A (2019) HalloXmas trip to Asia - Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tokyo! - COMPLETED 5/1!!!

[PlutosRHM55]

The Siren's Revenge looks so super cool! Kinda like the Sailing Ship Columbia but with more to play around with. Treasure Cove just seems to have everything. That might be bumping up my list on lands I really have to explore more in depth when I go to Shanghai one day.

 

[KEK1]

Fabulous pics! No people! Thanks for the tour

 

[tundra1]

This report is so awesome! Thanks for sharing it. Traveling to Asia is a dream of mine. My daughter was in Thailand in February and absolutely fell in love with the people and the beauty of the area. I am excited to see the next installment!

 

[TwoLittlePrincesses]

Great updates!! Glad you’re back to continue your report!

 

[Lesley Wake]

The Siren's Revenge looks so super cool! Kinda like the Sailing Ship Columbia but with more to play around with. Treasure Cove just seems to have everything. That might be bumping up my list on lands I really have to explore more in depth when I go to Shanghai one day.

Oh yeah, there were so many fun areas to explore in that land! Though wait until I post some more photos from today - there is one area in particular I could see you spending a lot of time taking the perfect instagram photos ;-)

Fabulous pics! No people! Thanks for the tour

Yeah, it was fun with low crowds in the morning!

This report is so awesome! Thanks for sharing it. Traveling to Asia is a dream of mine. My daughter was in Thailand in February and absolutely fell in love with the people and the beauty of the area. I am excited to see the next installment!

I did really love the Asian parks and can't wait to go back!

Great updates!! Glad you’re back to continue your report!

Yeah, I'm so sorry for the delay!

 

[Lesley Wake]

Part 3-Breakfast, Jetpacks, and Gardens

I was getting pretty hungry, so I headed back out towards the main park area, walking thru Adventure Isle. Definitely passed by a bunch of people who were racing towards Soaring… even though it already had a 160 minute wait (17 minutes after park open).

More rock animals

I had hoped to see a mini show they did here but I couldn’t find out show times (and I think they didn’t have any when I was there-maybe just on the weekends at that time of the year?)

Time for breakfast at Remy’s Patisserie. I know I'm always curious about offerings at other parks, so here are some of the ones I could read when I zoomed into a high quality photo (cranberry cupcake, chocolate cupcake, almond caramel cake, cheese brownie, blueberry mango cheesecake (of course Donald themed), strawberry mousse cake, chocolate passionfruit mousse, Mike matcha mousse cake, Dale chestnut mousse cake, Chip crispy chocolate coconut mousse cake).

And savory options included Handmade ratatouille pie, beef bourgogne pie, baked mixed seafood and seasonal vegetable pie, sausage roll, chicken curry pie, croque monsieur.

I felt like something savory and something sweet, so I got another Shanghainese Pork Cake and a Mickey Chocolate Tart. Yummy!

While I was eating my breakfast outside Remy, I got to witness something cool, yet not on the official schedule. It seems the Shanghai Disneyland Band escorts out all the characters for the start of their Meet & Greets with a little song and dance before the characters distribute themselves to the appropriate spot (it helps they are all pretty close to the central hub). Definitely something to consider seeing (though if you see that, you will probably be behind a big line for actual character meets, so consider your priorities); it happened around 9:30 (so 30 minutes after park open).

I also got to see some more CMs making up flower Mickeys!

​

 

[Lesley Wake]

Time for another ride – this time my only real Standby wait of the trip (outside of EMH or late night rides). Jet Packs. Shanghai’s version of Astro Orbitor, though you actually sit in seats with your legs hanging, which I prefer as it's always so awkward getting in and out of those rockets (though this does mean you are in the same "vehicle" as another person so have to share the same up/down features).

I had hoped to ride this right at park open (after doing Tron during EMH), so I could limit the wait time, but unfortunately that didn’t happen. It listed a 20 minute wait, which was pretty accurate. And I did have plenty of pushy guests who kept trying to cut in line. But in the end, I got to ride and it was all fine.

The ride itself was actually super fun! I definitely liked it much more than Astro Orbitor since it was easier to get in/out of this one. And it felt more like flying! One criticism – The sightlines aren’t great for the areas around Shanghai Disney. It’s not like WDW, where it’s mostly trees or WDW hotels, or Disneyland, which is residential areas. SHDL has lots of industrial areas around it, so large power cables spread around. Which is your main view from the jetpacks. But still didn’t hurt my enjoyment!

I believe it was about time for my Tron Fastpass, so I went to ride that! Still super fun! (Oh and I decided not to pay for photopass today, as I only did a couple ride photos, so you’ll have to deal with the watermark!)

