Shanghai Disneyland planning help 4/26-4/28

[Nick6300]

Just an update. I saw that the prices for our stay at Disneyland hotel dropped again in June, so I called the reservation number and pressed for English and walked through canceling my current reservation and making a new one. With my seasonal pass discount, the room was $100 cheaper per night and the CM gave me a park view room to boot! It pays to watch the prices.

I’m glad you have had a few positives even before your trip began.

My stay has been ‘unavailable’ (maybe sold out?). Maybe dw will check once more.

Rapids is no longer closed for maintenance which is great. They’ve extended hours for the thurs opening for 8am-10pm. I haven’t slept past 5am this trip so far, hope it doesn’t take its toll by the time I need my strength at SDl.

I’m not pleased to have realized today that im missing the nfl draft.

 

[MommaBerd]

I’m glad you have had a few positives even before your trip began.

My stay has been ‘unavailable’ (maybe sold out?). Maybe dw will check once more.

Rapids is no longer closed for maintenance which is great. They’ve extended hours for the thurs opening for 8am-10pm. I haven’t slept past 5am this trip so far, hope it doesn’t take its toll by the time I need my strength at SDl.

I’m not pleased to have realized today that im missing the nfl draft.

Hey Nick! I hope your trip is going smoothly! We found that we didn’t sleep much past 5:30 am on most days, and we traveled from EDT. The bad thing about that is that we were worn out by 8:00 pm. However, when we did our SDR days, of course we slept in!!! I think we could relax more knowing we were in “good hands”!

I’m glad for you that the rapids ride is open. It is a fun ride! MUCH better than Kali River Rapids at AK. (That ride is just sad, IMO.) Also, hopefully the extended hours doesn’t reflect anticipated crowds!

 

[Disney_Fanatic]

Just wanted to say thank you to all DISers for all the info. We jumped on the wagon and got a seasonal pass too for the room and food discounts. Now we just need to keep watching the room prices in case they come down. 3 more weeks to go!!

 

[Nick6300]

thanks Robin,
Yes I think when I checked my room rates and they were unavailable that means sold out. And coupled with extended hours for toy story land opening and Labor Day wknd, busy is probably going to be an understatement!

Have gifts to take home that includes gold/diamond jewelry, cash (from passed grandmother) worried about the declaring process, timed involved, and what happens if they decide to confiscate. I think that if all goes well- I’ll arrive after it’s a madhouse in the pm thurs. A lot of the visa screening/security has taken a lot longer than I ever expected. I went through a quarantine screening, visa screening, and security in Korea, with forms to fill out on plane then again after the several lines to get out. If declaring things I’d be doing that 3x korea, China, USA!

I’m excited to try rapids, any trouble getting a locker here (I know we’ve all been obsessed with
Locker related questions . I will wear my sandals supposed to have nice weather! Upper 79/80 F for high / 58ish F for low, no rain.

 

[MommaBerd]

I’m excited to try rapids, any trouble getting a locker here (I know we’ve all been obsessed with
Locker related questions . I will wear my sandals supposed to have nice weather! Upper 79/80 F for high / 58ish F for low, no rain.

Lucky you with that weather!!! Since my DH and older son weren’t riding, they held our items, and so I have no idea what the locker scenario was like. But, at DLR Grizzly River Run, I inquired about lockers at a gift shop, and they gave me a clear plastic shopping bag because, they said, sometimes the lockers are full. I can’t guarantee that the SDL CMs will do that. But if you are taking a bag into the park, you could slip a plastic hotel laundry bag (usually they are drawstring) into your park bag and use that. And, it never hurts to ask about getting a shopping bag either...

 

[Nick6300]

Today’s wake up was slightly worse at 1am. So far my sleep in days have been 4-5am! Going to have to rely on my inner, over-enthused disney disposition to help fuel me through the lines (or the shoving into my back).

@Impromark took subway and maybe robin did too... it looks it takes quite some time from pudong. Does anyone know specifically near what terminal (presumably on ground floor outside of baggage) where the official taxi hub is? I’d like to try didi but in case my phone decides not to cooperate.

