person.

10. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

“The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh” is a family-friendly ride where guests board a Hunny Pot and journey into the Hundred Acre Wood to explore the world of Winnie the Pooh and his friends.

👶 Height requirement: None

🎁 Can I purchase Disney Premier Access? Yes, 140 RMB per person.

11. Dumbo the Flying Elephant

“Dumbo the Flying Elephant” is a family-friendly ride where guests take flight with Dumbo high in the air.

👶 Height requirement: None

🎁 Can I purchase Disney Premier Access? Yes, 140 RMB per person.

12. Jet Packs

“Jet Packs” is a spinning ride where guests strap on jet packs and accelerate in circles high in the air, experiencing the exhilaration of a futuristic journey.

👶 Height requirement: 112 cm

🎁 Can I purchase Disney Premier Access? No.

13. Slinky Dog Spin

“Slinky Dog Spin” is a family-friendly, kid-sized mini roller coaster. Guests climb aboard Slinky Dog and chase his tail around a giant dish of toy bones.

👶 Height requirement: None

🎁 Can I purchase Disney Premier Access? No.

14. Hunny Pot Spin

“Hunny Pot Spin” is a family-friendly spinning teacup-style ride. Guests can take control of their own spinning Hunny Pot as they join Winnie the Pooh and friends in the search for a tasty treat.

👶 Height requirement: None

🎁 Can I purchase Disney Premier Access? No.

Shanghai Disneyland Tickets & Priority Pass Guide

The price of Shanghai Disneyland tickets is much higher than that of Tokyo Disneyland tickets. A one-day ticket for Shanghai Disneyland starts from 499 RMB, while the lowest price for a one-day ticket at Tokyo Disneyland is just 9,400 JPY, which is only about 405 RMB at the current exchange rate—a difference of roughly 20%.

However, Shanghai Disneyland is home to the world’s only Zootopia-themed land. Driven by the popularity of the *Zootopia* movie in recent years, many fans are willing to spare no expense to make a pilgrimage here.

Below, I will compare the prices of Shanghai Disneyland tickets across different platforms to see where to buy them cheapest. Additionally, based on personal experience, I’ll analyze which attractions are worth buying the “Disney Premier Access” for, and which packages combining tickets and priority access offer the best value.

1. Shanghai Disneyland Tickets: Where to Find the Best Deal?

Shanghai Disneyland tickets are all date-specific, meaning they can only be used on a specified date. Tickets are categorized into Standard, Child, and Senior tickets. Children under 3 enter for free. Child and Senior tickets are priced the same, which is roughly 25% off the adult ticket price.

• Child Ticket – Ages 3 to 11
• Standard Ticket – Ages 12 to 59
• Senior Ticket – Ages 60 and above

1. Comparing Prices Across Platforms

Besides the official channels (official website, app, WeChat mini-program), Shanghai Disneyland tickets can also be purchased on major travel platforms such as Klook, Trip.com, and KKday.

Below is a price comparison (in RMB) between the official channels and the three major travel platforms mentioned above. (Note: Prices shown are the lowest standard ticket prices for weekdays; prices during holiday periods can be 30-50% higher, but the overall comparison is essentially the same.)

Notes:

1. Early Bird tickets must be purchased at least 10 days in advance.
2. The price for Early Bird 1-Day Tickets on Klook and KKday is 459 RMB, which includes a 30 RMB voucher usable inside the park. After deducting the voucher, the effective price is 429 RMB.
3. A 1.5-Day Ticket allows entry after 3:00 PM on the first day and full-day entry on the second day.
4. Except for Klook, purchasing a Family Ticket for 2 Adults and 1 Child saves about 8-10% compared to buying 2 adult tickets and 1 child ticket separately.
5. Purchasing a Family Ticket for 1 Adult and 1 Child saves about 11-15% compared to buying 1 adult ticket and 1 child ticket separately.

As the price comparison above shows, official channels are generally more expensive than travel platforms. Therefore, even though tickets can be bought on the official website and the “Shanghai Disney Resort App,” it is not advisable to purchase through official channels.