I then headed back across the park via the Garden of the Twelve Friends, which has tilework murals for the 12 Chinese zodiac animals, all based on Disney characters!

I had to take a selfie with my animal, Babe the Blue Ox. “Loyalty is important to Babe. This colossal hero of Disney’s Academy Award-nominated short film Paul Bunyan devotes his life to helping his friend – a giant lumberjack – tame the wilderness.”

​

 

[Lesley Wake]

Another garden pathway

And back into Treasure Cove

I stopped for a Mickey Ice Cream Bar, Shanghai style. Because, rather than being just vanilla ice cream covered in chocolate, it also had chocolate ice cream ears! Loved it so much!

Ok, now one thing I know I did but I CANNOT find any photo evidence or timestamp (these are all repeats of photos I posted from the day before) – I did another pass on the Challenge Trails.

This time I did trail #3 (I had done trail 1 the day before). Rather than going up the mountain, this one goes the opposite direction and involves a lot of climbing around the kids play area. I did buy the Premier pass for this individual attraction, as I didn’t know what the wait would be like, however in the end it turned out to not be worth it as there actually wasn’t a wait once you got past the locker area.

Unlike the previous day, the CM at the front did a weight check, which I was within the range for. But the CM giving out the harnesses unfortunately gave me the wrong size so it was difficult to adjust. I got pulled to the side while the CM doing harness checks went back to get a larger one, though another CM tried quietly telling me I was too big. I did let her know – no, I’m fine. I did this the day before. And once they got the larger harness it fit better and I was able to go on the course. Which was still super fun!

But it was cool climbing around closer to the ground!

This first photos shows one of the obstacles - the easy route is walking around the outside of the temple. The medium route is inside (second photo), which is a narrower pathway but still workable (I did this one), and the hard route is also inside but super narrow!

Coming up - Eye of the Storm! ​

 

[PlutosRHM55]

The Jet Packs look and sound so cool! I was wondering how it was the same as Astro Orbiter and how it was different. I definitely think I'd prefer them to Astro Orbiter because having legs hanging must feel so freeing, even with the crappy sightlines.

I'm guessing you were pointing to the main hub area of Shanghai Disney as where I'd lose my mind taking photos and yes you'd definitely be right. There is SOOOO much there. Gosh, I would lose my mind.

I'll be booking my flight to Shanghai while waiting for your next update. I'm not waiting any longer. I'm gonna make it happen (jk I'm broke)

 

[Lesley Wake]

The Jet Packs look and sound so cool! I was wondering how it was the same as Astro Orbiter and how it was different. I definitely think I'd prefer them to Astro Orbiter because having legs hanging must feel so freeing, even with the crappy sightlines.

I'm guessing you were pointing to the main hub area of Shanghai Disney as where I'd lose my mind taking photos and yes you'd definitely be right. There is SOOOO much there. Gosh, I would lose my mind.

I'll be booking my flight to Shanghai while waiting for your next update. I'm not waiting any longer. I'm gonna make it happen (jk I'm broke)

Yeah it was fun! I wish I had a chance to do it a second time (especially at night)!

Actually, it wasn't that area! You'll just have to wait a couple updates for that one!

 

[missjackiemcg]

Love this picture (and all the others!) That castle is just incredible.

So cute!! It looks like Babe was made to be in selfies, LOL!! I like that there are some obscure characters included in these mosaics! Very cool.

Adventure Isle and Treasure Cove are just so photogenic, aren't they!?

So glad you're back to this TR!!

 

[KEK1]

Love the Babe selfie ! Those Challenge trails sound like so much fun, nice and active .

 

[cheryllarsen]

Great read. Thanks for posting!

 

[lindseyanne]

I'm a little late joining in, but I'm loving your TR so far!

 

[vamassey1]

I'm so glad your posting again.

I can't believe the low crowds. I'm also enjoyed all the detailed pictures you're sharing. The Pirate area is so cool. So much to see.

 

[Lesley Wake]

Love this picture (and all the others!) That castle is just incredible.

It really is a beautiful castle! So much better in person too than photos!

So cute!! It looks like Babe was made to be in selfies, LOL!! I like that there are some obscure characters included in these mosaics! Very cool.

Haha, I know! And I think I know which one Ariana would gravitate to!

Love the Babe selfie ! Those Challenge trails sound like so much fun, nice and active .

They were cool! And definitely not something you'd see in any other Disney park!

Great read. Thanks for posting!

Thanks for reading!

I'm a little late joining in, but I'm loving your TR so far!

