Huge lines and massive crowd control problems in largest Disneyland ever built. Is it possible to see all of Disneyland Shanghai in one day? The answer is absolutely, as long as you are able to plan ahead.
In fact I was able to ride TRON 8 times and Pirates of the Caribbean 3 times in just half a day!
No line at TRON
The following is my recommended plan to maximize your one day at Shanghai Disneyland. Before you head off make sure you download the official Shanghai Disneyland App for Iphone or Android as it displays live standby times and has an offline map of the park.
If your hotel is in the downtown area, plan to leave by 7:15 AM at the very latest. At the taxi drop off, follow the crowds until you get to the main gate area.
Upon entry at 9 AM, take a sharp right and power walk to the Fastpass station at Adventure Land and get your Fastpass for Roaring Rapids.
Afterwards, line up for Soaring Over the Horizon as the standby time is a manageable 40-60 minutes.
After Soaring Over the Horizon, head to Pirates of The Caribbean and watch what many theme park insiders call Disney’s most impressive ride yet. Make sure you sit in the front of the boat in order be fully immersed in the lands of Jack Sparrow.
If you are lucky, the single rider line will be open in the morning. If it is, don’t hesitate to re-ride and catch things you have missed the first time around.
If you’ve never ridden the ride before in the US or want to re-experience Disney Magic ride the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. The single rider line is also quite manageable at this time, if it is open. I waited around 25 minutes.
Depending on how early you got to the Fast Pass line, you may head back and ride Roaring Rapids.
Otherwise, head straight to TRON and either use the single rider line or queue up. If you are fortunate enough, you may be able to re-ride TRON multiple times via the single rider line.
Afterwards, grab a Fastpass for TRON. It should be mid day at this point as the sweltering heat takes hold. If you are a Star Wars Fan, visit the Star Wars pavilion next to TRON (also air conditioned).
You can relax your pace a bit, take lunch, and pick from the remaining attractions and shows. If you want a true authentic local Disneyland experience, watch the show Frozen, completely dubbed in Chinese.
If you have trouble deciding the following attractions are unique to Shanghai Disneyland:
Once Upon A Time Adventure
Walk around the new Storybook Castle, with new stunning special effects, and a respite from the afternoon heat.
Camp Discovery
Disney’s first obstacle course comes complete with a swing bridge over a waterfall and some great elevated views of the park.
Explorer Canoes
Guests are asked to work together and row a canoe around the first Disneyland Treasure Cove. From what I could see ashore, you should probably skip this ride.
Siren’s Revenge
Once you’re eligible for another Fastpass, head back to the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, and grab your third Fastpass of the day.
When the sun sets and the heat finally dies down, go onboard the Voyage to the Crystal Grotto, a Disneyland Shanghai exclusive ride that features numerous sculpture gardens and takes you underneath Storybook castle.
As a grand finale, stay and watch Disneyland Shanghai’s daily fireworks show titled Ignite the Dream at 8:30 PM. Take a cab back to your hotel and enjoy Pudong’s skyline to wrap up your short but memorable trip to Shanghai Disneyland.
