Shanghai Disney – 11/4/2016

November 4, 2016 (Friday)

Had breakfast in the buffet and Michael left his hat on the windowsill. One of the other people in the tour saw it and made sure to get it to him. Such nice people. (Thank you Gloria and Dennis.)  After breakfast we went down to the concierge and got our tickets for Disney. So excited. Was really weird because we didn’t get physical tickets. The tickets were tied in with our passports. So high tech here.

Our great concierge on the left arraigned the van and tickets, Very nicely done.
Our great concierge on the left arraigned the van and tickets, Very nicely done.  Much of it was done through his phone.

The van arrived right on time and off we went. Don and Toni were going to meet us at the park later (1 PM at the Cheesecake Factory) as they had made arrangements to ride on the high speed mag lev train. The driver didn’t speak much English so it was just Mike and Dawn, Michael and I in the van for almost an hour. When the driver dropped us off, he told us he would pick us up at the same spot. (The van with driver for the day was quite expensive for the six of us but we had been told if we took a taxi, it was easy to take one to Disney but to get one to return was almost impossible.)

We walked a little ways down to the park, stood in the security line, and then went inside.

Shuttles like in Florida. We didn't ride it, not sure where it was coming from or where it was going.
Shuttles like in Florida. We didn’t ride it, not sure where it was coming from or where it was going.
Our driver could only get so close and we had a bit of a walk to get in to the park. Landscaping was excellent.
Our driver could only get so close and we had a bit of a walk to get in to the park. Landscaping was excellent.
The grounds are huge and beautifully decorated with many water features.
The grounds are huge and beautifully decorated with many water features.
It is familiar but bigger. Michael and Dawn Lopez on the bottom left.
It is familiar but bigger. Michael and Dawn on the bottom left.
Thank you Michael Lopez for taking our picture.
Thank you Michael  for taking our picture.
The gate person is using our passport to check four of us into the park.
The gate person is using our passport to check four of us into the park.

Once inside Mike and Dawn went their own way and we went ours. We knew we would slow them down as Michael’s cyst behind his knee was bothering him and we had to take it slow in order to make it the whole day. We were all meeting up at 1 PM for lunch at the Cheesecake Factory.

We walked around and just marveled at the size and scope of this Disney. The castle is HUGE! So beautiful. We got to see a parade and then we walked over to Pirates of the Caribbean and waited in line (about one and a half hours). I had read that this Pirates ride is really good and totally different than the others. It started out the same and Michael wasn’t impressed but once it started doing its thing, he was totally impressed. It was pretty amazing. We wanted to go do Soaring but the wait was 3 hours long.

First selfie with the castle in view.
First selfie with the castle in view.
A little closer.
A little closer.
Distances are deceptive here, be prepared to walk.
Distances are deceptive here, be prepared to walk.
Park attendance appears good to us.
Park attendance appears good to us.
We guess 4 to 6 times larger that the one in California and at least 3 times bigger than the one in Florida.
We guess 4 to 6 times larger that the one in California and at least 3 times bigger than the one in Florida.
Pretty typical kinds of stuff happening here.
Pretty typical kinds of stuff happening here.
Many Disney characters that I don't know about.
Many Disney characters that I don’t know about.
T.he parade is a big production
The parade is a big production
Parade fun.
Parade fun.
You get the full experience here.
You get the full experience here.
In the US they have the Mad Tea Party with spinning tea cups. In Shanghai they have spinning honey pots. I opted not to ride.
In the US they have the Mad Tea Party with spinning tea cups. In Shanghai they have spinning honey pots. I opted not to ride.
Mulan is big here.
Mulan is big here.
We are waiting to cross the street and are surprised how long the parade turned out to be.
We are waiting to cross the street and are surprised how long the parade turned out to be.
Number one on our list, Edie had read so much about it. The wait was only one and one-half hours.
Number one on our list, Edie had read so much about it. The wait was only one and one-half hours.
We serpentined through one cavernous area after another.
We serpentined through one cavernous area after another.
We had windows/openings that looked out on period sets to build the illusion.
We had windows/openings that looked out on period sets to build the illusion.


We decided to head to the Cheesecake Factory and got there about 1 PM. After about fifteen minutes, we ordered our lunch as we thought maybe everyone got caught up in rides or something.

Edie's never-ending quest to eat at every Cheesecake Factory finds us at Downtown Disney and a Cheesecake Factory.
Edie’s never-ending quest to eat at every Cheesecake Factory finds us at Downtown Disney and a Cheesecake Factory.
I had the barbecue ranch chicken salad and Edie had Sheila's chicken and avocado salad.
I had the barbecue ranch chicken salad and Edie had Sheila’s chicken and avocado salad.

Eventually everyone trickled in and we had a fun lunch together.

