Christmas Time in Disneyland Shanghai

Visiting Disneyland Shanghai during Christmas adds an element of charm to your trip that you just can’t experience any other time of the year! You will find the Park draped in holiday ornaments from the end of November to the first of January every year. Here we take a look inside the park during this special time and share tips & hacks to make your Disneyland Shanghai experience as smooth as possible!

What is the Christmas Experience like at Disneyland Shanghai?

• Dripping with holiday spirit, the park looks simply gorgeous this time of year! You’ll find a giant Christmas tree in front of the Disney Castle, perfect for your holiday photo. All of Mickey Avenue (the main thoroughfare upon entrance) is transformed to look like a Disney-laden Winter Wonderland.

  

  

  

  

• There are a few Christmas themed shows with the Disney characters in costume. For example, you can catch ‘Happy Holidays, Mickey!’ at 8:30am – 30 minutes after the park opens. This show consists of Mickey, Minnie, and Goofy spreading Holiday cheer. After the show is a great time to get your photos with them in their holiday costumes. 

• Disneytown – This area of Disney outside of the park, where non-ticket holders are welcome, also puts on its own version of Christmas spirit. More on this below! 
• It’s chilly in Shanghai during the winter months! Be prepared to layer up for this trip and check the forecast. 

• You will find plenty of Disney Christmas-themed gifts in the shops spread throughout the park

  

  

  

• There are several bakeries and coffee stops you can find within the park. Check out Remy’s Patsirre on Mickey Avenue for your Christmas snacks and sweets! 

 

What is the Cost/Value in Visiting Disneyland Shanghai?

After visiting Disneyland in China, going to Disneyland in the States has lost its value to me, personally. First off–the cost of visiting Disneyland in Shanghai is about $57 USD per adult ticket. By comparison, when you visit in the U.S. tickets are over $100. Secondly–the wait times in Shanghai are amazing. You don’t really need fast pass if you’re considering it unless you go during a Chinese holiday/the weekend. I went to this Disney property solo and the longest I had to wait was 12 minutes! Insane! I arrived at the park around 11am and wrapped up everything I wanted by 5pm. 

Majority of the rides and performances are in Chinese, which I found to be a fun cultural challenge to try to comprehend. Nonetheless, I found the employees working at the park to be able to speak enough English to answer any questions I had. 

Cost of Food inside the Park: 

Even the food inside the park is affordable when compared to park experiences in the U.S. The adorable Mickey Pizza below and drink cost around $14 USD. 

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How to get to Disneyland Shanghai? 

The metro system in Shanghai is cost effective and really easy to use. Line 11 ends directly at the Disney Resorts station and is just a few minutes walk till you end up at the park itself.

To see the times and latest updates on the metro, visit the Shanghai Metro Official Website.

Pro-Tips when Visiting Disneyland Shanghai: 

• Book your ticket at least 24 hours in advance: for the same price of a day ticket, you will get food credit worth ~ $14 USD.
• At the center of the park, in-front of the castle, you can grab an events schedule and map of the Park. 
• There are a few vendors that only take cash at the park. You will find ATMs at the park’s entrance. Make sure to visit the ATM when you arrive if needed so you don’t waist time walking back and forth as the park is pretty huge.
• Download the Disneyland Shanghai app! Sometimes the app gives out free fast passes! The app shares information such as wait time for rides, and for those looking to purchase photos, you can also do so on the app. 
• Don’t miss the fireworks show that happens every evening at 8pm! 
• I wouldn’t advise visiting during a Chinese Holiday. The wait times will be comparable to Disneyworld Orlando on a summer weekend. 

Disneyland Shanghai Musts: 

• Don’t miss the Tron ride–it was a favorite! 
• In China, one of the popular dessert dishes is an egg tart. A couple of the vendors sell this for 20 RMB (about $3 USD). Make sure to try one–they are delicious! 
• There is a Disneytown directly outside of the park with shops and restaurants. I found the Disneytown to be quite charming. It’s a nice spot to grab dinner/lunch or some bubble tea if you want a break from being inside the park. 

Traveling Solo to Disneyland Shanghai

Traveling solo to Disneyland Shanghai was the move! Single riders lane FTW baby. If you’re on the fence about doing a solo trip, I will say that Disneyland Shanghai is probably one of the only Disney Parks where this can fly. Why? Because it really wouldn’t be ideal to wait 1-2 hours in a line by yourself at other Disney Parks. But if the wait times are smooth like what I experienced most of the year, you won’t get bored in Shanghai. It was also fun setting up my travel tripod to get awesome solo shots, surrounded by the mammoth exhibitions and cheerful holiday scenery. Merry Christmas, Disney Shanghai style!