# Shanghai and Hong Kong Disneyland March 17 – Day 7 Complete in Hong Kong Proper; 12/04



## PrincessInOz

*Shanghai and Hong Kong Disneyland March 17 – A New PTR Hope*


Welcome to the start of a new vacation!  Congratulations and thank you for clicking through to this page and I hope you’ll stick around for the journey.


A new PTR/TR is always full hope and promise at the start:
Is it going to be any good? 
Will it contain useful and useless information?
Will it be fun and easy to read?


Well…..let’s just say….it’s still a new hope.  There’s plenty of time for promises fulfilled and hopes dashed later!


This is me, taken by a friend of mine.  Actually….it’s a rare picture of me.  I hate having my picture taken, which is why I’ve taken to being the photographer.







Did I mention that I take photographs?  This is a good time of the PTR to post my standard disclaimers.


*DISclaimers.*


I hereby absolve all responsibility for any therapy that you might want to claim as a result of reading through this PTR/TR.  Just remember.  We are in an open forum and it is your choice to read along......right? And who knows? We might end up being 2D friends in a box along the journey.

I openly acknowledge that this TR will be photo heavy.  At least I think it will be.  I hereby absolve any responsibility for any therapy you might want to claim on behalf of your desktop or gadget.  Afterall, I’m not responsible for what you might subject your device to.

Food porn is usually a feature in my posts. Anyone who feels strongly about food should be eaten and not photographed, please be aware that no correspondence will be entered into on this matter.

As always, deviations and deviants off-topic are usually another feature. Don’t worry.  It’s not you, it’s me (although if you stick around, you could discover that it is you too.  We just don’t know for sure yet).  I hereby absolve any responsibility for any therapy that you might want to claim on my behalf.  Although….feel free to PM me if you feel like contributing to my cause.  

Above all else…lurk if you must……but I would appreciate you posting and providing input and feedback into “our”blog!  Afterall…….How else is this going to be _am I going to get deviations and deviants? NOTE: I really do mean FUN!! FUN!! I mean_ FUN!!


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Reserved for Quick Links*


*PTR Section*

Introduction
How This Trip Came To Be - FOMO
The Boring but Critical Planning Stuff aka Being Able to Legally Enter China
The W-W-W-W-W (Two Definitions)
Planing for Shanghai Disneyland
I haven't Forgotten Hong Kong Disneyland
Road to Shanghai
Shanghai Sights
My Bag is Packed


*TR Section

Day 1: Melbourne to Shanghai*

Planes, trains, automobiles.....and Scammers
It's a Central Hotel Indeed
Wrong Turn leads to Snacks
No Dogs or Chinese Allowed
They Say the Neon Lights are Bright
The Bund at Night
Jumping into the Hot Pot (Shua Lan Grou)
Nanjing Road at Night - More Neons



*Day 2: Shanghai to Suzhou and Back Again*

An Eastern Style Breakfast
The DIY Guide on what NOT to do for Suzhou - How to Get to Suzhou
The DIY Guide on what NOT to do for Suzhou - How NOT to find a tour
The DIY Guide on what NOT to do for Suzhou - The Venice of the East
The DIY Guide on what NOT to do for Suzhou - What we Got Right - The Lion Forest Garden
The DIY Guide of what NOT to do for Suzhou - What we Got Right - The Grand Canal Cruise
The DIY Guide of what NOT to do for Suzhou - What we Got Right - Ditching the Tour
The DIY Guide of what NOT to do for Suzhou - What we Got Right - Stumbling across the Xiyuan Temple
The DIY Guide of what NOT to do for Suzhou - The 12 Yuan Man aka How NOT to take a Picture of a Local
The DIY Guide of what NOT to do for Suzhou - What we Got Right - A Rickshaw Ride
A Very Late Afternoon Snack
Shanghai DisMeet Dinner - Two becomes Four
A Little Night Exploration - Follow the Leader to the Former French Concession



*Day 3: Shanghai to Shanghai Disneyland*

The Second Breakfast
Not Fun Moment with Credit Card
In Search Of.......Zen
In Search Of.......Old Town
In Search Of.......Peace and Health Parts 1, 2
In Search Of.......Food Porn
In Search Of.......A Place Far From the Madding Crowds
In Search Of.......Shanghai Old Street Food Stalls
In Search Of.......Lunch! We're Hungry!
In Search Of.......An Old Lilong Neighbourhood
In Search Of.......Shanghai Old City Wall
In Search Of.......A Credit Card Refund Found
In Search Of.......The House of the Mouse
Welcome Home
I Only Went Down for a Quick Snack
Mickey Snacks at the Ballet Cafe
You'll Need Drinks with Your Snack (Bacchus Lounge)
A Room with a View
Ignite the Dream (From Our Room with a View)
I Only Went Down for a Quick Snap
A Quick Snap Turned into a Cold Snap



*Day 4: Shanghai Disneyland All Day Today*

So I'm Awake.....but the Sky is NOT Awake
Where Exactly Are We?
4 + 2 = 6 at Starbucks (FireflyFi and her DF)
1st View of the Park
100 Yuan = A Disney Scammer Problem
6 + 1 = 7 at Floral Mickey (Fairy Floss)
7 + 1 = 8 at Mickey Avenue (Zanzibar138)
That Disney Feeling
It's Adventure Time
The Beauty and the Grey
This is NOT a Roller Coaster - Our Surprise First Ride: Voyage to the Crystal Grotto
This IS a Roller Coaster - TRON Lightcycle Power Run
A Quintessential Disney Ride - Peter Pan's Flight
A Bounty-Full Lunch
Inside Barbarossa's Bounty
The One About Restrooms
100% Disney, Distinctively Chinese - Challenge Trails
You DO Know this is a Roller Coaster? - Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
When Memory and Words Fail Me - PotC: The Battle for the Sunken Treasure
Swapping Orange Scents for Grass and Roses - Soarin' Over the Horizon
Another Childhood Favourite - The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
My First Rainy Day Parade
Because It's Shop O'Clock Somewhere - The Newest World of Disney Store
The Up-Side of Rain Days - Park Reflections
That was a Rather Dumbo Suggestion of Mine - Dumbo the Flying Elephant
Trash Cans at 30 Paces - More Reflections at Fantasia Carousel
All About Montages - Ignite the Dream
Calling it A Night - The Long Way Round Back to the Hotel



*Day 5: Our Second Full Day in Shanghai Disneyland*

Rainy Day Strategy #1 - Sleep In
An Illuminating Establishment - Lumiere's Kitchen
Leave the Pictures to Us - All About Disney PhotoPass
The Early Breakfast is Worth Four Meet and Greets In the Camera
Rainy Day Strategy #2 - Linger over a Leisurely Breakfast (Lumiere's Kitchen Food Porn)
Rainy Day Strategy #3 – Walk around the Park in One Direction
Rainy Day Strategy #4 – Spend Time doing Meet and Greets (Shanghai Mickey)
Incorporating the Marvel Universe into the Disney Empire (Marvel Universe)
Rainy Day Strategy #5 – Repeat Rides as much as Possible (Buzz Lightyear Planet Rescue)
It’s Not Easy being GMO-Free – Experiment 626 (Stitch Meet and Greet)
Rainy Day Strategy #6 – Stay Indoors as much as Possible (Star Wars Launch Bay)
Off Peak Grid Time (TRON Lightcycle Power Run)
On our way to Adventure Isle - Neverland Got in the Way (Peter Pan's Flight)
Rainy Day Strategy #7 - Go See All Live Stage Shows (Tarzan: Call of the Jungle)
I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major Pirate (Jack Sparrow Stunt Show)
Rainy Day Strategy #8 - Enjoying a Hot Drink (Ovaltine is NOT Hot Chocolate!!!)
PotC Fully Loaded: Covering Old Ground (Pirates of the Caribbean Part 1)
PotC Fully Loaded: Finding the Sunken Treasure At Last (Pirates of the Caribbean Part 2)
The Lure of the Siren was Wasted on Me (Siren's Revenge)
Back to My Happy Place in the Jungle (Happy Circle Meet and Greet)
Walking Our Way Out of the Park
Rainy Day Strategy #9 - On A Rainy Day, It's Time for Disneytown
Rainy Day Strategy #10 - It's Always Worth Lingering Over Another Meal (Crystal Jade)
The Lights of Tron at Night
Igniting the Nightmare (Wishing for a new Camera Body)
Rainy Day Strategy #11 - Head back to the Resort Early



*Day 6: Our Third and Last Full Day in Shanghai Disneyland*

It's the Promise of a Sunny Day
Rolling with Breakfast (Bread Talk products)
The No Worries Oasis (Hakuna Matata)
When You Ferry Across Wishing Park Lake
It's Such a Different Park in the Sun (Down Mickey Avenue)
Are You Chinese or What???? (Garden of the Twelve Friends Part 1)
The Chinese Zodiac - The Race to the Finish (Garden of the Twelve Friends Part 2)
I Owe.  I Owe.  So It's Off to Work I Go (Seven Dwarfs Mine Train)
In the Maze of Underland (Alice in Wonderland Maze)
I Don't Know How I Got to Neverland (Peter Pan's Flight)
The Longest Wait of the Morning (Voyage of the Crystal Grotto)
I'm Late!  I'm Late!  For an Important Date
Inside the Castle (Royal Banquet Table)
This is What Being a Photopass Photographer Must Feel Like (RBT Characters)
Food Porn from Royal Banquet Table
Closing out the Royal Banquet Table Edition
Back to the Pirate's Lair Parts 1, 2 (PotC: Battle for the Sunken Treasure)
Fashions in the Sun (Mickey's Storybook Express Parade) Parts 1, 2, 3
Daytime in Front of the Castle (Golden Fairytale Fanfare Show)
A Quick Spin Around Tomorrowland
A Quick Spin of a Different Kind in Fantasyland (Pooh's Hunny Spin)
A Quick Spin at Twilight in Alice's Maze
A Quick Spin around Treasure Cove at Night
Ignite the Dream from Front and Centre Parts 1, 2
Last Picture in the Park



*Day 7: Shanghai to Hong Kong *

A Final Walk to Disneytown
Lakeshore Disneytown
Disneytown Proper Part 1, 2
Once More Across Wishing Star Lake
More Around Shanghai Disneyland Hotel
An Hour Early is 30 Minutes Late
The Hong Kong Disneyland Resort
Real Life Hong Kong
Dinner Somewhere in Hong Kong Parts 1, 2
APM Shopping Mall
Late Night Photography in the Hotel Foyer



*Day 8: Hong Kong Disneyland First Day*

xxxxx




.


----------



## PrincessInOz

*How this Trip Came to Be - FOMO*


One October morning, a number of us received an exciting message from a fellow Dis-ser.

_"Cathay Pacific Shanghai return flights $595"_


For Australia, that's an amazing price to head to China!  Even better, the flight path was hubbing in and out of Hong Kong....and that meant we could stopover there.

For a day.  We dreamed.  We schemed.  

April worked for all of us.  An Aussie Dis-sers’ trip.  Shanghai Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland.
Then I went to bed.


And when I woke the next day, there were 4 on a plane heading to Shanghai and Hong Kong in March.  



*Wait….what?  March???? *



Taking DS out of school in March was out of the question.  And that kinda meant that I had to get around two problems.

If taking DS out of school was out of the question, that meant that DH had to stay home.
The March date was problematic for my work.

My chances of getting on that plane was looking slim. I’ll just sit down (on this) and sit out now!







By 11 am there were 6.  



*Wait…..what?  Oh no!  S-I-X!!! *

*There I was with a baaaa-aaa-aaad case of FOMO.*


From 11 am, I frantically made calls, sent emails.  I made more calls, sent more emails……hmmm….I even think I made promises that I intended to keep…..and that FOMO went into overdrive as the time ticked by.


Finally, at 2 pm…..management took pity on my plight and I got leave approved.  
And......Thankfully, DH was easier to talk round than work!

Yesssss!




At 3pm, when I was sitting down with my friendly travel agent, I made an impulse call to my mother.  And with that, 6 become 8.  

I had a seat on that plane and I no longer had FOMO!


----------



## darrenf67

Hey fellow Aussie! Your trip sounds like it's going to be a blast.
My wife and I saw the SAME cheap flights and booked the SAME trip leaving 29 March haha!
Can't wait to see what you have planned and how similar our itineraries will be.
Darren


----------



## PrincessInOz

darrenf67 said:


> Hey fellow Aussie! Your trip sounds like it's going to be a blast.
> My wife and I saw the SAME cheap flights and booked the SAME trip leaving 29 March haha!
> Can't wait to see what you have planned and how similar our itineraries will be.
> Darren




  Hi Darren!  Long time since our paths crossed on the Dis.  Hope you've been well.

YAY!  You're going too?  How awesome!
How long are you going for?

Yes....it will be interesting.  There's not a lot of information anywhere on Shanghai.  So it would be great to add to the body of knowledge.


----------



## klmall

Hi Princess! I love reading your trip reports; so full of good details and fun to follow along with as the trip approaches, actually happens and your impressions afterwards. And you are far from being the only photographer who hates to have her picture taken (p.s. I love your freckles).

Hurry on March 17th!


----------



## darrenf67

PrincessInOz said:


> Hi Darren!  Long time since our paths crossed on the Dis.  Hope you've been well.
> 
> YAY!  You're going too?  How awesome!
> How long are you going for?
> 
> Yes....it will be interesting.  There's not a lot of information anywhere on Shanghai.  So it would be great to add to the body of knowledge.


We leave March 29 and have a tour booked starting in Beijing and finishing in Shanghai. Then we check into Shanghai Disney Toy Story Hotel for 4 nights - fly to Hong Kong - a few days in Downtown Hong Kong and then 2 nights at Hong Kong Disney Hollywood Hotel. We are away for 2 weeks altogether.
I have booked us into the Royal Banquet Hall for dinner, which can only be done by phone (and even with an English speaking CM was challenging). I also find it curious that park hours and schedules are only available a few weeks ahead.


----------



## usnuzuloose

Well, I am here. Love your pictures of you!


----------



## PrincessInOz

darrenf67 said:


> We leave March 29 and have a tour booked starting in Beijing and finishing in Shanghai. Then we check into Shanghai Disney Toy Story Hotel for 4 nights - fly to Hong Kong - a few days in Downtown Hong Kong and then 2 nights at Hong Kong Disney Hollywood Hotel. We are away for 2 weeks altogether.
> I have booked us into the Royal Banquet Hall for dinner, which can only be done by phone (and even with an English speaking CM was challenging). *I also find it curious that park hours and schedules are only available a few weeks ahead.*




For the 6 uber-Disney planners going on this trip, you can't imagine how frustrating this is!  



Your trip sounds awesome!  I look forward to reading all about it.


----------



## PrincessInOz

klmall said:


> Hi Princess! I love reading your trip reports; so full of good details and fun to follow along with as the trip approaches, actually happens and your impressions afterwards. And you are far from being the only photographer who hates to have her picture taken (p.s. I love your freckles).
> 
> Hurry on March 17th!



  Hi Kathy!  Thanks for joining in.  Hope you've been well.

We're actually going in early March.  The '17' reference was for 2017.  






usnuzuloose said:


> Well, I am here. Love your pictures of you!



  So glad to see you here.  Hope that life is treating you well, and the dogs (and your sciatica) are doing great!


----------



## PrincessInOz

*The Boring but Critical Planning Stuff aka Being able to Legally Enter China*


With flights all sorted out, we now had to work out how to get ourselves legally through the Chinese authorities.  

Our flight plan was Melbourne – Hong Kong – Shanghai and then out from Shanghai – Hong Kong – Melbourne.  As a result of us hubbing in to Shanghai via Hong Kong both inbound and outbound, technically the 144-hour transit visa was not an option for us.    


That meant that we were all left with having to apply for a Chinese Visa.  For those in Melbourne/Australia, you can fill in an on-line form here.  https://www.visaforchina.org/MEL_EN/

I'm pretty sure the form is universal....you just need to find it in the equivalent website for your country of origin.



There is also a tightened requirement for the mug shot.  







If only it were that simple! 



Seems like the new requirements came into force late in 2016 and I highly recommend you check them so that you’re aware of them.  http://eg.china-embassy.org/eng/ywzn/lsyw/zytz/P020120528717997222806.pdf


The requirements seem to be tighter than what we would need for an Australian passport....especially where free space around your head is concerned.  
Oh....one thing that the requirements do not specify is that they prefer no jewellery.  

When I submitted the application for my mother, she was wearing earrings in her photo.  The girl behind the counter pointed it out to us and said she would let it through this one time.



The China Visa website in Australia also allows you to prebook an appointment time.  I highly recommend you do so.  When you get to the visa office in Melbourne, there is one of those self-serve electronic machines with an option for appointment made.  It’s an extremely civilised system.  We were served at the next available counter.  Just make sure you bring your appointment confirmation with you.  They do check.

Collection of the passports was equally as civilised.  We had to exchange money for the Visa.  The Visa set us back AU$110 each.  I guess it's a fair exchange.




So, with our Entry Visa all sorted out, hopefully, we won’t be met by these guys when we enter the country.








*Note*: 

_The 144-hour transit visa only applies to certain ports in China.  You need to check if it applies to your particular circumstance._

_The visa is valid for 3 months from application date so you need to apply for the visa at least 1 – 3 months prior to your entry._

_There have been anecdotal reports that other travellers have gotten into China despite hubbing in and out of the same city.  We could have chanced it but it is far better to be sure rather than sorry._


----------



## PrincessInOz

*The W-W-W-W-W (Two Definitions)*



With flights and Entry Visa all sorted out, I probably should digress back to the basics.  Afterall, it is customary on the Dis to detail out the W-W-W-W-W at the start of the PTR.  Who am I to change that convention??  


*(Definition 1)*

*What*: This PTR/TR will cover off my version of events.  By all accounts, I take a lot of pictures so the sequence of events will be told through the barrel of my camera.  
Verity and truth may or may not be feature of the TR.


*Why*: The Melbourne Dis-sers have been meeting roughly once a month for the last 4 years.  We have always dreamed of going to a Disney location together.  Well....dream no more!


*Where*: Shanghai and Hong Kong.  This is predominantly a Disney trip.  We are covering off two Castles in this trip.


*When*: Early to Mid March.  Some of us will be going for 7 days, others for about 10 days.  We will all be at Shanghai Disneyland together.


*Who*: Your Cast Members for this trip include myself and my DM.  There are 4 other Aussie Dissers – @zanzibar138, @FireflyFi, @Fairy Floss and @Aussie Wendy .  The other two are either family or significant others for the 4. 




*(Definition 2)*

But there is another definition for W-W-W-W-W that can apply to this trip.


*What *the 
*Woop-woop *am I going to do to be able to access the
*World
Wide*
*Web?*





China takes it’s internet security rather seriously and there are any number of websites that are blocked when trying to access them from inside China.  I believe that China employs thousands of people to monitoring content of the various sites that users might wander into; and then decide to block or keep it going.  There are about 100 or so popular websites (including Facebook, Twitter, Google,  gmail, Instagram)  that are currently blocked in what is effectively the Great Firewall of China.

I might as well be left with no connection to anywhere!








The level of commitment also means that Chinese IT has progressed down an innovation path of independent technology in order to maintain control and step-side Western companies and open-source access.  You have to applaud the Chinese determination when you end up with companies like Yonyou to rival SAP and Oracle, Inspur to replace IBM and HP, Hwawei to rival all the handset/phone manufacturers and 360 to provide antivirus software without needing Norton or McAfee.
And that's not counting the Chinese apps and Google-equivalent platforms that replicate all the stuff you and I take for granted!
Truly amazing and all kudos to the Chinese for dedication to the cause.



For a little longer (at least until 2018), the way around the Firewall is to sign up and get a Virtual Private Number (VPN).  There are at least 3 major VPN providers in China recommended by people much more tech-savvy than me.  However, the Chinese Government has recently announced that they will crack down on VPN providers in China.  It will be an 18-month operation and it remains to be seen what will happen after this crackdown for visitors. 


So.....What this means is that if I want to access Google or FaceBook, I would need to sign up to a VPN provider outside of China.  Yes, I did the research but I’m essentially a goodie-goodie and the fact that the VPN crackdown is underway made me a little reluctant to go down this path.


My way of dealing with this was to ask a friend in Hong Kong.  He suggested that if I have an unlocked phone, then getting a SIM card (data only) from Hong Kong will get me on the mobile network and be able to access the Western sites when in China.  Voice calls are not that popular in Hong Kong so most of the cards are for data only.  Getting what is effectively a ‘local’ SIM from Hong Kong would mean that I would not have to pay the high intercarrier charges if I used international roaming with my Australian service.  It also means that as the original carrier is outside of Mainland China, it is not subject to the Firewall.  

There are a number of data-only Hong Kong and China SIMs offered for sale via Amazon.  Sadly for me, the one that I wanted was not available to ship to Australia.  Neither was the HK SIM card my friend recommended - it required a HK address. 

Thankfully, my friend came to my rescue.  He’s purchased a SIM card on my behalf and has mailed it to me.



I sure hope the W-W-W-W-W workaround option arrives in the mail…..and soon!  But, in the meantime, that leaves me.....anxiously…….*W-W-W-W-W*…..

*Waiting*
*Waiting*
*Waiting*
*Waiting*
*Waiting!*




I sure hope the postman arrives soon!


----------



## darrenf67

PrincessInOz said:


> *The Boring but Critical Planning Stuff aka Being able to Legally Enter China*
> 
> 
> With flights all sorted out, we now had to work out how to get ourselves legally through the Chinese authorities.
> 
> Our flight plan was Melbourne – Hong Kong – Shanghai and then out from Shanghai – Hong Kong – Melbourne.  As a result of us hubbing in to Shanghai via Hong Kong both inbound and outbound, technically the 144-hour transit visa was not an option for us.
> 
> 
> That meant that we were all left with having to apply for a Chinese Visa.  For those in Melbourne/Australia, you can fill in an on-line form here.  https://www.visaforchina.org/MEL_EN/
> 
> I'm pretty sure the form is universal....you just need to find it in the equivalent website for your country of origin.
> 
> 
> 
> There is also a tightened requirement for the mug shot.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If only it were that simple!
> 
> 
> 
> Seems like the new requirements came into force late in 2016 and I highly recommend you check them so that you’re aware of them.  http://eg.china-embassy.org/eng/ywzn/lsyw/zytz/P020120528717997222806.pdf
> 
> 
> The requirements seem to be tighter than what we would need for an Australian passport....especially where free space around your head is concerned.
> Oh....one thing that the requirements do not specify is that they prefer no jewellery.
> 
> When I submitted the application for my mother, she was wearing earrings in her photo.  The girl behind the counter pointed it out to us and said she would let it through this one time.
> 
> 
> 
> The China Visa website in Australia also allows you to prebook an appointment time.  I highly recommend you do so.  When you get to the visa office in Melbourne, there is one of those self-serve electronic machines with an option for appointment made.  It’s an extremely civilised system.  We were served at the next available counter.  Just make sure you bring your appointment confirmation with you.  They do check.
> 
> Collection of the passports was equally as civilised.  We had to exchange money for the Visa.  The Visa set us back AU$110 each.  I guess it's a fair exchange.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So, with our Entry Visa all sorted out, hopefully, we won’t be met by these guys when we enter the country.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Note*:
> 
> _The 144-hour transit visa only applies to certain ports in China.  You need to check if it applies to your particular circumstance._
> 
> _The visa is valid for 3 months from application date so you need to apply for the visa at least 1 – 3 months prior to your entry._
> 
> _There have been anecdotal reports that other travellers have gotten into China despite hubbing in and out of the same city.  We could have chanced it but it is far better to be sure rather than sorry._



My wife's visa photo was rejected due to earrings and we had to resubmit


----------



## darrenf67

PrincessInOz said:


> *The W-W-W-W-W (Two Definitions)*
> 
> 
> 
> With flights and Entry Visa all sorted out, I probably should digress back to the basics.  Afterall, it is customary on the Dis to detail out the W-W-W-W-W at the start of the PTR.  Who am I to change that convention??
> 
> 
> *(Definition 1)*
> 
> *What*: This PTR/TR will cover off my version of events.  By all accounts, I take a lot of pictures so the sequence of events will be told through the barrel of my camera.
> Verity and truth may or may not be feature of the TR.
> 
> 
> *Why*: The Melbourne Dis-sers have been meeting roughly once a month for the last 4 years.  We have always dreamed of going to a Disney location together.  Well....dream no more!
> 
> 
> *Where*: Shanghai and Hong Kong.  This is predominantly a Disney trip.  We are covering off two Castles in this trip.
> 
> 
> *When*: Early to Mid March.  Some of us will be going for 7 days, others for about 10 days.  We will all be at Shanghai Disneyland together.
> 
> 
> *Who*: Your Cast Members for this trip include myself and my DM.  There are 4 other Aussie Dissers – @zanzibar138, @FireflyFi, @Fairy Floss and @Aussie Wendy .  The other two are either family or significant others for the 4.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *(Definition 2)*
> 
> But there is another definition for W-W-W-W-W that can apply to this trip.
> 
> 
> *What *the
> *Woop-woop *am I going to do to be able to access the
> *World
> Wide*
> *Web?*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> China takes it’s internet security rather seriously and there are any number of websites that are blocked when trying to access them from inside China.  I believe that China employs thousands of people to monitoring content of the various sites that users might wander into; and then decide to block or keep it going.  There are about 100 or so popular websites (including Facebook, Twitter, Google,  gmail, Instagram)  that are currently blocked in what is effectively the Great Firewall of China.
> 
> I might as well be left with no connection to anywhere!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The level of commitment also means that Chinese IT has progressed down an innovation path of independent technology in order to maintain control and step-side Western companies and open-source access.  You have to applaud the Chinese determination when you end up with companies like Yonyou to rival SAP and Oracle, Inspur to replace IBM and HP, Hwawei to rival all the handset/phone manufacturers and 360 to provide antivirus software without needing Norton or McAfee.
> And that's not counting the Chinese apps and Google-equivalent platforms that replicate all the stuff you and I take for granted!
> Truly amazing and all kudos to the Chinese for dedication to the cause.
> 
> 
> 
> For a little longer (at least until 2018), the way around the Firewall is to sign up and get a Virtual Private Number (VPN).  There are at least 3 major VPN providers in China recommended by people much more tech-savvy than me.  However, the Chinese Government has recently announced that they will crack down on VPN providers in China.  It will be an 18-month operation and it remains to be seen what will happen after this crackdown for visitors.
> 
> 
> So.....What this means is that if I want to access Google or FaceBook, I would need to sign up to a VPN provider outside of China.  Yes, I did the research but I’m essentially a goodie-goodie and the fact that the VPN crackdown is underway made me a little reluctant to go down this path.
> 
> 
> My way of dealing with this was to ask a friend in Hong Kong.  He suggested that if I have an unlocked phone, then getting a SIM card (data only) from Hong Kong will get me on the mobile network and be able to access the Western sites when in China.  Voice calls are not that popular in Hong Kong so most of the cards are for data only.  Getting what is effectively a ‘local’ SIM from Hong Kong would mean that I would not have to pay the high intercarrier charges if I used international roaming with my Australian service.  It also means that as the original carrier is outside of Mainland China, it is not subject to the Firewall.
> 
> There are a number of data-only Hong Kong and China SIMs offered for sale via Amazon.  Sadly for me, the one that I wanted was not available to ship to Australia.  Neither was the HK SIM card my friend recommended - it required a HK address.
> 
> Thankfully, my friend came to my rescue.  He’s purchased a SIM card on my behalf and has mailed it to me.
> 
> 
> 
> I sure hope the W-W-W-W-W workaround option arrives in the mail…..and soon!  But, in the meantime, that leaves me.....anxiously…….*W-W-W-W-W*…..
> 
> *Waiting*
> *Waiting*
> *Waiting*
> *Waiting*
> *Waiting!*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I sure hope the postman arrives soon!


Wow!! This is vital information that I DID NOT know about. I was just assuming that I would be able to access the hotel wifi and Facebook from there! A little too western of me??

Now I am concerned about keeping touch with family back home. Any more info would be appreciated.


----------



## dolphingirl47

Checking in.



PrincessInOz said:


> I openly acknowledge that this TR will be photo heavy. At least I think it will be.



I really hope so.



PrincessInOz said:


> _"Cathay Pacific Shanghai return flights $595"_



Wow, that sounds like a fantastic price.



PrincessInOz said:


> Finally, at 2 pm…..management took pity on my plight and I got leave approved.
> And......Thankfully, DH was easier to talk round than work!



Yay for everything falling into place.



PrincessInOz said:


> At 3pm, when I was sitting down with my friendly travel agent, I made an impulse call to my mother. And with that, 6 become 8.



How nice  get to share this with your mother.



PrincessInOz said:


> The China Visa website in Australia also allows you to prebook an appointment time. I highly recommend you do so. When you get to the visa office in Melbourne, there is one of those self-serve electronic machines with an option for appointment made. It’s an extremely civilised system. We were served at the next available counter. Just make sure you bring your appointment confirmation with you. They do check.



Sounds relatively straightforward.



