Trip Report - Hong Kong Disneyland Resort & Shanghai Disney Resort - Oct/Nov

[SnowWhite09]

Really enjoying your trip report - thank you for sharing your adventures.

Look forward to reading more soon.

 

[Daphne0890]

Really enjoying reading your report and can't wait to hear how you get on in Shanghai. I'm considering a solo trip from the UK to Hong Kong and Shanghai later this year so this is super useful, thank you

One of my main concerns is the language barrier so your experience at the hotel is interesting! How did you find the rest of your time in Shanghai language wise?

You're very welcome! That's actually one of the main reasons I'm writing this trip report — I hope it can be helpful for others who are thinking about going too.
We didn’t do much outside of Disney, so I can’t really say much about the language situation beyond that. Inside Disney, it was
actually totally fine. It felt like there was always someone who spoke English, or they could fetch someone if the Cast Member didn’t
speak it themselves. You do need a bit of patience, though — sometimes it just takes a bit longer to get your point across.

The language barrier is real in China! I thought for sure people would at least understand when I said 'Disney'. But no - they say it differently there and had no idea what I was trying to say! Printing out the address in Chinese is definitely the way to go.

I really loved the Toy Story Hotel too - super cute

I hope after your chaotic arrival things got a bit easier for you!

And yes, exactly! We also naively thought that saying “Toy Story Hotel” would be clear enough. That took a little adjusting, but it all worked out with the printed address in hand.

Things definitely went more smoothly after a while. I was just a bit tired and slightly stressed from traveling, so everything probably felt more chaotic than it actually was, haha.

Your step-by-step pictures of the airport are so good! Thank you for sharing. I am very apprehensive about flying into the Chinese Mainland, and your posts are so informative. I love seeing the airplane and signs and customs cards.

I am going to totally use your tip about printing out addresses in Chinese! What a fantastic idea.
Can't wait to see your Shanghai posts!

Glad to hear it’s been helpful for you! I was nervous about flying to China too, but it turned out totally fine. Hopefully I’ll get the chance
to do it again someday.
Shanghai posts coming soon!

Really enjoying your trip report - thank you for sharing your adventures.

Look forward to reading more soon.

Thanks, always nice to hear!

 

[Daphne0890]

Day 7 - Part 2

Our tummies are starting to rumble a bit, so we head downstairs to check out the hotel’s restaurant: the Sunnyside Café. Fun little detail—every time you take the elevator, you hear those iconic green aliens announcing the floor you’re on. Such a cool extra touch!

In the lobby

But before we could fill our bellies, we noticed that Bo Peep was doing a meet-and-greet in the hotel lobby. She's pretty rare for us in Paris, so we quickly joined the line. Just as it was almost our turn, she was swapped out for Buzz Lightyear and Woody. A little disappointing maybe, but at the same time kind of special to meet the two toys the hotel is actually themed around!

Meeting Woody & Buzz

Halloween decoration

Mural at the stairs

Very cute

Then it was finally time for the restaurant. It was super calm, we could order right at the counter and then find a table — they brought the food to us afterwards. The place feels a bit like a large cafeteria with lots of tables and chairs. You can imagine it might get noisy when it’s busy, but we lucked out with a peaceful moment.

The restaurant

We ordered the Shrimp and Pineapple Fried Rice, Chicken Soup with Black Mushroom, E-Fu Noodles with mushrooms, and Pork & Vegetable Spring Rolls. Everything was absolutely delicious — and affordable too!

E-Fu Noodles with mushrooms

Shrimp and Pineapple Fried Rice, love the presentation

Originally, we had planned to head into the city of Shanghai afterward, but it was so gloomy and raining non-stop that we decided to skip it. Just another reason to come back one day, right?

Rainy Buzz

We did brave the rain to explore DisneyTown though. It’s easy to get there by bus from the hotel and it’s located right next to Shanghai Disneyland Park. DisneyTown reminded me a bit of a smaller version of Disney Springs. They’ve got the classics: Starbucks, World of Disney, a Lego Store, and several non-Disney shops and dining spots.

We first went into the World of Disney to check out the merch and see if anything caught our eye for bringing home. It’s so fun to compare everything with what we’re used to seeing in Disneyland Paris!

Ready to shop

inside the shop

Wall painting

Duffy & Friends display

I needed that, lol

Display of the Disney Castles

With a few wishlist items in mind, we also popped into the Lego Store. I’m always amazed by what they build out of Lego — the figures and models here were seriously impressive.

