SDL Opening Day - I'm In!

[zanzibar138]

I follow TDR Explorer on Facebook and they had a post. Thought you might be interested!

Thanks!

WOW! Just catching up on news on the Dis.

This is super exciting!

I wondered when you might make an appearance PIO Welcome aboard!

 

[zanzibar138]

DH and I had a long discussion last night about this trip. He was concerned that it was getting a bit out of control. I can see his point. Since we started, I've added a lot of extra time and money to my original plan.

We discussed what my original intentions were for this trip, and what's really important to me. Really made me think. My answer was to experience all the pomp and ceremony of Opening Day, focusing on the official ceremonies and celebrations, and just generally taking in the atmosphere and stocking up on merch and souvenirs! It's also important for me to have at least one extra day to focus more on attractions that I have prioritised, and to stay onsite to experience all that I can. Sight-seeing around China or anywhere else did not make my list of priorities.

So with that in mind, we have decided that it's best to stick to my original plan for this trip - arrive in Shanghai on the Wednesday (or possibly late on Tuesday night depending on timing of flights), go directly to SDL, and stay there until my flight home on the Saturday. If circumstances work out, I can still go and do some sight-seeing in Shanghai, but I won't be disappointed if I don't get to it. One day, DH and I will do a big trip together to really experience China.

 

[aussie shaz]

Haha. It's always the case, isn't it. We can't just stop at one amazing place, we always find so much more to 'make the trip worthwhile'.
I think you'll be able to put more energy and money into Disneyland this way. And remember it as the SDL Opening day trip, not the China trip where I went to Disneyland.

 

[zanzibar138]

And remember it as the SDL Opening day trip, not the China trip where I went to Disneyland.

Exactly

That is the trouble with travel though. Especially from Australia when everywhere is so far away! It's always easy to get carried away with the 'while we're over there...'.

 

[lffam]

Exactly

That is the trouble with travel though. Especially from Australia when everywhere is so far away! It's always easy to get carried away with the 'while we're over there...'.

That's exactly why we ended up just ended up having 5 weeks in the USA where as 4 weeks was probably the most we should have !

 

[PrincessInOz]

DH and I had a long discussion last night about this trip. He was concerned that it was getting a bit out of control. I can see his point. Since we started, I've added a lot of extra time and money to my original plan.

We discussed what my original intentions were for this trip, and what's really important to me. Really made me think. My answer was to experience all the pomp and ceremony of Opening Day, focusing on the official ceremonies and celebrations, and just generally taking in the atmosphere and stocking up on merch and souvenirs! It's also important for me to have at least one extra day to focus more on attractions that I have prioritised, and to stay onsite to experience all that I can. Sight-seeing around China or anywhere else did not make my list of priorities.

So with that in mind, we have decided that it's best to stick to my original plan for this trip - arrive in Shanghai on the Wednesday (or possibly late on Tuesday night depending on timing of flights), go directly to SDL, and stay there until my flight home on the Saturday. If circumstances work out, I can still go and do some sight-seeing in Shanghai, but I won't be disappointed if I don't get to it. One day, DH and I will do a big trip together to really experience China.

But....but.....but......you're already there.....!!




Seriously, it's great that you and he came to this decision point. And yes, the important thing is to be there on opening at SDL.

 

[Montanabel]

Ah yes, the 'we're travelling all that way and spending all that money on flights, we might as well add on a trip to.......' I know that rationale well, but sometimes its nice to leave something for next time, so you can plan another trip!

 

[Aussie Wendy]

I agree with all of the above - and those who read my TR know I ultimately succumb to that "while we're there" far far far too often! So good on you Zanzibar and we look forward to hearing and seeing it all!

 

[zanzibar138]

So in the spirit of keeping things simple, I have finally booked my flights (well, DH did for me while I was at work lol!). Qantas had very well priced fares to and from Shanghai via Sydney, departing Melbourne first thing on the Wednesday morning, and coming back on the Saturday night. We have cancelled my business class flight with Cathay (insert sad face here).

Since I had been planning to arrive on the Tuesday night, I had been looking at accommodation options and transportation to the city for that night. Now that I won’t be arriving until the Wednesday night, I’ll just head straight to Disneyland. Honestly, I’d still really rather get in on the Tuesday night and leave on the Friday night (a little bit early to allow for delays and be able to enjoy ‘Opening Day Eve’ at Disneyland, then if I left on Friday night I would only have to get a 2 day ticket and only 2 nights accommodation at Disneyland), but it was a lot more expensive on the Tuesday and I still would have had to wait until Saturday to leave because of the timing, so I would have also had to pay for an extra night’s accommodation. I’ll have to really have a think about whether I want to purchase a second ticket to cover the Saturday at Disneyland. It’s a lot of added expense for not even a full day (I would have to leave well before 5pm). Having said that, I don’t want to be there and kicking myself that I can’t get in because I didn’t buy a ticket beforehand (being dated tickets and the first weekend day of a brand new Disney park, I’m not counting on being able to buy one on the day!).