PrincessInOz said:


> My way of dealing with this was to ask a friend in Hong Kong. He suggested that if I have an unlocked phone, then getting a SIM card (data only) from Hong Kong will get me on the mobile network and be able to access the Western sites when in China. Voice calls are not that popular in Hong Kong so most of the cards are for data only. Getting what is effectively a ‘local’ SIM from Hong Kong would mean that I would not have to pay the high intercarrier charges if I used international roaming with my Australian service. It also means that as the original carrier is outside of Mainland China, it is not subject to the Firewall.



I knew this either. I am glad that you have your internet access sorted provided the SIM card arrives in time.

Corinna


----------



## zanzibar138

Ooh you've started our PTR - how exciting!

Just to add my version of a couple of things in case it helps someone else...

*Visa*
I applied for my visa via post. The process was pretty much the same, but instead of going to visit the application centre (which I didn't have time for), I just posted all my documents. It was a little more expensive to do it this way (even aside from the postage costs), but it saved me a lot of time which was much more valuable to me! I did fill in the wrong credit card payment form from the website, but I received a call early on in the process informing me. They were even able to send me the correct form via email, which I just filled in and sent back. My passport (complete with visa) was waiting for me in my mailbox about 10 days later.

*VPN*
I went to the Grand Opening of Shanghai Disneyland last year (and still haven't finished that TR - naughty, naughty!), and used a VPN to get around the firewall for that trip. I used Express VPN, which was very easy to download, install and use. You can also install it across several devices (so your phone and computer for example) for the one cost. You do need to download it before you go as obviously once in China access to VPN websites could be sketchy. It's a good idea to try it out too. I tried to use it to access video files from the US which I can't usually view through my Australian network. It worked perfectly, and I highly recommend it.


----------



## OrangeBirdGirl

PrincessInOz said:


> Oh....one thing that the requirements do not specify is that they prefer no jewellery.



Oh no!  I am far from a consulate.  I just overnighted my application to a processing center today with delivery tomorrow.  I notice I have pearl studs in.  Thanks for the heads up, I emailed the processing agency to see if they think any issues and i could overnight a new photo.  I am spending a lot on the processing center to walk my application over to the consulate, so I don't want to pay their fee twice if denied.


----------



## darrenf67

zanzibar138 said:


> Ooh you've started our PTR - how exciting!
> 
> *VPN*
> I went to the Grand Opening of Shanghai Disneyland last year (and still haven't finished that TR - naughty, naughty!), and used a VPN to get around the firewall for that trip. I used Express VPN, which was very easy to download, install and use. You can also install it across several devices (so your phone and computer for example) for the one cost. You do need to download it before you go as obviously once in China access to VPN websites could be sketchy. It's a good idea to try it out too. I tried to use it to access video files from the US which I can't usually view through my Australian network. It worked perfectly, and I highly recommend it.



Thanks for the info I shall check it out


----------



## PrincessInOz

darrenf67 said:


> My wife's visa photo was rejected due to earrings and we had to resubmit



I hope it's all sorted out now and that you both also have shiny visas in your passport!


----------



## PrincessInOz

dolphingirl47 said:


> Checking in.
> 
> 
> 
> I really hope so.
> 
> 
> 
> Wow, that sounds like a fantastic price.
> 
> 
> 
> Yay for everything falling into place.
> 
> 
> 
> How nice  get to share this with your mother.
> 
> 
> 
> Sounds relatively straightforward.
> 
> 
> 
> I knew this either. I am glad that you have your internet access sorted provided the SIM card arrives in time.
> 
> Corinna



Thanks Corinna.  Glad you checked in!

Still anxiously waiting for those SIM cards.


----------



## PrincessInOz

OrangeBirdGirl said:


> Oh no!  I am far from a consulate.  I just overnighted my application to a processing center today with delivery tomorrow.  I notice I have pearl studs in.  Thanks for the heads up, I emailed the processing agency to see if they think any issues and i could overnight a new photo.  I am spending a lot on the processing center to walk my application over to the consulate, so I don't want to pay their fee twice if denied.




Maybe you'll also have someone that will let it through!  My mother also had stud earrings on.  Hope it works out.  I'm sure they will call you if there is an issue.

In Australia.  I only paid the fee when I collected the passport.  So, if they don't give you a visa, there is no payment. 

Hope you'll come back and update us on how it went!


----------



## PrincessInOz

zanzibar138 said:


> Ooh you've started our PTR - how exciting!
> 
> Just to add my version of a couple of things in case it helps someone else...
> 
> *Visa*
> I applied for my visa via post. The process was pretty much the same, but instead of going to visit the application centre (which I didn't have time for), I just posted all my documents. It was a little more expensive to do it this way (even aside from the postage costs), but it saved me a lot of time which was much more valuable to me! I did fill in the wrong credit card payment form from the website, but I received a call early on in the process informing me. They were even able to send me the correct form via email, which I just filled in and sent back. My passport (complete with visa) was waiting for me in my mailbox about 10 days later.
> 
> *VPN*
> I went to the Grand Opening of Shanghai Disneyland last year (and still haven't finished that TR - naughty, naughty!), and used a VPN to get around the firewall for that trip. I used Express VPN, which was very easy to download, install and use. You can also install it across several devices (so your phone and computer for example) for the one cost. You do need to download it before you go as obviously once in China access to VPN websites could be sketchy. It's a good idea to try it out too. I tried to use it to access video files from the US which I can't usually view through my Australian network. It worked perfectly, and I highly recommend it.




YAY!  You made it here.  Can't wait for this trip!  Not long now.


----------



## PrincessInOz

darrenf67 said:


> Wow!! This is vital information that I DID NOT know about. I was just assuming that I would be able to access the hotel wifi and Facebook from there! A little too western of me??
> 
> Now I am concerned about keeping touch with family back home. Any more info would be appreciated.



Zanzibar provided you with the name of the VPN she used last time.

Here's some background reading.  There are 3 different VPN providers listed, including the one Zanzibar recommended.

http://www.macworld.com/article/205...rough-the-great-firewall-of-china-on-ios.html


If you decide to go with the mobility network option.


There is this SIM Card available on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/China-Hong-K...9e-20&linkId=36d1b7eeb3c437765b725d0613a7a527



Might also be worth taking a look at China Unicom.

http://www.3gsolutions.com.cn/page/simcard

If you go with the above option, they cover China only; and their cards don't cover Hong Kong.  What is surprising is that my HK friend is getting me SIM cards from China Unicom that work in Hong Kong and China.  I don't know why that card isn't more widely available for travellers.


----------



## darrenf67

PrincessInOz said:


> Zanzibar provided you with the name of the VPN she used last time.
> 
> Here's some background reading.  There are 3 different VPN providers listed, including the one Zanzibar recommended.
> 
> http://www.macworld.com/article/205...rough-the-great-firewall-of-china-on-ios.html
> 
> 
> If you decide to go with the mobility network option.
> 
> 
> There is this SIM Card available on Amazon.
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/China-Hong-Kong-7-Day-Data/dp/B00YILRXKM/ref=as_li_ss_tl?s=wireless&ie=UTF8&qid=1467244552&sr=1-3&keywords=hong kong sim card&linkCode=ll1&tag=td049e-20&linkId=36d1b7eeb3c437765b725d0613a7a527
> 
> 
> 
> Might also be worth taking a look at China Unicom.
> 
> http://www.3gsolutions.com.cn/page/simcard
> 
> If you go with the above option, they cover China only; and their cards don't cover Hong Kong.  What is surprising is that my HK friend is getting me SIM cards from China Unicom that work in Hong Kong and China.  I don't know why that card isn't more widely available for travellers.


Thanks so much - much appreciated.


----------



## PrincessInOz

darrenf67 said:


> Thanks so much - much appreciated.






And I think I posted the wrong link about the various VPNs.  Try this one as well.  

http://www.saporedicina.com/english/vpn-how-to-access-facebook-in-china/


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Planning for Shanghai Disneyland*


_To all who come to this happy place, welcome. Shanghai Disneyland is your land. Here you leave today and discover imaginative worlds of fantasy, romance and adventure that ignite the magical dreams within us all. Shanghai Disneyland is authentically Disney and distinctly Chinese. It was created for everyone, bringing to life timeless characters and stories in a magical place that will be a source of joy, inspiration, and memories for generations to come._

_— __Robert A. Iger__, June 16, 2016_




We are blessed by having Zanzibar in the group of Aussie Dis-sers hitting Shanghai Disneyland.  She was awesome enough to get to SDL for opening day on June 16.  She gave us the low-down when she got back….and we grilled her again when we all booked for this trip.



*Where to stay?*

Toy Story Resort and Shanghai Disneyland Resort.  
A moderate and a deluxe!  
Oh My!



With two resorts to choose from and 4 nights of accommodation to cater for, I spent my time running the numbers aka Disney Fuzzy Maths.  Did it make sense to split-stay or did I prefer to stay in one resort?  If I decided to split stay, what class of room did I want to go for?  Afterall, there was the choice of standard, garden or a room with a water view…..plus the option of getting a park view at the Shanghai Disneyland Resort.  And what would Club Lounge add to the mix?

Zanzibar did a split stay for the opening and based on her intel, there were pro’s and con’s to both hotels.  She also did experience the CL at the Shanghai Disneyland Resort and again, there were pro's and con's.


In the end, I had to consider my mother and whether she would want to pack and move resorts mid-stay.  I decided that it would be better for us to stay in the one resort for the entire duration.  

So, I’ve gone with a Room with a (Park) View at the Shanghai Disneyland Resort for the four nights.  I believe the others have all gone with the split stay option and some of them have even added CL to their experience.   


A note about booking accommodation at SDL.  When you make your booking, Disney will charge in full for the reservation.  So that means that all our hotel (and park tickets) have been paid.  The best 3 words – Paid in Full!


*Postscript.  After I booked, I circled back with my mother.  Turns out that she wouldn’t have minded a split stay afterall!  D’oh!  *



*What to See and Do?*

Planning for this trip does not come close to the military precision required when planning a WDW vacation.  Afterall, the park schedule and opening hours gets released 2 weeks in advance.  How does Disney seriously think we can plan with that amount of short notice????  And there are no FP+ or magic bands to worry about.  
Oh. The. Irony! 

We’ll just have to resort to the very old-fashioned fast pass runner concept!  


As this is something that I can’t influence or change, I figure there’s no point sweating the “small world” stuff.  I’ll just go with the flow.
I’m pleased to say that we are finally within our 2-week window and the park looks like it will be opened from 9 am to 8 pm for the 3 full days we are there. 

As for the rides….well….let’s just say that everything at SDL is a must do.  With 3 full days, I fully expect to achieve this goal. 


I have, however, downloaded the Shanghai Disneyland Resort app from my smart phone store.  I’ve even checked it a few times today and am happy to report that the longest wait time I’ve seen for SDL today has been 35 minutes.  And that’s for Winnie the Pooh and Soarin’.   There are a whole bunch of rides sitting around the 5 – 10 minute wait time, and a few sitting around the 20 minute wait time.  If this continues for the next couple of weeks, there will be some very happy Aussies coming home!



So, let’s go through some of the stuff that I can do something about.


*Where to eat?*


For this one, I’ve relied on Zanzibar and checking out various blogs.  So far, my list comes down to:


Il Paparino for Donald Waffles
Merlin’s Magic Recipe for Minnie/Mickey buns
Tangled Tree Tavern
Wandering Moon Teahouse
Barbarossa Bounty
Remy’s Patiesserie
Bacchus Lounge
Royal Banquet Hall (booking recommended)
Lumiere’s Kitchen (booking recommended)


I haven’t taken a detailed look at what is available in Disneytown beyond looking at breakfast options.  The breakfast options there include:


Toast Box (open from 8 am)
Bread Talk (open from 8 am)
Starbucks (open from 7 am)

I know I can get breakfast at the hotel but I think the above 3 options might end up being cheaper than the hotel.  Besides, it doesn't hurt to try other options, right?



I guess we’ll find out how many of the above I managed to tick off when we get back.



*How to Book?*

In today’s helter-skelter fast paced world, there are so many options to keep connected and to get connected.  The online 2-D in a box world is such that everything is available at your fingertips and anything is possible if you have a means of payment. 

With all those e-options, I chose to pick up the phone and call Shanghai Disneyland for all my transactions.  All in all, I think I made 4 calls in total to Shanghai. 

The first call for the accommodation and ticket booking.  Successfully completed.  I received email confirmation almost immediately for my room and ticket reservation. 

The second call was to make a reservation for Lumiere’s Kitchen and Royal Banquet Hall for our party of 8.  Booking for both these table service restaurants was highly recommended so we figured we might as well lock them in.  I would say that I was partially successful for this second call.  I got a confirmation by SMS and by follow up e-mail of my reservation number for Lumiere’s Kitchen but didn’t receive anything for RBH.

The third call was the follow-up to check up on RBH.  Again, that’s a partial successful transaction.  I did find out that the system has recorded my booking for RBH and the CM provided me with the confirmation number over the phone.  He also advised that he had set the system to provide me with a follow up email and SMS with the number.  Sadly, I have yet to receive anything from SDL for RBH.  In any event, I do have the number written down….somewhere.

I had to make a 4th call through to Shanghai Disneyland.  The email confirmation for my room was addressed to me, and with only my first name.  I called them to resend the confirmation to include my full name and my mother’s name as I figured I would need this for our China Visa application.  This call was also successfully completed.  I received the updated email confirmation almost immediately for my room and ticket reservation.  The CM was exceedingly obliging once I told her it was for Visa application purposes.  

All 4 times (and selecting the English option), I got through to a Cast Member that spoke reasonable English.  Only one of the CM had slight issues understanding me.


The Shanghai Disneyland website does allow you to complete on-line booking for accommodation and tickets….somewhat.  As I understand it, you can download a form, fill in the details and FAX it back to them!!  

Yeah.  Connectivity only goes so far where China is concerned.


I would highly recommend that you call.


----------



## PrincessInOz

*I haven’t forgotten Hong Kong Disneyland

*
Believe it or not, I've taken an even more low-key approach to planning for Hong Kong Disneyland!


The last time I visited Hong Kong was in 2012.  During that visit, I firmly formed the opinion that you should want to visit Hong Kong; and Disneyland would just be the icing on the cake.  For me, as a location itself, HKDL was a lovely park but there were not enough attractions there for it to warrant a trip by itself.  If you feel the need to read that TR, the link is in my siggie below.  It will include a lot more detail about all the planning side of Hong Kong than this PTR does.


Don’t get me wrong, I love HKDL.  It’s just that if you are planning to go visit this park, you need to include seeing Hong Kong as well in order to justify the expense.  It is a much smaller park than the US counterparts. 

But that was in 2012.  Since then, HKDL has opened Grizzly Gulch, Mystic Point, the Iron Man experience and included a night time parade, Paint the Night, that was so successful that they replicated the parade at Disneyland Anaheim.  I suspect that I’m going to have to revise my opinion after this trip as these additions make HKDL a much more exciting Disney destination.  

I also still have very strong memories of the park and hotel area.  I figured that a low-key approach will probably suffice but I did give some thought to the planning basics.

Here's where I've gotten to.


*Where to Stay?*


There was a special deal going for the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort Hotels, and at time of writing, this deal is still valid, offering a 35% discount off the room rate.  We jumped on this deal.

I think most of us are staying at the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel for 3 nights.  Again, I debated about adding CL to our package.  In the end, we went with the standard room package.

Your other option is the Hollywood Hotel.  Really...my mother just wanted to head back to the Disney Hotel. She likes it there as well.

There will be a 3rd hotel opening up - Disney's Explorer's Lodge.  When they broke ground, it was anticipated that this hotel would open up in early 2017.  Seems like Disney has met the challenge this time round.  This hotel is due to open April 30, which is too late for this trip. 
If you go to the website, you'll see it listed in the drop down but there is no page behind it .... yet.



Hong Kong Disneyland will take 1 night's accommodation as payment for the booking.  The balance of the amount will be charged when you check-in.



*What to See and Do?*

We have 2 full days for the park.  I have the new attractions on my hit list; but in effect with the 2 full days, I fully expect to cover everything, and expect to be able to go on the favourites a few times. 

As with Shanghai, there is an app for Hong Kong Disneyland.  I haven’t gotten round to downloading this on my smart phone yet.  

We are expecting a low number of visitors in the park when we are there.  We will hit it mid-week and during a period where there are no public holidays and the kids are back in school.

I guess we will have time to do a bit of shopping here.




*Where to eat?*


For Hong Kong Disneyland, we are just going to go with the flow and see how we feel.  There are less dining options in park and at the resorts compared to the other Disney locations.  

We haven’t worked out if we want to do any character meals at HK.  There are a few of us that have been to HKDL before and we’re happy to just get there and see how we feel.  We've also booked in to two character meals at Shanghai and I don't think I'll bother for HK.




*How to Book?*

I made a call to book my Hong Kong Disneyland accommodation and ticket.  Again, you could have booked online but I actually like the Hong Kong CM.  I’ve always found them to be extremely helpful and eager to work out the best deal for you.  YMMV.




That's about the extent of my planning for this park.  I really like being at Hong Kong Disneyland.  Of the 3 parks that I've visited to date, this location is one where I can just wing things.  It's really quite liberating and relaxing to not have to plan things out to the nth degree.

I guess it remains to be seen if I come back still holding this view and if my memories of this park worked out true!


----------



## darrenf67

I actually feel that with very little planning to do I am not doing enough. I too have booked the Royal Banquet Hall and did not receive the email they said would come. I do have the confirmation number which my second call said would be enough. I must book for Lumiere's now you mention it. The rest of the meals will be whatever comes along haha

Those wait times sound good though!


----------



## PrincessInOz

darrenf67 said:


> I actually feel that with very little planning to do I am not doing enough. I too have booked the Royal Banquet Hall and did not receive the email they said would come. I do have the confirmation number which my second call said would be enough. I must book for Lumiere's now you mention it. The rest of the meals will be whatever comes along haha
> 
> Those wait times sound good though!



Darren - If you haven't been to HKDL before, the Enchanted Garden character and buffet breakfast at the DL Hotel is worth a go.  It's an East/West breakfast that I thought was pretty decent in 2012.

I think there is also a character breakfast at the Hollywood Hotel so you might want to check it out as well.



Yes - the laid back planning for Shanghai and Hong Kong, although very pleasant, is a little hard to come to terms with for uber-WDW planners.


----------



## PrincessInOz

darrenf67 said:


> Those wait times sound good though!



I got round to downloading the HKDL app.  The wait times there are even better!!!!


----------



## darrenf67

Having a look online at Lumiere's - it reads as only a weekend thing?


----------



## PrincessInOz

darrenf67 said:


> Having a look online at Lumiere's - it reads as only a weekend thing?



Hmmm.  I just double-checked.  I think that's for the Brunch show.

We booked for breakfast during the week.  You'll find out when we get back if we had characters or not....and you can probably get a booking.


----------



## Flossbolna

Oh, I am really looking forward to reading your report! We will be in Shanghai this summer (yes, I know it is going to be horrible weather wise) and I always find your trip reports very informative!

This might be a recent change, but we were able to book our hotel at Shanghai Disneyland fully online. No need to fax anything or so. We booked about 10 days ago or so. It was a bit strange with the payment site and how you had to submit your credit card date, but it all worked out perfectly and we got a nice email confirmation. Need to go and check that we are both named on the email now because we will need that for our 144-hours-visa-free entry! Thanks for reminding me of that!


----------



## dolphingirl47

PrincessInOz said:


> We are blessed by having Zanzibar in the group of Aussie Dis-sers hitting Shanghai Disneyland.



Oh, having somebody who has first-hand experience sounds useful.



PrincessInOz said:


> With two resorts to choose from and 4 nights of accommodation to cater for, I spent my time running the numbers aka Disney Fuzzy Maths. Did it make sense to split-stay or did I prefer to stay in one resort? If I decided to split stay, what class of room did I want to go for? Afterall, there was the choice of standard, garden or a room with a water view…..plus the option of getting a park view at the Shanghai Disneyland Resort. And what would Club Lounge add to the mix?



That makes my head spin. I am glad that you got it all sorted out.



PrincessInOz said:


> So, I’ve gone with a Room with a (Park) View at the Shanghai Disneyland Resort for the four nights.



That sounds nice.



PrincessInOz said:


> Afterall, the park schedule and opening hours gets released 2 weeks in advance. How does Disney seriously think we can plan with that amount of short notice????



I can only dream of that with my "local" park. They release the schedule on Saturdays for that week at Disneyland Paris.



PrincessInOz said:


> As for the rides….well….let’s just say that everything at SDL is a must do. With 3 full days, I fully expect to achieve this goal.



I think that sounds doable.



PrincessInOz said:


> I have, however, downloaded the Shanghai Disneyland Resort app from my smart phone store. I’ve even checked it a few times today and am happy to report that the longest wait time I’ve seen for SDL today has been 35 minutes. And that’s for Winnie the Pooh and Soarin’. There are a whole bunch of rides sitting around the 5 – 10 minute wait time, and a few sitting around the 20 minute wait time.



That sounds very promising.



PrincessInOz said:


> For me, as a location itself, HKDL was a lovely park but there were not enough attractions there for it to warrant a trip by itself.



I had heard this about Hong Kong Disneyland.



PrincessInOz said:


> Since then, HKDL has opened Grizzly Gulch, Mystic Point, the Iron Man experience and included a night time parade, Paint the Night, that was so successful that they replicated the parade at Disneyland Anaheim. I suspect that I’m going to have to revise my opinion after this trip as these additions make HKDL a much more exciting Disney destination.



It will be interesting to find out what you will make of the changes.



PrincessInOz said:


> I think most of us are staying at the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel for 3 nights.



I Googled this and it very much reminds me of the Disneyland Hotel at Disneyland Paris.




PrincessInOz said:


> There will be a 3rd hotel opening up - Disney's Explorer's Lodge.



That sounds interesting.



PrincessInOz said:


> I really like being at Hong Kong Disneyland. Of the 3 parks that I've visited to date, this location is one where I can just wing things. It's really quite liberating and relaxing to not have to plan things out to the nth degree.



That is precisely how I feel about Disneyland Paris.



PrincessInOz said:


> I got round to downloading the HKDL app. The wait times there are even better!!!!



Even better.

Corinna


----------



## franandaj

Awww.  Snap!  I only made the second page!

We literally just pulled into port, I turned on my phone for the first time in a week, decided to see what was up on the DIS and I find PIO has a new TR ad I only made page two!

I can't wait to hear all about it.  Loved your HK report. I can't imagine going to China any time soon. Especially being an American, but that's a whole 'nother thing!

Sounds like a lot of prep just to get there! You're even closer now as the TR was started a week ago when we sailed!  You'll be beginning your journey just as I arrive home.


Have a great trip!


----------



## OrangeBirdGirl

Flossbolna said:


> Need to go and check that we are both named on the email now because we will need that for our 144-hours-visa-free entry! Thanks for reminding me of that!



The email confirmation I received didn't even list names, just 2 adults.  I emailed them (didn't want to deal with calling) and asked for update to include names.  They emailed me back the next day and it listed both our full names.  

Don't worry about summer, sure it might be less then ideal temps, but it's still better then not visiting.


----------



## mvf-m11c

Following along on your trip report and getting excited for you and your family. Hope you have a great time and look forward to your pics.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Flossbolna said:


> Oh, I am really looking forward to reading your report! We will be in Shanghai this summer (yes, I know it is going to be horrible weather wise) and I always find your trip reports very informative!
> 
> This might be a recent change, but we were able to book our hotel at Shanghai Disneyland fully online. No need to fax anything or so. We booked about 10 days ago or so. It was a bit strange with the payment site and how you had to submit your credit card date, but it all worked out perfectly and we got a nice email confirmation. Need to go and check that we are both named on the email now because we will need that for our 144-hours-visa-free entry! Thanks for reminding me of that!



  Glad you're here, Magdalena.  Are you and M heading to Shanghai in the summer?  How awesome.  Which destination are you hubbing in/out of to make the 144-hour visa work?

We're expecting rain for our days in SDL!  






dolphingirl47 said:


> I can only dream of that with my "local" park. They release the schedule on Saturdays for that week at Disneyland Paris.



That would be an absolute PITA.


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> Awww.  Snap!  I only made the second page!
> 
> We literally just pulled into port, I turned on my phone for the first time in a week, decided to see what was up on the DIS and I find PIO has a new TR ad I only made page two!
> 
> I can't wait to hear all about it.  Loved your HK report. I can't imagine going to China any time soon. Especially being an American, but that's a whole 'nother thing!
> 
> Sounds like a lot of prep just to get there! You're even closer now as the TR was started a week ago when we sailed!  You'll be beginning your journey just as I arrive home.
> 
> 
> Have a great trip!



Hey!  Hope things are going well with you.   Have a great time in WDW and there will probably be plenty to catch up on when I get back.


----------



## PrincessInOz

mvf-m11c said:


> Following along on your trip report and getting excited for you and your family. Hope you have a great time and look forward to your pics.




  Hi Bret.  Long time no chat on the Dis.  Hope everything is going as well as possible with you and the family.


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Road to Shanghai *


When I was negotiating time off for this trip, I slipped in a couple of extra days to this trip.  Yes, the-old-squeeze-as-much-in-as-possible trick!  Give a mile, take a few more inches.


I had originally booked a morning flight out of Melbourne; which would have gotten us into Shanghai at about 11 pm at night.  Well…..about 2 months ago, Cathay gifted me with extra time in Shanghai.  The morning flight was cancelled and they rebooked us on the midnight flight out of Melbourne.  I have to admit that I was less than impressed with the flight being cancelled.  Flying out at night had never been on my agenda!

But after I got over the fact that I would not be getting any sleep on the plane, I realised that this flight would get us into Shanghai at about 11 am in the morning.  That means bonus time in Shanghai.  And because I’ve now ended up with 2 days to spend in Shanghai, it means that I can cast my eyes towards Suzhou, the water town.  With the one full day that I have in Shanghai, I’m hoping to pick up a day-tour to Suzhou.   I’ve checked online….there are any number of tours I can book right now for Suzhou.  I’ve decided to hold off because it may end up being cheaper to book the trip to Suzhou locally.  


There was another bonus to arriving in Shanghai during the morning.  It meant that catching the Magnetic Levitation train from Shanghai airport to the city centre suddenly became a viable proposition.  Yes, I could have caught the train at night.  The issue was we would still need to catch a taxi from the city train station to our hotel and given the reports of shifty taxi driver behaviour at that station, I didn’t really want to have to deal with it late at night.  

I’m more than prepared to deal with the Shanghai taxi drivers during daytime hours.





In order to get to a decision on how to get to my hotel in Shanghai, I did some basic research on the various transport options in Shanghai.  Here are some basic info snippets for the Maglev train, taxi and public transport in Shanghai.


*Maglev Train.* 

The Maglev train can be caught from Pudong Airport to Longyang Road Station.  
Cost of the train from Pudong Airport, with an air ticket discount, is 40 Yuan one-way.  You need to show your air ticket in order to get the discount.

You can transfer from Longyang Road Station to other lines; but I figured it was just as easy to catch a taxi from this station to our hotel with our bags.

At Longyang Station, at all times, the taxi drivers will be waiting on the upper platform to ask if you want a taxi. Never accept an offer on the platform. Take the escalator to the street to select your taxi from the dispatcher.



*Taxis.* 

Always look for a white (Jinjiang company) or light blue taxi (Dazhong taxis 大众, highly reputable, telephone number 96822) or yellow/gold (Qiangsheng 强生, highly reputable) or white.  Avoid dark blue and red.  

Taxis should cost about 55 Yuan from Longyang Road Station to the hotel.  I used this taxi calculator to get the estimated cost. https://www.taxifarefinder.com/main.php?city=Shanghai-China&lang=en


In the city there is an initial meter charge of 14 RMB for most 3 km drives (including the fare surcharge), plus 2.4 RMB per km thereafter when it exceeds 3km, and then plus 3.6RMB per km after 10km when it exceeds 10km. 




*Public Transport System*

And just to round out the information sharing.  Shanghai is quite well serviced by it's mass transport system.  One of the better guides around can be found on the Travel China Guide website.  I have no doubt I'll be buying passes of some sort.  It remains to be seen whether I go with the day passes or the 3-day pass.

https://www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/shanghai/transportation/subway-ticket.htm


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Shanghai Sights*



The laissez-faire nature of planning for Shanghai Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland has left me feeling very twitchy.  It’s like something is missing from the core of my being!


In order to plug that gap, I channelled my energies into some basic research on what to see and do in Shanghai.  In the event that some of you might be spending time in Shanghai as well, here’s my list.


*The Bund*  is one of the top ten Shanghai attractions. Just like a gallery of international architectures - historic European style buildings located on the Bund . It's the showcase of the city's colonial past and its transformation in the new era. Known as " the Wall Street in the Far Cast" in the colonial period.

·        Start: Broadway Mansions
·        Finish: Meteorological Signal Tower
·        Distance: 1.3 kilometers
·        Time needed: 2½ hours
·        What you should not miss: a museum in Astor House Hotel; a movie poster gallery in Peace Hotel; the beautiful mosaic ceiling of Hong Kong & Shanghai Bank; Lovers' wall or the Valentine wall.