Lego Store

beautiful Snow White display

Kylo Ren

Marvel Heroes

Lucky Cat


​

 

[Daphne0890]

Day 7 - Part 3

Theatre (Mickey’s Storybook Adventure is playing here now, so only entrance is in the park)

Halloween Pumpkins

lovely signs

After wandering around a rainy DisneyTown, it felt like the perfect time for a cozy meal. We spotted Donald’s Dine’n Delights — a restaurant fully themed around Donald Duck. And lucky us, there was still a table available!

Donald’s Dine’n Delights entrance

cute statue

There’s already a cute statue of Donald in a chef’s hat holding some cooking tools at the entrance, and once inside, your eyes are immediately drawn to the ceiling — beautiful murals of Donald and his friends. There’s so much going on, you don’t even know where to look first!

the ceiling

Mickey & Minnie

Hi Donald

so lovely​

The whole place is decorated with stained-glass windows featuring different Disney characters — absolutely stunning.

We got seated in a cozy booth and browsed the menu. It was hard to choose because everything looked amazing. In the end, we went with the pumpkin soup and a truffle pizza to share. Both were not only super tasty but also beautifully presented, which just made the whole experience even better.

We all got a sticker

the pumpkin soup

detail on the plate

truffle pizza

love the details in the kitchen

some more haha

really beautiful restaurant

After that, it was time to head back to our hotel room, because tomorrow we’ve got an early start ahead — ready for another magical day!

Back at the hotel​

 

[clappyclaps]

You're very welcome! That's actually one of the main reasons I'm writing this trip report — I hope it can be helpful for others who are thinking about going too.
We didn’t do much outside of Disney, so I can’t really say much about the language situation beyond that. Inside Disney, it was
actually totally fine. It felt like there was always someone who spoke English, or they could fetch someone if the Cast Member didn’t
speak it themselves. You do need a bit of patience, though — sometimes it just takes a bit longer to get your point across.


And yes, exactly! We also naively thought that saying “Toy Story Hotel” would be clear enough. That took a little adjusting, but it all worked out with the printed address in hand.

Things definitely went more smoothly after a while. I was just a bit tired and slightly stressed from traveling, so everything probably felt more chaotic than it actually was, haha.


Glad to hear it’s been helpful for you! I was nervous about flying to China too, but it turned out totally fine. Hopefully I’ll get the chance
to do it again someday.
Shanghai posts coming soon!


Thanks, always nice to hear!

That's really good to hear and quite reassuring that your trip and flight went well. Another question if you dont mind, you said in your initial post that you got a VPN and all your apps etc worked fine with it - did this include things like Google Maps, Google Translate, WhatsApp etc?

 

[zanzibar138]

What a shame about the rain! Hope you got some better weather for your time in the park

That Donald restaurant is super cute

 

[Daphne0890]

That's really good to hear and quite reassuring that your trip and flight went well. Another question if you dont mind, you said in your initial post that you got a VPN and all your apps etc worked fine with it - did this include things like Google Maps, Google Translate, WhatsApp etc?

Yes everything went fine! I bought an e-sim with Airalo. (I have a iphone 11)

What a shame about the rain! Hope you got some better weather for your time in the park

That Donald restaurant is super cute

Luckily, it only rained on this one day! So it wasn’t too bad—but it’s a pity we didn’t get to explore the city of Shanghai.
The Donald restaurant is definitely a must-visit!

 

[Daphne0890]

Life Update; Disneyland Paris

Sorry for the slow progress — life keeps getting in the way, haha. I also spent Saturday at Disneyland Paris, soaking up a bit more of that Disney magic. Here are a few vibe photos before I dive back into focusing on my trip report!

​

 

[Daphne0890]

Day 8 - Part 1

Today was our first day at Shanghai Disneyland! The park officially opens at 8:30 AM, but as hotel guests, we were allowed to enter an hour earlier. Since today marks the very last day of the Halloween season—and
Shanghai Disneyland is known for its crowds—we made sure to arrive nice and early. When we came downstairs, we saw a long but well-organized line for the bus. Still, we decided to walk to the park instead—about
a 15-minute stroll and way less hectic than the buses.

weather looks much better!

Once we arrived at the park, we followed a sign with a map image that we had received at the Toy Story Hotel. When you check in, you get a blue card as your room key and a green card as proof that you're a hotel guest. You’ll need to show that green card at the park entrance, where they punch a small hole in it. Then comes a thorough bag check and a scanner, and finally, you reach the entry gates, where you exchange your ticket voucher—which we purchased online. It’s super important to bring your international passport here! The names must match those on the tickets, and they also take a photo of you, which gets linked to your admission ticket. Honestly, the process takes a bit of time, so make sure to factor that in—but in the end, everything went smoothly and we were allowed into the park.