Among the three major travel platforms we compared, Klook and Trip.com offer similar, and the cheapest, prices.

For a family of two parents and one child (aged 3-11), the cheapest option is to purchase the 2 Adult + 1 Child Family Ticket on Trip.com. During our Easter trip to Shanghai Disneyland, we bought this Family Ticket through Trip.com because it was the cheapest option, and there was a 50 RMB Easter promo code for Shanghai Disneyland’s 10th anniversary at the time, making it significantly cheaper than other platforms.

For a family of two parents and two children, the most affordable way is to purchase two sets of the 1 Adult + 1 Child Family Tickets on either Klook or Trip.com.

If your group consists entirely of individuals aged 12 to 59, the most cost-effective method is to buy 1-Day Tickets on Klook. Not only is it the cheapest, but it also allows free cancellation up to 7 days in advance.

Note: These prices were accurate at the time of updating this article. Prices on different platforms may change due to sales policies and promotional activities, so it’s recommended to compare on each platform before purchasing.

>> Click to Compare Shanghai Disneyland Ticket Prices <<

2. How to Use Your Ticket

Shanghai Disneyland tickets purchased through online platforms do not require a physical ticket to be collected beforehand. During purchase, you need to provide each guest’s name and ID number. Hong Kong and Macau residents use their Home Return Permit number, Taiwan residents use their Mainland Travel Permit number, mainland Chinese residents use their ID card number, and foreign nationals use their passport number.

Once purchased, the ticket is linked to the provided ID number. Upon entry, simply present your ID document to the staff for scanning. After successfully reading your information, the staff will still print a physical ticket for each guest. This physical ticket serves not only as a souvenir but has a practical use: if you have purchased “Disney Premier Access,” the access details are linked to this ticket, and you only need to present the QR code on the physical ticket for scanning at the Priority Access lanes.

2. Shanghai Disney Premier Access: Which Attractions Are Must-Buys? What’s the Best Strategy?

Although a Shanghai Disneyland ticket includes unlimited access to all rides and shows within the park, the sheer number of visitors, especially on Saturdays, Sundays, and mainland Chinese holidays, means the park gets extremely crowded. Queue times for popular attractions often exceed 2 hours.

Based on our last two visits, without purchasing fast pass, half of the day at the park is spent queuing. In a single day, you might only manage to experience 4 to 6 attractions or shows, wasting precious time and leaving you exhausted, dampening the whole experience. If you don’t want to spend too much time in queues, wasting your playtime, the only solution is to use money to buy time.

The fast pass (priority pass) at Shanghai Disneyland is called “Disney Premier Access” (DPA), just like at Tokyo Disneyland. Holding a Disney Premier Access allows you to use the fast lane and enter directly at the ride boarding area, skipping the regular queue.

1. Shanghai Disney Premier Access Prices

Shanghai Disneyland “Premier Access” single-ride prices are divided into two tiers: 180 RMB and 140 RMB. The more popular attractions are priced at 180 RMB. Disney Premier Access prices are the same for everyone aged 3 and above.

Compared to the DPA at Tokyo Disneyland, Shanghai Disneyland’s Premier Access is more expensive. Tokyo Disneyland DPA single-ride prices are divided into 2,500 JPY, 2,000 JPY, and 1,500 JPY tiers, which, at the current exchange rate, equate to roughly 108 RMB, 86 RMB, and 65 RMB respectively.

Not all attractions at Shanghai Disneyland offer Premier Access. Below are the attractions with available Premier Access and their prices:

Besides rides, entertainment shows also offer Premier Access. Holders of Premier Access can enter a reserved viewing area with a better vantage point, allowing them to skip the need to queue early and still enjoy the show from great seats.

Below are the entertainment shows at Shanghai Disneyland with available Premier Access and their prices:

2. Which Premier Access Is Worth Buying?

Although 14 attractions and 4 entertainment shows offer Premier Access, it’s not necessary to buy DPA for every single one.