There are three ideal locations to see the full view of the Bund: Pudong Binjiang Avenue, on a Huangpu River Cruise, and one of the skyscrapers in Pudong like Shanghai World Financial Center, Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Jin Mao Tower and Shanghai Tower.  
There is also the option of heading to the Vue Bar at the top of Hyatt on the Bund.

Places to Eat

·        Traditional Peking Duck Restaurant.  No. 1 South HeNan Road, The Bund
·        Yang’s Fry Dumplings.  97 Huanghe Rd; 黄河路97号
·        Jiajia Soup Dumplings.  90 Huanghe Rd; 黄河路90号
·        Nanxiang Steamed Bun Dumplings.  3rd fl, Shànghǎi No 1 Food Store, 720 East Nanjing Rd; 南京东路720号上海市第一食品商店3楼
·        Shanghai Grandmother (homestyle cooking).  70 Fuzhou Rd; 福州路70号
·        Lost Heaven (for a view and Chinese food). 17 East Yan’an Rd; 延安东路17号



*Huangpu River cruise*.  The cruises along the Huangpu River often start from the wharf near the Bund, and head towards Yangpu Bridge or Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal, and back again along the opposite side of the river to the Bund. 50 minute night cruise seems to be about 180 Yuan.   Tickets can be purchased at Shiliupu Wharf ticket office at Wai Ma Lu 80 or check with the hotel.



*French Concession*.  The Shanghai International Settlement, when formed in 1863, consisted of 3 countries - French, English and the Americans.   It effectively opened up trade between Shanghai and the rest of the world.  As part of the settlement, there were tracks of land that were provided to these countries to set up bases in Shanghai. The Bund is what was formerly the Shanghai International Settlement and was predominantly the British/American Concession.  The French Concession is effectively just a little bit further down the road.  Buildings to visit at the French Quarter include:

·        Bridge 8 building (No.8-10 Jianguo Middle Road, Huangpu District), 
·        Sinan mansion (Lane507 Fuxing Middle Road),former house of Zhou Enlai (73 (formerly 107) Sinan Road, Huangpu District)
·        Dr Sun Yat-sen’s house (7 Xiangshan Road). 
·        Fuxing Park (105 Fuxing Zhong Road), which is near Dr Sun Yat-sen’s house (7 Xiangshan Road, Shanghai, China). 



Streets/areas to walk in the French Concession.  The word "road" is "Lu" in Mandarin.  So, you may come across Lu a couple of times.

·        Wukang Lu, quaint with outdoor cafes, Cozy Wine Bar and Bistro for coffee and sausages; and around Ferguson Lane
·        Wulumuqi Road has one shop that is an institution – the Avocado Lady shop.  Take the subway to Changshu Lu station, Line 1& 7. Exit from exit 7 (follow the arrows towards line 7). Turn left out of the station and left again on WuYuan Lu until you hit Wulumuqi Lu. Cross the street and take one more left and you're a few stride away from the legendary Avocado Lady's bustling shop. She's at 274 Wulumuqi Lu.
·        At the junction of Fuxing Lu and Huaihai Lu (1858 Huaihai Lu) stands this apartment building called Normandy Apartments — an art deco style building, constructed in 1924.
·        Taikang Road / Tianzifang - Taikang Lu is a old Shanghai style neighborhood (lane). Now it's a new landmark in Shanghai because of the old architecture mixed with those new restaurants.bars and boutique shops. That area now is called the lane of leisure and art.



A recommended walking route that I stole off one of the sites I was browsing: Garden Hotel – Cathay Cinema – Huaihai Road – Gaolan Road – Sinan Mansions – Sun Yat-sen's Former Residence – Tianzifang

·        Cathay Cinema (国泰电影院) was previously called Cathay Theatre. It is located at 870 Huaihai Middle Road, near Gate 3 of Shanxi South Road Station on Metro Line 1. Cathay Cinema is a classical building with a history of over 80 years.
·        Huaihai Road is one of the busiest shopping streets in Shanghai.  The Champs Elysee of Shanghai to be exact.  
·        Gaolan Road (皋兰路) is another street in Luwan District. It was once called Rue Corneille, named after the French poet Corneille. It was built by the French Concession Authority in 1914, and was renamed Gaolan Road in 1946.
·        Along the road are famous residences including Zhang Xueliang's Former Residence, a Spanish garden villa with three stories; and Fuxing Park, a small park with French emotional appeal, once called French Park.
·        Located at 55 Sinan Road, Luwan District, the Sinan Mansions are adjacent to Fuxing Park. There are 51 garden villas with almost a century of history and various architectural styles.
·        The Sinan Mansions are the most concentrated area of classic residences in Shanghai. When you walk through the Sinan Mansions, it's just like wandering through a fascinating and charming architectural display. There are boutique hotels, service apartments, enterprise mansions, and business districts in the Sinan Mansions.
·        Sun Yat-sen's Former Residence is located at 7 Xiangshang Road. It is a European country-style house. The house was the Shanghai residence of Sun Yat-sen and his wife Soong Ching-ling from 1918–1924.
·        Tianzifang is the landmark Art Street on Taikang Road. When you walk through Tianzifang and wander through the maze of alleys, arty shops and art workshops casually jump into your sight. Tea houses, open-air restaurants, outdoor cafes, galleries, furniture decorations, handicrafts, and famous creative studios are everywhere.



Places to Eat

·        Di Shui Dong 滴水洞.  56 South Maoming Rd. (close to Changle Rd.)  茂名南路56号2楼（近长乐路). Yunnan food.  Cumin ribs and sweet candied bananas are must eats.
·        Corner转角上海老弄堂餐厅.  2nd Floor 139 Ruijin 1st Rd. (Close to Changle Rd.)  瑞金一路139号2楼（近长乐路).  Get the Shanghai Red Braised pork.
·        Spice Bazaar 香料集市.  29 Dongping Rd. (Close to Wulumuqi North Rd.) 东平路29号（近乌鲁木齐南路).   Signature dishes include the sautéed spicy chicken, Xinjiang cold noodles, and the Xinjiang meat nang, which is baked bread dipped in a meat sauce.
·        Elixir Health Pot.  Former French Concession: Address: 2 Hengshan Lu, near Taojiang Lu / 衡山路2号甲香樟花园内(近桃江路)



*Old Town Nanshi* area is where you might still be able to find Old Shanghai.  It's effectively where the Yu Yuan Garden is located.  Go at night for old buildings in this area is all lit up. 

Things to go-see in Old Town include:

·        Dajing Ge Pavillion – the last remnant of the original wall of Old Shanghai.
·        Yu Yuan Garden is the largest and best known of the historic gardens of Shanghai.(Built in 1559). 
·        Yu Yuan Bazaar - is a market with lots of small shops / vendors selling souvenirs, hand-made crafts, folk crafts,packed snacks.  Restaurants offering delicacies & dim sum.
·        Taoist City God Temple - used to be the center of the public life and contributed a lot of the birth the marketplace around it. 
·        Huxinting Tea House (located near Yuyuan Bazaar).  
·        Fangbang Road Night Market – street food.


Places to Eat – Just head to the night market and the Yuyuan Bazaar area and there will be something there!



*Xintiandi* is composed of an area of restored traditional "stone gate" (Shikumen) houses on narrow alleys, a modern shopping mall (SML) with a cinema complex, and some adjoining houses which now serve as book stores, cafes and restaurants. Most of the cafes and restaurants feature both indoor and outdoor seatings. A Stone Gate House Museum there is the place for you to pay a visit to the inside of a house to experience the life in the "Stone Gate" house.  Apparently this is more charming than Tianxifang.  
Xintiandi is divided into two parts: the South Block and the North Block. The South Block mainly consists of modern architecture with Shikumen architecture as an accompaniment. Its North Block kept the old Shikumen architecture style, forming a contrast to the modern South Block.  Might be worth just going for a walk in this area.

Places to Eat – There are any number of bars and Western style eateries in this area.  I don’t think we’ll starve if we get here.



That's about the extent of my research so far.  I haven’t even got started on the Chinese Museums or the Chinese Temples! 



Those of you that have followed my TRs and adventures over the years will know that I tend to pack as much into a trip as possible.  Some things NEVER change.  It remains to be seen how much I will actually get to see in Shanghai.  Given the list and with me wanting to spend a full day in Suzhou, I don’t think I’ll run out of things to do.



Oh – if you’re wondering about the Chinese characters, I’ve kept them in the PTR.  I’ll be printing out a version of this to take with me and having the Chinese characters means that if I need help, I can show it to a local who can then help out with directions! 

I've also got a page printed with all my hotel accommodation listed, complete with Chinese address.


----------



## Flossbolna

PrincessInOz said:


> Glad you're here, Magdalena.  Are you and M heading to Shanghai in the summer?  How awesome.  Which destination are you hubbing in/out of to make the 144-hour visa work?
> 
> We're expecting rain for our days in SDL!



Hope the rain stays away!

Yes, we are doing Shanghai as a stopover on our way to Japan. So we fly from Europe (using the hub in Zurich, on Swiss) to PVG on an open jaw ticket that has us returning from Tokyo. From PVG to Tokyo Haneda we have a one-way flight booked on Lufthansa miles operated by ANA. It will be interesting to see if the Swiss airport person here in Nuremberg will be aware of the 144-hour visa and its rules. Need to print out the instructions on flyertalk about where they can find those rules in their system. I now regret that we are not flying LH, which has the option to check in the evening before your flight at the airport... I did triple check with all kind of information, especially the Shanghai immigration office that you don't need to be on one ticket. The 144-hour visa seems to be especially for people embarking on cruises, so they would not have one ticket in and out, either.

Thanks for the Shanghai sights overview! We will have one day (unless Michael needs to spend a lot of time at Disneytown) for Shanghai. I was thinking of going with one of the hop on hop off busses. The focus is really going to be Japan for our trip though, so most of my research so far ha as been about that.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Flossbolna said:


> Hope the rain stays away!



Sadly, I doubt it.  The weather forecast is for persistent rain.  I might have to rethink my packing for Shanghai and throw in a rain jacket!





Flossbolna said:


> Thanks for the Shanghai sights overview! We will have one day (unless Michael needs to spend a lot of time at Disneytown) for Shanghai. I was thinking of going with one of the hop on hop off busses.



Have you considered hiring a guide for a day?  I'm going to see what happens when we get there and what the weather is like.  The Viator guides come highly recommended.  And some of them seem to charge a reasonable price.  I believe we can arrange for a guide when we are there....so we'll see what happens when we get there.

https://tourguides.viator.com/Listing.aspx?Country=China


----------



## PrincessInOz

Flossbolna said:


> The focus is really going to be Japan for our trip though, so most of my research so far ha as been about that.



JAPAN!!!????

I am so envious!  I want to go but haven't yet managed to schedule it in!!!!

I'll look forward to your TR.  I assume Michael will co-write it the way you normally do?  YAY!  Something to look forward to reading.


----------



## darrenf67

What's the situation with electricity adaptors in China/HK?


----------



## PrincessInOz

darrenf67 said:


> What's the situation with electricity adaptors in China/HK?




China uses a very similar looking outlet to the Aussie one.  Hong Kong is completely different.

https://www.travelchinaguide.com/essential/electricity.htm
http://www.tour-beijing.com/blog/beijing-travel/beijing-tour-reviews/plugs-and-sockets-in-china
https://www.travelchinacheaper.com/which-plug-converter-do-i-need-for-china


http://www.hong-kong-traveller.com/hong-kong-electricity.html
http://whatplug.info/from/australia/to/hongkong


There is a view that we won't need an adaptor for China (we will for Hong Kong).  

http://www.chinatravelsavvy.com/advice/power-and-sockets/

To be safe, I'm going to get adaptors for both China and Hong Kong.


----------



## Flossbolna

PrincessInOz said:


> Have you considered hiring a guide for a day? I'm going to see what happens when we get there and what the weather is like. The Viator guides come highly recommended. And some of them seem to charge a reasonable price. I believe we can arrange for a guide when we are there....so we'll see what happens when we get there.



Thanks for the link! Yes, I was thinking about a guide for the day. We had a private tour on our recent cruise in Jamaica and liked it a lot. Most likely we will relocate for that last night from the Toy Story Hotel to somewhere else, closer to the airport, since we are leaving quite early in the morning and the Toy Story Hotel is really price for a Saturday night in summer. So, I was thinking it would be great to have a guide helping with that as well...



PrincessInOz said:


> JAPAN!!!????
> 
> I am so envious! I want to go but haven't yet managed to schedule it in!!!!
> 
> I'll look forward to your TR. I assume Michael will co-write it the way you normally do? YAY! Something to look forward to reading.



I am already excited about writing the TR.  And I am sure that Michael will want to get to take part in writing it again as well. We do have another trip report to write before that, but I am much more excited about writing about Japan than another cruise on the Disney Fantasy (yes, I know those are really the proverbial first world problems here ).

But isn't Japan closer to Australia than China?? Shouldn't it be easier to go there than to Shanghai?


----------



## ChrisNY2

I'm enjoying reading your report! I'll be in Shanghai from March 29-April 2, spending 2 of those days at Shanghai Disney Resort!


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## dolphingirl47

PrincessInOz said:


> But after I got over the fact that I would not be getting any sleep on the plane, I realised that this flight would get us into Shanghai at about 11 am in the morning. That means bonus time in Shanghai. And because I’ve now ended up with 2 days to spend in Shanghai, it means that I can cast my eyes towards Suzhou, the water town. With the one full day that I have in Shanghai, I’m hoping to pick up a day-tour to Suzhou.



I love it when things work out like this. I hope that you will enjoy your bonus tour.



PrincessInOz said:


> There was another bonus to arriving in Shanghai during the morning. It meant that catching the Magnetic Levitation train from Shanghai airport to the city centre suddenly became a viable proposition.



That sounds fascinating. 

I love all your plans. When we will finally make it to Shanghai, I will have to refer back to this.

Corinna


----------



## PrincessInOz

Flossbolna said:


> But isn't Japan closer to Australia than China?? Shouldn't it be easier to go there than to Shanghai?



It is indeed.  I want to spend about 2 - 3 weeks in Japan.  It's just a matter of working out an appropriate time!  I wanna see it all....and during Spring!  LOL


----------



## PrincessInOz

ChrisNY2 said:


> I'm enjoying reading your report! I'll be in Shanghai from March 29-April 2, spending 2 of those days at Shanghai Disney Resort!




Thank you for reading along!
Sounds like you have a fun trip planned as well.  Hope you'll post a TR as well.


----------



## PrincessInOz

dolphingirl47 said:


> I love it when things work out like this. I hope that you will enjoy your bonus tour.
> 
> 
> 
> That sounds fascinating.
> 
> I love all your plans. When we will finally make it to Shanghai, I will have to refer back to this.
> 
> Corinna




I don't know how much of it I'll get to see; but it was worth just doing some research.


----------



## PrincessInOz

*My Bag Is Packed*



I'll probably not have time to get back on the Dis before I head off on this trip, so I'll see you all when I get back.


My bag is packed.....albeit a LOT fuller than I had hoped.  I've packed a few more clothes than I normally take with me but then, it is pretty cold in Shanghai right now.  And the weather forecast looks like rain for our Disneyland days.  So, it probably is better to be safe than sorry.


I've also got printouts of my tix, accommodation, reservations, travel insurance etc; plus my passport.  


More importantly......the much anticipated data only SIM cards arrived on Monday.  Phew!  
But don't expect any "live" reports or anything.  I like to remain DISconnected when I'm on vacay.  I'll probably only post again when I get back to Oz.



Catch you at the other end!


----------



## darrenf67

ChrisNY2 said:


> I'm enjoying reading your report! I'll be in Shanghai from March 29-April 2, spending 2 of those days at Shanghai Disney Resort!


I'll be there April 3 - 7!


----------



## darrenf67

PrincessInOz said:


> *My Bag Is Packed*
> 
> 
> 
> I'll probably not have time to get back on the Dis before I head off on this trip, so I'll see you all when I get back.
> 
> 
> My bag is packed.....albeit a LOT fuller than I had hoped.  I've packed a few more clothes than I normally take with me but then, it is pretty cold in Shanghai right now.  And the weather forecast looks like rain for our Disneyland days.  So, it probably is better to be safe than sorry.
> 
> 
> I've also got printouts of my tix, accommodation, reservations, travel insurance etc; plus my passport.
> 
> 
> More importantly......the much anticipated data only SIM cards arrived on Monday.  Phew!
> But don't expect any "live" reports or anything.  I like to remain DISconnected when I'm on vacay.  I'll probably only post again when I get back to Oz.
> 
> 
> 
> Catch you at the other end!


Have an amazing vacation - enjoy every minute - looking forward to all the news when you get back


----------



## Flossbolna

Have a fantastic time!!


----------



## jedijill

I just found this but Bon Voyage!  I'm so jealous and can't wait to hear about your adventures!

Jill in CO


----------



## disney144

Have a great trip!


----------



## dolphingirl47

PrincessInOz said:


> I'll probably not have time to get back on the Dis before I head off on this trip, so I'll see you all when I get back.



Have an amazing time.



PrincessInOz said:


> More importantly......the much anticipated data only SIM cards arrived on Monday. Phew!



I am glad that this arrived in time.

Corinna


----------



## Aussie Wendy

PrincessInOz said:


> *The Boring but Critical Planning Stuff aka Being able to Legally Enter China*
> 
> *Note*:
> 
> _The 144-hour transit visa only applies to certain ports in China.  You need to check if it applies to your particular circumstance._
> 
> _The visa is valid for 3 months from application date so you need to apply for the visa at least 1 – 3 months prior to your entry._
> 
> _There have been anecdotal reports that other travellers have gotten into China despite hubbing in and out of the same city.  We could have chanced it but it is far better to be sure rather than sorry._



Just to add for Queenslanders that the home website PrincessInOz posted also has a link to the Brisbane Office and the arrangements are the same. Make an online appointment (only don't try doing it while you are out of the country somewhere else - it won't let you as we found out!), turn up with completed forms and passport photos taken preferably at the Post Office who have a machine that automatically prints your pics to meet the specific country requirements, and travel itinerary including a copy of e-flight tickets and e-hotel reservations. You get a number on arrival and wait to be called to hand over your docs. Simple as and are given a return day a few days later to collect and pay.


----------



## Aussie Wendy

darrenf67 said:


> Wow!! This is vital information that I DID NOT know about. I was just assuming that I would be able to access the hotel wifi and Facebook from there! A little too western of me??
> 
> Now I am concerned about keeping touch with family back home. Any more info would be appreciated.



Just reporting back as we are now home (did not join the others in Hong Kong). We did download and install Express VPN before we left to get around the Great Firewall for our data access and used mostly free wifi at hotels etc. We also used the Vodofone $5/day for when we didn't have access to free WiFi so as to keep in contact with the folks back home and to talk to fellow disers while on the trip. Express VPN worked perfectly-we connected using Hong Kong all the time (you can pick the countries to route through and if one fails try others). Our only issues was not that but at times logging onto the free Disney wifi while there when between hotels, as it wanted to send a password entry code to your phone - which meant activating the $5 Vodofone day to access it which meant we didn't need the free Disney Wifi then - make sense? We bought a month's access to Express VPN for around US$13 and did not set up an auto renewal so it will expire at the end of a month (but we will check it has been cancelled). Hotel wifi was easier to log onto rather than the park and worked fine but I found if I hadn't turned Express VPN on I could not access Facebook or Gmail. We all agreed that access to the hotel and Disney wifi sites seemed a bit random - sometimes wanted an activation code etc, sometimes not.


----------



## darrenf67

Aussie Wendy said:


> Just reporting back as we are now home (did not join the others in Hong Kong). We did download and install Express VPN before we left to get around the Great Firewall for our data access and used mostly free wifi at hotels etc. We also used the Vodofone $5/day for when we didn't have access to free WiFi so as to keep in contact with the folks back home and to talk to fellow disers while on the trip. Express VPN worked perfectly-we connected using Hong Kong all the time (you can pick the countries to route through and if one fails try others). Our only issues was not that but at times logging onto the free Disney wifi while there when between hotels, as it wanted to send a password entry code to your phone - which meant activating the $5 Vodofone day to access it which meant we didn't need the free Disney Wifi then - make sense? We bought a month's access to Express VPN for around US$13 and did not set up an auto renewal so it will expire at the end of a month (but we will check it has been cancelled). Hotel wifi was easier to log onto rather than the park and worked fine but I found if I hadn't turned Express VPN on I could not access Facebook or Gmail. We all agreed that access to the hotel and Disney wifi sites seemed a bit random - sometimes wanted an activation code etc, sometimes not.


Thanks for the tips - it is much appreciated.

How was SDL?

Any tips I might find useful?


----------



## Aussie Wendy

PrincessInOz said:


> *Planning for Shanghai Disneyland*
> 
> In today’s helter-skelter fast paced world, there are so many options to keep connected and to get connected.  The online 2-D in a box world is such that everything is available at your fingertips and anything is possible if you have a means of payment.
> 
> With all those e-options, I chose to pick up the phone and call Shanghai Disneyland for all my transactions.  All in all, I think I made 4 calls in total to Shanghai.
> 
> The first call for the accommodation and ticket booking.  Successfully completed.  I received email confirmation almost immediately for my room and ticket reservation.
> 
> The second call was to make a reservation for Lumiere’s Kitchen and Royal Banquet Hall for our party of 8.  Booking for both these table service restaurants was highly recommended so we figured we might as well lock them in.  I would say that I was partially successful for this second call.  I got a confirmation by SMS and by follow up e-mail of my reservation number for Lumiere’s Kitchen but didn’t receive anything for RBH.
> 
> The third call was the follow-up to check up on RBH.  Again, that’s a partial successful transaction.  I did find out that the system has recorded my booking for RBH and the CM provided me with the confirmation number over the phone.  He also advised that he had set the system to provide me with a follow up email and SMS with the number.  Sadly, I have yet to receive anything from SDL for RBH.  In any event, I do have the number written down….somewhere.
> 
> I had to make a 4th call through to Shanghai Disneyland.  The email confirmation for my room was addressed to me, and with only my first name.  I called them to resend the confirmation to include my full name and my mother’s name as I figured I would need this for our China Visa application.  This call was also successfully completed.  I received the updated email confirmation almost immediately for my room and ticket reservation.  The CM was exceedingly obliging once I told her it was for Visa application purposes.
> 
> All 4 times (and selecting the English option), I got through to a Cast Member that spoke reasonable English.  Only one of the CM had slight issues understanding me.
> 
> 
> The Shanghai Disneyland website does allow you to complete on-line booking for accommodation and tickets….somewhat.  As I understand it, you can download a form, fill in the details and FAX it back to them!!
> 
> Yeah.  Connectivity only goes so far where China is concerned.
> 
> 
> I would highly recommend that you call.



Just to add my alternate experience. With PrincessInOz taking care of character meals, I just used the Shanghai Disney online website, created an account as per WDW and other Disney resorts, and made online bookings for our hotel rooms as per American resorts and used my 28 degrees card (no international transaction fees) to pay for it in Chinese currency as we had to pay in full at booking as PrincessInOz has said. The usual range of Visa and Mastercard were accepted. I received an email confirmation within a couple of hours and I needed to produce this when we checked in at both hotels. Like most Disney resorts the room prices are higher on Friday and Saturday nights. I went back a few weeks later and purchased tickets from the same site. I was also amused that I paid a little less for our park tickets than when I was first researching and had noted down draft costs in a budget. So I never contacted the resort directly. All check-ins (split stay between the 2 hotels) went smoothly as did the ticket collection. We just turned up at the entrance turnstyles with our printed off confirmation email and passports and they issued the tickets there and then. It really was no different to booking anywhere else if you are like me and not keen on dealing with international phone calls to potentially non-English speaking sites.


----------



## Aussie Wendy

I should also say that we went in low season and on the day it was possible to get walk-ups to the Royal Banquet Hall lunch. Lumieres breakfast request 24 hour notice. If either of these are must do's for you I would pre-book rather than risk being denied or them being full.


----------



## Aussie Wendy

Flossbolna said:


> Oh, I am really looking forward to reading your report! We will be in Shanghai this summer (yes, I know it is going to be horrible weather wise) and I always find your trip reports very informative!
> 
> This might be a recent change, but we were able to book our hotel at Shanghai Disneyland fully online. No need to fax anything or so. We booked about 10 days ago or so. It was a bit strange with the payment site and how you had to submit your credit card date, but it all worked out perfectly and we got a nice email confirmation. Need to go and check that we are both named on the email now because we will need that for our 144-hours-visa-free entry! Thanks for reminding me of that!



For the regular visa via the office application, we had no issues with only me being named on hotel reservations with a booking for 2 persons but they did require to see both my and my daughter's names on the flight details. They then just asked me to confirm that she was my travelling companion "number 2" on all the hotel reservations. No big deal. I had been a tad worried as I made bookings throughout using hotels.com (we went to Beijing first and had time in Shanghai city) and had no idea how I would get both names on reservations for all hotels if this was required. Luckily it was not.


----------



## Aussie Wendy

PrincessInOz said:


> China uses a very similar looking outlet to the Aussie one.  Hong Kong is completely different.
> 
> https://www.travelchinaguide.com/essential/electricity.htm
> http://www.tour-beijing.com/blog/beijing-travel/beijing-tour-reviews/plugs-and-sockets-in-china
> https://www.travelchinacheaper.com/which-plug-converter-do-i-need-for-china
> 
> 
> http://www.hong-kong-traveller.com/hong-kong-electricity.html
> http://whatplug.info/from/australia/to/hongkong
> 
> 
> There is a view that we won't need an adaptor for China (we will for Hong Kong).
> 
> http://www.chinatravelsavvy.com/advice/power-and-sockets/
> 
> To be safe, I'm going to get adaptors for both China and Hong Kong.



Oh I have to add my tuppence halfpenny here having experienced it and PrincessInOz will supplement on her return. In our Beijing hotel our Aussie plugs and an older double adapter we had worked fine. In Shanghai city hotel our Aussie plugs looked like they should fit - and didn't. They got half way in and seemed to get stuck. Our older double adapter did fit though (but looked little different plug wise that we could tell, to the ones that didn't) so while that meant only charging 2 camera batteries or 2 phones at any one time we could manage. In the Disney hotels the same story. Most of the disers on this trip experienced major issues in Shanghai with their plugs. PrincesInOz mum had a standard power board (but I think older not new) with her and it plugged in but none of their other Aussie plugs did. One Diser had to go out and buy an adapter as none of hers worked but I think she was able to buy it at the Disneyland Hotel. I think the Aussie 2 pin plugs didn't work but neither did the newer of our 3 pin ones. At the older airport hotel we stayed in for a few hours before our flight home, none of our Aussie plugs worked but our old UK adapter plug did. Research suggested that Aussie plugs should work but some older hotels might only fit the UK plug which was why we brought it. Be warned, taking an assortment of plugs might be the answer. Just taking a powerboard may or may not work. I have no idea if a universal adapter will fit. We haven't worked out the whys and wherefores really.


----------



## Aussie Wendy

darrenf67 said:


> Thanks for the tips - it is much appreciated.
> 
> How was SDL?
> 
> Any tips I might find useful?



Will think and get back on again tomorrow night - need to catch up on some sleep still!! We visited Beijing for the first few days, then caught a train to Shanghai, met up with PrincessinOz who had had an extra day or so there before meeting up with everyone at the Disneyland resort then we flew home when the other Disers went to HongKong as we have only recently been there and had to get home before the weekend because of commitments. The great airfare deal gave us open jaw - into Beijing and out of Shanghai and we only paid $550 return leaving and returning on a weekday - BONUS!


----------



## Aussie Wendy

I also received PrincessInOz approval to hack her TR and add some of our experiences (and photos) from Beijing rather than writing my own TR (lazy that I am) 

N.B. We had an amazing time and I can't wait to go back to Beijing and Shanghai Disney (Shanghai city less so).


----------



## darrenf67

Aussie Wendy said:


> I also received PrincessInOz approval to hack her TR and add some of our experiences (and photos) from Beijing rather than writing my own TR (lazy that I am)
> 
> N.B. We had an amazing time and I can't wait to go back to Beijing and Shanghai Disney (Shanghai city less so).


YAY! Can't wait to hear we leave in just over a week!


----------



## OrangeBirdGirl

Aussie Wendy said:


> For the regular visa via the office application, we had no issues with only me being named on hotel reservations with a booking for 2 persons but they did require to see both my and my daughter's names on the flight details. They then just asked me to confirm that she was my travelling companion "number 2" on all the hotel reservations. No big deal. I had been a tad worried as I made bookings throughout using hotels.com (we went to Beijing first and had time in Shanghai city) and had no idea how I would get both names on reservations for all hotels if this was required. Luckily it was not.



We booked our hotels through Expedia (with the exception of Shanghai Disney).  In Expedia, I changed my first name to reflect DH's first name space my first name.  I was wondering as well how to get both on the itinerary.  I had the hotel in Beijing email me and ask if that was really my name.  So I explained what i was doing to them.  No problems with our Visa.


