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

[Lesley Wake]

The scalping stories are crazy! I had no idea there were such issues within the park.

A rope course within the park is pretty unique. I bet it was a fun way to explore!

I was looking at the photos you took of the character paintings, thinking how much I loved the blend of all the different characters, when I read your note about the artist being on One Day and remembered thinking that would be a cool piece of art to view. It looks like that held true.


That Queen of Hearts head at the maze is massive. It makes quite the statement.

There were crazy stories I'd hear about! Luckily I didn't end up having to deal with any of that.

The ropes course was super fun! Challenging too!

That whole maze was so much fun! Different than Paris because it was based on the live action movie.

Sounds like you were having a really terrific day!!!

I found it so interesting how people even have the idea to buy up FPs, strollers, etc and resell them!! Just crazy. Stinks that you had to pay for premier access, but sounds like it is a helpful thing to have.

LOVE the pictures of the Coco area and the castle so far. Looking forward to more!

I'm thinking you bought either the Gelatoni ears or the Chip 'n Dale ones.

People do have crazy ideas - anything to work the system!

You did guess correct! The Chip n Dale! I wore them over NYE and everyone at WDW loved them!

That restaurant looks huge! I love all the theming though. Those character murals on the walls

I did like the theming a lot! (Had to take photos despite people sitting at the booths!)

It's taken me days, but I am finally caught up!

Your flight in business class looks dreamy. If I ever go far enough away to warrant this, I hope I am lucky enough to do that too!

Your park photos are just lovely. I don't know how you planned and managed all this, but good for you. I think that's very brave and definitely not something I think I could ever do.

The ropes course looks fun! I could see this fitting in on Tom Sawyer's Island!

The business class was the way to go! I don't know if I could ever fly that far again without at least going for Premium economy!

It was crazy planning it! But worth it!

I didn't even think about Tom Sawyer Island, but I could see that working!

Loving all the details in the park, and the ropes course looks very cool!

I did watch One Day at Disney and noticed the drawings right away in your photos. That is a really awesome buffeteria!

The whole park was great!

 

[disneyAndi14]

What a fun first park day, I sure hope I won’t be to afraid to ride Tron, it looks awesome.
PoTC looks so cool. I would love to ride that version.
I love all the pictures, the different places to eat in the bufferita look so fun to explore.
The squatting bathrooms are so odd to us Westerners. Hopefully less people were squatting in the parks now. I heard that was quite a problems. Yuck

 

[Lesley Wake]

Ugh. I somehow missed the fact that you started this TR! Subbing in now, but I will come back to read!

Going thru your comments now!

OK just read your first page. Nice that you scored Business class an you had one of those sleeper seats! I think I would have chosen the American menu as well on the first flight. I'm a little afraid to try Bibimbap and I'm not altogether sure why.

Sounds like you had smooth sailing on the second flight as well but the moth would have freaked me out. Not sure why, but I'm definitely tormented by them. Something about looking at encyclopedias as a kid.

Back to catching up!

Business was soo comfortable!

The moth did scare me at first! Luckily that area of the plane was nearly empty or else it would have landed on people!

Nice pictures if the merchandise. It looks like they have a lot of unique items there that you dont find in the US parks!

I'll remember the tip on buying tickets there. We definitely want to stay at the DL hotel over TS!

I really liked the merch selections - lots of unique things!

We'll have to really sit down and talk things over when you guys finally plan a trip!

The room looks great. I definitely want to stay there if we ever go.

Were those paintings in the lobby by Maggie Parr? She does a lot of famous paintings with Disney Characters. We have quite a few of them. I liked the ones in the lobby better than the ones on the upper floors.

I definitely want to do that character buffet. Lots of things on the buffets looked delicious! You got some very cute pictures with the characters, I loved those outfits!

I definitely recommend SHDLH over TSH. Maybe if you have kids who love Toy Story or are on a budget,

Hmm, I don't know about Maggie Parr! I wish I could have bought some of the ones!

It was a yummy buffet!

I'm really enjoying your take on your morning in the park. I've read quite a few Shanghai TRs and I'm finally getting a grasp on the park. Your map with the highlights really helped a lot!

Is the hotel guest entrance relatively new? The people whose TRs I read visited in the first year of opening and I remember them reporting huge crowds at the entrance.