We got in!

'The station'

We were immediately greeted by the sight of “the station” that every Disneyland has at the entrance—except here, there’s no train passing through! Once through, we arrived at Mickey Avenue, which is reminiscent of Main Street, U.S.A., but with a twist. While Main Street feels like a small American town from the early 1900s, Mickey Avenue is more of a tribute to classic Disney characters and cartoons. According to the backstory, Mickey and his friends actually live here!

Halloween Display on Mickey Avenue

Mickey Avenue is divided into three sections: Celebration Square, the Market District, and the Theatre District. Fun fact—the name comes from a real street at the Disney Studios in Burbank. The area is mainly filled with shops, restaurants, and tons of character meet-and-greets. Some are along the main street, while others are tucked away in charming little side alleys or around the central square.

Mickey Avenue Spam:

We were absolutely in awe—so different from the Main Streets we’re used to, but such a fun change. The level of detail is incredible… cliché but true: we didn’t know where to look first!​

 

[Daphne0890]

Day 8 - Part 2

One of our travel companions has back problems, so we had already requested a DAS pass in Hong Kong, which we got pretty easily with a doctor’s note. So we also checked in with Guest Services here. Important: your entire group has to be present because they copy your passport and scan your ticket multiple times. Thankfully, they didn’t make a fuss—pretty sure they translated our doctor’s note using their phone.

There was a fair bit of paperwork, so patience was key. The DAS card is normally linked to your app and travel party, but that didn’t work for us because you need SMS verification, and we had that turned off to avoid roaming charges. Luckily, the staff at the attractions didn’t mind: the DAS card and our entrance tickets were enough. To book a time slot, you need to go to one of the Guest Service points of each land. A cast member checks the current wait time of the ride, adds that to the current time, and that becomes your “return time.” Our first pick was the new Zootopia attraction. Since it was the last day of the Halloween season, we wanted to focus on meeting Mickey and Friends in their special Halloween costumes. The DAS card doesn’t work here, but everyone has the right to a 20-minute break—to grab a snack, use the restroom, or just sit and rest. The cast member at the front of the line writes a card with your return time, you take a selfie with it, and you show that selfie as proof when you return.

You can leave and rejoin the line as often as you want, as long as you check back in every 20 minutes. Sounds complicated, but it’s actually really helpful!

We first lined up to meet Chip and Dale, who were dressed in the cutest little tin soldier costumes! After that, we met Mickey, Minnie, and Goofy. After lots of hugs, photos, and Halloween candy, our eyes were drawn to the castle.

Cuties

love the costumes

CookieAnn Bakery Café

look at the snacks

The Enchanted Storybook Castle has been the tallest Disney castle in the world since the park opened—before it was the Cinderella’s Castle in Walt Disney World. What makes this castle so special is that it’s the first in the world designed to represent all Disney princesses—including Anna and Elsa from Frozen. It’s a stunning structure, and the details are absolutely breathtaking.

Inside the grand hall of the castle, you’ll find mosaics of four Disney princesses, each representing a season: The Princess and the Frog for spring, Tangled for summer, Brave for autumn, and Frozen for winter. In the center, a golden chandelier elegantly cascades down from a royal blue, star-shaped ceiling that looks like a starry night sky. This is also the first Disney castle with multiple main entrances on different sides, all connected by beautiful walkways that lead to the central rotunda.

Back of the castle​

 

[zanzibar138]

I also spent Saturday at Disneyland Paris, soaking up a bit more of that Disney magic. Here are a few vibe photos before I dive back into focusing on my trip report!

Thanks for adding! Our next trip is very likely going to be DLP, so I'm trying to re-acquaint myself with it.

Love your photos of an empty Mickey Avenue! Also love their Halloween decorations and outfits - probably my favourite that I've seen so far. They must get some serious wait times for characters to have implemented a system like that.

There was so much negativity around their castle when it was in development, but like you, I thought it was stunning, inside and out! I also loved how interactive it was. On our recent WDW trip, I was so surprised and disappointed that there wasn't much inside the castle unless you're doing CRT.

 

[Daphne0890]

Thanks for adding! Our next trip is very likely going to be DLP, so I'm trying to re-acquaint myself with it.

Love your photos of an empty Mickey Avenue! Also love their Halloween decorations and outfits - probably my favourite that I've seen so far. They must get some serious wait times for characters to have implemented a system like that.