----------



## Aussie Wendy

darrenf67 Shanghai Disney was amazing. A couple of general thoughts before Disney specific and an important one to start with! If you are travelling to other places apart from Disney do carry tissues to use as toilet paper. Many places did not have loo paper (more of an issue for the girls) but some had a central dispenser that you help yourself to before entering a stall (that we missed til we came out!). Everywhere we went they were clean and had soap and water and hand dryers or paper towels to wash and dry hands afterwards though. Some places require paper to be put in a basket, others not. If it didn't specifically say we generally flushed it - kind of guessed from stall. In Disney toilets have all the necessities. All places including Disney had a mix of squat and what they called in some places "potty" ie western toilets. In some non Disney locations maybe only 1 and a disabled - the disabled is always a western toilet. In Disney the western toilets were always in a group at the back after the squat toilets. There are plenty of conveniences scattered throughout the park. We carried antiseptic wipes with us throughout the trip as standard if we are on hols but actually used them a lot less than we imagined due to ease of soap and water in toilets. In our time throughout Beijing and Shanghai we never needed to use a squat toilet - I would fail!

Those of the group who caught taxis out to the Disney Resort experienced issues. Both coming from the airport and coming from Shanghai. I'll let them tell their stories. Do carry the name and address of the hotel written in Chinese to show them (you can get from website). Despite this do expect the taxi drivers may still be confused. Anything obviously Disney you have wave at them - might help. The group did all make it. My daughter and I did it easy - we were travelling light as catching trains so we just caught the subway from the city out to Disney - 6Y each, no confusion, very straight forward and easy. Took us 2 transfers I think and about an hour. If you have lots of luggage though obviously this is not an option as you need to carry it up and down escalators and along passages between transfer platforms and manage it if the trains get crowded. Though we were peak hour, heading that way we only had a short busy stretch. At the Disney station we then caught the shuttle bus to the hotel which was the most confusing part (as you can also see a public bus station too) but there are signs by the bus corrals you come to first where the big blue buses, which are the shuttle buses, pull in, that tell you where each row goes.

PrincessInOz also got caught up with people trying to scam her at the airport before getting on the Maglev and at the Maglev end station. Again I will let her tell her story but basically stick to whatever transport plan you have and ignore anyone, I mean anyone, who tries to tell you something different. We never encountered any scammers while we were in China - lol!

So electricity - check; toilets - check; tix and reservations - check, transport - check.

The park - tips - download the Shanghai Disney app beforehand and use it to check wait times on the go. Pirates was down several times throughout our trip and we did forget to check and wasted time traipsing to and fro to see if it was open. That being so we rode around 4 times. It was totally, mind blowingly amazing and I am not giving spoilers as it was so good being totally surprised the first time round. There is no real bad row to sit in - we sat front and in the middle and you just notice different things or the effects were slightly different each time.

Make use of fast pass - the old fashioned paper style. All Fantasyland fast pass ride dispensers are in one spot (see map) and ditto for Adventureland and Tomorrowland. You queue up for a machine, scan your entry ticket and it spits out a fast pass with your time on it. You can get a new fast pass in 2 hours or after the first one has expired whichever is earliest. We were there in a very low season and add to that rain the first two days and everything was practically a walk-on but we still got fast passes for popular rides like Soarin, Seven Dwarves, Peter Pan and Tron to save waiting 20 mins. We also could (and did) walk straight on at various times. Some we rode over and over. Our first day we were in a big group and tended to criss-cross the park a lot. It's a big park and it was tiring. I would suggest you organise yourself to focus on certain areas at a time which we all did a lot more the other days. 

I like the new Soarin' but others in the group were less impressed. Tron was another amazing ride. You are not clamped in tightly as I feared. There are normal sit-in seats at the back if you wanted to ride not in a motorcycle rider position. You just have to wait as only on eg the third set. The closer to the front the better the ride is. Zanzibar will tell you front row is the best and riding behind her in a second row I have to agree even that was much better than nearer the end. We found we could ask for front row and indicate we were prepared to wait and most of the time the CMs understood enough but be prepared, their English can be halting. We noticed they seemed to call a better English speaking manager if they are really having difficulties understanding or explaining something to you. 

The Challenge trails are fun but some obstacles are very scary and the trail to the left, which was the only one open when we did it in the rain, is very hard. Zanzibar says the alternate trail (heading to the right over the kids playground) she did last time was easier. Each obstacle has 3 options, hard, middling and an easy, walk around route though. I thought the connector system for your harness was very clever and you could therefore swop between all three versions at each obstacle. Depending on your skill and personal preference, one person's hard may be another's middling though so we did switch around a bit. After being terrified on a couple of hard ones a couple of us bailed to the easy route. Doing it in he rain and being much more slippery did not help. If you have people with you not doing it (have them hold your belongings rather than getting a locker, ditto Tron), they can walk along the Vista Trail which runs below and beside both trails and get some great photos of anyone on it. Being pouring rain those who sat this one out in our group didn't realise this and we only discovered it our next day when we never got round to having another go. In fine weather, on a busier day, you would need to get here early as it would be very slow so long queues.

Both the Pirate show Eye of the Storm and the Tarzan show were good and worth seeing I thought. Try to sit in the middle section for the best views. The Golden Fairytale Fanfare on the castle forecourt (outdoors) was also good as was the parade. We only saw the last 2 once due to the rain cancelling play. 

We found the Star Wars Launch Bay (and Marvel) both quiet. The Chinese don't seem to be up on these, especially Star Wars so you can see stuff and meet the characters with virtually no wait - that's no wait to meet Darth Vadar! Don't miss a photo opportunity with Mickey in his Chinese blue jacket (near Marvel). We enjoyed the castle walk through - it's sweet but not a must-do and does get very long lines (some longest we saw on our last fine day) so if you want to do it, do it early. Alice's maze is lovely at dusk. Roaring Rapids was closed still for winter so if it is open when you go I look forward to hearing about it from you.

For the castle projection firework show it is all about the projections, not many fireworks. Try to get as central and close to the front as possible to see the images projected on water sprays at the very front which aren't visible from many spots (despite having 3 opportunities we still blew it as didn't realise until the last night how much the water at the front was used).  

We found in the rain there were limited places to shelter if you didn't go into a cafe to sit down so snacking on the run was hard. They have some great food items - the Mickey Pork buns and Minnie Red Bean buns are delicious, as is the caramel popcorn. You find each outlet tends to sell something specific (its loosely mentioned on the map) so you can't go to one outlet expecting them all to sell the same. We only found only one outlet selling the buns for example (Merlin's Magic Recipe in Fantasyland) though may have missed them somewhere else. Barbarossa's Bounty was good food and wonderful theming - would highly recommend. The Royal Banquet Hall was worth the $. Great food and character interaction and they let us wander all the rooms taking pics after. I didn't join the others for Lumiere's Kitchen character breakfast at the Shanghai Disney Hotel but they said was a ton of food and good. Disneytown is nicely laid out (I think one of the best) with eateries grouped at the top end. There are a couple of good places to pick up breaky supplies (pastries and the like) cheaper and more importantly, a much better range than at the hotels (we also picked up fruit and yoghurt at the hotel cafe but we eat a light breakfast). There is a sneaky exit to Disneytown from the park after the fireworks show. They move people on pretty quickly especially from the back of the park.

Whew!! That's all for now folks.......


----------



## Aussie Wendy

Forgot to say always carry your park ticket with you as when you use fast passes they may ask to see it (as scalpers outside the park are a problem but the CMs can scan it and know if yours is the ticket that was put in the machine to acquire it). This can be an issue if you have it locked in a locker eg for Tron so keep in a pocket. They may also ask to see your passport when entering the park eg on a second day to make sure you are you.


----------



## darrenf67

Aussie Wendy said:


> darrenf67 Shanghai Disney was amazing. A couple of general thoughts before Disney specific and an important one to start with! If you are travelling to other places apart from Disney do carry tissues to use as toilet paper. Many places did not have loo paper (more of an issue for the girls) but some had a central dispenser that you help yourself to before entering a stall (that we missed til we came out!). Everywhere we went they were clean and had soap and water and hand dryers or paper towels to wash and dry hands afterwards though. Some places require paper to be put in a basket, others not. If it didn't specifically say we generally flushed it - kind of guessed from stall. In Disney toilets have all the necessities. All places including Disney had a mix of squat and what they called in some places "potty" ie western toilets. In some non Disney locations maybe only 1 and a disabled - the disabled is always a western toilet. In Disney the western toilets were always in a group at the back after the squat toilets. There are plenty of conveniences scattered throughout the park. We carried antiseptic wipes with us throughout the trip as standard if we are on hols but actually used them a lot less than we imagined due to ease of soap and water in toilets. In our time throughout Beijing and Shanghai we never needed to use a squat toilet - I would fail!
> 
> Those of the group who caught taxis out to the Disney Resort experienced issues. Both coming from the airport and coming from Shanghai. I'll let them tell their stories. Do carry the name and address of the hotel written in Chinese to show them (you can get from website). Despite this do expect the taxi drivers may still be confused. Anything obviously Disney you have wave at them - might help. The group did all make it. My daughter and I did it easy - we were travelling light as catching trains so we just caught the subway from the city out to Disney - 6Y each, no confusion, very straight forward and easy. Took us 2 transfers I think and about an hour. If you have lots of luggage though obviously this is not an option as you need to carry it up and down escalators and along passages between transfer platforms and manage it if the trains get crowded. Though we were peak hour, heading that way we only had a short busy stretch. At the Disney station we then caught the shuttle bus to the hotel which was the most confusing part (as you can also see a public bus station too) but there are signs by the bus corrals you come to first where the big blue buses, which are the shuttle buses, pull in, that tell you where each row goes.
> 
> PrincessInOz also got caught up with people trying to scam her at the airport before getting on the Maglev and at the Maglev end station. Again I will let her tell her story but basically stick to whatever transport plan you have and ignore anyone, I mean anyone, who tries to tell you something different. We never encountered any scammers while we were in China - lol!
> 
> So electricity - check; toilets - check; tix and reservations - check, transport - check.
> 
> The park - tips - download the Shanghai Disney app beforehand and use it to check wait times on the go. Pirates was down several times throughout our trip and we did forget to check and wasted time traipsing to and fro to see if it was open. That being so we rode around 4 times. It was totally, mind blowingly amazing and I am not giving spoilers as it was so good being totally surprised the first time round. There is no real bad row to sit in - we sat front and in the middle and you just notice different things or the effects were slightly different each time.
> 
> Make use of fast pass - the old fashioned paper style. All Fantasyland fast pass ride dispensers are in one spot (see map) and ditto for Adventureland and Tomorrowland. You queue up for a machine, scan your entry ticket and it spits out a fast pass with your time on it. You can get a new fast pass in 2 hours or after the first one has expired whichever is earliest. We were there in a very low season and add to that rain the first two days and everything was practically a walk-on but we still got fast passes for popular rides like Soarin, Seven Dwarves, Peter Pan and Tron to save waiting 20 mins. We also could (and did) walk straight on at various times. Some we rode over and over. Our first day we were in a big group and tended to criss-cross the park a lot. It's a big park and it was tiring. I would suggest you organise yourself to focus on certain areas at a time which we all did a lot more the other days.
> 
> I like the new Soarin' but others in the group were less impressed. Tron was another amazing ride. You are not clamped in tightly as I feared. There are normal sit-in seats at the back if you wanted to ride not in a motorcycle rider position. You just have to wait as only on eg the third set. The closer to the front the better the ride is. Zanzibar will tell you front row is the best and riding behind her in a second row I have to agree even that was much better than nearer the end. We found we could ask for front row and indicate we were prepared to wait and most of the time the CMs understood enough but be prepared, their English can be halting. We noticed they seemed to call a better English speaking manager if they are really having difficulties understanding or explaining something to you.
> 
> The Challenge trails are fun but some obstacles are very scary and the trail to the left, which was the only one open when we did it in the rain, is very hard. Zanzibar says the alternate trail (heading to the right over the kids playground) she did last time was easier. Each obstacle has 3 options, hard, middling and an easy, walk around route though. I thought the connector system for your harness was very clever and you could therefore swop between all three versions at each obstacle. Depending on your skill and personal preference, one person's hard may be another's middling though so we did switch around a bit. After being terrified on a couple of hard ones a couple of us bailed to the easy route. Doing it in he rain and being much more slippery did not help. If you have people with you not doing it (have them hold your belongings rather than getting a locker, ditto Tron), they can walk along the Vista Trail which runs below and beside both trails and get some great photos of anyone on it. Being pouring rain those who sat this one out in our group didn't realise this and we only discovered it our next day when we never got round to having another go. In fine weather, on a busier day, you would need to get here early as it would be very slow so long queues.
> 
> Both the Pirate show Eye of the Storm and the Tarzan show were good and worth seeing I thought. Try to sit in the middle section for the best views. The Golden Fairytale Fanfare on the castle forecourt (outdoors) was also good as was the parade. We only saw the last 2 once due to the rain cancelling play.
> 
> We found the Star Wars Launch Bay (and Marvel) both quiet. The Chinese don't seem to be up on these, especially Star Wars so you can see stuff and meet the characters with virtually no wait - that's no wait to meet Darth Vadar! Don't miss a photo opportunity with Mickey in his Chinese blue jacket (near Marvel). We enjoyed the castle walk through - it's sweet but not a must-do and does get very long lines (some longest we saw on our last fine day) so if you want to do it, do it early. Alice's maze is lovely at dusk. Roaring Rapids was closed still for winter so if it is open when you go I look forward to hearing about it from you.
> 
> For the castle projection firework show it is all about the projections, not many fireworks. Try to get as central and close to the front as possible to see the images projected on water sprays at the very front which aren't visible from many spots (despite having 3 opportunities we still blew it as didn't realise until the last night how much the water at the front was used).
> 
> We found in the rain there were limited places to shelter if you didn't go into a cafe to sit down so snacking on the run was hard. They have some great food items - the Mickey Pork buns and Minnie Red Bean buns are delicious, as is the caramel popcorn. You find each outlet tends to sell something specific (its loosely mentioned on the map) so you can't go to one outlet expecting them all to sell the same. We only found only one outlet selling the buns for example (Merlin's Magic Recipe in Fantasyland) though may have missed them somewhere else. Barbarossa's Bounty was good food and wonderful theming - would highly recommend. The Royal Banquet Hall was worth the $. Great food and character interaction and they let us wander all the rooms taking pics after. I didn't join the others for Lumiere's Kitchen character breakfast at the Shanghai Disney Hotel but they said was a ton of food and good. Disneytown is nicely laid out (I think one of the best) with eateries grouped at the top end. There are a couple of good places to pick up breaky supplies (pastries and the like) cheaper and more importantly, a much better range than at the hotels (we also picked up fruit and yoghurt at the hotel cafe but we eat a light breakfast). There is a sneaky exit to Disneytown from the park after the fireworks show. They move people on pretty quickly especially from the back of the park.
> 
> Whew!! That's all for now folks.......



Wow Aussie Wendy, thanks so much. What an awesome review. This has just made me VERY excited about going now. I was feeling a little blah about it all, I think mainly because there is so little planning and reservations to do. As you know booking fast passes, dining etc at WDW always help build the excitement (well for me anyway). I would check the SDL website and there was nothing to really do - and with park hours only out 2 weeks before too!

The tips are fabulous I shall get those tissues for my wife!

Can I ask about the weather. We have been watching the the temperatures daily and today it is 13 degrees with no days in the next week above 16. This may sound strange, but is that a "cold" 13?? For example in LA 13 is jeans, sweater, 13 in NYC is more layers with the wind chill factor. What can we expect? Is Beijing similar?

I am really keen for the TRON and Pirates ride - they both sound amazing.

Did you have any experience with photo pass? I am wondering if it is worth it?

Thanks again  - I am looking forward to the rest of the reports to filter back now.


----------



## PrincessInOz

I got home last night and have yet to download my pictures of the trip.  Suffice to say, I've come home with my usual 10 or so thousand images.   I hope some of them might be decent, but will not get time to download any till later today.




darrenf67 said:


> Any tips I might find useful?



@Aussie Wendy has already shared her great tips.

I will reiterate the power outlet tips.  In some hotels, the Aussie 2-prongs slid into the outlet well.   At others, it didn't.  We had issues at the Disneyland Hotel in Shanghai and it was lucky that my mother had brought a power board with her.  The power board fitted at Disney where the other plugs didn't.  Go figure!

If you wear glasses and want to keep them on for Tron, get some tight fitting straps for them.  I picked mine up from the local optometrist.  Got strong stretchy ones - the kids size - and I was allowed to keep the glasses on when I went on Tron.  I forgot to put them on for one of the times I was on Tron and was told to store my glasses in the compartment on the bike.

Definitely go meet Mickey inside the park.

We had rain for 2 days at SDL and it was cold at night.  Because of the rain, I was wearing 3 or 4 layers, with the rain coat.  At night, I had fingerless gloves, which helped.

If you are catching taxis, just ignore everyone.  Get the hotel concierge to organise one for you; or get to an official taxi rank at the airport or train station.  We never had to flag a taxi down from a street kerb.  
I made sure that I had an idea of the taxi cost using that ride calculator in an earlier post.  The indicative costs were close enough.


My mother speaks more than enough Mandarin....so we definitely got more value by doing things ourselves.  We made it to Suzhou by train and found a local tour.  In the end we spent about Aussie $75 each.  Booking tours from here or at the hotel concierge would have cost us at least US$130 each.

I think Wendy did equally as well in Beijing without needing any Mandarin.





darrenf67 said:


> Did you have any experience with photo pass? I am wondering if it is worth it?



The photo pass plus is definitely worth it.  I think I bought it at the character breakfast for about CNY 370.   We will probably split this 4 or 5 ways.  For most of the character interactions, there will be a photog taking pictures and scanning the card.  Remember....there was 8 of us at Shanghai and we had about 2 character meals, plus rides, plus other photo spots.....there are already over 800 photos on the account and I still have to load a few more cards.






If you have any more questions, just ask away.  Either @Aussie Wendy, @zanzibar138  or myself should be on regularly to answer them before you leave.

Have a great trip!


----------



## darrenf67

PrincessInOz said:


> I got home last night and have yet to download my pictures of the trip.  Suffice to say, I've come home with my usual 10 or so thousand images.   I hope some of them might be decent, but will not get time to download any till later today.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> @Aussie Wendy has already shared her great tips.
> 
> I will reiterate the power outlet tips.  In some hotels, the Aussie 2-prongs slid into the outlet well.   At others, it didn't.  We had issues at the Disneyland Hotel in Shanghai and it was lucky that my mother had brought a power board with her.  The power board fitted at Disney where the other plugs didn't.  Go figure!
> 
> If you wear glasses and want to keep them on for Tron, get some tight fitting straps for them.  I picked mine up from the local optometrist.  Got strong stretchy ones - the kids size - and I was allowed to keep the glasses on when I went on Tron.  I forgot to put them on for one of the times I was on Tron and was told to store my glasses in the compartment on the bike.
> 
> Definitely go meet Mickey inside the park.
> 
> We had rain for 2 days at SDL and it was cold at night.  Because of the rain, I was wearing 3 or 4 layers, with the rain coat.  At night, I had fingerless gloves, which helped.
> 
> If you are catching taxis, just ignore everyone.  Get the hotel concierge to organise one for you; or get to an official taxi rank at the airport or train station.  We never had to flag a taxi down from a street kerb.
> I made sure that I had an idea of the taxi cost using that ride calculator in an earlier post.  The indicative costs were close enough.
> 
> 
> My mother speaks more than enough Mandarin....so we definitely got more value by doing things ourselves.  We made it to Suzhou by train and found a local tour.  In the end we spent about Aussie $75 each.  Booking tours from here or at the hotel concierge would have cost us at least US$130 each.
> 
> I think Wendy did equally as well in Beijing without needing any Mandarin.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The photo pass plus is definitely worth it.  I think I bought it at the character breakfast for about CNY 370.   We will probably split this 4 or 5 ways.  For most of the character interactions, there will be a photog taking pictures and scanning the card.  Remember....there was 8 of us at Shanghai and we had about 2 character meals, plus rides, plus other photo spots.....there are already over 800 photos on the account and I still have to load a few more cards.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If you have any more questions, just ask away.  Either @Aussie Wendy, @zanzibar138  or myself should be on regularly to answer them before you leave.
> 
> Have a great trip!


Thats' great thanks.

Sounds like you had a great time - I will keep thinking!


----------



## PrincessInOz

darrenf67 said:


> Have an amazing vacation - enjoy every minute - looking forward to all the news when you get back






Flossbolna said:


> Have a fantastic time!!






jedijill said:


> I just found this but Bon Voyage!  I'm so jealous and can't wait to hear about your adventures!
> 
> Jill in CO





disney144 said:


> Have a great trip!





dolphingirl47 said:


> Have an amazing time.
> 
> I am glad that this arrived in time.
> 
> Corinna




Thanks everyone.


We all got home safely last night.  It was an amazing trip and Shanghai was amazing.  Disneytown is not as large at DTD in Orlando but it is very, very, very good!  Lots of wonderful restaurants.

Both Shanghai and Hong Kong have the most wonderful food in the parks.  The range of options, with both East and West style, exceeds what you will find in Anaheim and Orlando.  However, food is much more limited at Hong Kong Disney.  Hong Kong needs a Disneytown or DTD equivalent.


I hope to start the TR shortly.


----------



## franandaj

Take your time!  I can't wait to read it, but I have at least four other folks TRs to catch up on before I feel I can start my own and I've been home 10 days now!

I'm hoping to get to it tomorrow!  We had a heck of a 36 last hours so perhaps my other half will be asleep most of tomorrow and I can catch up on the DIS!


----------



## Aussie Wendy

Welcome home PIO! 

Darrenf67 we found it cold much of the time especially when the wind blew. I know what you mean about eg 13 degrees feeling different in different places. We wore our hiking thermal tops, polar fleece, jeans, hiking shoes, scarf and often our coat, and added beany and gloves at night. It was approx 4-13 when we were there. We found in Beijing when the sun went down the temp dropped rapidly. In Shanghai it was cold even though rainy and felt colder than I expected for the given temp (though I see now the weather map says 6-10 on our very wet cold Monday which was colder than predicted). On our sunny day we left our outer gear (coat etc) in a locker but by mid afternoon when the wind blew it got cold and  by dusk we were very glad to have our coat, beany and gloves with us and were cold waiting for the castle projection show. We also had some thermal underwear that we did wear that very wet Monday and one cold day in Beijing and did not feel too hot (but another day stripped off on the wall at Mutianyu as was so hot up there!)


----------



## Flossbolna

Welcome home! Looking forward to reseda all about your adventures!


----------



## Flossbolna

@Aussie Wendy Thanks for the info you already posted!


----------



## darrenf67

Aussie Wendy said:


> Welcome home PIO!
> 
> Darrenf67 we found it cold much of the time especially when the wind blew. I know what you mean about eg 13 degrees feeling different in different places. We wore our hiking thermal tops, polar fleece, jeans, hiking shoes, scarf and often our coat, and added beany and gloves at night. It was approx 4-13 when we were there. We found in Beijing when the sun went down the temp dropped rapidly. In Shanghai it was cold even though rainy and felt colder than I expected for the given temp (though I see now the weather map says 6-10 on our very wet cold Monday which was colder than predicted). On our sunny day we left our outer gear (coat etc) in a locker but by mid afternoon when the wind blew it got cold and  by dusk we were very glad to have our coat, beany and gloves with us and were cold waiting for the castle projection show. We also had some thermal underwear that we did wear that very wet Monday and one cold day in Beijing and did not feel too hot (but another day stripped off on the wall at Mutianyu as was so hot up there!)


Thanks for the info


----------



## dolphingirl47

PrincessInOz said:


> I got home last night



Welcome back.

Corinna


----------



## macraven

I'm here reading and have to say you are cute as a button!


----------



## zanzibar138

Wendy has given some great info/tips on Shanghai. Just wanted to add a couple of things.

I bought my park tickets online too. When purchasing, I was required to enter my passport number, so make sure you have this with you at the time. It was quick and easy to swap the print out for a ticket at the entry turnstiles, just remember to take your passport with you. I didn't do any hotel reservations on this trip - my travel buddy took care of it all! However, on previous occasions I haven't had any trouble booking online as normal.

I noticed that our rooms at both Disney hotels seemed to have American style power points. Not having any American plugs myself, I didn't get a chance to try this out, but those of you heading there from the US may not have the same issue with power points that we did.

We all had a wonderful time exploring Shanghai Disneyland together!


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> Take your time!  I can't wait to read it, but I have at least four other folks TRs to catch up on before I feel I can start my own and I've been home 10 days now!
> 
> I'm hoping to get to it tomorrow!  We had a heck of a 36 last hours so perhaps my other half will be asleep most of tomorrow and I can catch up on the DIS!



I hope you're looking after yourself.  No rush on catching up on this TR.  I've just finished downloading the Shanghai (city proper) pictures and am only just starting to look at the Disney ones.  So, it'll be a couple of days before I start on it.






Aussie Wendy said:


> Welcome home PIO!



  Thanks.  Hope you and DD are safely home as well.





Flossbolna said:


> Welcome home! Looking forward to reseda all about your adventures!



Thank you.  I'm looking forward to documenting it.  






dolphingirl47 said:


> Welcome back.
> 
> Corinna



Thanks Corinna.  Not long to your next adventure!





macraven said:


> I'm here reading and have to say you are cute as a button!



  Aww, thanks for joining in!

(That would be....because I'm now a bona fide bottle-real auburn redhead.  )


----------



## dgbg100106

Late to the party but here!


----------



## cschaaf

PrincessInOz said:


> My mother speaks more than enough Mandarin....so we definitely got more value by doing things ourselves.  We made it to Suzhou by train and found a local tour.  In the end we spent about Aussie $75 each.  Booking tours from here or at the hotel concierge would have cost us at least US$130 each.



Ohh, Suzhou is on our short list for side excursions. We'll have the bulk of one day as a 'free day' and are thinking either Suzhou (seems like it would be fun to take the high speed train there, but everything looks so spaced out there that it looks like you'd need help with transportation while there) or Zhujiajiao (considering taking a taxi there, but have  heard that it's a challenge finding a taxi to take you back to Shanghai).


----------



## PrincessInOz

dgbg100106 said:


> Late to the party but here!



  Glad to see you here, Brandi!


----------



## PrincessInOz

cschaaf said:


> Ohh, Suzhou is on our short list for side excursions. We'll have the bulk of one day as a 'free day' and are thinking either Suzhou (seems like it would be fun to take the high speed train there, but everything looks so spaced out there that it looks like you'd need help with transportation while there) or Zhujiajiao (considering taking a taxi there, but have  heard that it's a challenge finding a taxi to take you back to Shanghai).



I debated between Suzhou, Zhujiajiao and Tongli.  In the end, I figured the one to see was Suzhou.

Taking the train out to Suzhou is relatively straightforward.  We bought ours at the train station; and there is one window out of the 15 or so counters that had a sign saying that the person there was "english speaking".  It is a small sticker on the window; but if you know that it is there, you should be able to spot it.  Having said that, I'd recommend that you consider booking your train ticket online, if that is possible.  There were a lot of people wanting to purchase tickets and we did spend some time in the queue.  

You will need transportation at the other end, which can also be relatively straightforward.  There are any number of touters at the train station wanting to sell you a tour.  We ignored all of them and headed towards the tuk-tuk and rickshaws.  We thought we were safe on the tuk-tuk but the driver there 'sold' us a tour.  It's a long'ish story and I'll save that for that particular edition in the TR.

If you have decided on Suzhou, I highly recommend that you consider hiring an individual/independent tour guide.  There are a few of them on Viator and if I had my time again, I would definitely have arranged one before I left.  I thought I could do it when in Shanghai and there just wasn't enough time to do so.

The independent tour guide should be able to help you with putting together the sights you want to see and arrange transportation.


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Day 1 – Melbourne to Shanghai*


*Planes, Trains, Automobiles….and Scammers*


For the first time in forever, I was on the graveyard flight out of Melbourne.  I rarely – if never – fly out at night if I can help it.   If you’ve skimmed through the front section of this report, you may have read that I was originally on a day flight out of Melbourne.  However, fate and Cathay Pacific deemed that it was time for me to pull night shift duty on a flight.


I have to admit….Tullamarine Airport is a lot easier to negotiate for the flight out.  It’s still busy’ish; but there are less people here than during the daytime.








The flight was blissfully uneventful and I spent much of it catching up on movie watching.  I think I lost track of about 2 hours and aside from those 2 hours, as expected, I was awake for the majority of the flight.


The departure gate at Tulla was in an awkward location and that meant that I didn’t manage to grab a picture of our plane.  I made sure I grabbed that shot in Hong Kong.  I’d forgotten how mountainous Hong Kong is.  