What is a pork floss bun? It sounds like they have added more snacks that westerners might enjoy from the earlier reports. Several of the writers of the TRs I read were Asians living in Western countries, and they commented that the offerings were a bit foreign to them. The addition of a croque Monsieur was nice.

Glad the map helped!

I think the hotel entrance was relatively new. And the early entry. I think they heard about bad guest experiences and really improved things!

 

[Lesley Wake]

What a fun first park day, I sure hope I won’t be to afraid to ride Tron, it looks awesome.
PoTC looks so cool. I would love to ride that version.
I love all the pictures, the different places to eat in the bufferita look so fun to explore.
The squatting bathrooms are so odd to us Westerners. Hopefully less people were squatting in the parks now. I heard that was quite a problems. Yuck

You definitely will have to ride Tron at least once! It's just so much fun!

I did have two incidents of public restroom use, but they were both with little boys so didn't bother me too much.

 

[Lesley Wake]

Interesting. I am guessing you didn't try it.

I didn't! I did have some popcorn in Tokyo, but none here!

You learned your lesson with us!

I sure did! That was the last time I've done one of those raft rides! I think Kali is down in February, or else I'd do it on a day I need to go back to AKL earlier in the day, but no luck so far!

Why haven't they sprinkled more Coco into Mexico in EPCOT?

I know! I just really want it to take over the boat ride!

This would be amazing to have in Animal Kingdom! It was be perfect! But they wouldn' tbe able to have everyone sign wavers and stuff.

Yeah, it would be great! Or at Fort Wilderness!

What time of day was it? Everything is empty!

Just normal lunchtime! Though that one was empty because it was roped off (I just leaned over to take the photo). But even the open areas weren't too crowded!

Love the ears! So, glad that the day was going well!

It was a great day!

 

[dolewhipdreams]

I'm surprised at how Shanghai doesn't have a train that circles the park considering how they have this whole shop and the parade is themed after a train!

I read somewhere that the decision to not put in a train was deliberate, due to the connotations around Chinese involvement in the American rail system and they wanted to be respectful.

 

[Lesley Wake]

I read somewhere that the decision to not put in a train was deliberate, due to the connotations around Chinese involvement in the American rail system and they wanted to be respectful.

Interesting!

 

[Lesley Wake]

Part 5 – FPs were totally worth it!

Reposting this map of park here for reference!

While it didn’t feel crowded in my photos, this day ended up being pretty crowded in terms of wait times. Like Winnie the Pooh had an 80 minute wait, their version of teacups a 50 minute wait, etc. I didn’t expect those wait times, but I guess it was partially due to the Emperor Enthronement in Japan, so a considerable number of Japanese tourists were on vacation (someone on twitter noted that they heard lots of Japanese being spoken around the park). BUT, it didn’t feel that crowded. The park is really designed to absorb crowds well, at least in my experience. And with the FPs I didn’t have to wait that long anyways.

7DMT – a 90 minute wait when I arrived around 11:50! The ride was pretty much identical to the MK version, except for the ending scenery. (In Florida, when they built it they just re-used some animatronics from the old Snow White ride to create that dancing scene; in Shanghai they didn’t have that opportunity).

Another POV video

I don’t know if I’d say I prefer one or the other, but it’s just different. Though Shanghai doesn’t have the best sightlines (I noticed this when I was up high anywhere in the park – lots of power cables and industrial buildings on the outskirts of the property). And they are building Zootopia land right next door, so it was a big pile of dirt (though I’m very excited to see how it turns out and will definitely have to do a return journey).

I LOVED the construction fences for Zootopia though! I mean, come on! 3 different door sizes! Perfect! And apparently they have added more graffiti posters to the walls since I’ve visited.

​

 

[Lesley Wake]

Up to the Winnie the pooh mini-land (I don’t know if it’s even referred to like that, but there are 2 rides and a store).

Some more merch photos

A cute raincoat with a carrying bag!

Pins (I got the Mickey head dragon)

A display for the “cute” merchandise collection

Winnie the Pooh – 60 minute standby! Interesting how it was the only version that has non-English writing on the book pages; even Hong Kong and Tokyo had English writing. But pretty much identical to WDW’s version.

Another POV

Oh, and I decided to look – you know the Mr Toad painting in WDW (because WtP took over the Mr. Toad space), well here they just have a Tigger painting in the same spot!