The absolute hottest attraction at Shanghai Disneyland is undoubtedly “Zootopia: Hot Pursuit“. Even on weekdays, the wait time is often over an hour. During weekends and mainland Chinese holidays, the queue can typically last 2 to 3 hours. Moreover, on busy days, entering the Zootopia land itself often requires queuing, and the wait time is usually over half an hour.

Therefore, if you visit Shanghai Disneyland during peak season, you should definitely purchase “Disney Premier Access” for “Zootopia: Hot Pursuit”. Holding a Premier Access for “Zootopia: Hot Pursuit” not only lets you skip the line for the ride itself via the priority lane but also allows you to skip the queue to enter the Zootopia land, which makes it feel like a much better deal compared to other attractions also priced at 180 RMB.

However, the regular queue for “Zootopia: Hot Pursuit”, before reaching the boarding platform, features many highly interesting movie scenes from *Zootopia*, making it a popular photo spot. But most of these scenes are only accessible to those in the regular queue, not the priority lane. Therefore, if you are not visiting during peak season and the wait is under an hour, I would suggest skipping the Premier Access and queuing normally for a more enjoyable experience.

Besides “Zootopia: Hot Pursuit,” the “Seven Dwarfs Mine Train” and “TRON Lightcycle Power Run” are two other hot-ticket attractions with long wait times. If you enjoy thrilling rides, you might also need to consider buying Premier Access for these two.

As for other rides and shows, I personally feel that if you’re in a very comfortable financial situation and money is no object, you could purchase them, otherwise you can save your money.

3. Where Can Disney Premier Access Be Purchased?

Single-ride “Disney Premier Access” can only be purchased after entering the park through the “Shanghai Disney Resort App.” For a detailed step-by-step guide, please refer to the “Purchasing Disney Premier Access” section in the “Shanghai Disney Resort Mobile App Detailed User Guide” below.

Besides purchasing individual rides, you can also buy packages that include multiple attractions or combo tickets that include both admission and DPA for specific rides. These sets and combo tickets can be pre-purchased before entering the park through the official website (including the app and WeChat mini-program), as well as on platforms like Klook, Trip.com, and KKday.

However, the items included in these packages and combo tickets are usually bundled with some less popular attractions that don’t typically have long wait times. There is generally little need to buy DPA for those attractions, so buying packages or combos might not be the most cost-effective strategy.

Here are two combo tickets that are worth considering:

3. Early Park Entry Pass

The “Early Park Entry Pass” grants priority admission, allowing you to enter the park one hour early. Shanghai Disneyland’s official opening time is 8:30 AM, so Early Park Entry Pass holders can enter as early as 7:30 AM.

If you’re visiting Disney for a leisurely experience or a family trip and don’t plan on waking up extremely early to rush around, the Early Park Entry Pass won’t be very useful.

Also, if you’re staying at one of the two official Shanghai Disney Resort hotels (Shanghai Disneyland Hotel and Toy Story Hotel), hotel guests already enjoy early entry privileges, so there’s no need to purchase the Early Park Entry Pass separately.

The Early Park Entry Pass costs RMB 199 and can be purchased on its own or as part of a combo package with admission tickets. The Early Park Entry Pass and packages are available on the official website (including the app and WeChat Mini Program) and on Trip.com. They are not available on Klook or KKday.

Detailed Guide to the Shanghai Disney Resort Mobile App

The Shanghai Disneyland mobile app is an essential tool for visiting the park. In addition to viewing the park map, finding facility locations, navigation, and checking queue times, you can also use it to purchase skip-the-line Disney Premier Access and obtain Standby Passes.

Based on my last two visits to Shanghai Disneyland, the following is a detailed guide on how to use the Shanghai Disney Resort App, covering functions like registering an account, linking tickets, purchasing Disney Premier Access, obtaining Standby Passes, checking queue times, finding facility locations within the park, and navigation.