We had about 90 minutes transit time in Hong Kong.  Thankfully, our arrival gate and departure gate were not that far apart and we didn’t have to clear customs or security or anything at Hong Kong airport.  There was enough time for me to pop the China Telecom SIM cards into our phones and activate the service and take a walkabout the terminal.







I was up here when I realised that they were making boarding announcements for our flight.








Time to fly!  








I was pretty impressed by Cathay Pacific.  Look at how much leg room there was in the standard economy seat.








We also were treated to quite decent food on Cathay.  On the way out, we were served dinner and a ‘snack’ in the morning.  There was a choice of 3 main course meal for dinner (East, West and Vege) and the ‘snack’ was breakfast – either congee or bacon/eggs.  My impression of Cathay was further enhanced when we were also served a ‘snack’ on the HK to Shanghai leg.  







It's a 2-3’ish hour flight between HK and Shanghai and there was a thick cloud cover for most of the way.  This was about the only gap on the flight where I could see some land.  







All things considered, the ‘planes’ part of the journey was very smooth.  Very smooth indeed.




*Hello Shanghai Airport and the train part of the journey.  More specifically, the Magnetic Levitation train!  *


I decided it was probably prudent to leave the camera in the bag whilst we cleared immigration, customs and worked out way out of the terminal.   Afterall, nothing screams ‘t-o-u-r-i-s-t’ more than a big bazooka of a camera, right?


I have long considered myself a banana.  Yellow on the outside but white inside.  When we came out of the arrivals area, with bags in tow, it seemed that looking Asian meant that we weren’t harassed by any of the ‘taxi’ drivers waiting outside the hall.  There weren't as many as I had imagined but there were a few around.  I stopped counting after 6.  We were also kinda left alone by the hotel and tour barkers as well.  I figured, looking Asian, if we walked quick and looked like we knew where we were heading to, they would leave us alone.  Turns out I was right.....


That strategy worked until we got around the corner.  I had to stop to take a look at the signs.  I was specifically looking for the MagLev train signs and working out where we needed to go.  At this point, a very well-dressed young man walked up to us and introduced himself as working for Shanghai Airport Security.  He was wearing a navy blazer with khaki pants, complete with security badge and a red lanyard with Shanghai Airport.  I figured I would need to stop to talk to him (being security and all that).

He wanted to know if we were going to Shanghai and if we were catching the MagLev train in.  After my affirmative response, he told me that there was a disturbance at the Longyang Road Station and that it was not safe for us to travel by the train.  

At this point, I knew I being was scammed.  Afterall, if there was such a disturbance, you would expect that there would announcements being broadcasted by the airport and POLICE everywhere.  Plus, we didn’t see anyone coming the opposite way from the train platform.

I politely thanked him and said that we would head to the platform anyway and get off at an earlier stop.  He then wanted to know which hotel we were going to stay at.   

“I’m not telling you that!”

I grabbed my mother and walked very quickly away.


The train station?  Business as usual!

We headed to the ticket counter and showed our boarding pass.  The one-way passage ended up being 40 Yuan each instead of 50 Yuan.  The official that sold us our ticket made no mention of any disturbance of any sort.  


Yeah.  Scammer!  A well-dressed scammer!  Grrrr!!!





One of the benefits of Cathay cancelling our daytime flight and putting us on the night flight out was that we could take the Maglev train into the downtown area.  If we had stuck with our original flight plan, we would have gotten into Shanghai late at night and I would have caught a taxi into the downtown area.  Instead, I would now have the pleasure of travelling by Maglev.







Maglev is a form of transport that uses magnetic levitation to move a vehicle without contact with the ground.  The vehicle travels on a guideway using magnets to create lift and propulsion.  This process reduces friction and allows for faster speeds.  Maglev transport systems are in operation in only 3 countries – China, Korea and Japan.







We got on the train and I was immediately impressed.  I would come to realise (very quickly) that the mass transport system in Shanghai is amazing!  Aside from being on time, it’s incredibly clean.  The MagLev certainly set the standard of expectation right off the bat.



 



The Shanghai Maglev Train service was opened in 2002.  Trains run every 15 – 20 minutes.  The 19 mile/30 km track can be covered by the Maglev at it’s top speed of 267 mph (or 430 km/h) in 8 minutes.

We were on the ‘slow’ Maglev.  Top speed on our journey was around 310 km/h.  








It was an incredibly smooth and quiet journey on the Maglev.  We made it to our destination in less than no time!




*Hello Longyang Road Station and the automotive part of the journey.*


I decided it was probably prudent to leave the camera in the bag whilst we cleared immigration, customs and worked out way out of the terminal.   Afterall, nothing screams ‘t-o-u-r-i-s-t’ more than a big bazooka of a camera, right?



Okay.  It’s 2 out of 2 for the scammers.  I must have had t-o-u-r-i-s-t tattooed on me that day!


We barely got out of the platform gates when two guys spotted us from clear the other side of the hall.  They sprinted across that hall faster than Usain Bolt and made a bee-line for us.  It’s about a 100 – 200 m walk from the platform to the official taxi rank.  For that entire duration, these two guys were in our face trying to get us to take their ‘taxi’.  They spoke Mandarin and my mother told me that they were asking where we were going and that we didn’t need to be afraid of them.

And they didn’t take ‘no’ for an answer, either.  I guess they considered us fair game in their sport.


They finally left us alone when we got to the top of the ‘official’ taxi rank and where the taxi wrangler was.  Once we got there, it was plain sailing!  We got into a proper taxi and at this point in time, I really didn’t care what colour the taxi was!  As long as the taxi wrangler was prepared to put us in it, I was happy to get in.



Based on reports on the internet, I gather that 'two' taxi scammers means that we got off lightly.  This station has picked up the reputation of having rather pushy and aggressive not official taxi drivers operating here.  It's the reason that I was not really prepared to take the MagLev at night.  However, having been there now and knowing where I would need to go from the platform to the official taxi rank, I would have no hesitation in catching the MagLev again no matter what time of day.  I would just stick to the strategy of ignoring the scammers.



Welcome to Shanghai traffic!







And modern architecture.






The journey from Longyang Road Station to our hotel near Nanjing Road was about 25 miles.  It ended up costing about 40 Yuan for the trip.


Planes, trains, automobiles....and scammers.  I guess its part of the rite of passage to Shanghai.  
At the end of the day, we were safely in Shanghai.  And that's what counts!


----------



## PrincessInOz

*It’s a Central Hotel Indeed*


Our first home away from home for 2 nights was the Central Hotel, 555 Jiujiang Road.  It currently ranks as #39 out of 4969 hotels in Shanghai on Trip Advisor.








I will confirm that it really is a Central hotel.  This is the view out of our hotel room.  If you look down, you will see Nanjing Road a block away, with the little tourist train chugging down the street.  Come to think of it....I think that's about the spot I was standing at to take the picture of the hotel posted above.







The Sofitel is rated as #60 on Trip Advisor; and it’s the one that is deemed the most centrally located to Nanjing Road (one of the shopping mecca streets of the world).  By comparison, I think the Central Hotel is just as well placed as the Sofitel.


Our room?

We had space.







And the facilities were clean.







We had a rainshowerhead and it was totally amazing!







The toiletries were very nice.














We also got 2 free bottles of water for each day we were there.








The reviews on TA come down to 2 complaints.  Overly firm beds, which I completely agree with.  However, the firm beds is an Asian thing.  They do like them that way.  








And the air conditioning being too hot.  I figured it was centrally controlled, and again, I agree with this complaint as well.  We couldn’t get the temperature below 23 C in our room.  I do understand that it was still winter in Shanghai and that the hotel may have kept their setting on ‘heating’.  But still…..it was too warm for me.


I wonder how soft the beds are at the Sofitel?


----------



## darrenf67

Good start to the trip! We are flying Cathay - glad you gave them a good review!


----------



## Flossbolna

The Maglev in Shanghai is the only train ever built with the German Transrapid system (a joint venture between Siemens and TyssenKrupp). The whole Transrapid thing was a huge thing in German politics as there were quite a bit of subsidies flowing into the development of the technology and there were several projects planned to happen in Germany (a link between Berlin and Hamburg and an airport link from Munich airport to city center). Both were under huge criticism as being far too expensive compared to normal rail without any additional benefits. Especially for the airport link the distance was far too short to actually benefit from the technology. I think the advantage in Shanghai was that the Chinese just pulled down any houses that were in the way of the best track. In Munich they would not have done that and the Maglev ideally wants a straight track. The general opinion is that the Transrapid Maglev system is dead now. So, for me the Shanghai Maglev is really up there as a major attraction. It was in the news so much in the 90s and early 2000s.


----------



## franandaj

After reading your report I am dubious about visiting Shanghai unless we can arrange transportation where there is a guy at baggage claim (or customs) with a little sign with our name on it. Or I guess they use iPads now.

I do not do well with scammers and certainly not in a foreign language! 

I'm glad you and your mom made it safely to your hotel, sounds like it was quite an adventure to get there.  The train sounds interesting. I also enjoyed Magdalene's commentary on the subject.


----------



## dolphingirl47

PrincessInOz said:


> My impression of Cathay was further enhanced when we were also served a ‘snack’ on the HK to Shanghai leg.



I think this is the most substantial snack I have ever seen.



PrincessInOz said:


> I figured, looking Asian, if we walked quick and looked like we knew where we were heading to, they would leave us alone. Turns out I was right.....



That sounds like a definite bonus.



PrincessInOz said:


> That strategy worked until we got around the corner. I had to stop to take a look at the signs. I was specifically looking for the MagLev train signs and working out where we needed to go. At this point, a very well-dressed young man walked up to us and introduced himself as working for Shanghai Airport Security. He was wearing a navy blazer with khaki pants, complete with security badge and a red lanyard with Shanghai Airport. I figured I would need to stop to talk to him (being security and all that).
> 
> He wanted to know if we were going to Shanghai and if we were catching the MagLev train in. After my affirmative response, he told me that there was a disturbance at the Longyang Road Station and that it was not safe for us to travel by the train.
> 
> At this point, I knew I being was scammed.



It is amazing what length some people go to. Well done for not falling for this.



PrincessInOz said:


> Instead, I would now have the pleasure of travelling by Maglev.



That looks amazing.



PrincessInOz said:


> I would come to realise (very quickly) that the mass transport system in Shanghai is amazing! Aside from being on time, it’s incredibly clean.



That is good to know.



PrincessInOz said:


> We were on the ‘slow’ Maglev. Top speed on our journey was around 310 km/h.



That would be plenty fast enough for me.

Corinna


----------



## cschaaf

PrincessInOz said:


> I debated between Suzhou, Zhujiajiao and Tongli.  In the end, I figured the one to see was Suzhou.
> 
> Taking the train out to Suzhou is relatively straightforward.  We bought ours at the train station; and there is one window out of the 15 or so counters that had a sign saying that the person there was "english speaking".  It is a small sticker on the window; but if you know that it is there, you should be able to spot it.  Having said that, I'd recommend that you consider booking your train ticket online, if that is possible.  There were a lot of people wanting to purchase tickets and we did spend some time in the queue.
> 
> You will need transportation at the other end, which can also be relatively straightforward.  There are any number of touters at the train station wanting to sell you a tour.  We ignored all of them and headed towards the tuk-tuk and rickshaws.  We thought we were safe on the tuk-tuk but the driver there 'sold' us a tour.  It's a long'ish story and I'll save that for that particular edition in the TR.
> 
> If you have decided on Suzhou, I highly recommend that you consider hiring an individual/independent tour guide.  There are a few of them on Viator and if I had my time again, I would definitely have arranged one before I left.  I thought I could do it when in Shanghai and there just wasn't enough time to do so.
> 
> The independent tour guide should be able to help you with putting together the sights you want to see and arrange transportation.



Thank you!

Those are pretty much the 3 that we are deciding among. Luzhi is the other one.

I've been reaching out to private guides on Viator, so we'll see where that goes.


----------



## Flossbolna

cschaaf said:


> Thank you!
> 
> Those are pretty much the 3 that we are deciding among. Luzhi is the other one.
> 
> I've been reaching out to private guides on Viator, so we'll see where that goes.



I would be interested in hearing how your planning with the Viator guides goes. We are thinking of getting one for the one day that we have for Shanghai itself.


----------



## PrincessInOz

darrenf67 said:


> Good start to the trip! We are flying Cathay - glad you gave them a good review!



Cathay was good.  I'll be happy to fly with them again.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Flossbolna said:


> The Maglev in Shanghai is the only train ever built with the German Transrapid system (a joint venture between Siemens and TyssenKrupp). The whole Transrapid thing was a huge thing in German politics as there were quite a bit of subsidies flowing into the development of the technology and there were several projects planned to happen in Germany (a link between Berlin and Hamburg and an airport link from Munich airport to city center). Both were under huge criticism as being far too expensive compared to normal rail without any additional benefits. Especially for the airport link the distance was far too short to actually benefit from the technology. I think the advantage in Shanghai was that the Chinese just pulled down any houses that were in the way of the best track. In Munich they would not have done that and the Maglev ideally wants a straight track. The general opinion is that the Transrapid Maglev system is dead now. So, for me the Shanghai Maglev is really up there as a major attraction. It was in the news so much in the 90s and early 2000s.



Thanks for the additional info!

It's a shame that the Maglev system is considered dead.  It could be super useful in Australia, especially between Melbourne and Sydney.  It's just too expensive to build.


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> After reading your report I am dubious about visiting Shanghai unless we can arrange transportation where there is a guy at baggage claim (or customs) with a little sign with our name on it. Or I guess they use iPads now.
> 
> I do not do well with scammers and certainly not in a foreign language!
> 
> I'm glad you and your mom made it safely to your hotel, sounds like it was quite an adventure to get there.  The train sounds interesting. I also enjoyed Magdalene's commentary on the subject.



There were plenty of guys with signs outside the arrival hall with names on them.  So, it is more than possible to do so without being hassled by the scammers.

I would imagine that you would be organising everything and your own guide for Shanghai.  It is very doable and a good city to visit on your way to Disneyland.


----------



## PrincessInOz

dolphingirl47 said:


> I think this is the most substantial snack I have ever seen.



The food was great.




dolphingirl47 said:


> That sounds like a definite bonus.



It was good and bad depending on where we were.






dolphingirl47 said:


> It is amazing what length some people go to. Well done for not falling for this.



I was definitely on scammer alert at all entry points into China.  






dolphingirl47 said:


> That looks amazing.
> 
> 
> That is good to know.



The public transport in Shanghai was truly amazing.





dolphingirl47 said:


> That would be plenty fast enough for me.
> 
> Corinna


----------



## PrincessInOz

cschaaf said:


> Thank you!
> 
> Those are pretty much the 3 that we are deciding among. Luzhi is the other one.
> 
> I've been reaching out to private guides on Viator, so we'll see where that goes.




Good luck with it!

Like Flossbolna, I'll be interested to see how you go with the Viator guides.


----------



## WanderlustNZ

Yay, I have found your TR.  I have been thinking about you the last few days, wondering if I would see any of your talented photography from this trip online and checked the Aussie section to no avail.  It took me a few days to notice that all I had to do was go into Other Lands and scroll down.  

Anyway, I'm coming out of Disboard retirement and will be catching up and following on. 

After my travel hiatus, I even have a trip of my own in the works.  So I may even create a post or two of my own.


----------



## WanderlustNZ

Good on you for working out that they were scammers.  It's stuff like that that can end up putting a large damper on ones holiday, but you had your wits about you and stayed positive.  
Cathay Pacific looks like a great airline and the hotel looks lovely.  Looking forward to reading the rest.


----------



## PrincessInOz

WanderlustNZ said:


> Yay, I have found your TR.  I have been thinking about you the last few days, wondering if I would see any of your talented photography from this trip online and checked the Aussie section to no avail.  It took me a few days to notice that all I had to do was go into Other Lands and scroll down.
> 
> *Anyway, I'm coming out of Disboard retirement *and will be catching up and following on.



YAY!  Awesome news.

Glad to see you back on the boards!





WanderlustNZ said:


> After my travel hiatus, *I even have a trip of my own in the works*.  So I may even create a post or two of my own.



Ooh!  That sounds very exciting!!!  Where are you head to?
(I'm so pleased for you.  )


----------



## PrincessInOz

WanderlustNZ said:


> Good on you for working out that they were scammers.  It's stuff like that that can end up putting a large damper on ones holiday, but you had your wits about you and stayed positive.
> Cathay Pacific looks like a great airline and the hotel looks lovely.  Looking forward to reading the rest.



I was totally prepared for the scammers and went with an open mind.


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Wrong turns lead to Snacks*


My original sightseeing plan for arrival day was to head towards the French Concession area of Shanghai.  After we had unpacked and freshened up in our room, we headed down to the hotel concierge to find out how to get there. 

The person that helped us wasn’t very helpful.  He told us to head to the People’s Square train station and waved us in a general direction towards the back of the hotel.   As far as he was concerned, that was all we needed to know.

I made sure we grabbed some maps on our way out.  


We then headed out the back of the hotel and got totally lost from that point.  His waving indicated we needed to turn left out of the back of the hotel, which is what we did.   It took us all of 5 minutes to realise that left was the wrong way to go.  By this stage, we had walked some way down Hankou Road to the Shanxi cross-Road and a quick check of the map showed that we were closer towards the Nanjing East Road train station than the People’s Square Train station.







More importantly, walking this way, gave me a glimpse at Shanghai life away from the tourist mecca of Nanjing Road.  Hidden amoungst the skyscrapers, we would find the occasional “longtang” alleyway.  Narrow alleys like this one used to dominate Shanghai city living.  







We also found a number of silk stores and I spent some time browsing in one.  The silk shops in Shanghai were just astounding with a wide array of scarves in every colour (but the blue or red colour combination that I wanted), tops and dresses of various styles.  The shops ranged from small hole-in-the-wall spaces to double story buildings along Nanjing Road.  In the end, I didn’t buy any silk because I didn’t see anything in the right colours.  

We also found the Japanese departmental store, Daimaru and poked our head in there.  Gob-smackingly deliciously decked out with merchandise.







But we didn't spend long in there.  Next time, I'll have to build in some shopping time into the itinerary!


By this stage, I had abandoned the French Concession plans.  It was just as much fun taking the left fork and getting a little lost.  

We eventually made our way back to Nanjing Road and decided to take another left to complete the square and make sure we could find our way back to the hotel.  It was relatively easy to do so and I found another street to get a little lost in.  It was about 4 pm at this stage and the plane food seemed a long way away.


Shi-tan Long (Lu) completely tickled my senses. (Note - I had to truncate the name so that it could show on the Dis.  And if there are any mods reading, I'm not meaning to put up a banned word or wanting to incur any points....it really is the name of the street!! )







There were a few eating establishments down this street.







There was a shop that sold all sorts of meat cuts.  I just stuck with taking a picture of the chicken feet.  But there were all kinds of sweatbread available for purchase!







But it was the smaller shops that attracted me.  They were filled with snacks and I was in the snacking mood!  I could appreciate the smells coming from this store.







The makings of savoury cheese Tako-Yaki.








I walked by again 10 minutes later to get a shot of the finished product.







There was a cookie/sweet store.  I had every intention of getting back here to try one of these but ran out of time.







They also sold the sweet rice cakes….large Mochi balls.  We did get one of these to try.  Assuming that my mother got the translation right, the filling is apparently sweet potato.  I somehow suspect that it might be taro.







This one was my favourite.  Green tea and red bean paste.  I love this combination.






The mochi balls are a little larger than a squash ball (remember this sport??) and a little smaller than a tennis ball.  They cost about 7 (or it might have been 9) Yuan each.  That’s less than $2 in my money.   



One of the shops down this street sold the Hokkaido style cheese tarts.  The Hokkaido Cheese Tart franchise has recently opened in Melbourne and these tarts are exquisite.  Short, crispy, sweet pastry crust with a light-as-air delicate cheese flavoured filling.  I expect that the ones sold here would have been pretty similar.







What I did not expect was the other flavours on offer.  This one is the green tea and blueberry version.








It came down to a choice between the cheese tarts or the Portuguese tarts.  No contest really.  I love Portuguese tarts and at 6 for 20 Yuan, this was the clear winner.







The Po-tarts were nice but not as good as the ones you will find in Macau or Hong Kong.   But these were really good value for money compared to what you can get in Macau or HK.




Oh!  And for the record…..there is a touristy longtang off Nanjing Road, near Shi-tan Long.  We were dragged in there by one of the shopkeepers in here.  She tried to sell me leather bags.







I stayed long enough to enjoy the streetscape and made my e-scape as quickly as I could.


----------



## PrincessInOz

*No Dogs or Chinese Admitted*


There is a story that my dad tells about The Peace Hotel along The Bund in Shanghai.  In the days where the American and English held this concessional area, they put up a sign on the Hotel “No Dogs or Chinese Admitted”.  I have tried to do some googling and aside from the reference in the Jackie Chan Fist of Fury movie, there seems to be no record of a similar sign being placed outside the hotel.  But there is a reference of a sign being placed outside a park.  Without conclusive evidence, I do not know whether the story is true or not, but without a doubt, the sign has definitely become part of folklore of The Bund.


The Bund, reputed as An Exhibition of International Buildings, is located on the west bank of the Huangpo River.  52 buildings make up the Bund and it stretches from Waibaidu Bridge on the North End to Yanan Road.  In total, it’s about 1.5 km, or about 1 mile, long.








Having taken a wrong turn from the Hotel, we decided that it would probably be better for us to check out the Bund instead.  Afterall, going to Shanghai and not seeing the Bund is a little like going to Beijing and not see the Great Wall or the Forbidden City.


The name “Bund” in Anglo-Indian term means “the embankment of a muddy waterfront”. Before the 1840s, Shanghai was a small seaside town and the Bund was once a muddy towpath for boats along Huangpu River. After the First Opium War in 1842, Shanghai began to be an open port and there was land or concessions made to the foreigners.  The Bund is, in essence, the first settlement of Great Britain combined with the settlement for America.  Later as the other foreign powers entered Shanghai, the Bund took on a more international flavour as trading houses from the Italy, Russia, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands and Belgium built Western style banks and trading houses here.  

In the later of 19th Century and 20th Century, Shanghai grew into Asia’s leading city, a cosmopolitan and thriving commercial and financial center. The Bund is now also known as “Oriental Wall Street”.


We made it to the Bund promenade as the sun was setting.  







Take a look at the other side of the Huangpo River at the Pudong skyline.  A mass of skyscrapers!  The tower over there is the Pearl Orient Tower.  I had plans of going up but never did.  Something for next time.







The architecture on this side?  Distinctively European!  This could be a scene from any European city.  







With such a setting, it seems so incongruent to think that any signs such as "No Dogs or Chinese Admitted" could ever be placed up!






We kept walking down the Promenade.  I did have a specific destination in mind.


----------



## WanderlustNZ

PrincessInOz said:


> Ooh!  That sounds very exciting!!!  Where are you head to?
> (I'm so pleased for you.  )



A mix of the USA and Central America - however I'm still quite undecided on some options.  In saying that, I don't want to hijack your post with discussions about my own travels, so I'll create a new post on the Australia section.  I am keen to gauge people's thoughts and have a general discussion with people who enjoy travel.  

Really enjoying your pics of Shanghai.  The ones of the Bund are great.  I put them up side by side with pics I took about 10 years ago, and the number of buildings has pretty much doubled.  
It sounds like getting lost worked in your favour.  I remember, even early in the Century, how Shanghai felt very developed.  I think it's great that you got to see a less touristy area. 

The Chinese Egg Tarts look delicious, I'm not quite so convinced though by those Mochi balls.


----------



## dhorner233

Hey  Thanks for the heads up on the Where in the World thread!



PrincessInOz said:


> There are about 100 or so popular websites (including Facebook, Twitter, Google, gmail, Instagram) that are currently blocked in what is effectively the Great Firewall of China.



Wow! Interesting. You are so brave and smart to travel internationally like you do! I will have to live vicariously through your trip reports! 

Love your photos and the history of the area is interesting too!


----------



## xlsm

I stumbled upon this report tonight and I'm so glad I did! I read the whole things in one sitting, and it's so interesting to read about everything that's involved in making a trip to Shanghai, and such good info on dealing with the taxi scammers and the airport guy! I think that one in particular would have thrown me off a bit. The worst I've had to deal with has been in New Orleans, Louisiana or in Hollywood here in the US, and they were speaking English, LOL! It makes me wonder if I'd have an easier or harder time ignoring someone in a different language??

I'm excited to follow along and see the rest of your China adventures!


----------



## zanzibar138

darrenf67 said:


> Good start to the trip! We are flying Cathay - glad you gave them a good review!



I have flown Cathay on a few occasions and have found them to be consistently good.


----------



## zanzibar138

PrincessInOz said:


> Afterall, going to Shanghai and not seeing the Bund is a little like going to Beijing and not see the Great Wall or the Forbidden City



Now I feel a little bad for having been to Shanghai twice and still not having seen the Bund lol!

I have definitely made some of my best travel discoveries by getting lost. It certainly is the best way to see the real side of a city.

Looks like you at least started and ended your time in Shanghai with beautiful blue skies


----------



## darrenf67

PrincessInOz said:


> *No Dogs or Chinese Admitted*
> 
> 
> There is a story that my dad tells about The Peace Hotel along The Bund in Shanghai.  In the days where the American and English held this concessional area, they put up a sign on the Hotel “No Dogs or Chinese Admitted”.  I have tried to do some googling and aside from the reference in the Jackie Chan Fist of Fury movie, there seems to be no record of a similar sign being placed outside the hotel.  But there is a reference of a sign being placed outside a park.  Without conclusive evidence, I do not know whether the story is true or not, but without a doubt, the sign has definitely become part of folklore of The Bund.
> 
> 
> The Bund, reputed as An Exhibition of International Buildings, is located on the west bank of the Huangpo River.  52 buildings make up the Bund and it stretches from Waibaidu Bridge on the North End to Yanan Road.  In total, it’s about 1.5 km, or about 1 mile, long.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Having taken a wrong turn from the Hotel, we decided that it would probably be better for us to check out the Bund instead.  Afterall, going to Shanghai and not seeing the Bund is a little like going to Beijing and not see the Great Wall or the Forbidden City.
> 
> 
> The name “Bund” in Anglo-Indian term means “the embankment of a muddy waterfront”. Before the 1840s, Shanghai was a small seaside town and the Bund was once a muddy towpath for boats along Huangpu River. After the First Opium War in 1842, Shanghai began to be an open port and there was land or concessions made to the foreigners.  The Bund is, in essence, the first settlement of Great Britain combined with the settlement for America.  Later as the other foreign powers entered Shanghai, the Bund took on a more international flavour as trading houses from the Italy, Russia, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands and Belgium built Western style banks and trading houses here.
> 
> In the later of 19th Century and 20th Century, Shanghai grew into Asia’s leading city, a cosmopolitan and thriving commercial and financial center. The Bund is now also known as “Oriental Wall Street”.
> 
> 
> We made it to the Bund promenade as the sun was setting.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Take a look at the other side of the Huangpo River at the Pudong skyline.  A mass of skyscrapers!  The tower over there is the Pearl Orient Tower.  I had plans of going up but never did.  Something for next time.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The architecture on this side?  Distinctively European!  This could be a scene from any European city.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With such a setting, it seems so incongruent to think that any signs such as "No Dogs or Chinese Admitted" could ever be placed up!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> We kept walking down the Promenade.  I did have a specific destination in mind.


Looks amazing!


----------



## franandaj

I need to hire you as my travel guide!

I've had Takoyaki, not a huge fan, but I did eat it.  Not sure how much I would enjoy so many of the other things you showed.  I'm sure the Bund would be an interesting spot to visit.  If Fran and I became independtly wealthy we would hire you along as a travel guide.  I'm sure you wouldn't mind too much.  We stay at decent places and eat good meals!


----------



## dgbg100106

PIO - everything looks beautiful, and exciting.  I am enjoying the follow along, and good bit of jealous, maybe one of these days I will get to go.


----------



## mvf-m11c

PrincessInOz said:


> Hi Bret.  Long time no chat on the Dis.  Hope everything is going as well as possible with you and the family.



It has been really crazy lately since I barely get on the boards with everything going on from work and my family. I have an upcoming trip this Thursday to Sunday to the DLR and can't wait to leave. I am looking forward to the DCA F&W Festival again which is bigger over last years.

Nice to see that you and your mom both got to Shanghai safely. I would have enjoyed riding the Maglev train.

Shanghai looks so amazing and going down to all those different shops which the sweets looks good. Looking forward to reading more when I get back.


