Second (and last) part of my China (Shanghai) Travel Diaries. As I mentioned before, we had two important requirements, and one of them was a major theme park! It wouldn’t be a stretch to call it the main reason, ’cause my family loves them rides! And I must report that it was an enjoyable and memorable trip to Disneyland. (I know, I know, it’s a “paved paradise to put up a parking lot” situation, but sometimes we just need to have fun in an artificial fantasy land!)

My family and I really enjoyed our time there. We went ahead and rented cars (yes, two, ’cause we’re a family of nine!) and let me tell you, the Chinese are very keen on time. Some of my family members were five minutes late, and the drivers politely asked us not to be like that again. It was a bit embarrassing, but he was a pleasant man. During the whole car ride, our driver was, let’s just say, chatty and very fun. He even turned on the massage function of the seat and played some music (even though it was basically old Chinese pop).

We actually rented the cars just to take us there, so we still didn’t know how we’d get back to our hotel. When we mentioned it, he volunteered to pick us up again, and we were happy to oblige. We’re so grateful to him because he also arranged the other car for us. Like I said, the Chinese people we encountered were generally nice. I had good interactions with them.

We went on a day with perfect weather, 18°, slightly windy but with the sun shining brightly. It was a long walk from the parking lot to the actual entrance. I’m not sure if it was peak season or not, but the lines moved fast. Also, take note, you must bring your passport. Your passport is your ticket to Disneyland Shanghai. No QR code needed, just present your passport and they’ll scan it. Isn’t that amazing?

And just like HK Disneyland, I couldn’t stop gushing about how pretty the garden was. It’s hella larger than HK too. The main street was so wide. Actually, all the pavements were wide. I didn’t bump into anyone. I liked that there were lots of benches too, especially since this time our mom came with us. She didn’t try any rides outside of the boat ride and the castle, but she was happy just being with her children and all her grandchildren.

Also, the rides are spacious and extravagant. Because I’m prone to dizziness and have a fear of heights, I tend to avoid anything rollercoaster-y, but I tried my best to go on anything I felt comfortable with. My favorite ride was, hands down, Pirates of the Caribbean. I loved the feeling of drifting through the currents, and all the effects made it feel like we were roaring among the waves.

Unfortunately, I mistook Zootopia for something dizzy-inducing, but my fam said it was so cute and interactive. I wish I had ridden it. Then we went to calmer rides like the boat ride and Alice in Wonderland maze. I enjoyed Buzz Lightyear, Peter Pan, and Dumbo (thanks to my little nephew’s insistence after I passed up the chance to ride TRON). TRON was the biggest ride there. I didn’t even try, ’cause that’s not for me. My sister, though, lost her glasses on that ride and had to continue our trip squinting the whole time. I had to buy her a new pair as a birthday gift when we got home.

There were other rides too like Roaring Rapids and (forgot the name), which of course I declined to try.

The food was delish! Again, like I suggested in my other Shanghai post, skip GCash and install Alipay instead. We ate at a restaurant near the TRON area, and the burger was humongous! And really tasty too. I got the vegetarian one, and they didn’t skimp on the ingredients. The drinks were tall!

What I loved most, though, were the staff. They were genuinely friendly and warm. I appreciated this, especially since in HK Disneyland, the staff sometimes felt a bit distant. I’ve been to major theme parks around Asia like Universal Studios in Singapore and Japan as well as Legoland Malaysia. My general consensus? Shanghai staff were friendly. Well, USJ is like top-tier, no contest, but I would say the staff here were also very accommodating and kind.

We didn’t get to watch the fireworks and light show in the end because we promised to meet up at 9:30 p.m. sharp so the car could pick us up. And even though we missed it, I think we made the most of our time and enjoyed a lot of rides. Thankfully, the longest wait I had was just 40 minutes. The lines were long but moved fast, so it didn’t feel like forever.

I know people say you need two days, but I think our one day was pretty productive. We got to ride most of them, skipping the ones that are already in HK.

Overall, I had a happy experience. Between HK and Shanghai, I’d say I pretty much enjoyed Shanghai better. If the opportunity comes again, I’ll definitely visit again!