1. Downloading and Installing the Shanghai Disney Resort App

iPhone users can search for “Shanghai Disney” in the App Store. Android users can search for “Shanghai Disney” on Google Play. You can also click the links below on your phone to go directly to the app’s page on the App Store or Google Play.

• Shanghai Disney Resort App (App Store iOS Version)
• Shanghai Disney Resort App (Google Play Android Version)

2. Selecting a Language

The “Shanghai Disney Resort App” offers two language choices: Simplified Chinese and English. To switch languages, go to the “My” tab in the app, tap “Language Settings”, select “简体中文” (Simplified Chinese) or “English”, and then tap “Confirm”.

Note: The tutorial below uses the Simplified Chinese version of the “Shanghai Disney Resort App”.

3. Registering an Account

Using the “Shanghai Disney Resort App” requires a registered account. Registration is simple; just enter your mobile number, receive a verification code, and input the code to complete the account setup.

[Step 1] Go to the “My” tab and tap “Log In or Create a Disney Account”. Select your country code, then enter your mobile number.

[Step 2] Check the boxes for the terms and conditions, then tap “Log In or Create a Disney Account”. After completing the puzzle verification, your phone will receive a verification code.

[Step 3] Enter the verification code to complete registration.

4. Main Features of the Shanghai Disneyland App

The main functions of the Shanghai Disneyland mobile app include:

• Purchasing tickets and annual passes;
• Making park reservations (for annual passes or open-dated tickets);
• Linking tickets;
• Purchasing Disney Premier Access and Early Park Entry Pass;
• Obtaining Standby Passes;
• Booking resort hotels (Shanghai Disneyland Hotel and Toy Story Hotel);
• Checking park operating hours;
• Viewing the park map and facility locations;
• Viewing detailed information for rides, shows, and restaurants;
• Navigating (walking routes from your current location to a specified destination);
• Checking queue times for rides.

5. Checking Queue Times

Checking queue times for rides is the primary and most frequently used function of the “Shanghai Disney Resort App”. There are two ways to find out the current wait times for attractions.

The first method is to go to the “Map” tab; the park map will show the current queue times for each ride. However, using this method requires knowing the location of the facility you want to check within the park.

The second method is to tap “Attractions and Shows” on the “Home” page, then check the list for the current queue time of the ride you’re looking for.

6. Viewing Locations and Details for Rides, Shows, Restaurants, and Restrooms

Through the “Shanghai Disney Resort App”, you can check the locations and detailed information for rides, shows, restaurants, snack stands, and restrooms. The viewing method is the same as checking queue times, with two ways to do it.

If you know the location of a facility on the map, you can go to the “Map” tab and select the type of facility you’re looking for from the category bar at the bottom—such as “Attractions”, “Entertainment”, “Dining”, “Restrooms”, etc.—then tap the facility on the map to view its details.

If you are unsure of the facility’s location on the map, you can tap “Attractions and Shows” on the “Home” page, then select the type of facility you’re looking for from the top category bar—such as “Attractions”, “Entertainment”, “Dining”, “Restrooms”, etc.—and then tap the facility from the list to see its details. To see its location, tap “View on Map”.

The facility information displayed within the “Shanghai Disney Resort App” isn’t extensive, just some basic details. For rides, it usually shows a brief description, minimum height requirements for participants, and thrill level. For shows, it typically displays a short introduction, show schedule, and performance times.

There are many facilities listed in the “Shanghai Disney Resort App”. For easier access, you can add the ones you plan to visit to “My Favorites”. Later, you can go to “My Favorites” within the “My” tab to directly view information, queue times, and other details for your saved items.

To add an item to “My Favorites”, follow the method above for viewing a facility. On its information page, tap the heart icon in the upper right corner.

7. Navigation

Beyond viewing facility locations, the map in the “Shanghai Disney Resort App” can also provide navigation. Simply find the facility you want to go to, tap “View on Map”, then tap “Directions”. The system will plan the shortest walking route for you. Just follow the blue line on the map with the location icon to reach your destination.