----------



## Fairy Floss

Aussie Wendy said:


> Oh I have to add my tuppence halfpenny here having experienced it and PrincessInOz will supplement on her return. In our Beijing hotel our Aussie plugs and an older double adapter we had worked fine. In Shanghai city hotel our Aussie plugs looked like they should fit - and didn't. They got half way in and seemed to get stuck. Our older double adapter did fit though (but looked little different plug wise that we could tell, to the ones that didn't) so while that meant only charging 2 camera batteries or 2 phones at any one time we could manage. In the Disney hotels the same story. Most of the disers on this trip experienced major issues in Shanghai with their plugs. PrincesInOz mum had a standard power board (but I think older not new) with her and it plugged in but none of their other Aussie plugs did. One Diser had to go out and buy an adapter as none of hers worked but I think she was able to buy it at the Disneyland Hotel. I think the Aussie 2 pin plugs didn't work but neither did the newer of our 3 pin ones. At the older airport hotel we stayed in for a few hours before our flight home, none of our Aussie plugs worked but our old UK adapter plug did. Research suggested that Aussie plugs should work but some older hotels might only fit the UK plug which was why we brought it. Be warned, taking an assortment of plugs might be the answer. Just taking a powerboard may or may not work. I have no idea if a universal adapter will fit. We haven't worked out the whys and wherefores really.



Just adding a little here (very late to the party!)
I checked the adapter I bought at the hotel gift shop against my Aus 3 pin plug and it's bottom 'stick' is longer
This must allow the other prongs to go in


----------



## dolphingirl47

Looks like that enforced detour turned out to be a real blessing. What a shame that you never found any silk you liked. The snacks looked amazing. I loved he contrast in the buildings on the opposite side of the river. I have to admit though that I was drawn more to the skyscrapers.

Corinna


----------



## Aussie Wendy

WanderlustNZ said:


> Yay, I have found your TR.  I have been thinking about you the last few days, wondering if I would see any of your talented photography from this trip online and checked the Aussie section to no avail.  It took me a few days to notice that all I had to do was go into Other Lands and scroll down.
> 
> Anyway, I'm coming out of Disboard retirement and will be catching up and following on.
> 
> After my travel hiatus, I even have a trip of my own in the works.  So I may even create a post or two of my own.



Hello and welcome back!


----------



## Aussie Wendy

PrincessInOz said:


> *Wrong turns lead to Snacks*



Only you would manage to just coincidentally find there was a monk in the street to add local colour to the picture!!


----------



## Aussie Wendy

Fairy Floss said:


> Just adding a little here (very late to the party!)
> I checked the adapter I bought at the hotel gift shop against my Aus 3 pin plug and it's bottom 'stick' is longer
> This must allow the other prongs to go in



Yay an answer to the mystery!


----------



## PrincessInOz

WanderlustNZ said:


> A mix of the USA and Central America - however I'm still quite undecided on some options.  In saying that, I don't want to hijack your post with discussions about my own travels, so I'll create a new post on the Australia section.  I am keen to gauge people's thoughts and have a general discussion with people who enjoy travel.
> 
> Really enjoying your pics of Shanghai.  The ones of the Bund are great.  I put them up side by side with pics I took about 10 years ago, and the number of buildings has pretty much doubled.
> It sounds like getting lost worked in your favour.  I remember, even early in the Century, how Shanghai felt very developed.  I think it's great that you got to see a less touristy area.



If you have those pictures from 10 years ago, I'd been interested to see the skyline then.  It would be fascinating to see how it's changed in that time.





WanderlustNZ said:


> The Chinese Egg Tarts look delicious, I'm not quite so convinced though by those Mochi balls.



I love the Mochi balls.  It's the texture of the rice flour dough that does it for me.  Next time you're in Melbourne, we should get some from a Japanese grocery shop.  It won't be as nice as the ones in Shanghai, but it'll give you the taste to see if you'd like them or not.











dhorner233 said:


> Hey  Thanks for the heads up on the Where in the World thread!
> 
> 
> 
> Wow! Interesting. You are so brave and smart to travel internationally like you do! I will have to live vicariously through your trip reports!
> 
> Love your photos and the history of the area is interesting too!




YAY!  Thanks for popping in here, Denise.  It wouldn't be the same without at least one of the WitW crew.  And yes.....Where in the World?  Shanghai and Hong Kong!  








xlsm said:


> I stumbled upon this report tonight and I'm so glad I did! I read the whole things in one sitting, and it's so interesting to read about everything that's involved in making a trip to Shanghai, and such good info on dealing with the taxi scammers and the airport guy! I think that one in particular would have thrown me off a bit. The worst I've had to deal with has been in New Orleans, Louisiana or in Hollywood here in the US, and they were speaking English, LOL! It makes me wonder if I'd have an easier or harder time ignoring someone in a different language??
> 
> I'm excited to follow along and see the rest of your China adventures!



oooh!  New victim!  

Thanks for subbing in.  Hope you'll enjoy the rest of the TR and it keeps up with your excitement levels.


Yes....I think it's probably easier ignoring someone in a different language.  I had no problem ignoring the taxi drivers at Longyang Road station because they only spoke Mandarin.  It was harder to ignore the "security" guy at Pudong airport because he spoke English!








zanzibar138 said:


> Now I feel a little bad for having been to Shanghai twice and still not having seen the Bund lol!



Nah.  You haven't missed much.  Maybe 3rd time lucky!





zanzibar138 said:


> I have definitely made some of my best travel discoveries by getting lost. It certainly is the best way to see the real side of a city.
> 
> Looks like you at least started and ended your time in Shanghai with beautiful blue skies



The start and end was great!  











darrenf67 said:


> Looks amazing!



Hope you find it amazing when you get there!


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> I need to hire you as my travel guide!
> 
> I've had Takoyaki, not a huge fan, but I did eat it.  Not sure how much I would enjoy so many of the other things you showed.



We have takoyaki in Melbourne.  It's squid/calamari filled and DS loves it but I'm not a huge fan.  I think it could be okay with a different protein.





franandaj said:


> I'm sure the Bund would be an interesting spot to visit.  If Fran and I became independtly wealthy we would hire you along as a travel guide.  I'm sure you wouldn't mind too much.  We stay at decent places and eat good meals!



I'm hired!  Let me know where and when!  I'm so there with you and Fran.  LOL!!!







dgbg100106 said:


> PIO - everything looks beautiful, and exciting.  I am enjoying the follow along, and good bit of jealous, maybe one of these days I will get to go.



Glad you're following along.  And I know how you feel....everytime you've travelled, I've had that bit of jealousy as well.  If you and D head to Shanghai, give me some advanced notice.  It could be a great place to meet up!







mvf-m11c said:


> It has been really crazy lately since I barely get on the boards with everything going on from work and my family. I have an upcoming trip this Thursday to Sunday to the DLR and can't wait to leave. I am looking forward to the DCA F&W Festival again which is bigger over last years.
> 
> Nice to see that you and your mom both got to Shanghai safely. I would have enjoyed riding the Maglev train.
> 
> Shanghai looks so amazing and going down to all those different shops which the sweets looks good. Looking forward to reading more when I get back.



  Hope you've been well and that the family/life isn't too crazy.  Have fun at the F&W festival.  Completely envious!

Look forward to both of our schedules settling down and we can get back to chats on the Dis.







Fairy Floss said:


> Just adding a little here (very late to the party!)
> I checked the adapter I bought at the hotel gift shop against my Aus 3 pin plug and it's bottom 'stick' is longer
> This must allow the other prongs to go in



Ooh!  That's a good observation.

Glad you're here!







dolphingirl47 said:


> Looks like that enforced detour turned out to be a real blessing. What a shame that you never found any silk you liked. The snacks looked amazing. I loved he contrast in the buildings on the opposite side of the river. I have to admit though that I was drawn more to the skyscrapers.
> 
> Corinna



I always like getting a little lost.  
Yes, I need to include shopping time for next time.








Aussie Wendy said:


> Only you would manage to just coincidentally find there was a monk in the street to add local colour to the picture!!



LOL!  It was a lucky coincidence.


----------



## PrincessInOz

*They Say the Neon Lights are Bright*


They say the neon lights are bright on Broadway…..er…..Pudong.







Pudong means “East of Huangpu” which describes the literal location of the city. Pudong used to be farm land until not too long ago.  In the 1990’s, it acquired the status of Special Economic Zone and investment poured in.  Today, Pudong is home to over 300 of the Global Fortune 500 companies (another 100 reside on the other side of the river) and the Shanghai Stock Exchange.  That's one heck of a development; even for a SER.  I'm hoping that @WanderlustNZ might post some pictures of the Pudong skyline from 10 years ago so that we can do a bit of comparison!  No pressure.


There are some amazing buildings lighting up this skyline!  And based on the research I did, it seems that a night time river cruise down the Huangpo is one of those must-do’s to experience.


My destination for tonight was the Shilupu Marina and a cruise along the Huangpo River.  At least, I think that’s where we ended up.  It could have been that Huangpo River Cruise spot on the map.  








More than likely, I think we ended up buying our tickets for the boat at the Huangpo River Cruise and then walked down to the Shilupu Marina.  Yes, let’s go with that for this TR.    I’m not trying to be vague or anything (actually, it looks like I don’t have to try very hard to appear vague), but I really didn’t take too much notice of what crossroads we were hitting when walking along the Bund.  I do know that we found a group of places selling river cruises somewhere along the Bund and after we bought out tickets, we were pointed further down the Bund to a wharf/marina area.  I will assume that we ended up at Shilupu Marina.


We paid 120 Yuan for our 50-minute cruise.  I think this was the going rate for a standard cruise on a boat like this one.








I had hoped to get on a boat with a bit more character……








Maybe next time.


It was dark when we boarded the boat and I headed up to the 3rd level.  It was a nice night albeit a little chilly.  But the upper deck gave me clear open air and views of the river banks.  I took up a position and clicked away to my heart’s content.  



 



Seems like I did capture the marina area (that blue area on the river bank).  Hmm.  I’m pretty certain that is the Shilupu Marina now.







I faced the Bund heading up the river.  That’s the Gutzlaff or Meteological Signal Tower you can see.  It’s one of the major landmarks along the Bund.  The first signal tower was built in 1865 by the French.  The current structure was built in 1907 and named after Karl Gutzlaff, the German missionary.  It no longer operates as a weather station; and operates as a museum of Bund history.







To the right of the tower, there are 4 historic buildings.  The second one along is the Shanghai Club building.  Once an exclusive private men’s club, this is now part of the Waldorf Astoria.

I believe the first of the yellow buildings in Three on the Bund or the Union Building.  It’s a trendy bar/restaurant.


Further along the Bund you’ll find the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank building and the Customs House building.  Both buildings were built in the 1920’s.







The Peace Building/Hotel sits at the corner of Nanjing Road (the building with the green pyramid).  The Fairmont chain currently operates the hotel.   







The cruise took us past the Waibadu Bridge.







It did go a little bit further up the river and then turned around to head back to the marina.


Bright neon lights?







Dazzling!







I faced that Pudong skyline on the way back.







The Orient Pearl TV Tower is one of the distinctive structures that dominates the skyline on this side.






At 468, it’s currently the 4th tallest tower in the world.  I did plan to head up the tower but we just didn’t find the time this trip.


The LED light display on the tower was mesmerising.













They say there’s always magic in the air.








The Shangri-la hotel is completely overshadowed these days.  But when it first opened, it was one of the first foreign owned hotel chains allowed into China.







By this stage, my fingers were a little frozen and I went downstairs in search of warmth and my mother.  I found her enjoying the lower deck couches.






I did manage to thaw out a little before the end of the cruise.  All in all, it was a very enjoyable hour!


----------



## PrincessInOz

*The Bund at Night*


It was a long walk back from the Shilupu Marina to Nanjing Road.  On hindsight, I probably should have caught the Metro back….but my mother was willing to walk, so walk we did.


I really liked the Bund Promenade.  The night views were lovely and it felt like a very safe place to walk at night.  So, I stopped being cautious and openly took pictures along the way back.

























Nearly back to Nanjing Road.







By this stage, we were both tired, cold and hungry.  Very hungry!


----------



## RachelTori

Great report and gorgeous photos, PIO!  What a fabulous trip!

Sorry it took me awhile to catch up with your TR (life getting in the way again!)


----------



## dolphingirl47

Wow, the city looks gorgeous all lit up. Now I want to go even more.

Corinna


----------



## dhorner233

Wow! Your photos are gorgeous as usual! What type of camera/lens were you using? I assume some fancy, expensive zoom with a very low f stop?

Those boats were beautiful!


----------



## PrincessInOz

RachelTori said:


> Great report and gorgeous photos, PIO!  What a fabulous trip!
> 
> Sorry it took me awhile to catch up with your TR (life getting in the way again!)



  Nice to see you here!  Hope you and DH have been well.  Looks like you've been having a fab time yourself!  Real life has a way of catching up. But I'm grateful you found time to make your way here.

Hope you'll enjoy the Disney parts of the trip...when I eventually get round to starting to post about it.  Shanghai is a great park; and I think you and DH would enjoy Shanghai as well.  Lots to see, eat and drink!






dolphingirl47 said:


> Wow, the city looks gorgeous all lit up. Now I want to go even more.
> 
> Corinna



It's beautiful at night.  Are you planning on heading to Shanghai soon?









dhorner233 said:


> Wow! Your photos are gorgeous as usual! What type of camera/lens were you using? I assume some fancy, expensive zoom with a very low f stop?
> 
> Those boats were beautiful!



Thanks, Denise.

I'm STILL shooting with the Canon 7D and the 17 - 55, f/2.8 lens.  It's the same set up as what I was shooting with in 2013.  Sadly, I've come back from this trip knowing that I've probably outgrown the beloved 7D.   
I'll be on the hunt for new equipment this year.


----------



## WanderlustNZ

Aussie Wendy said:


> Hello and welcome back!



Thanks Wendy.  It's nice to be back. 



PrincessInOz said:


> If you have those pictures from 10 years ago, I'd been interested to see the skyline then.  It would be fascinating to see how it's changed in that time.
> 
> I love the Mochi balls.  It's the texture of the rice flour dough that does it for me.  Next time you're in Melbourne, we should get some from a Japanese grocery shop.  It won't be as nice as the ones in Shanghai, but it'll give you the taste to see if you'd like them or not.



Very keen to try them and also very keen to get back to Melbourne one day.  Despite not being city people, it's a city we love.  You're lucky to have it on your doorstep.  

I've completely forgotten how to add photos to this site, but I'll give it a try.  It does make for quite a interesting comparison.


----------



## WanderlustNZ

What it looks like now



PrincessInOz said:


>



What it looked like almost 11 years ago.  










[/URL][/IMG]


----------



## WanderlustNZ

PrincessInOz said:


> I had hoped to get on a boat with a bit more character……



But had you been on that boat, you would have only been able to look across the bay and take pics of the boring boat.  

Loving the night time pics.


----------



## dhorner233

Happy Birthday Princess!


----------



## dolphingirl47

PrincessInOz said:


> Are you planning on heading to Shanghai soon?



There are no definite plans as yet. This year is unlikely to happen as most of my leave is used up for this upcoming trip. I am kind of hoping that we can squeeze it in next year.

Corinna


----------



## PrincessInOz

WanderlustNZ said:


> What it looks like now
> 
> 
> 
> What it looked like almost 11 years ago.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [/URL][/IMG]




WOW!  Look how much it has changed in 10 years!








WanderlustNZ said:


> But had you been on that boat, you would have only been able to look across the bay and take pics of the boring boat.
> 
> Loving the night time pics.





That is soooo true!


----------



## PrincessInOz

dhorner233 said:


> Happy Birthday Princess!



Thanks for helping me celebrate!


----------



## PrincessInOz

dolphingirl47 said:


> There are no definite plans as yet. This year is unlikely to happen as most of my leave is used up for this upcoming trip. I am kind of hoping that we can squeeze it in next year.
> 
> Corinna



Next year?  Hmmm. I haven't thought that far ahead yet.


----------



## dolphingirl47

PrincessInOz said:


> Next year? Hmmm. I haven't thought that far ahead yet.



Next year is quite a important year for us. It is a special birthday for Graham and our 20th wedding anniversary.

Corinna


----------



## PrincessInOz

dolphingirl47 said:


> Next year is quite a important year for us. It is a special birthday for Graham and our 20th wedding anniversary.
> 
> Corinna




Looks like it's a very good year to celebrate....and Shanghai would be an awesome option.


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Jumping into the Hot Pot (Shua Yan Grou)*


Nothing ruins a good trip like getting sick!  I think you all know what I mean.  


Coughs, colds, sore throats, food poisoning and the dreaded diarrhoea.  Those little and not so little niggles strike fear in any traveller…before and during travel.  Any one of you can rattle off a list of preventative measures as well as a list of meds to take with you when travelling to combat the symptoms.


My gut biome is reasonably normal and healthy but I expect that being in a foreign country, any change to what the gut bacteria is used to dealing with would probably result in not-so-welcomed symptoms.  So….you can imagine that on day 1 of this trip, I was going to be super careful about what I ate and drank.   


That was….until we got off the Huangpo cruise and had to walk from Shilupu Marina back to Nanjing Road.  My mother and I had lots of time to talk about food and what we wanted for dinner.  It came down to whether we could find a Peking Duck establishment or a Hot Pot establishment.


Walking down Nanjing Road and not too far past the Fairmont Peace Hotel, I saw some neon signs and food pictures.  One of them was for this place.







Dong Lai Shun seems to be on everyone’s top 5 Hot Pot places to eat when in China.  I understand that they have branches in Hong Kong and also in the US (and possibly Canada as well). 

I’ve come home to google but it looks like there isn’t a reference for this establishment’s specific address on Nanjing Road.  All I can say is that it was definitely on that top end of Nanjing Road and we had to catch the lift up to Level 5 to get to the restaurant.  There were also restaurants on level 3 (and 4?) of this building.


The first Dong Lai Shun opened in 1903.  And yes, there is an “M” missing in the signage.  The Chinese-Muslim restaurant is known for its mutton hot pot — thin slices of lamb, served raw and then cooked by diners in a boiling pot of soup at their table.  I gather from the signs on the wall that Mao Tze Tung even ate at one of the Dong Lai Shun outlets.  


It was about 8.30 pm when we got there and we were both cold and starving.  Lucky for us, the place wasn’t that busy.







The waitress that served us didn’t speak English; so it was just as well I had my mother with me.  She placed our order in Mandarin and it didn’t take long for stuff to arrive at our table.  I expect that sign language and pointing to items on the menu would have worked equally as well.


A Hot Pot Dinner is a simple concept.  Every major foodie country will have a version of a Hot Pot or Fondue.  Whether it’s a water, soup, cheese or chocolate version…..I love the concept.  Afterall, it’s all about handing over cash at a restaurant….and having the pleasure of cooking your own food!







We made 2 mistakes or lost in translations with our dinner tonight.  The first was with our hot pot.  We should have paid the extra for the charcoal version.  There would have been a brazier sitting at the bottom of the hot pot, and the pot would have sat higher off the table.  In any event, the hot plate heating up the pot worked equally as well.

The next was with the dipping sauce.  We had a choice of peanut, chilli and plum (I think).  We ended up with 2 peanut sauces.  We should have had a different option as well.

Something for next time.



Then the food started to arrive.


We had a selection of tofu and rice noodles. 






We also ordered a plate of vegetables.







I really don’t know how it happened, but my mother ended up ordering 2 of these raw sliced lamb bowls.  The lamb definitely made this a legitimate Old Beijing style fondue or shabu shabu (Lao Beijing Shua Yan Grou). 
Yes, they were thinly sliced and easy to eat but if I had known she was going to order two lots of protein, I may have asked for a different option.  There were seafood options on the menu.








We also had a plate of different types of mushrooms.  I seemed to have missed grabbing a picture of it.

And lastly, we had some fresh made noodles.







If we had known that the tofu came with rice noodles, we would not have ordered this extra noodles.  Nice as they were, we really couldn't finish all the noodles in the end.  








Cutlery consisted of chopsticks….









….and the essential ladle and slotted spoon for fishing food out of the hot pot.








I might have had some concerns about doing a Hot Pot on day 1 of this trip.  Afterall, there is a whole lot of local water in the pot and one of my golden rules is to avoid drinking the local water in the first couple of days.  But I loved the look of the Cloisonne hot pot on the table and was so charmed by it that all thoughts of diarrhoea just flew out the door.







We started to put food into the hot pot.







When everything is boiling and we’re doing our own cooking, I figured I would be safe. 







Talk about jumping into the hot pot!  







It’s a deceptively simple meal.  But when you eat one or five such full bowls, it does fill you up!


This meal cost us about 370 Yuan for the two of us.  That’s about $75 in my money terms.  Whilst it wasn’t a cheap meal, it wasn’t overly pricey either by Australian standards.  Both mum and I were completely stuffed!


I am also pleased to report that there were no post-meal issues either.   Plus, I got to tick off one of the culinary must-eats when in China off my list.


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Nanjing Road at Night - More Neons*



We figured that we had the Portuguese tarts for dessert so after dinner, we slowly made our way back down Nanjing Road to our hotel.


Nanjing Road was still busy.








The neon lights here were also bright.








In fact, there were brightly lit neons everywhere!







We couldn’t walk down Nanjing Road without people wanting to hand out pamphlets.  We ignored all of them.







I took a detour down Shi-tan Lu again.   I figured the neons would make it look very bright.







For those wondering, we only walked down what is considered Nanjing Road East.








There is still Nanjing Road West; which we never really got to explore fully.



We made it back to the hotel, had a cup of tea and some Po-tarts.  After the midnight flight out and not getting a lot of sleep, I crashed as soon as my head hit the pillow.


----------



## tiggrbaby

Happy to have stumbled on this TR!  Will have to take some time to catch up!


----------



## dhorner233

That mutton hot pot was interesting. 

You are making this trip look fun, easy and safe!


----------



## zanzibar138

Wow I was forgetting this was still your first day, what a big day! 

The hot pot looks so good. Will have to put it on the list for the next trip


----------



## Aussie Wendy

zanzibar138 said:


> Wow I was forgetting this was still your first day, what a big day!
> 
> The hot pot looks so good. Will have to put it on the list for the next trip



Our Beijing version was also very tasty though being in a local off the tourist beat hutong we only got chopsticks to hold our food in the pot while it cooked - I needed those slotted spoons the number of times I dropped some!


----------



## Paula Sedley-Burke

Hi PIO. Only just joined. Didn't see it! Read through now and caught up. Wow! How fascinating. I often wondered what occured with internet access when you go to China. Is the currency is closed currency?

Oh my all the scammers. Good job you were on the ball there.

That magnetic train is amazing! 

Enjoying the sights of Shanghai so far. Looks like a interesting place. I love different cultures. Your hotel looks nice. 

Lovely food choices. I hope you don't get ill. Looking forward to reading more.


----------



## PrincessInOz

tiggrbaby said:


> Happy to have stumbled on this TR!  Will have to take some time to catch up!



  Hi!  Long time no see.  Hope you've been well.
So happy you're here.






dhorner233 said:


> That mutton hot pot was interesting.
> 
> You are making this trip look fun, easy and safe!



Denise - If you and DCuz are thinking about SDL and HKDL, I'd recommend you seriously consider going.  Once you get the hang of the Metro system, Shanghai is quite easy to get around.  And if you take the official taxis, it's relatively cheap for around the CBD.  And.....it was seriously cheaper for me than heading to a US park.






zanzibar138 said:


> Wow I was forgetting this was still your first day, what a big day!
> 
> The hot pot looks so good. Will have to put it on the list for the next trip



Yes, it's still the first day!  

The hot pot was very good. And yes....the next trip (FYI - They have a branch in Hong Kong).  When are WE going again???  






Aussie Wendy said:


> Our Beijing version was also very tasty though being in a local off the tourist beat hutong we only got chopsticks to hold our food in the pot while it cooked - I needed those slotted spoons the number of times I dropped some!



Only chopsticks?  WOW!  We would have spent all our time fishing food out of the pot.


----------



## Fairy Floss

PrincessInOz said:


> When are WE going again???



Whenever it is.... I'm in!!


----------



## PrincessInOz

Paula Sedley-Burke said:


> Hi PIO. Only just joined. Didn't see it! Read through now and caught up. Wow! How fascinating. I often wondered what occured with internet access when you go to China.



  Hi Paula!  So glad you made it here.  Hope that you and J are well.

Internet access? 

The SIM card worked really well for me.  I popped it into the smart phone when I landed at HK airport and it found the carrier, plus swapped over the APN without me having to do anything.  
I also had ExpressVPN, which I turned on when in HK airport to make sure that the combination of the 'local' SIM and ExpressVPN worked for me in HK.  It did.

When I got to Shanghai Airport, I turned everything on again.  The 'local' SIM found the carrier but I had issues with connecting to ExpressVPN in Shanghai Airport.  The SIM card worked well and I could send messages via WhatApp to hubby at home.  The 'local' SIM card let me communicate via WhatApp with or without ExpressVPN, which was just as well.

I eventually managed to connect to the ExpressVPN servers when I was on my way to the hotel in Shanghai.  I kept trying on the MagLev and eventually got connected when I was in the taxi.  The ExpressVPN servers I used were located in HK.  I think a couple of the other Dissers tried to connect to the servers located in Japan and they didn't manage to get any service until they swapped over to the HK servers.  
Once I had connection to ExpressVPN, all normal internet access worked.  I couldn't get access to FB with just the local SIM.  I think the write-up on the SIM was that you should be able to access FB.....but I don't think I was ever successful at FB connection without having to turn on ExpressVPN.  I was also able to access my yahoo mail using ExpressVPN.  There was definitely no google and no yahoo access without the ExpressVPN.

Connection with the ExpressVPN servers were spotty.  At times, it connected straightaway.....at times, it took multiple attempts before I could connect.  On my smartphone (which is an iphone), I also had to go into my settings to make sure that my wifi (or was it VPN) connection was on (it did automatically switch off from time to time) if there seemed to be a delay in connection.  

Once I got into the swing of things, everything worked well.  I think the ExpressVPN servers did experience 'peak load' around lunchtime and periodically during the day.   During those peak times, it took a bit more effort to get connected but I did get the connection after several attempts.


The local SIM card didn't work for my mother.  We did google to try and work out why; and even went into an Apple reseller store in Shanghai to see if they could help.  Turns out....her iphone is old and it doesn't support changing the APN at all!  So, we popped her Aussie SIM card back in and used WhatApp to keep in contact with each other.


@zanzibar138 can also elaborate on her experience.  I don't think she managed to get the 'local' SIM card working for her at all!   
@Aussie Wendy also had a good experience with the combination she chose.  I'm pretty sure she used ExpressVPN as well.
@Fairy Floss also successfully used a different combination.  I'll leave it to her to share, if she wants to.






Paula Sedley-Burke said:


> Is the currency is closed currency?



Not sure what you mean by this question....but happy to answer any question on currency.






Paula Sedley-Burke said:


> Oh my all the scammers. Good job you were on the ball there.
> 
> That magnetic train is amazing!
> 
> Enjoying the sights of Shanghai so far. Looks like a interesting place. I love different cultures. Your hotel looks nice.
> 
> Lovely food choices. I hope you don't get ill. Looking forward to reading more.



Thank you.

I didn't get ill at all on this trip.  And I didn't get ill when I arrived home either.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Fairy Floss said:


> Whenever it is.... I'm in!!



I've been slowly unpacking and processing my pictures.  It's making me want to go again!!!


----------



## franandaj

Wow!  I can't believe this all happened on arrival day!  The pictures from the River Cruise were stunning and amazing to see how much the skyline has grown in the last 11 years!

I'd love to try Hot Pot sometime.  Do they refill the water in the pot?  I know when we do shabu shabu we are always filling the pots from our water glasses.  Do you end up with a soup afterwards?  Good thing your Mom speaks Mandarin!  Such a long day, I don't blame you for passing out as soon as you got back.


----------



## shushh

Your TRs are the best! So glad about it because we leave on Saturday!!! Is that enough incentive to write faster?!?! Love how you've taken your mum 
We have had zero preparation other than booking Aurora and Royal Banquet Hall...DH's high school friend lives in Shanghai and I think we've been lulled into a false sense of security!

I think someone else has also commented but we were able to make our hotel reservations completely online in December last year. Got confirmations straight away.

Eagerly awaiting the rest of the TR...no pressure


----------



## zanzibar138

PrincessInOz said:


> When are WE going again???





Fairy Floss said:


> Whenever it is.... I'm in!!



As much as I would LOVE to do another trip while I have my MAP, unfortunately I don't think I'm going to be able to make it happen (unless I happen upon a sudden windfall lol!). It's going to take everything I have to save for this ridiculous Round the World RunDisney trip I have planned 



PrincessInOz said:


> @zanzibar138 can also elaborate on her experience. I don't think she managed to get the 'local' SIM card working for her at all!



PIO is correct - I never did get the local SIM card working in Shanghai. I generally had no trouble connecting to the free hotel wifi, and was able to access everything through Express VPN (which I pre-downloaded onto all my devices). Unlike PIO, I never had any trouble connecting to the Hong Kong server via Express VPN.

I did have some serious issues connecting to the free wifi in the park. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. Mostly it didn't  Still, we managed to keep in contact reasonably well between all of us.

FWIW, the local SIM card worked perfectly in HK. I was on it pretty regularly trying to get my money's worth after having no luck in Shanghai lol!