Thanks!

I'm so glad your posting again.

I can't believe the low crowds. I'm also enjoyed all the detailed pictures you're sharing. The Pirate area is so cool. So much to see.

Funny thing is, besides the morning, it wasn't necessarily low crowds. There could be some longer wait times, but the park itself is designed to absorb large crowds very well (wide pathways, lots of hidden queue areas, lots of restaurant seating). Interesting to see a park designed in the 21st century!

 

[Lesley Wake]

Part 4 -Eye of storm

I decided to go ahead and see Eye of the Storm: Captain Jack’s Stunt Spectacular. A stunt show, which was super impressive! (It was all in Chinese, but I got the gist of it.)

(Again, someone else’s video)

The pre-show holding room is huge and really looks like a theatre lobby. Eventually the cast comes out and I believe there is some arguing about the show… Some physical gags, others I just didn’t quite understand, but overall I was amused.

And then they let everyone into the theatre, which is a free for all for seating. I think it was benches with backs. I easily got a spot pretty much in the center of the theatre (maybe further to the back though).

It starts in front of the screen with the cast trying out various outfits.

And eventually Jack Sparrow shows up, swinging over the audience.

The King’s guards show up and arrests Jack.​

 

[Lesley Wake]

Then a cannon goes off and suddenly the whole theatre is filled with thick smoke/fog. Like, you can’t see anything! Seriously – watch the show video above and you get an idea of how crazy it is!

Then the reveal – the whole backstage area has been revealed, with multiple levels and screens and everything! Very cool!

Of course the soldiers want to execute Captain Jack, but that is thwarted when one of the cast decides to start a rebellion.

So, time for the fighting and bigger stunts to happen! So cool! (unfortunately I think some of these photos are out of order, but you get the general idea)

Funniest part was when they had to save the rum! (The soldiers and pirates worked together here)

The coolest was this mid-air battle!

I really did love this show! Yeah, I didn’t understand everything that was happening, but it was cool to see all the stunts and technology involved. Yet another “WOW” moment care of Shanghai!

(About 2 months before I arrived they had unfortunately closed down the Tarzan show (which I think looked Cirque de Soleil style, which I was bummed about. Maybe they will replace it with something new soon? And since writing the last sentence it looks like they did add some new show which opened when SHDL reopened, something about Mickey and color, though that may just be a seasonal thing, so maybe there will be a rotating series of seasonal shows?)​

 

[Lesley Wake]

Time for lunch, and since I was in Treasure Cove, might as well give Barbossa’s Bounty a try.

It’s also a buffeteria set up, with multiple stations to order from. And was definitely busy (it felt busier than these photos show).

I got the ribs for lunch, which were interesting. The meat was good, but the sauce had that same Chinese taste which I wasn’t a huge fan of. I ate more of the internal meat without the sauce, which was nice.

And I also got the Coconut Milk Shave Ice, because it looked so good! This really was delicious with lots of different flavors. A lot of food too though, so I definitely recommend sharing with someone else. They also did an interesting thing, where for the savory dishes, you would order, get served, and then pay at the register. For desserts, you would order/pay at the register, then go over to a counter to pick it up. I assume you could then get the dessert once you were done with your entrée, but because I was alone I just went ahead and got both before sitting down. There was a delay getting the snow ice, which was a pain, but whatever, it worked.

I ate in the room that was next to the ride, though my table was further in. It was cool though.

Lots of other eating areas

Coming up - More new adventures in Fantasyland! ​

 

[dolewhipdreams]

Okay all your photos of all the pirate areas are

Time for breakfast at Remy’s Patisserie.

Oh my GOODNESS everything there looks amazing!

While I was eating my breakfast outside Remy, I got to witness something cool, yet not on the official schedule. It seems the Shanghai Disneyland Band escorts out all the characters for the start of their Meet & Greets with a little song and dance before the characters distribute themselves to the appropriate spot (it helps they are all pretty close to the central hub). Definitely something to consider seeing (though if you see that, you will probably be behind a big line for actual character meets, so consider your priorities); it happened around 9:30 (so 30 minutes after park open).

So cool, was it Mickey & Gang characters mostly?

Because, rather than being just vanilla ice cream covered in chocolate, it also had chocolate ice cream ears!

Because of course they do. Another thing to add to my ever-growing list of food to stuff my face with when we finally get over there.

Funniest part was when they had to save the rum!

Must save the rum!

And I also got the Coconut Milk Shave Ice, because it looked so good! This really was delicious with lots of different flavors.

Oo what was the texture like? Was it like normal shave ice? It looks so yummy!