​

 

[Lesley Wake]

Continuing through Fantasyland...

Festival forest – unfortunately no shows today, but I think they sometimes have princess storytelling or musical acts. It’s also used as a picnic area, because apparently that is a big thing the locals like to do.

I walked through the Tangled Tavern QS to see the theming but I didn’t get any food items. Something I noticed was a plethora of seating areas in the restaurants. Which was something the ops team realized they needed due to Chinese custom of taking longer at meals. At least I never had issues finding places to sit and eat (unlike at some other parks, cough, all of them, cough).

Another flavored popcorn – Cherry this time.

I skipped the Frozen sing along. I don’t know if it includes comedy but that would have been lost in translation (if there was a translation)

Coming up: More Fantasyland rides!​

 

[franandaj]

Ok, so sorry I haven't responded here in a while! Had my latest WDW trip and I hoped to do some TR while I was there, but just no energy!

Fine with me! I was nearly 10 pages behind from the gitgo so I didnt even notice!

But that ride! OMG – wow! I wasn’t sure what to expect. I knew things broke all the time. But I think it ended up working perfectly! I just don’t know what to say, it was amazing! Just the immersion and effects just all made for an amazing experience. There was one point on the ride where I was convinced something was a screen, then we went around a corner and I realized it was a physical set piece! And another time, Jack pulls on a rope on the screen, and suddenly physical things within the ride happen! It was awesome!

So is it awesome in any manner comparable to RotR or just completely different types of technology?

Oh and I did take photos this one time in the bathroom of the Chinese style toilets (since it was empty). All of the bathrooms had Western style at one end, and there usually wasn’t any wait for those even if the squat-style had a lot of people.

I encountered those kind of toilets in Europe in a few places. OK for some business but not others! I think I would be pleased to find the Western ones with no lines!

Though they definitely don’t give enough syrup!

Like at least three of those! And no butter either, ugh.

Interesting how folks took your picture. You are pretty tall. Maybe they thought you were an Amazon woman and I don't mean bought online.

 

[Angelamgass]

Love reading all about your trip

 

[franandaj]

Again, sorry for the longer delay with updates! I'm hoping the updates will speed up from here, but work is sending me up to Vancouver for 2 weeks (that office is slammed and being a dual citizen means they don't have to worry about work permits/visas if I go)! So it could mean either my updates will slow down from being so busy. Or speed up since I will just be hanging in a hotel in the evenings?

Wow didn't know you had dual citizenship! Where in Vancouver are you? Could be lots of cool places to hang. Or not.

This is a full ropes course in a Disney park! Seriously! (Of course I could never see this in any other park – well maybe HK could get away with it.)

This is one attraction that I would be avoiding in Shanghai. Not sure why people want to do it. Sounds way too stressful to me!

 

[missjackiemcg]

Oh, I Just LOVE the theming of the Tangled Tavern! I would love it if they could have somehow incorporated this into the lovely Tangled bathrooms we got instead.

 

[dolewhipdreams]

And they are building Zootopia land right next door, so it was a big pile of dirt (though I’m very excited to see how it turns out and will definitely have to do a return journey).

So it's an exciting pile of dirt

A display for the “cute” merchandise collection

So precious!!

unlike at some other parks, cough, all of them, cough

I'm looking at you, Woody's Lunchbox.

I skipped the Frozen sing along. I don’t know if it includes comedy but that would have been lost in translation (if there was a translation)

Hm I wonder what language the songs are in!

 

[missangelalexis]

Good thing for the FPs! Sounds like you had fun gettign to ride some familiar things!

 

[Lesley Wake]

ine with me! I was nearly 10 pages behind from the gitgo so I didnt even notice!

Lol!

So is it awesome in any manner comparable to RotR or just completely different types of technology?

Hmmm - I'd say different. Because Pirates is lots of huge open spaces and huge screens. A large portion of the time you are floating by things. Yes, it does go backward or rotate, but still pretty smooth movements. RotR is more intimate and fast moving. (I was going to say Pirates was more screen based, but then I realized RotR does have so many screens, they are just so well integrated.) RotR also has more surprises. But I love them both!

Interesting how folks took your picture. You are pretty tall. Maybe they thought you were an Amazon woman and I don't mean bought online.

Haha, I think I've heard about other Westerners getting their photos taken too!