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> Wow!  I can't believe this all happened on arrival day!  The pictures from the River Cruise were stunning and amazing to see how much the skyline has grown in the last 11 years!
> 
> I'd love to try Hot Pot sometime.  Do they refill the water in the pot?  I know when we do shabu shabu we are always filling the pots from our water glasses.  Do you end up with a soup afterwards?  Good thing your Mom speaks Mandarin!  Such a long day, I don't blame you for passing out as soon as you got back.



You know me.  I try and cram as much as possible in the one day as I can.  
(But I did have to go slower on this trip for my mother)

They did refill the water in the pot.  And we did end up with a decent soup afterwards.  That's why we ordered the noodles.
Yes. If my mother didn't speak the lingo, I would have definitely organised guides before I left!


----------



## PrincessInOz

shushh said:


> Your TRs are the best! So glad about it because we leave on Saturday!!! Is that enough incentive to write faster?!?! Love how you've taken your mum
> We have had zero preparation other than booking Aurora and Royal Banquet Hall...DH's high school friend lives in Shanghai and I think we've been lulled into a false sense of security!
> 
> I think someone else has also commented but we were able to make our hotel reservations completely online in December last year. Got confirmations straight away.
> 
> Eagerly awaiting the rest of the TR...no pressure






Nice to see you here!  And you're the best.  Thanks for the vote of confidence.

Have a great time in Shanghai!  I'll try and cover off Suzhou before you leave.  There's a lot of pictures for Disney....in the rain. 


I did zero prep for Shanghai other than booking Lumiere's and RBH.  I was lulled into a false sense of security because my mother could speak Mandarin and had been to Shanghai before.  But you'll definitely be fine if you have a local contact.  They'll take care of you!


----------



## PrincessInOz

zanzibar138 said:


> As much as I would LOVE to do another trip while I have my MAP, unfortunately I don't think I'm going to be able to make it happen (unless I happen upon a sudden windfall lol!). It's going to take everything I have to save for this ridiculous Round the World RunDisney trip I have planned



You never know what may happen!


----------



## Paula Sedley-Burke

thanks for explaning about the internet access. I think I would be scared in case the Chinese arrested me! Can they do that?

I looked it up. They don't have a closed currency. Some communist countries do. Meaning you can't get any outside the country you have to wait to get there to exchange it. You can't take any out either.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Paula Sedley-Burke said:


> thanks for explaning about the internet access. I think I would be scared in case the Chinese arrested me! Can they do that?



I don't think I want to know!!!





Paula Sedley-Burke said:


> I looked it up. They don't have a closed currency. Some communist countries do. Meaning you can't get any outside the country you have to wait to get there to exchange it. You can't take any out either.



Ah.  Like in Czechoslavaka in the 1990's.  We had to change money at the border and change it back when we left.

No.  I bought my Yuan in Melbourne and came home with some....for the next trip.


----------



## tiggrbaby

What a full day!

I think the well-dressed man posing as security is scarier than the two hounding you!

The room and views were nice!

The boat trip was lovely; I actually think it was better that you weren't on the cute boat because that gave you the opportunity to take a pic of it on the water.

Your talent for photography is amazing!


----------



## dhorner233

PrincessInOz said:


> Denise - If you and DCuz are thinking about SDL and HKDL, I'd recommend you seriously consider going. Once you get the hang of the Metro system, Shanghai is quite easy to get around. And if you take the official taxis, it's relatively cheap for around the CBD. And.....it was seriously cheaper for me than heading to a US park.



I think I will just live vicariously through you! And it makes a lot of sense for you!

But, have you seen this Youtube video: 




I don't have a tattoo but I've had that conversation with people. Going to DW is enough excitement for me!


----------



## WanderlustNZ

I love how clear and bright the neons are in your pics.  Very envious of your photography skills.  

With regards to the hot pot, out of interest. what sauces do they give you to add flavour to the meat?  The only reason I've avoided hot pot in the past is because I enjoy meat cooked with herbs and seasonings and are worried I won't enjoy the flavours (or lack of).


----------



## WanderlustNZ

P.S.  That You Tube video above is hilarious.  I can see myself in both of those characters - the Yin and Yang sitting on each of my shoulders.  

There's the side that continually craves a return to my happy place, and the other side that chastises that part of my personality for becoming far to comfortable.


----------



## PrincessInOz

tiggrbaby said:


> What a full day!
> 
> I think the well-dressed man posing as security is scarier than the two hounding you!
> 
> The room and views were nice!
> 
> The boat trip was lovely; I actually think it was better that you weren't on the cute boat because that gave you the opportunity to take a pic of it on the water.
> 
> Your talent for photography is amazing!




YAY!  You're all caught up.

Yes, the well-dressed man had a great angle for a scam worked out.  On a different day and person, it probably would have worked.

Thank you!  





dhorner233 said:


> I think I will just live vicariously through you! And it makes a lot of sense for you!
> 
> But, have you seen this Youtube video:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I don't have a tattoo but I've had that conversation with people. Going to DW is enough excitement for me!



That YouTube is uncomfortably close to the truth!!!  
I'm pretty sure I've had similar conversations.....and like you, I haven't got the tattoo either.


----------



## PrincessInOz

WanderlustNZ said:


> I love how clear and bright the neons are in your pics.  Very envious of your photography skills.





But.....you have the same tog skills!  I remember your gorgeous pictures in your TRs!!!





WanderlustNZ said:


> With regards to the hot pot, out of interest. what sauces do they give you to add flavour to the meat?  The only reason I've avoided hot pot in the past is because I enjoy meat cooked with herbs and seasonings and are worried I won't enjoy the flavours (or lack of).



We had the choice of peanut (bland), chilli (which I wish we had chosen) and I think....a plum sauce (which we also should have chosen).

The water did have some of the chinese herbs in it and whilst there wasn't a lot of them, it did impart a mild flavour to everything we cooked.  

In any case, Shanghai cooking is on the bland side for my tastebuds.  So I don't know whether a different sauce would have been better or not.  All I remember is that we were cold from the cruise and the hotpot was exactly what we were hoping for dinner.  And the soup at the end was beautifully flavoured after all that cooking.  







WanderlustNZ said:


> P.S.  That You Tube video above is hilarious.  I can see myself in both of those characters - the Yin and Yang sitting on each of my shoulders.
> 
> There's the side that continually craves a return to my happy place, and the other side that chastises that part of my personality for becoming far to comfortable.


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Day 2 – Shanghai to Suzhou and Back Again*


*An Eastern Style Breakfast*



Our accommodation in Shanghai included the buffet breakfast with the room rate we paid.  We figured – hoped – we were going to get an East West buffet.


So, we after we got ready, we headed to the breakfast floor.  This was to be ‘our’ table.







And yes, all our hopes were answered when we checked out the buffet.  It WAS an East West buffet.  By way of example, we found French toast and pancakes; as well as rice flour bao, sticky rice dumplings (or zongzi) and fried noodles.  







Zongzi (China) or bachang (Malaysia, Singapore) or non chang (Cambodia) or pya htote (Burma) are traditionally eaten during Dragonboat Festival in May/June.  As a child growing up in Asia, I remember seeing my grandmothers, aunts and mother wrapping sticky rice in banana leaves in the tetrahedral shape that we found in China.  It is a knack of wrapping that I have never ever learnt how to do.  I can get as far as making a conical shape and getting the rice and filling in.  But the final act of closing the cone is a mystery that I will have to learn in a different lifetime.  Of course, you can wrap the zongzi as an elongated package.  That’s MUCH easier to do.

To cook it, you boil it for several hours and once cooked, it can have a shelf-life of several weeks at the very least.





The filling inside the zongzi can be savoury or sweet.  In the case of the zongzi we found at the breakfast buffet, it was a savoury meat filling.  But there was waaaay too much glutinous rice and not enough filling.  I never went back for another one after trying one on this first morning.

It is a popular snack in Asian countries, so these days, you'll pretty much find them all year round.  There will be different types of leaves used as the wrapper...they do impact different flavours to the rice.


What interested both my mother and me more was the fresh noodle station.  There was a stash of dough much like you would find in a pizza shop and the noodle chef would cut a little bit off when you placed an order.  And yes, I had to place my order using sign gestures.








The noodle chef would roll and fold the dough multiple times.  After a number of times rolling and folding, he would then stretch and twist the dough.







He kept repeating the roll, fold, stretch and twist multiple times until he got to a bundle that only he knew what it was he was looking for.







And look at those noodles!  Every strand looks consistent in diameter from one end to the other.





I didn’t realise it until after we had checked out of the hotel….but the noodle chef here must have been an absolute master at his craft.  We did have another opportunity to have hand-pulled noodles and the consistency of those noodles were not a patch near the quality of what this chef could do!


The noodles were then cooked in boiling water.  Like fresh pasta, it only needed a couple of minutes.








When the noodles were cooked, the noodle chef ladled some hot broth over it and added some meat.  He also placed some mixed fresh Asian herbs in the bowl.  







This was delicious!  I really didn’t need much more for breakfast.


I will admit that both my mother and I pretty much ignored the Western elements of the buffet.  Afterall, we could get bacon, eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms, sausage at any café in Melbourne.


----------



## PrincessInOz

*The DIY Guide on what NOT to do for Suzhou – How to Get to Suzhou*


Before this trip, I had done a little research on things to do.  If you read the PTR section, I think you may have read that Suzhou was on my list of must-do’s for the Friday.  I did contemplate booking a tour before I landed in Shanghai and after consulting my mother, we figured we would do-it-ourselves when we got to Shanghai.

My options, instead of DIY, were as follows:

1. I did think about hiring a English speaking Chinese guide – and there are any number of them listed on Viator – but my mother figured we could probably arrange one when we got to Shanghai.  I kinda expected that we would be able to get one with help from the hotel concierge.

2. We could have booked ourselves into an English speaking coach tour, picking us up from our hotel and driving us to Suzhou.  I priced these tours at about US$120 - $160 per person.  I told my mother that I expected we could pick a local tour for cheaper when we got to Shanghai.  Again, I kinda expected that we would be able to get one with help from the hotel concierge.


Organising something for Suzhou was the first thing I tried to finalise after we had checked into the hotel.  Sadly for us, the spanner in the works was expecting help from the hotel concierge.  Turns out that the English speaking tours I found online were the only tours that the hotel concierge recommended.  The price was US$160 per person.

Hotel concierge was also remarkably ignorant of hiring a local English speaking Chinese guide.



For the record, I didn’t just try the concierge at the Central Hotel.  I also tried the concierge at the Sofitel.  Same response for both questions. I do know that there have been threads on Trip Advisor indicating that their various hotel concierge had been able to organise a local guide as well as book them on local tours to Suzhou. Given the information on TA, I would expect that the response will differ depending on which hotel you are staying at.

I may have had the suspicion that there might be some kick-back for the bus tour for the hotels I approached but as I don’t really know, I’ll just leave that one as an unanswered mystery.


Hotel concierge did tell us that we could get to Suzhou by catching a train from the Shanghai Railway Station.  My mother and I figured we would take that option and figure things out when we got to Suzhou.

So after breakfast, we made our way to the Shanghai Railway Station.  You can get there on Metro lines 1, 3 or 4.  Alternatively, you can catch a taxi to the station.  The Railway Station is the building where the KFC sign is hanging from and it’s huge!






Be warned!  If you are going to DIY your journey to Suzhou without a guide or not being able to speak Mandarin, be prepared to feel a little overwhelmed at the train station ticketing area.  In the end, it wasn't difficult to navigate your way through the process, but I did have my Mandarin speaking mother with me.    

The SRS is one of four major railway stations in Shanghai.  It was certainly one of the largest train stations I’ve ever been in.  There were rooms at the entry and also to the side containing banks of self-service kiosks for buying tickets.  Yeah.  It’s all Chinese to me and whilst my mother reads some Chinese characters, she’s not good with technology and we didn’t want to make a mistake.  We figured we needed to go somewhere to talk to a real person when buying our tickets.  In any case, I was to find out later that you can’t buy a ticket from these kiosks if you don’t have a Chinese ID card.


My mother had to ask a security guard where we could buy tickets in person.  Yeah.  We just had to turn around and look.  Right in plain sight and in English to boot!  It was just in a totally different building to the main train station building.  To get to it, we needed to use the pedestrian underpass to walk under the road.  We worked that one out after walking to the road only to find it was blocked/barricaded to prevent any pedestrians from jaywalking across.







That area where tickets are sold contained another bank of windows.  There would have been 20 – 30 windows, each with a queue of people 20 or 30 deep.  To say it was daunting would have been an understatement.

Luckily, there was an information desk at the back of the area.  My mother went to ask and it turns out that one of the windows had a little sign in the top right corner that said “English speaking”.  The person also helpfully told us which window it was and we went to queue up.  There is no way I would have spotted that sign from 20 or 30 people back.


Despite being 20 or 30 people deep, the line moved relatively quickly.  It took us about 10 minutes to reach the front.  The English-speaking person said they spoke “a little” English.  But they obviously understood and spoke more than they were letting on.  When we explained that we wanted tickets to Suzhou, they asked some pointed questions and booked both our outbound and return travel for us.  

You WILL need your passport to book a train ticket.  I thought I had left my passport behind in the hotel safe and tried to use my Australian driver’s licence instead.  The DL was rejected and thankfully, I remembered that I had shoved my passport into the inside pocket of my camera bag.  Once I handed over my passport, the transaction was successfully completed.  Otherwise, we probably wouldn’t have made it to Suzhou this day.  The return tickets cost us about 75 Yuan or about $15 in my money.

It took us about 30 minutes to sort this out so, despite being a little overwhelmed, it wasn’t a bad experience.  


Tickets in hand, we headed back to the main railway building.  I found this next part of the DIY travel to be very orderly.  The tickets will tell you what waiting area to head to, what time the train will leave, the ‘train service number’, what carriage your seats are located in and your seat number.   As most of these elements were numbers, it was relatively straightforward for us to read the numbers on boards and work out where we needed to head to.  

Oh….On entry of the train station, you will need to go through security.  They have x-ray machines similar to what you find at an airport.    In fact, we found we had to go through security checking our bags at every Metro station we went through.  We never had an issue with passing the security check.


The waiting area was easy to find and on a weekday morning, I also found it very orderly and efficient.  There were signs up for each train service.  Suzhou is located on the Wuxi line and the sign won’t say Suzhou; it will say Wuxi.  Luckily, I had read that before going.  My mother was a little concerned when she saw the sign and thought we were in the wrong area.  

The other thing I liked about the sign system was the traffic light colours.  If the characters were lit in red, the train was delayed.  If it was yellow, it meant that the train hadn’t arrived at the platform.  For red and yellow signs, the people would find a seat and wait.  When it was green, it meant that the train had arrived and you should get up and get ready to board the train.   In this case, the green sign was our train.  You’ll see what I mean by ‘train service number’ in the sign and the local Shanghai travellers behaving in a very orderly manner.  Everyone was very respectful of each other when boarding.  







We found our carriage and seats and settled down.  Our train left to the minute of the scheduled departure time.  

There are about 3 stations that the service stops at along the way.  I found all the stations to be extremely clean and modern in design.







I did try and take a picture of a passing train.  This is as much of the train as I got.  But you can see that the trains are also rather modern in design.







We travelled at around 300 km per hour to Suzhou.  At that speed, we got there in about 40 minutes.


Not that I regret doing things the way things unfolded but if I had my time again and in hindsight, I would organise an English-speaking Chinese guide before leaving home.  I would also make sure that they – or we – would have transportation to Suzhou worked out and confirmed before leaving home as well.  The guides on Viator seem to indicate a charge of about US$20 per hour or as low as US$100 and towards US$300 per day for a group.

Having said that....I would take the train.  Having been through it once and now that I know how the system works, I would have no hesitation in repeating the process of heading to the SRS and buying the tickets the same way.  It was a very efficient and cheap way to travel.


----------



## PrincessInOz

*The DIY Guide on What NOT to do for Suzhou – How NOT to Find a Tour *


I decided it was probably prudent to leave the camera in the bag whilst we got to Suzhou and worked out way out of the railway station.   Afterall, nothing screams ‘t-o-u-r-i-s-t’ more than a big bazooka of a camera, right?


*Sigh*  I don’t know why I bother!!!!  And I didn't bother again to hide the camera after today.


The touters were waiting at the exit for everyone.  It was obvious that we were tourists to them.  There was a bunch of them trying to sell us tours and it just got old very quickly.  


I had done enough research to know that we would need a way to get around Suzhou to see the attractions.  It really isn't walkable.  My mother and I had thought we would hire a taxi for the day and we were not in the mood to deal with the touters.  The mistake I made was taking the left fork towards the exit rather than walking through the touters towards the taxi.   I figured that I would find a way to the taxis if I just headed out.


We found a…….Tuk Tuk.  







What can I say?  My mother wanted to ride the tuk-tuk….and no matter how old I am, I’m the child, she's the parent.

I’m positive that we got somewhat scammed by the tuk-tuk driver….not once but twice.  

The first was over the price of the ride.  I’m sure we negotiated 20 Yuan.  Turns out, it was 20 Yuan EACH.  I’m sure we negotiated 20 Yuan total!!!!  Still…..20 Yuan is like $4 in my money.  No biggie; and I would have happily handed over the 40 Yuan IF that was what we negotiated in the first place.  I just hate when I'm taken for a ride that never really eventuated.

Somewhere during this journey, he talked my mother into going to a shop he knew for a small group tour around Suzhou.  As they were speaking in Mandarin, I had no say at all until the deal was done!  And this was at the START of the ride.

We never got to finish the tuk-tuk ride to get our bearings around Suzhou.  He took us straight to the shop.


It wasn’t too bad at the shop.  There were small vans outside the shop and they handed us a form.  As I could only see small vans, I figured it was pretty much as good a tour as any; and I was happy to go along with the turn of events.

I’m pretty sure we ticked 5 items on the list that seemed to include the Humble Administrator’s Garden, The Lion Rock Garden, a Grand Canal Cruise, the old Hutong area and another garden that had a Pagoda.  It cost us about 300 Yuan each; or about $60 in my money.  Even with the $15 train fare and compared to the U$160 per person price for the bus tour from the hotel concierge, it was practically a bargain.


The tuk-tuk driver collected his money and disappeared.  I'm pretty sure he collected a commission for bringing us to the shop as well.  It just didn't happen in my field of vision.  


We were bundled into a minivan with about 15 other people and we headed out.  So far, it was living up to the small group expectation.

We drove down some very narrow streets.  I think you can see the sandwich board on the left hand side.  That will give you an idea of the sorts of gardens and things we had included in our wish list.







Not that I regret doing things the way things unfolded but if I had my time again and in hindsight, I would organise an English-speaking Chinese guide before leaving home.  I would also make sure that they – or we – would have transportation to Suzhou worked out and confirmed before leaving home as well.   The guides on Viator seem to indicate a charge of about US$20 per hour or as low as US$100 and towards US$300 per day for a group.
Or...next time, I'd muscle my way past the touters and see if I could negotiate a taxi hire for the entire day!


----------



## Fairy Floss

I'm pretty sure he collected a commission for bringing.....
I would guarantee that this happened

Also Viator is a company that resells tours - sort of like a broker
Most tours in China include a compulsory shopping tour at a government store (very annoying!)



PrincessInOz said:


> @Fairy Floss also successfully used a different combination. I'll leave it to her to share, if she wants to.


Okie dokies....
my telco in Aus is Vodafone
One of the reasons I am with them is they charge only $5 a day to use your phone/data plan in certain countries overseas (AND you only pay for the days you actually use it)
China is one of the countries
I downloaded express VPN - this was an app on my phone and I managed to get a 7 day free trial
My connection was L.A. - I didn't know how to change my connection
I didn't have too much trouble with this and the hotel wifi
The free park wifi was fine - except for day 2 - SDL decided you needed a code sent to your phone via SMS to connect (I decided I didn't want to spend $5 to connect to 'free' wifi)
I needed to use Vodafone in Hong Kong - the free park wifi was so patchy that didn't realise it existed


----------



## dolphingirl47

PrincessInOz said:


> I expect that sign language and pointing to items on the menu would have worked equally as well.



That tends to be my approach when I am in France.



PrincessInOz said:


> Every major foodie country will have a version of a Hot Pot or Fondue. Whether it’s a water, soup, cheese or chocolate version…..I love the concept.



I love it, too.



PrincessInOz said:


> Afterall, it’s all about handing over cash at a restaurant….and having the pleasure of cooking your own food!



Now if you put it like this ...                   



PrincessInOz said:


> We ended up with 2 peanut sauces.



I would have been in heaven.



PrincessInOz said:


> And yes, all our hopes were answered when we checked out the buffet. It WAS an East West buffet. By way of example, we found French toast and pancakes; as well as rice flour bao, sticky rice dumplings (or zongzi) and fried noodles.



I would have loved this. I am not a breakfast person, but I could eat noodles at any time of the day or night.



PrincessInOz said:


> What interested both my mother and me more was the fresh noodle station. There was a stash of dough much like you would find in a pizza shop and the noodle chef would cut a little bit off when you placed an order.



That looks amazing.



PrincessInOz said:


> When the noodles were cooked, the noodle chef ladled some hot broth over it and added some meat. He also placed some mixed fresh Asian herbs in the bowl.



That looks absolutely delicious.



PrincessInOz said:


> The tickets will tell you what waiting area to head to, what time the train will leave, the ‘train service number’, what carriage your seats are located in and your seat number.



That sounds like the trains in France.



PrincessInOz said:


> Our train left to the minute of the scheduled departure time.



I wished that this happened over here once in a while.



PrincessInOz said:


> We never got to finish the tuk-tuk ride to get our bearings around Suzhou. He took us straight to the shop.



Now, that would have irritated me.

Corinna


----------



## zanzibar138

I'm on the edge of my seat wondering how your tour went after that start.

How cool that you had a noodle chef at the breakfast in your hotel - that would have been fun!


----------



## PrincessInOz

Fairy Floss said:


> Also Viator is a company that resells tours - sort of like a broker
> Most tours in China include a compulsory shopping tour at a government store (very annoying!)



There is a section on Viator that provides a list of 'accredited' tour guides.  I expect that Viator will have a service fee that the guides have to pay for being promoted through Viator.....but the guides are there for anyone who wants a private tour without having to do the standard Viator "tours".   These private tour guides will run tours for individuals or small groups.

There are enough anecdotal feedback (on the Viator site as well as on Trip Advisor) indicating that these private guides are less pushy where the compulsory shopping is concerned.  In fact, I do remember reading through some of the guide bio's and some specifically list that they don't take anyone to shops; unless specifically requested.

Viator isn't the only company that will promote private guides.  But it seems to be the one most referenced on Trip Advisor.





Fairy Floss said:


> Okie dokies....
> my telco in Aus is Vodafone
> One of the reasons I am with them is they charge only $5 a day to use your phone/data plan in certain countries overseas (AND you only pay for the days you actually use it)
> China is one of the countries
> I downloaded express VPN - this was an app on my phone and I managed to get a 7 day free trial
> My connection was L.A. - I didn't know how to change my connection
> I didn't have too much trouble with this and the hotel wifi
> The free park wifi was fine - except for day 2 - SDL decided you needed a code sent to your phone via SMS to connect (I decided I didn't want to spend $5 to connect to 'free' wifi)
> I needed to use Vodafone in Hong Kong - the free park wifi was so patchy that didn't realise it existed



Thank you.


----------



## PrincessInOz

dolphingirl47 said:


> Now, that would have irritated me.



It did irritate me for a little bit; but I reminded myself that it was only $4 in Aussie terms...and I figured it was better to just wish him luck with it than hold on to the irritation.


----------



## PrincessInOz

zanzibar138 said:


> I'm on the edge of my seat wondering how your tour went after that start.
> 
> How cool that you had a noodle chef at the breakfast in your hotel - that would have been fun!



I think I might have promised @shushh that I would get the Suzhou section covered before she left for Shanghai, so I won't leave you at the edge of the seat for too long.  I was hoping to push it along tonight; but I got home later than I expected...so I may craft the edition tomorrow.  

Yes, that noodle chef was great...and if it weren't for the language barrier, I think I would have had fun chatting with him on both mornings we were there.


----------



## shushh

Yes you have indeed!
I just love the good Asian hotel buffet breakfast. Drool...that noodle chef is awesome!
Oh and I have now booked our English speaking guide for our trip to Nanxun


----------



## WanderlustNZ

Good on you for tackling China on your own.  You're very brave - the language barrier is pretty big.  

Those shop tours are so annoying.  There were a few we enjoyed, but to the most part they aggravated me as they are not representative of real China.  

Looking forward to the upcoming Suzhou post.  All I really remember of the city was the canals and it looks like your visit list was considerably more extensive.


----------



## Fairy Floss

PrincessInOz said:


> There is a section on Viator that provides a list of 'accredited' tour guides. I expect that Viator will have a service fee that the guides have to pay for being promoted through Viator.....but the guides are there for anyone who wants a private tour without having to do the standard Viator "tours". These private tour guides will run tours for individuals or small groups.



I haven't noticed this ... 
I use the app - is this on the app or web page?


----------



## PrincessInOz

shushh said:


> Yes you have indeed!



I hope you like the next update!!!  And....only for you!!!  




shushh said:


> I just love the good Asian hotel buffet breakfast. Drool...that noodle chef is awesome!
> Oh and I have now booked our English speaking guide for our trip to Nanxun











:


Don't tell me you hadn't had one sorted out before reading my recommendation!!!!









WanderlustNZ said:


> Good on you for tackling China on your own.  You're very brave - the language barrier is pretty big.
> 
> Those shop tours are so annoying.  There were a few we enjoyed, but to the most part they aggravated me as they are not representative of real China.
> 
> Looking forward to the upcoming Suzhou post.  All I really remember of the city was the canals and it looks like your visit list was considerably more extensive.



You'll have to read to see how my day in Suzhou unfolded!!!  









Fairy Floss said:


> I haven't noticed this ...
> I use the app - is this on the app or web page?



I think it's on the webpage.

https://tourguides.viator.com/Listing.aspx?Country=China


----------



## PrincessInOz

*The DIY Guide on what NOT to do for Suzhou – The Venice of the East*



"Capital of Silk," "Land of Abundance," "Gusu city," "Cradle of the Wu Culture," "World of Gardens," "Oriental Venice,” or “Venice of the East."  


These are some of the nicknames of Suzhou.  In my research, I knew that Suzhou would be a place that I needed to try and head to.  The town has managed to retain much of its heritage buildings and has some serious classical gardens that I wanted to go-see.   


Suzhou is a city (population size of about 5 million) on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and on the shores of Lake Taihu in the province of Jiangsu, China. Called the cradle of Wu culture, Suzhou is the oldest town in the Yangtze Basin, founded in 514 B.C. With the completion of the Grand Canal during the Sui Dynasty (581–618 C.E.), Suzhou found itself strategically located on a major trade route. That marked the emergence of Suzhou as a center for trade and commerce. Suzhou has been an important center for China's silk industry since the Song Dynasty (960-1279), and continues to hold that prominent position today.


Suzhou reached its golden age with the Ming Dynasty in 1368 C.E. During the Ming Dynasty, and the Qing dynasty which followed, aristocrats constructed many of the famous private gardens. From that period, the city has won renown for its beautiful stone bridges, pagodas, and meticulously designed gardens. By the end of World War II, many of the gardens lay in ruins. The Chinese government launched a project in the 1950s, to restore the gardens to their former glory. In 1981, the provincial government listed Suzhou as a historical and cultural heritage site, assisting Suzhou in becoming one of the most prosperous cities in China.  UNESCO designated the Classical Gardens of Suzhou a World Heritage Site in 1997 and 2000.  The noted Classical Gardens of Suzhou included the Humble Administrator’s Garden, The Master of the Nets, the Lingering Net and the Lion Grove (or Forest) Garden.


On the train to Suzhou, we chatted with one of the local residents.  He advised that we would need 4 full days to see everything that Suzhou had to offer.  We only had 7 hours!


Not that I regret doing things the way things unfolded but NEXT time, I would definitely stay 3 nights in Suzhou.   




(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*The DIY Guide on what NOT to do for Suzhou – What we Got Right – The Lion Forest Garden Tour*


On the tour that we kinda fell into, our first stop was the Lion Grove Garden.  Google Maps provided me with the rough orientation of where the Lion Forest Garden was in relation to the Suzhou Railway Station.  It’s located at 23 Yuanlin Grove in the Pingjiang area of Suzhou.







When we got outside the garden, the person who had ‘led’ us there started to gabble in Mandarin and then there was a flurry of activity.  It seemed that there was an exchange of cell-phone numbers going on between the other people from the bus and him.  When I went up to him with my Hong Kong number, he just shook his head and refused to take my number down.  He also didn’t give me his number.   My mother did try and ask him a question….but he just disappeared!  


So we were left to ask some of the other people from the bus.  Turns out that the ‘tour’ we had stumbled on was a go-at-your-own pace concept.  When we were ready to leave, we just needed to text the ‘guide’ and he would then meet us somewhere.   Before we knew it, those people we asked disappeared as well…..in the opposite direction to the garden and into the street…..for some shopping!!!


Ok.  Where did that leave us?!?!?!?!


Well….it left us staring at the entry to the Garden.  My mother reads enough Chinese to tell me that this says Lion Forest Garden.