8. Linking Tickets

To use the “Shanghai Disney Resort App” to purchase “Disney Premier Access” or obtain “Standby Passes”, you must first link your ticket to your app account. The process of linking tickets can only be done after entering the park.

Here’s how to link your tickets:

[Step 1] Go to the “My” tab, tap “My Reservations”, and then tap “Link Tickets/Annual Passes”.

[Step 2] Choose a linking method. The options are “Scan QR Code”, “Enter Order Confirmation Number”, and “Enter ID Information”. If you purchased tickets online, the easiest method is to select “Enter Order Confirmation Number” and then tap “Submit”. If multiple tickets were purchased in the same order, the system will retrieve all of them.

If you purchased tickets on Trip.com like I did, you can go into the Trip.com app, enter “My Trips”, go to the order’s ticket details, and tap the copy button to copy the order number, then paste it into the order confirmation number field of the “Shanghai Disney Resort App”.

If you bought physical tickets, or the tickets from an online platform came with a QR code, you can scan the QR code on the ticket to link it. To link multiple tickets under the same account, you’ll need to scan each one individually. If you choose the “Enter ID Information” linking method, you’ll need to enter each traveler’s name and ID number, which is more cumbersome.

[Step 3] Select the tickets you wish to link, then enter the last four digits of the ID number provided for each traveler at purchase, and tap “Confirm Linking”. (Note: Although the system retrieves all tickets from a single order, you don’t have to link them all to one account. They can be linked to different accounts if needed.)

9. Purchasing Disney Premier Access

Here’s how to purchase “Disney Premier Access”:

[Step 1] To buy “Disney Premier Access” for a specific attraction, go to that attraction’s page, select the Premier Access you want to buy, tap “Select”, and then tap “Buy Now”. (Note: The purchase page will show the validity period of the Premier Access. It typically becomes valid 30 minutes after the time of purchase and is valid until the park closes.)

[Step 2] From the tickets linked to your account, choose the ones for which you want to purchase Premier Access. Then tap “Confirm Selection”, and tap “Next”.

[Step 3] Tap “Pay Now”, select your payment method, and then tap “Confirm and Pay”. (Note: Payment options include UnionPay, Apply Pay, WeChat Pay, Alipay, and international bank cards.)

After successful payment, you can find the purchased “Premier Access” in “My Plans”. To use “Premier Access”, you can open the Premier Access QR code in the app and scan it at the attraction entrance, or you can simply scan the QR code on the physical ticket you received upon entry. Since Premier Access is associated with your ticket after purchase, scanning your ticket’s QR code will also allow the system to recognize your purchase.

10. Obtaining a Standby Pass

The “Standby Pass” is a crowd control measure at Disneyland, used during peak seasons when visitor numbers are very high to limit access to certain attractions, thereby reducing queue times and preventing a poor experience.

A “Standby Pass” is not a skip-the-line pass; it’s a qualification to queue. When a “Standby Pass” system is in effect, you must obtain a Standby Pass in advance to be eligible to join the queue.

Most attractions don’t require a “Standby Pass” on most days. It’s only needed on a very few, extremely crowded days, such as Chinese New Year, Labor Day Golden Week, or National Day Golden Week.

To check if any rides or shows require a “Standby Pass”, go to the home page of the “Shanghai Disney Resort App”, tap “All”, and then tap “Standby Pass”. If it displays “No Standby Pass is required today”, it means no attractions currently require a Standby Pass.

If any rides or shows require a “Standby Pass”, the details for the relevant attractions will be displayed. Also, on the map, the icon for that attraction will change to a Standby Pass icon. There will also be signs outside the attraction itself.

The method for obtaining a “Standby Pass” is similar to purchasing “Disney Premier Access”; you also need to link your ticket first. Then, on the page of the attraction requiring a “Standby Pass”, tap “Obtain”, select a time slot or show time, and choose the tickets for which you want to obtain the Standby Pass.

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