Shanghai Disneyland (May 19th, 2020) | How to, Fast Passes, Disney App

Shanghai Disneyland became the first park to re-open globally on May 11^th. With only 17 COVID cases left in Shanghai, life has been pretty much back to normal for 2 months already. That being said, there are still precautions taken to ensure the health and safety of guests:

Operating at lower than normal capacity, initially at 20% and slowly increasing
Health QR code will be checked and must be green to enter park
Online form for health registration must be completed before entering
Boxes for social distancing are marked on the floor for all line up areas
Temperatures checked before entering the park
Masks must be worn at all times
Large gatherings such as the parade and fireworks has not resumed yet

(Photos Above: Line Up Boxes for social distancing + Masks!)

When Shanghai Disneyland first opened, lines were up to as long as 3 hours, especially in the late afternoon and evenings when people with half day tickets came in. Now with the park opening and allowing a lower than normal capacity, wait times are down to 30-60min.

We decided to check out the park on May 19^th to experience it for ourselves. A lot of people are saying that Disneyland without the parade and fireworks isn’t the same, but we did have lots of fun! If you are planning to go to Shanghai Disneyland soon, here’s some tips and tricks on how to get the best out of your experiences!

How to buy tickets (via Wechat)

Under the current post-covid initial park opening, you must pre-book tickets. If you have an annual pass, you need to pre-book your date as well. You can change your date for free up to 3 days before your visits. All of the ticketing booths at the park are closed, so you cannot buy a ticket in person on the day. Here's how to buy tickets online via Wechat, all you need is your phone and passports for ID:

Search for Shanghai Disneyland in Wechat: 上海迪士尼
Click to go into their official Wechat account
Click on the button on the very right which is online booking 在线预定
Click on the first option of the pop-up which is for ticketing 票务及年卡预定
The rest of the ticketing will be in English, which is to select ticket type, date, enter ID details and pay. I would not recommend the half-day tickets, that is for entry in the afternoon, which is when the bulk of the locals enter and lines become ridiculously long. Get the full day ticket and arrive 15min before the park opens.

Before you go to Disneyland

Download the Shanghai Disneyland FREE app and sign up for a free account (you will need this on the day of to redeem fast passes)
Look through the rides that you want to go on, and note the height requirements for each ride. Also, look for a few options for food in advance!

Can you bring snacks for your child into Disney? Yes, I brought crackers, juices, and baby food for my son and they did not take it away while check our bags at the entrance.

Also remember to pack sunscreen for summer, and even better a sun shade that attaches to a stroller (if bringing one), or an umbrella to shade you from the sun.

(Ballon and his snack in hand!)

Important things to note

You need to bring your Passport or ID that was used to purchase the ticket for every single guest, including your child.
Pre-register online for all attending guests. This registration is a form with health & travel related questions. Even kids who do not need tickets to enter the park must be registered. You will receive a QR code after the registration is completed
Have your health QR code 随申码 ready, this is different from the pre-registration form above. This is the green code that is tied to your phone and can be found in your Alipay or Wechat pay account. They do not ask for young children to display this code when entering. However you can get a code for your child via the “Cloud Health App” 健康云
During this initial limited opening time, there are no fireworks or parades. However there are stage shows, the main one is at the garden area in front of the castle called “Golden Fairytale Fanfare”. You can check the Disney app for show times.

Balloons are nice, but get them at the end before leaving the park. It’s a hassle bringing it around, there’s risk for it being stolen, you can only get it replaced if it is broken and you have all the pieces to the balloon. You also can’t ride public transport with the Disney balloons.

Tips to get the best out of your day:

Get fast passes (FP): first thing to do after you enter! You can get 1 FREE FP per hour. After they check your IDs and you enter the park, they will give you an actual paper ticket, on there are QR codes. Open your Shanghai Disneyland app and scan the QR code to capture your ticket of that day in order to redeem FP.

Props for great photos: right after you enter the park, there are tons of shops. Don’t spend too long initially at the shops which you can come back for later, just grab a nice pair of Mikey ears or hat. You can also go get mickey shaped pastries at “Remy’s Patisserie”, last shop on the right side before you get to the bridge to go to the castle.

Rides: head straight to the furthest corner inside the park and start working your way out from there. There will be less people and wait times are shorter. For example we grabbed FP for Winnie the Pooh ride (60min wait without FP), and then went straight in for Hunny Pot Spin (15-20min wait).
Fast passes that run out quickly, and rides with long lines recommended to get FP: Soaring Over the Horizon (90min wait), Roaring Rapids (75min), Tron Roller Coaster (60-90min) Winnie The Pooh (60min), Peter Pan’s Flight (70min), Pirates of the Caribbean Ride (90min) , Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (60-90min)

(Tron Roller Coaster)

Rides that are great for little kids (no height requirement): Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan’s Flight, Hunny Pot Spin, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Buzz Lightyear Planet Rescue, and Slinky Dog.

(Above: Hunny Pot Spin)

(Above: Dumbo the Flying Elephant)

Tips on bringing a baby to the park:

Stroller rental: Disneyland does offer stroller rental. It is on the left side right after you get your ID checked and receive your paper ticket. You can also bring your own stroller to the park! For those young little ones who aren't able to walk all day, we highly recommend this. Though you won't be able to use a stroller while lining up, having a stroller gives you the option of letting the child nap if they get tired.
On feeding: definitely pack your own food just in case, all food for the baby is allowed inside the park. There are plenty of sit down spots in the shade where you can feed your child as well. We brought formula, crackers, and some juice for our 1yo. He also took a few bites of my mickey shaped donut!
On Changing: There's usually a handicap toilet which has a changing station available. I didn't have any issues finding one, and neither did I have to line up for one. The changing stations are pretty clean too.
Other items to bring: baby sunscreen (and remember to apply it regularly!), umbrella (to block out the sun while lining up or watching a stage show), water bottle, and a fan (electric one, best if rechargeable and can be attached onto stroller) and battery pack (checking maps, using fast pass, taking photos will drain your phone battery, on top of that the battery pack will be handy for re-charging the fan)