Wow didn't know you had dual citizenship! Where in Vancouver are you? Could be lots of cool places to hang. Or not.

Yeah, my mom is Canadian (well actually my whole family are dual citizens, but I got it through my mom). Worked out great for college, as I could go up to Montreal and pay the Canadian citizen rate. $1500/year for a school ranked in the top 20 of the world - yes please!

Not a whole lot of time to relax right now! And it's been chilly and rainy! But I'm heading out to spend time on my uncle's "farm" this weekend (it's not really a working farm, just in farm areas and with a forest in the back 2 acres).

This is one attraction that I would be avoiding in Shanghai. Not sure why people want to do it. Sounds way too stressful to me!

Haha, at least there are cool walking paths around the trails! And there were paths that weren't difficult at all - basically no worse than stairs or walkways.

Love reading all about your trip

Thanks! I'm glad to write and relive it!

Oh, I Just LOVE the theming of the Tangled Tavern! I would love it if they could have somehow incorporated this into the lovely Tangled bathrooms we got instead.

Oh I know! A whole Tangled mini-land would be great! I can't wait to see the one at Tokyo DisneySea, though that probably won't be for another 5 yrs at least!

I'm looking at you, Woody's Lunchbox.

Yup! And so many other places too - even Tokyo I would need to do multiple laps of a place carrying a tray of food just trying to find somewhere to sit!

Hm I wonder what language the songs are in!

Hmm, probably English actually! The parade and castle show was all English music. Just the actual characters talking were in Chinese.

Good thing for the FPs! Sounds like you had fun gettign to ride some familiar things!

Yeah, it was great getting to ride these and see newer versions of them!

 

[Lesley Wake]

Wait, two updates in a row? Is this really a Lesley TR?

Part 6 – The best Fantasyland rides!

Another reminder of the map of park:

And an eta on crowds, it was about 12:30 and the park officially opened at 9. For fastpass rides:

Soaring – 90 minutes (no FPs left)
Roaring Rapids – 60 minutes (no FPs left)
Buzz – 10 minutes (FP good at 1:50)
Tron – 60 minutes (no FPs left)
7DMT – 90 minutes (no FPs left)
Winnie the Pooh – 50 minutes (FP good at 7pm)
Peter Pan – 50 minutes (FP good at 7:20)

Time for a flight through Neverland, which had this cute fountain in front! And some statues in line

It was another 2-row ship, like in Paris, but the ride was different than the other parks (Oh and they like to fill up the rows, because normally I’d be by myself but they did have a dad and his kid sit in the same bench as me, which was a surprise as I sat down!)

I didn’t take photos, but here is a POV video

And WOW! This ride was the best version! Absolute best! So many updated animatronics and whole additional scenes. They also really integrated simple projections which brought the ride to life! So awesome!

Another photo in Fantasyland

​

 

[Lesley Wake]

Voyage to the Crystal Grotto – this one doesn’t have a normal FP, but was included in my FP packages, so I got to skip the decently long standby line

POV video

(Oh and this was my first experience with, um, guests not using proper toilets. A family with 2 little boys entered in front of me and the mom whipped out a water bottle for her son to pee into. At least that was somewhat understandable, since it was a little kid and she did immediately seal it and throw it out. Still a bit interesting to see…)

Back to the ride itself...

The boat had solid roof, which felt a bit submarine-like (but the ceiling lit up so made sense after riding it)

I didn’t know what to expect about this ride – I knew it was their version of Storybook Land Canal Boats (which I like in DL and DLP), but it was fountains instead. So I thought it would just be floating by a normal fountain. I didn’t realize it was full fountain shows with music! So I was pleasantly surprised and ended up really liking it!

Beauty and the Beast

Aladdin

Topiary with roses where the Disney parks are around the world

​

 

[Lesley Wake]

Fantasia

Rapunzel - I still think these figures have a bit of a creepy look!

Mulan

The Little Mermaid

I loved the finale & Crystal Grotto part, but you’ll have to wait til tomorrow to see my better photos!

Loved the props at the unload dock. Took me a moment to recognize where the raft came from. Can you remember?

Of course, more merch checks – this time at Mickey and Minnie’s Mercantile (themed like a tailer’s shop), but mostly sells toys and plushies. I loved the details of the store!

Coming up – The best snack at Toy Story Land!​