When I was planning to fly in on the Tuesday night, I was planning to spend Wednesday morning sight-seeing in Shanghai before heading out to Disneyland. Maybe I should use the Saturday as my opportunity for that rather than trying to cram in another day of Disneyland? Having said that, looking back at my priorities, it really is all about Disneyland and not about sight-seeing in Shanghai at all. It kind of goes against the grain for me to not try to see anything else though – this will be my first trip that is wholly focused on Disney.

With all the horror stories I’ve read about people getting ripped off and worse, I’m really hoping to avoid taxis. With its proximity to the airport, I’m wondering if Disney will offer any sort of airport shuttle service, which I will probably book if it does (although HKDL doesn’t, so I’m not sure I’ll be in luck there). Otherwise it looks like it will be relatively easy to get there using the Maglev and metro network. My flight will be arriving at about 7pm, so I shouldn’t have any trouble getting a train all the way through to Disneyland at that time of night. Looks like I’ll have to take the Maglev, then transfer the new line 16 metro, and may also have to transfer to line 11 at some point, as the Disneyland station is apparently going to be at the end of that line. Sounds kind of similar to taking the train from HK Airport to Disneyland there.

 

[PrincessInOz]

For a short trip and with the focus being 'there', I'd just stick to Disney. It does go against the grain of the commando travelling style....but when else will you be able to say "I was there when it opened??"

 

[zanzibar138]

Yes, my thoughts exactly PIO

 

[FireflyFi]

Sounds like you're having fun planning and unplanning this trip hehe

It's all early research for when you finally explore China

 

[zanzibar138]

Yep, I can never just plan a trip and go - it always morphs into something completely different at least twice lol!

 

[Dormouse.]

Following this thread now. I'm so excited for you!

 

[Royal Consort]

I am SOOO glad we decided not to go to Shanghai this year (as was the original plan). All the unanswered questions about transport, accommodation and definitive dates for general admission would drive me nuts! For all the opening day peeps, you're braver than I!

I'll go next year when you've done all the hard work and I know stuff.

 

[zanzibar138]

Yep, it's definitely a waiting game!

 

[zanzibar138]

So I was going to write a big timeline about how my morning went, but it was getting ridiculous, so here it is in a nutshell.

My alarm went off at 2:45am, and I headed out to the family room where my computer was ready and waiting. As expected, the website crashed just after 3am, and I basically spent 2 hours refreshing, translating, heading to FB and the DIS in search of answers, and refreshing some more. Eventually I gave up, and thought I'd call the reservations line when it opened up at 11am. Set my alarm and went back to bed around 5am, but I was so wired it was after 6am by the time I actually fell asleep.

Woke up again at about 9:30am, and decided to check the website again, just in case. There was no hotel availability for the 16th and 17th, as expected, so I checked the Toy Story Hotel just for the 17th. It was still available, so I jumped on that! There was nothing for the 16th of course, but I decided to check in with the more expensive Shanghai Disneyland Hotel, just in case. I was super excited to see that there was a club room left! Knowing that there is the guaranteed park entry that comes with staying onsite, I decided that the extra cost for the club room was worth it - it was possibly the only way I'd get an opening day ticket! And as far as tickets go, I managed to get a 2 day ticket for the 17th and 18th, but there were no opening day tickets left.

After breakfast with DH, I checked the SDL thread again, and had a message from someone saying that there were still opening day tickets left, so I checked again. Lo and behold, there they were! I got super excited and profusely thanked the person who'd messaged me, only to have my purchase time out before going through. And then doing it again. An hour later, after timing out, there were no tickets left

I tried calling the reservations line a couple of times, but couldn't get through, so I tried the online chat. There were 67 people in line, so I checked in on facebook and did a few things while waiting. When I finally managed to get through to someone, they confirmed that I would in fact be able to get a ticket for opening day, and I will be able to purchase said ticket at check in.

So to recap, here's my trip so far.

Wednesday 15th June - Qantas flight Melbourne-Shanghai, arriving around 7pm. I have yet to book accommodation for this night, but will just book something convenient along the train line.
Thursday 16th June - Opening Day, which I have yet to get a ticket for, but have confirmed that I will be able to. Club room at the Shanghai Disneyland Hotel booked for tonight.
Friday 17th June - Day 1 of my 2 day ticket. Garden view room at the Toy Story Hotel tonight.
Saturday 18th June - Day 2 of my 2 day ticket. Qantas flight Shanghai-Melbourne, leaving at around 10pm, so I will get most of the day at the park.

 

[FireflyFi]

I saw some reports on Facebook about people booking tickets and wondered how you went. So excited for you!! You get to experience the new park and BOTH hotels! Ooh imagine how they smell...! Mmm fresh hotel smell hehe I'm glad your persistence paid off

 

[zanzibar138]

Yes, 3 nights, 3 hotels. Not ideal, but I was hoping to experience both Disney hotels so I'm happy with that. I've never been one of the first guests at a hotel before - it's pretty exciting!

 

[FireflyFi]

It should be very special I stayed at Dollywood Dreamore just a few months after it opened and it was beautiful seeing a hotel so fresh.

Hopefully they will have some kind of luggage transfer between the hotels