Left to right, Toni, Don, Pretty woman, Grumpy, Michael and Dawn. Our fellow adventurers joined us at the factory.
Left to right, Toni, Don, Pretty woman, Grumpy, Michael and Dawn. Our fellow adventurers joined us at the factory.
Toni had the Shepard's Pie. It looks a little different than what we are used to but Tone said it was good.
Toni had the Shepherd’s Pie. It looks a little different than what we are used to but Toni said it was good.
Don had an Alfredo pasta.
Don had an Alfredo pasta.
Michael had a killer looking burger with fries.
Michael had a killer looking burger with fries.
Dawn had a soup and salad.
Dawn had a soup and salad.

Don and Toni said they had a blast on the high speed mag train but weren’t feeling very well. They decided to take the train back to Shanghai instead of waiting for the van to take us back.

Downtown Disney, officially outside the park.
Downtown Disney, officially outside the park.
Mostly retail outlets and a few restaurants.
Mostly retail outlets and a few restaurants.

We went back into the park and walked to see about riding on Tron. The wait was horrible (over 3 hours). There are not many rides at this park and so the ones they do have, they have a horrible wait times. We went back to see about Soaring, still 3 hours, then over to Pirates and saw that it was closed down because it was broken.

The wait for TRON was 3 hours, we passed.
The wait for TRON was 3 hours, we passed.
The looping structure is also the rails you ride.
The looping structure is also the rails you ride.
We were concerned about the heavy black smoke in the distance. Didn't want to breath in bad things and not sure how to tap the local news for what was going on.
We were concerned about the heavy black smoke in the distance. Didn’t want to breath in bad things and not sure how to tap the local news for what was going on.
We wanted to do Soaring, 3 hour wait. We didn't want to do the roaring rapids.
We wanted to do Soaring, 3 hour wait. We didn’t want to do the roaring rapids.
Lots of rock animals in Frontier Land.
Lots of rock animals in Frontier Land.
Lots of big nice water features.
Lots of big nice water features.

By this time Michael’s leg was bothering him so we walked just a short distance from Pirates, into a little picnic area, and sat down for awhile. After about thirty minutes, Michael got up and saw Pirates was open so we went there (almost running) and were able to immediately get on. A Christmas miracle! It was great and even better the second time as we got to enjoy the experience more.

What was even better was a Chinese guy that arrived about the same time we did. At each corner we turned he would scream and laugh in delight that there was no line. Next corner, more screams and laughter.  There are 1.5 billion Chinese.  Lines are a way of life.  It was so cute and funny. We loved it and could only imagine what it meant for someone who was so used to lines and crowds.

While we were walking around, Michael saw the same guy we had seen at the Oriental Pearl last night. He was staring at him again.  I think he’s the police but….I guess we shouldn’t have used our Facebook in China.

We looked in stores, got ears for Lexi and me, got a little something to eat for dinner, and putzed until the fireworks started. By this time it was extremely crowded (like shoulder to shoulder bumping). The fireworks were amazing and I especially liked the light show on the castle. So lovely.

We watched a fun production of Tarzan, in Chinese. Good thing we knew the story line,
We watched a fun production of Tarzan, in Chinese. Good thing we knew the story line,
Castle at night.
Castle at night.
It got cold and I was not properly dressed.
It got cold and I was not properly dressed.
It is like a shift change, darkness falls and all the little little ones exit the park. All the teenagers flood in and the place takes on a new persona, still a good one, but different.
It is like a shift change, darkness falls and all the little little ones exit the park. All the teenagers flood in and the place takes on a new persona, still a good one, but different.
Statue of Walt, what a ball he got rolling.
Statue of Walt, what a ball he got rolling.
Grumpy smiling.
Grumpy smiling.
In the men's and women's bathrooms you get a choice: western toilet or squatty potty.
In the men’s and women’s bathrooms you get a choice: western toilet or squatty potty.
The night show begins.
The night show begins.
Very high tech with a spectacular light show in addition to the fireworks.
Very high tech with a spectacular light show in addition to the fireworks.

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Projections appearing all over the castle.
Projections appearing all over the castle.

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Michael left a little early because he didn’t want to stand around with his bad leg. He said he’d wait out by the pickup location. I left a little ways into the fireworks, and Dawn and Michael had to wait for the crowds to die down before they were able to get out and meet us.

The van arrived a few minutes after Michael made the call to him that we were ready. The ride back to the hotel seemed faster than the ride out. On the ride back, we learned that Michael had surprised Dawn with a beautiful Disney inspired necklace.  He had snuck into a store to buy it by saying he needed to go to the bathroom.  Later in the day, when it was getting cold, he told her to put her hands in his pocket to warm them.  When she put her hand in, the box with the necklace was inside.  How sweet.  We also learned that they met at Disney, on their Senior Grad Night.  I wonder if they got married at Disney?

We were tired and headed home tomorrow.  We hit the bed as soon as we got to the hotel.  That was our day. Hope yours was great!