Thurs plans are fairly easy because it’ll be too busy for most of the attractions by the time I get there- more of a setup day. Could be tempted though to buy PA because of the lines, maybe still not ultra premium pricing because Thurs (but could see it being high because of the expected crowds). I’m not sure if fri is considered a wknd rate like sat would be for PA.
I still wouldn’t buy the set - wouldn’t have time to use them all. But fri sat I could be looking at 1000cny.

 

[Nick6300]

That’s a good idea- I’m not sure if the less fancy toy story hotel will have laundry bags for me to lift. But I could also try to buy a garbage bag to pack- did you see others permitted to take bags onto ride?

 

[Nick6300]

And I suppose pa may be sold out on thurs well before I get there anyhow.

 

[MommaBerd]

Meant to include/comment on this as well...

Have gifts to take home that includes gold/diamond jewelry, cash (from passed grandmother) worried about the declaring process, timed involved, and what happens if they decide to confiscate.

How much is the total value? Is the jewelry “antique”? Is there anyone you know with legal knowledge to help with this? I would *think* that once you clear Korea (this is where you are leaving with these items, correct?), you should be fine...unless the cash is a significant amount of money. Any way to get it wired into your bank account versus carrying it around? You didn’t purchase the jewelry, right? So, once you leave Korea with it, I wouldn’t think there is a need to declare it any more. I traveled with jewelry and I didn’t declare it. (Of course the value was relatively small.)

 

[MommaBerd]

That’s a good idea- I’m not sure if the less fancy toy story hotel will have laundry bags for me to lift. But I could also try to buy a garbage bag to pack- did you see others permitted to take bags onto ride?

Yes, people took bags and even backpacks on.

As for the airport, I do not know where the official taxi hub is, but the directional/location signs are fairly clear - and in English. Since we were not staying in Shanghai for the first part of our trip, we had a private driver pick us up. I think reports I have read have said it’s about a 45 minute ride?

*PRO TIP: Download the Shanghai Metro app by Metro Man. It was great!!!

 

[Nick6300]

Meant to include/comment on this as well...


How much is the total value? Is the jewelry “antique”? Is there anyone you know with legal knowledge to help with this? I would *think* that once you clear Korea (this is where you are leaving with these items, correct?), you should be fine...unless the cash is a significant amount of money. Any way to get it wired into your bank account versus carrying it around? You didn’t purchase the jewelry, right? So, once you leave Korea with it, I wouldn’t think there is a need to declare it any more. I traveled with jewelry and I didn’t declare it. (Of course the value was relatively small.)

It looks like 40 yrs old yellow gold/ diamond ring, gold/diamond necklace, gold bracelet, maybe few other smaller items. And over the $5k usd but maybe $500 Ea in Korean won and cny. I thought you had to declare in departing from and Ea arrival country too? USA and Korean I think is $10k in cash you don’t have to declare, very small amounts like 2-3grams gold I thought ok but I’m guessing I have way more than that. I’m hoping to convince my mother to let me mail some of the jewelry (doesn’t want to allow).

 

[MommaBerd]

It looks like 40 yrs old yellow gold/ diamond ring, gold/diamond necklace, gold bracelet, maybe few other smaller items. And over the $5k usd but maybe $500 Ea in Korean won and cny. I thought you had to declare in departing from and Ea arrival country too? USA and Korean I think is $10k in cash you don’t have to declare, very small amounts like 2-3grams gold I thought ok but I’m guessing I have way more than that. I’m hoping to convince my mother to let me mail some of the jewelry (doesn’t want to allow).

Well, I am no expert for sure...I’m not even sure why I added my $0.02. I guess it just interests me...

 

[Nick6300]

Well, I am no expert for sure...I’m not even sure why I added my $0.02. I guess it just interests me...

Don’t worry, I appreciate your input robin.

I like your new profile pic too. I for some reason thought you were in Cali near DL, not near WDW.

 

[MommaBerd]

Don’t worry, I appreciate your input robin.

I like your new profile pic too. I for some reason thought you were in Cali near DL, not near WDW.

Thanks! After Shanghai, we “stopped by” DLR on our way back to GA. When the PP Photographer suggested that pose, I kinda rolled my eyes. But she insisted that it would be really cute...and she was right!

 

[Nick6300]

https://www.disboards.com/threads/shanghai-disneyland-post-trip-report-4-26-18-4-28-18.3680023/

should be a link to my trip report, for anyone interested in how it turned out! Thanks for the many of you who helped me with the planning.