There was so much negativity around their castle when it was in development, but like you, I thought it was stunning, inside and out! I also loved how interactive it was. On our recent WDW trip, I was so surprised and disappointed that there wasn't much inside the castle unless you're doing CRT.

You're welcome! DLP really is a beautiful park, but I’d wait a little longer to cross over until the Walt Disney Studios are out of the scaffolding and the new Frozen Land has opened.

And yes, those character queues are intense! People are waiting up to 540 minutes just to meet LinaBell! They do take their time with each meet though—regular photo, Polaroid shot, selfie... so yeah, that adds up quickly.

I absolutely think it’s a stunning castle!

 

[Daphne0890]

Day 8 - Part 2

After that, it's time to collect our first stamps for the Shanghai Passport. You can buy this passport in the shops and then collect stamps at fifteen different locations using special machines. It’s such a fun and unique souvenir!

Magic Passport

example of the machine

Castle Stamp

Fantasyland

Inside a shop

love this

Another Stamp

love this display (the movie is one of my favorites)

Next, we get ready for our reservation at the attraction Zootopia: Hot Pursuit. This brand-new themed area opened at the end of December 2023, and the moment you step inside, you're transported to the bustling Mammalian
Metropolis of Zootopia. Here, animals live, work, and have fun together in harmony.

Entrance of Zootopia

You’ll discover familiar spots like Mane Street with its cozy storefronts, the colorful billboards of Savannah Central, and of course the iconic Zootopia Central Station. The entire area is packed with details and truly brings the movie to life. Everything is spot-on – every detail is so well thought out and beautifully done!

Zootopia Spam:

lol

​

 

[Daphne0890]

The area is incredibly busy; there can be queues just to get inside. There are also lines to take photos with certain decorative elements, but once you look past that, the area is simply stunning.

example of busy lol

The star attraction of this area, Zootopia: Hot Pursuit, lets you step into the shoes of a rookie cop, joining Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde. You journey through Zootopia’s iconic locations: sliding across the ice of Tundratown, racing through the dusty streets of Sahara Square, and finding yourself in an awkward moment at Mystic Springs Oasis. The mission? Chase down Bellwether and her gang to rescue Gazelle. The entire attraction is in Chinese, but it really doesn’t matter – the scenes are incredibly well made, and the animatronics are next level!

Spoiler Alert:

Entrance

Officier Benjamin Clawhauser in the queue

Chief Bogo in the queue (topnotch animatronic)

Ride vehicle

there are screens but it's alright

the attraction is sooooo goooood

inside the shop

​

 

[zanzibar138]

People are waiting up to 540 minutes just to meet LinaBell!

No wonder they had to come up with a better way to manage that!

Love your shots from Zootopia. That wasn't open when I was there... guess I'll just have to go back one day to see it The crowds though!

 

[Daphne0890]

No wonder they had to come up with a better way to manage that!

Love your shots from Zootopia. That wasn't open when I was there... guess I'll just have to go back one day to see it The crowds though!

Zootopia is really worth the trip, so beautiful!

 

[Daphne0890]

Day 8 - Part 3

Afterward, we explore the Toy Story area. It’s much bigger than we’re used to and packed with fun and colorful decorations.

the entrance

Woody’s Roundup; cute little ride

Al's Toy Barn

inside the shop

Green Army passing by

New stamp

Rex's Racer

view on Slinky Dog Spin

Area where you can pay to play games

Hamm’s Coin Catcher

We decide on a late lunch at Lotso Lunchbox, because that’s where they sell the famous alien pizza. And
yes, we eat with our eyes too! The pizza was delicious, and we also shared a Lotso cheesecake – almost too cute to eat!

Lotso Lunchbox

Alien pizza

Lotso cheesecake - yummmm
​

 

[Daphne0890]

Day 8 - Part 4

Our next stop is Peter Pan’s Flight, a classic ride found in many parks. Luckily, the wait here is quite short. It’s always magical to fly through the story of Peter Pan!

let's fly to Neverland

only decent picture of the ride - lol

Finally, we hop on Voyage to the Crystal Grotto, a charming boat ride through different fairytale scenes, complete with a beautiful fountain show.

love the poster

Entrance

painting in the queue

It’s a fun and adorable ride – and what makes it extra special is that here, you
actually sail through the castle. That’s something you can only experience in this Disneyland park!

Aladdin

this view - magical

Fantasia

Tangled

Mulan

The Little Mermaid

ready to go under the castle

The Crystal! (there were beautiful projections on the walls)

view on the castle at the end of the attraction

Tangled boat as decoration

Snow White/Evil Queen boat​

​