Shanghai Disneyland: How Visiting the Park Has Changed in the Past Decade
Shanghai Disney Resort is celebrating its 10th anniversary, and it is remarkable to see just how far the destination has come in a relatively short period of time. Because of my role with Disney at the time, I was fortunate to have early awareness of the project and some insight into what the company hoped to accomplish. Even then, it was clear that Disney was aiming to create something ambitious. Ten years later, however, I have gained an even greater appreciation for just how special Shanghai Disney Resort has become.
In fact, if you are a Disney fan with the means and opportunity to visit, I would strongly encourage you to do so. Not only will you experience attractions and entertainment unlike anything else in the Disney portfolio, but you may also find yourself rediscovering some of the magic that made you fall in love with Disney in the first place. Few places today can refill your pixie dust reserves quite like Shanghai Disney Resort.
When Shanghai Disneyland first opened in 2016, many Disney fans in the United States were hesitant to make the journey. Visa requirements seemed intimidating, and stories about poor guest behavior often dominated online discussions. While some of those concerns were understandable, many of those issues have found some relief.
During my first visit, I encountered some of the challenges that fueled those perceptions. In Adventure Isle, I was approached multiple times by people attempting to sell unlicensed merchandise. It became so common that I actually paused to make sure it was not some unusual retail initiative Disney was testing. Thankfully, those days appear to be largely behind the resort.
Today, China’s visa process is significantly more streamlined, and travelers visiting multiple destinations in Asia can often take advantage of expanded transit visa policies. More importantly, the guest culture at Shanghai Disneyland has evolved dramatically. While cultural differences certainly remain, I found the guests to be among the most enthusiastic and respectful anywhere in the Disney portfolio. During my anniversary visit, I witnessed none of the behaviors that once generated headlines. Instead, I saw guests who were fully engaged in the Disney experience.
Everywhere I looked, people were dancing along with the parade, proudly wearing Disney merchandise from head to toe, and patiently waiting for the perfect photo opportunity inside Zootopia. While the resort's love affair with Zootopia has been well documented, guests also have an incredible passion for LinaBell, the newest friend of Duffy who debuted in 2021. Her popularity has become a phenomenon of its own, spreading beyond Shanghai to other Disney destinations across Asia and even aboard Disney Adventure.
Being at the resort during its anniversary celebration also highlighted something that Disney fans everywhere have in common. No matter what country you are in, passionate Disney fans often express their love for the parks in remarkably similar ways. Guests eagerly stopped to take photos with Disney executives who were greeting visitors near the iconic Mickey floral. One fan proudly posed with Shanghai Disney Resort President Andrew Bolstein while holding a recreation of his blue Disney Cast Member ID. Another guest showed Disney Experiences Chairman Thomas Mazloum a poster featuring photos of herself visiting the park on each of its previous nine anniversaries, dating all the way back to opening day. Guests camped out for special ceremonies and anniversary moments in a way that would feel instantly familiar to anyone who has spent time around Disneyland enthusiasts in California.
One of my favorite details involved the Cast Members themselves. Opening day Cast Members wore special adornments on their name tags to signify that they were celebrating the resort's tenth anniversary. What struck me was not simply how many of them there were, though the number was impressive. It was the fact that so many of them still carried the same enthusiasm and pride that differentiate cast members from employees. Language barriers occasionally created challenges, but friendliness never did. Time and again, Cast Members went out of their way to assist guests, answer questions, and create magical moments. Their warmth rivals that of Cast Members at any Disney destination around the world.
That is not to say the resort is perfect. There are still areas where the guest experience could improve. The Shanghai Disney Resort app may have a legitimate claim to being the least user-friendly Disney parks app currently in operation. Checking into my hotel turned into a lengthy process due to technical issues, and the lobby at Toy Story Hotel often became crowded and noisy. Yet what stood out was how consistently Cast Members worked to overcome those challenges. Whenever something went wrong, there was a genuine effort to make things right and ensure guests still felt valued.
Of course, Shanghai Disneyland's attractions remain a major draw. Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure continues to be one of the most groundbreaking attractions Disney has ever created, while Zootopia: Hot Pursuit demonstrates that Imagineering is still capable of producing experiences that push the medium forward. The upcoming Spider-Man attraction will hopefully only add another compelling reason for Disney fans to make the trip.
Yet during my third visit, I found myself spending less time rushing between attractions and more time appreciating the details. The storytelling woven throughout Zootopia, the rich environmental design of Adventure Isle, and the charm of Mickey Avenue all serve as reminders that Disney still knows how to create immersive worlds that reward exploration. The more time you spend in the park, the more you discover. Ultimately, however, the greatest attraction at Shanghai Disney Resort may be its people.
The guests genuinely love Disney, and there is something incredibly uplifting about being surrounded by that level of enthusiasm. The Cast Members take immense pride in creating magical experiences. Together, they have shaped a resort culture that feels uniquely its own while still embodying the values that make Disney parks special around the world. While The Garden of the Twelve Friends was not a draw on my initial visits, it has turned into a phenomenon with guests waiting to have their picture taken with the Disney friend that represents their Chinese Zodiac year.
The resort's anniversary slogan is "With You It's Magic+." To American ears, the phrase may sound a little unusual at first. After spending time at the resort, though, its meaning becomes clear. The "plus" is not an attraction, a land, or a piece of technology. It is the people.
Over the past decade, the people of Shanghai Disney Resort have embraced Disney storytelling and made it their own. In doing so, they have added something uniquely special to the Disney Parks experience. They are the magic plus. And after experiencing the resort's tenth anniversary celebration firsthand, I find myself hoping it won't be long before I make my way back to Shanghai once again.