As one of the four best known Classical Gardens in Suzhou, the Lion Grove is a typical southern garden of Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368).  The Lion Grove garden was first built in 1342 by the Monk Tianru and other disciples in memory of their teacher, the monk Zhongfeng. The garden is approximately 10,000 square meters and contains 22 pavilions, 71 steles, and numerous other works of art. 

It is said that Emperor Qianlong (18th century) visited the site six times and inscribed the word "Zhenqu" (true delight) to describe the garden's beauty.The inscription is still on display in a pavilion of the same name.

In its early years, the garden was famous as a place of retreat for painters and calligraphers. After Tianru's death, the garden passed through a number of hands and declined in later centuries.  In 1917, the garden was bought by a wealthy pigment trader Bei Runsheng, who did a great expansion and renovation to the garden for 9 years.  After Bei Runsheng’s death in 1945, the garden was taken over by his grandson and offsprings, who denoted the garden to the country later after the founding of People’s Republic of China in 1949.  After another renovation by the government, Lion Grove was opened to the public in 1954.




We figured there might have been some other people from the ‘small group’ that had headed on into the garden, so we thought we might as well go in and see how it all unfolded.


The Entrance Hall.  Ceremony halls, located near the entrance of the garden, have their own courtyard and are used for family celebrations.








I guess this was the entrance hall courtyard. 







Even at this early stage, this garden was ticking off some of the things I had hoped to see on this trip to China.







There were a lot of people walking through the garden but I found a quite spot to get a picture memory.







It was here that my mother found someone that she recognised from the minivan.  She struck up a conversation with him and despite his obvious initial reluctance, he eventually relented and let us tag along with him and his son.  

Our new ‘friends’ were initially wary of us.  We did politely keep our distance for a bit.  However, this garden was such a labyrinth of buildings, open spaces and corridors that eventually we all came to the tacit understanding that it was probably best if we stuck together.  You really don’t need words!







We got to another open courtyard.  This garden is famous for its rockery, which is mostly made of limestone taken from Taihu lake. The rocks have been piled up into forms resembling lions. The name of the garden "Lion Grove," came from a reference to lions in a Buddhist story which included descriptions of a rocky place in a bamboo forest (resembling the garden).

I think I can see a lion in that central rock!  In fact, I think it’s called the Nine Lions Peak.







As we walked, my mother overheard the older gentleman talk to his son.  My mother understood enough to know that this older gentleman was telling his son all about the history of the garden and the rocks and the design elements of the garden. 

The father was also telling his son to take pictures of this and of that.  His son shot with a Canon 80D; and after a while, it was obvious to me that he was a relatively novice photographer.  After politely watching from the sideline for a while, I started to show them the pictures I had taken and that kinda cemented the coexistence friendship.  I may not be able to speak Mandarin, but I could talk f-stop, ISO and shutter speed with the son through the back of a camera screen.  The father would then tell my mother what “we” should take a picture of….my mother would tell me…..I would take the picture…..and then show the picture and settings to the son.  You really don’t need words!


The father rattled off all sorts of things about the building.  I guess it’s one of those halls that this garden is noted for.  The father liked my interpretation of the hall and the son has a similar version in his collection. 






Onwards we went.







We entered the Room for Bowing to the Peak and Pointing to the Cypress.  






It was an amazing space filled with classical rosewood furniture, traditional wall hangings and oriental lamp shades.  I gather this could be one of the Principal Pavilions of a Classical Garden that are used for receiving guests and celebrating big holidays with a large crowd.  







Windows form essential part of a Chinese garden.  They provide a view to the outside garden and are meant to complement the setting rather than dominate it.







We kept going to the Ancient Five Pines Courtyard…..







 ……and eventually came out to the Lion Grove Garden Pond area.







It was here that you truly appreciate what a magnificent space and what a large garden this is! 







I took a picture of the father with my mother.  







We learnt a bit about our new friends here.  Aside from the father knowing a bit about the garden (turns out he had done significant research on this garden), we were to find out that he is a Classical Chinese painter.  His son had some pictures of his father’s work on his cell phone and he showed them to us.  They were stunning!  You know the type of Chinese painting you find of the Chinese landscape/countryside with all the bamboo, mountains, flowers etc?  That’s the type he does.

They were so stunning and amazing that my mother asked the father if he was famous.  He smiled and modestly replied “not really”; and the son said “yes”.  I do have his Chinese name and I need to bump into a friend of mine that can read Chinese and google in Chinese text.  I will not be surprised to find out that the father is truly famous.  The telling fact was that his household consists of 15 people.  I figure you wouldn’t have a household of 15 people if you weren’t notable enough to have the means to support that number; nor need that many helpers around the house if you a weren’t prominent person in China.   

His son turned out to be equally as eminent.  He is a Professor of Chinese Literature at a University.  


This is the inside of a stone boat.  It’s more recently built (I think it was added during Bei Runshing’s time); but I liked the windows.









The garden is most famous for its elaborate grotto of taihu rocks.  The grotto contains a maze of 9 paths winding through 21 caves across 3 levels.  At the top of the grotto is the Lion Peak, surrounded by four other stones - Han Hui, Xuan Yu, Tu Yue, and Ang Xiao - which collectively form the Famous Five Peaks.






Water is a very traditional element in a Chinese Garden.  In China, water symbolizes communication and dreams. The lake/pond here was extensive!  Lots of dream time.







I spent time exploring the grotto.







Naturally I found my way to the top of Lion Peak.







My mother and the father sat it out.







The pond divides the grotto into the east and west sections.  I didn’t quite make it to the west side, and I wish I had.  There’s a waterfall on that side of the garden.







There was just so much to see on the east side!







And the views were stunning.















It wasn’t just the view, I was charmed by the details on the path as well.







Naturally, I got lost and it took me a while to make it back to my mother and our new friends.







By this stage, we had spent over 2 hours in this garden and it was definitely time to move on.  We made our way out, via another set of pavilions.













The son and I were snapping away to our heart’s content at all the details.







The final building, which I believe was the original family residence and where the exit is.  







We had been quite happy with how the Lion Forest Garden turned out.  It had exceeded my expectations and my mother even commented that it was a better garden than the Humble Administrator’s Garden, which she visited on a previous visit. 

We made new friends in the father and son and I hope to catch up with my Chinese friend soon so that I can send them a message to keep in contact.




(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*The DIY Guide on what NOT to do for Suzhou – What we Got Right – The Grand Canal Cruise*



After we got out of the Lion Forest Garden, the son contacted the tour operator and one of them came to the garden exit to get us.  Just as well we hooked up with the father and son.  I wouldn't have had a clue as to how to get a-hold of the tour operator again!


We walked down this street, which I think is Yuanlin Road.  The white wall on the left is the Garden and you can see how everyone totally respects road traffic here.







I could see why some of the group disappeared outside for some shopping.  There were a few grocery and food stores plus shops selling silk, water pearls and general knick-knack souvenirs.  They looked pretty interesting to me.  Maybe next time.








Sadly for us, we had to say goodbye to our new friends at this point.  I wish we had stayed with them and continued with their tour.  But they didn’t want to go on the Grand Canal and we did.


At this point, our ‘small tour’ started to take a slight turn for the worse.  We ended up on a tour bus; with about 50 other people.  This was definitely not what I signed up for but we were still willing to go with the flow.  


The bus took us to a docking area.  Don’t ask me where….all I know is that we drove past some of the older part of Suzhou and I’m kicking myself for not taking any decent pictures of the town.


The barges we got on resembled the stone boat structures in the garden.







We found seats by the window and settled in.






And we watched the land slip by.







The Beijing-Hanzhou Grand Canal is the world's earliest and longest man-made waterway.  It’s approximately 1,800km long, which is 9 times longer than the Suez Canal. The canal connects the present cities Beijing in the north and Hangzhou in the south, which served as dynastic capitals in the past, and contains 24 locks and 60 bridges. Since most of China's major rivers flow from west to east, the fact that the Grand Canal runs north and south provides it as an important connector, both in economics and culture, between the Yangtze River valley and the Yellow River valley, and other minor river systems.   The Grand Canal allowed barges to transport rice from the Yangzi to the Yellow River and on to Luoyang and Kaifeng, the ancient capitals of China.  It allowed the rulers of the day to ensure that they maintained the status quo.  Afterall, as any ruler knew, hungry locals were more likely to rebel, and unfed soldiers couldn’t be counted on to keep both the peasants and potential invaders in check.   In June 2014, Unesco finally inscribed the Grand Canal on its World Heritage List.   Something for my next trip….when I make it to Beijing, I think I’m going to need to seek out the Grand Canal in Beijing’s suburb of Tongzhou.

The building of the canal began in 506 BC during the Wu State in Spring and Autumn Period. It was extended during the Qin Dynasty, and later by Emperor Yangdi of the Sui Dynasty during six years of furious construction from 605-610 AD.   Since construction began, there has always been the Grand Canal in Suzhou, making it the center of the universe for thousands of businessmen.  Of course, the route of the Grand Canal has been re-done quite a few times since it was first built and the current route between Beijing and Hanzhou is much more direct.

The barge took us past quite a few bridges.  A few were of the modern, concrete style….








….and a few were the old stone bridges.







We also drifted past local homes.  







I wonder what the price of real estate is here?


There was a guide that followed us on to the Canal cruise.  My mother was listening to his commentary and translating for me.  This was apparently the most famous bridge in all of Suzhou.







I’m guessing it’s Wumen Bridge, a single span stone bridge built in the 1870’s that’s over 9 meters tall.






By this point, my mother and I agreed that this part of the tour was also a winner.







The world kept drifting by.







And we drifted by the world.







I found the bridges to be rather interesting.






Even the more modern ones had interesting things to look at when you cruised on by.







It’s a completely different world under a bridge.









Heck…it’s a completely different world over a bridge.








Next time I plan a more leisurely trip to China, I’m definitely going to want to spend at least 3 nights in Suzhou.  









I think walking around the canal/river would be a nice way to pass an afternoon.







Especially if there are coffee stops along the way!







We did pass the Panmen area twice.  It’s about where the Wumen bridge is.  I captured the Land and Water Gate on the way back.   It looks lovely there and it will be on my list of places to visit in more detail next time I’m in Suzhou.







All in all, we were on the cruise for about an hour.







Best I can figure out, we covered a small area of the ‘Grand Canal’.  That Panmen Gate is what I’ve used to work out where we were.








We had been quite happy with how the Canal Cruise turned out.  It had met my expectations.  Next time, I’d like to see more of the Grand Canal…and certainly see sections where it passes through the old part of town.  I think I’d also like to see it at night.  I did notice the lights along the canal/river and I think it would be amazing at night!





(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*The DIY Guide on what NOT to do for Suzhou – What we Got Right – Ditching the Tour*


At this point, our ‘small tour’ headed south very rapidly.  We ended back on the bus, thinking we would head to another Garden or to the old town area.  Sadly, we were heading for a Silk Factory.  The guide on the bus was definitely talking in a highly-animated manner and my mother translated that he was talking up the quality of silk and that we should all be buying some silk bedsheets.

I definitely don’t remember ticking a silk factory!


We weren’t the only ones on the bus unhappy with the next destination.  There was at least another man on the bus yelling at the guide that he didn’t have time to go to a silk factory and that he didn’t sign up to go there either.

“No problem”, the guide responded.  “You can always leave the tour at any time you choose”.


To compound matters, the guide said that we would be at the Silk Factory for about 2 hours.  Plenty of time to look at everything the factory had to sell and for us to buy everything in the factory.


After a quick conference with my mother, we figured it might be time to ditch the tour.  For AU$60, we figured we’d gotten enough value from the Lion Forest Garden and the Canal Cruise.  


So, when we arrived at the factory, out of courtesy, my mother went to tell the guide that we weren’t staying with the tour.  The guide did try and convince us to stay but he didn’t try very hard.  He figured that we were deadly serious about ditching the tour.


“When I go to Australia, I buy all sorts of Australian things…koalas, kangaroos.  You are very rude.  When you come to China, you must buy our Chinese things in return.  If I can spend money in Australia, you can spend money in China.  Goodbye.”


Say what?


Yes.  According to my mother, that’s what he said to her before turning his back on her and walking away.

We had no problem turning our backs and walking away after that response.




(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*The DIY Guide on what NOT to do for Suzhou – What we Did Right – Stumbling across the Xiyuan Temple*



Okay.  I can see you all sitting there in the comfort of your homes shaking your head in disbelief.





We did what?  We ditched the tour!





We were in a strange town, and not knowing where we were, nor how to get back to the train station.  What were we thinking?




Yes. We. Ditched. the. Tour.




Well….you see, we were watching where the bus was heading to and the bus turned off a fairly main road and headed down a couple of hundred meters to the silk factory.  We also noticed that there was a gas station and an army barracks down that road.  In fact, the army barracks was located about 2 doors down from the silk factory and there were at least 5 or 6 army personnel stationed at the gate along the road.

We kinda figured we would head back to the main road and see if we could find a taxi to take us back to the train station.


Besides, there was a very pretty canal right next to that road.







There are over 300 canals in Suzhou.  We were bound to stumble on one!


Just past the army barracks and the gas station, we came across another 2 bridges.







They were charming enough to tempt us to walk across one of them.






I think you can see the gas station.   Where the green bus is, you’ll find the army barracks.  The silk factory is just a little further along.  Do you also see the orange wall on the right?


My luck was holding.







We had stumbled on the Xiyuan Temple.  It cost us 25 Yuan to enter.  

At nearly 2.5 acres, Xiyuan Temple is the largest Buddhist monastery in Suzhou.   The Temple was founded in the Yuan Dynasty.  That’s from the days of Kublai Khan in 1270.  I was to find out later that it is located on Liyuan Road and is also knows as the West Garden Temple.  







The garden belonged to a Senior Government Official, the Core Minister, during the Ming Dynasty. When the official passed, his son donated the garden to the monastery. Unfortunately, most of the buildings were demolished during the civil war between the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and Ta Tsing Empire periods in 1860. The monks rebuilt the Temple immediately after the war.


There were two towers along the entry walkway.  One is the Bell Tower, and the other is the Drum Tower.  As they were locked up, your guess is as good as mine as to which is which.












It really is a monastery temple.  I was to come across acolytes everywhere!







It didn’t take long for my mother and I to realise that we had completely fluked it right by ditching the tour.







This place was beautiful and serenely quiet!







We were really fighting for our personal space here.













This is the temple that the monks rebuilt.




















There were signs indicating that photography was not allowed inside the temple and I can totally respect that.







We followed the yellow brick wall and curled eaves……..







….to a building structure called Arhat Hall.  I seemed to have missed taking a picture of the building; but there were signs indicating that photography was not allowed in the hall either.  

Arhat Hall was amazing.







There was a collection of 500 life-sized statues of gilded Buddhist saints that just had to be seen to be believed.   


If the temple and hall weren’t enough, this place also has a garden area to explore.  








Okay.  Compared to the Lion Forest Garden, it’s positively sparse.  But there were still some features worth looking at.  







The temple is home to the Life-Releasing Pond. It was quite pretty around here with.  In the pond, we found the Huxin Pavilion.












Tortoises have been living in this pond since the Ming Dynasty.  There is a legend of a turtle that is over 300 years old.  We looked, but all we found was this old guy.







We did rub his head for luck.







We did find some fish in the pond.







I also came across some bonsai.






In this part of the garden, there were people reading palms and telling fortunes.







There was also a teahouse.  I didn’t enquire about the price.







By this stage, we’ve pretty much covered most of the Temple and the Garden.  And time was quickly running out on us.







So, we made our way out of the temple.







We had been quite happy with how ditching the tour turned out.  It could have all gone horribly wrong but if we hadn’t ditched the tour, we wouldn’t have seen the Xiyuan Temple.  Next time….well, there won’t be a next time.  I’d have my tour guide and touring plans all sorted out before I leave home.



(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*The DIY Guide on what NOT to do for Suzhou – The 12 Yuan Man aka How NOT to take a Picture of a Local *



On the way out, I decided to take the other bridge across the canal.  I had wanted to capture the first bridge we went over.







Unlike the other bridge, there were some locals on this bridge.  One of them was begging for money.  I thought he had a very interesting face; so I asked if I could take his picture.  He demanded money in return.  I put 2 Yuan in his jar and pulled the camera out.  He kept shaking his head and putting his hand in front of his face.  So, because I was feeling compassionate, I pulled 10 Yuan out (it was the smallest note I had in my purse) and he snaffled that note away before it was even out of my purse!  


This time, when I pulled my camera out, he let me take his picture.







I ended up with 3 similar pictures.  And because I took 3 pictures, the old man started to demand more money.  He made such a noise about it, that the other person on the bridge (someone who was trying to get us to pay money in return for reading our palms and tell us our fortune) came over to see what all the noise was about.

And when she found out what I had done, she started to scold me.  Apparently, 2 Yuan was MORE than enough.  Handing over the 10 Yuan note was not the done thing!  

So, there I was….on the bridge….with the 12 Yuan man and the fortune teller yelling at me.  We drew quite an audience.


Yeah.  Just what I needed.  More attention!  And all because I felt like being kind to the beggar.  We just made our exit as quick as we could.


Aussie Wendy was to ask me later in the day if I felt unsafe about taking his picture in a strange place when we didn’t know where we were.  In particular, she asked about whether I felt uncomfortable about having my expensive camera out with the beggars.  You know….I didn’t even give it much of a thought at that time and during the whole exchange, I never once felt unsafe.  

Afterall, the army barracks was just down the road; and there were 2 security men outside the temple gates as well.



(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*The DIY Guide on what NOT to do for Suzhou – What we Got Right – A Rickshaw Ride*



It ended up being surprisingly easy to get back to the train station.  When we got to the cross-road, we found a shopping mall there.  And there were a row of bus stops just outside the mall.  When we got to the bus stop, we flagged a taxi almost immediately and got back to the train station.  The taxi ride cost us about 40 Yuan.







We got back in such good time to the train station, that we thought we would find out if we could get back on an earlier train to Shanghai.  To cut a long story short, finding the right hall and right window at Suzhou Train Station was only just marginally easier than at Shanghai Train Station this morning.  And it turned out to be an exercise in futility.  It was Friday evening.  Every train to Shanghai was fully booked.


That left us with time to kill and I had one thing left on my list to tick off.


We went in search of a rickshaw.  We had seen them in the same area where we found the tuk-tuk this morning.

This time, I made sure that we double checked the fee for the both of us.  We got a ride on the rickshaw for about 30 Yuan.  At 30 Yuan, that equates to about $6 in my money.  Aside from making sure that the amount was for both of us, I didn’t even bother to get my mother to haggle.







We were heading along one of the sections of the Grand Canal.  At one point of the road, there was a slight hill.  The rickshaw rider sure earnt his money!







He was also incredibly kind.  He had heard me clicking away in the back seat and when we got to this vantage point, he stopped and got me to get out to take a picture.  That’s looking at the Canal/River and one of the ancient Gates.  I never did get the name of the gate; but it’s the one opposite the Railway Station.








That’s him and the rickshaw, with my mother in it.  I haven’t been in one since my childhood, so it was nice to revisit memories from a more innocent age!







He cycled us further along and again, stopped at another local park.








I was more than happy to snap away.







I know it’s not old; but it was still rather pretty here.














I guess I was seeing another section of the Grand Canal.







I asked if I could take his picture.  I didn’t have to hand over 12 Yuan for this one.








We had successfully ticked the clock down closer towards our scheduled train ride back to Shanghai.


The rider took us back to the train station and told us that next time, we should probably allocate more time for a rickshaw ride.  Apparently, they do cover a little more ground and take you into the old town section of Suzhou.

We thanked him and in the hand, we gave him 40 Yuan.  He did spend more time than we agreed and he had been very kind to stop off at some of the local scenic spots for me to take pictures.



I did spend a little bit of time making sure that I grabbed a proper picture of that Gate.







It must look beautiful at night!








I have to say that Suzhou exceeded my expectations.  Despite the ups and downs of the local ‘tour’, we managed to get around with very little planning.  There had been a lot of luck involved with the day and also a lot of going with the flow, but sometimes those end up being the best days!  In the end, we ended up seeing one of the 4 major gardens (although The Lion Forest Garden may not have been my first pick), took a ride down the Grand Canal, stumbled across a Temple and also got to ride in a rickshaw.  I think I ticked off 4 out of the 5 things I wanted to do.  The one thing left was to see the Old Town/Hutong area.  Maybe next time.  Would I do it again?  Absolutely.  Although....I'd definitely make sure I had everything locked in before leaving home.   I would also stay at Suzhou for 3 nights.  There sure is a lot to see here.








With that, we headed to our waiting area and platform to catch the train back to Shanghai.


----------



## franandaj

OK, I got through the update of getting there. So I'll comment on that for now.

Those noodles sound delicious! Now I want a big bowl of Pho for breakfast!

You have convinced me that if we go to China we will definitely hire guides the whole way. How was China "accessibility wise"?  Did you see any handicapped people functioning in the cities?


----------



## dolphingirl47

I really loved to read all about your trip to Suzhou. It looks like a fascinating city and you got a lot of ground covered even though not everything went according to plan.



PrincessInOz said:


> So we were left to ask some of the other people from the bus. Turns out that the ‘tour’ we had stumbled on was a go-at-your-own pace concept. When we were ready to leave, we just needed to text the ‘guide’ and he would then meet us somewhere.



That sounds like a potential recipe for disaster.



PrincessInOz said:


> It was here that my mother found someone that she recognised from the minivan. She struck up a conversation with him and despite his obvious initial reluctance, he eventually relented and let us tag along with him and his son.



That was a bit of luck.



PrincessInOz said:


> After politely watching from the sideline for a while, I started to show them the pictures I had taken and that kinda cemented the coexistence friendship. I may not be able to speak Mandarin, but I could talk f-stop, ISO and shutter speed with the son through the back of a camera screen.



It is amazing how those kinds of things sometimes work out.



PrincessInOz said:


> Aside from the father knowing a bit about the garden (turns out he had done significant research on this garden), we were to find out that he is a Classical Chinese painter.



Looks like you found some really interesting companions.



PrincessInOz said:


> The Beijing-Hanzhou Grand Canal is the world's earliest and longest man-made waterway. It’s approximately 1,800km long, which is 9 times longer than the Suez Canal.



Wow, that is really impressive.



PrincessInOz said:


> At this point, our ‘small tour’ headed south very rapidly. We ended back on the bus, thinking we would head to another Garden or to the old town area. Sadly, we were heading for a Silk Factory.



What a pain. 



PrincessInOz said:


> We had stumbled on the Xiyuan Temple.



It just goes to show that quite often things happen for a reason.

Corinna


----------



## shushh

PrincessInOz said:


> I hope you like the next update!!! And....only for you!!!


You really are a champion. Thank you! 



PrincessInOz said:


> Don't tell me you hadn't had one sorted out before reading my recommendation!!!!



Well I did have a couple in mind but uh'd and um'd about booking. Thought perhaps I might book one at local rates when we get there....


----------



## shushh

Firstly I really appreciate the big effort to write this up just for me! I was reading this first thing in the morning before my prep for our trip tomorrow to make sure that I have time to action things if need be before I left!

What an adventure you've had! I'm starting to think that my mandarin is nowhere near good enough..arghh! How I wanted to slap some of those people on your behalf...

I love how you've captured the beauty of Chinese architecture. I think I took it for granted growing up and never appreciated until recently. Always thinking that it looked boring and ugly compared to the grand European buildings and gardens. Gasp. I know...how ignorant huh? Your travelling companions were fortunate indeed to have stumbled upon you and your mother. I'm sure they got amazing shots! And I wonder if they were reluctant at first because the father is indeed famous as you suspect and hence the wariness?!!?



PrincessInOz said:


> There had been a lot of luck involved with the day and also a lot of going with the flow, but sometimes those end up being the best days!


Isn't it just so! When you stumble upon gems unexpectedly whether it be in the form of people, places or experiences is what makes the trip so memorable. It was how travelling used to be before the internet!


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> OK, I got through the update of getting there. So I'll comment on that for now.
> 
> Those noodles sound delicious! Now I want a big bowl of Pho for breakfast!



I hope you got some Pho in the last couple of days!  I decided that I needed some Hot Pot; so we had the home version for dinner last night.  I suspect home made Hot Pot might make it to my dinners a bit more over my winter months.





franandaj said:


> You have convinced me that if we go to China we will definitely hire guides the whole way.



You can either hire guides or book yourself in with one of those vacay tour companies.  But knowing how you two travel, I think the individual guide might be the better way to go for you.






franandaj said:


> How was China "accessibility wise"?  Did you see any handicapped people functioning in the cities?



I didn't see any handicapped people in Shanghai or in Suzhou.

However.....
Most of the Metro stations did have elevators going up and down.  They might not have been located in the exit that you may want; but that just means a longer walk.  The trains did have area for HA.

The areas that I headed to in Shanghai were mostly flat and well paved, so it would be easy to navigate.  But then...my idea of flat and well-paved may not match yours.  

The restrooms.....you know that China does a lot of squat toilets, right?  But a lot of them might have Western style facilities at the back of most.  There were one or two, in Suzhou, that only had the squat styles but not the Western ones.  
But I did find HA facilities in most of the more Western/touristy areas, so unless you're going to wander off the beaten track, you should be okay.  Disney definitely had them in all of the ones I went to around the park.

Disney also had elevators in the most unexpected locations to get you from a lower level up to the higher level.  I didn't go seeking them; but I did stumble across at least one elevator that was very well incorporated into the design of the area.

I didn't see any one in scooters at Disney or outside in the cities.  Outside....pedestrian traffic and motorised traffic is chaotic.  People walk where they want and the two wheeled scooters and bicycles will go on sidewalks without too much regard for the pedestrians.  If you're thinking about taking the scooters, you might want to take your scooters with very good brakes on them.


----------



## PrincessInOz

dolphingirl47 said:


> I really loved to read all about your trip to Suzhou. It looks like a fascinating city and you got a lot of ground covered even though not everything went according to plan.



I loved Suzhou.  I think when I head back, I will plan 3 nights there and cover even more ground.  It offered the history and cityscape that I was looking for.  I suspect that I will love Beijing for the same reason as well.





dolphingirl47 said:


> That sounds like a potential recipe for disaster.



  I was rather concerned until we found the father and son.







dolphingirl47 said:


> It just goes to show that quite often things happen for a reason.
> 
> Corinna



Absolutely.  I'm a firm believer in that as well.  You never really know how things may turn out.


----------



## PrincessInOz

shushh said:


> You really are a champion. Thank you!



Safe travels!  Have a blast in Shanghai.  
Although.....I expect that when you're reading this, you may well have completed your travels and are back home.





shushh said:


> Well I did have a couple in mind but uh'd and um'd about booking. Thought perhaps I might book one at local rates when we get there....



Ah.  That was the same as me.  
You may have better luck with your hotel concierge than I did nearer Nanjing Road.  I will be interested to hear how it all went with your guide.


----------



## PrincessInOz

shushh said:


> Firstly I really appreciate the big effort to write this up just for me! I was reading this first thing in the morning before my prep for our trip tomorrow to make sure that I have time to action things if need be before I left!



I wish I could have finished up Shanghai for you.  I still have the rest of the night, plus the next day to go before we headed to Disney.  
Still....by the time you're reading this, you'll have your own experiences to add to the conversation.  Hope you have fun!





shushh said:


> What an adventure you've had! I'm starting to think that my mandarin is nowhere near good enough..arghh!



Any Mandarin will be better than none!  I expect you'll find that your Mandarin will be more than sufficient.





shushh said:


> How I wanted to slap some of those people on your behalf...



Next time, I'll take you with me!  





shushh said:


> I love how you've captured the beauty of Chinese architecture. I think I took it for granted growing up and never appreciated until recently. Always thinking that it looked boring and ugly compared to the grand European buildings and gardens. Gasp. I know...how ignorant huh?



That's exactly like me, shushh.  I think growing up in Asia.....you tend to be more Western centric.....and then to ignore the beauty of what you have in your backyard.  
Oh well.....there's still time in our lives to head to Asia and appreciate the beauty of that continent.






shushh said:


> Your travelling companions were fortunate indeed to have stumbled upon you and your mother. I'm sure they got amazing shots! And I wonder if they were reluctant at first because the father is indeed famous as you suspect and hence the wariness?!!?



I don't know if they got the better end of the association.  I just know that we had a great time with them!





shushh said:


> Isn't it just so! When you stumble upon gems unexpectedly whether it be in the form of people, places or experiences is what makes the trip so memorable. It was how travelling used to be before the internet!



At times, this trip to Shanghai brought back those days of travelling without the internet to me.


----------



## zanzibar138

Wow what an interesting day you had! Glad it all turned out for the best in the end. And at least through the 'small group tour' you met your new Chinese friends


----------



## tiggrbaby

Those noodles looked delish!

You did a great job of turning what could have been a disaster into a wonderful day!  Especially loved your pics with the reflections.


----------



## Paula Sedley-Burke

Great update on your event filled day. Your Mother looks as sweet as candy. Mental note go to China get a private tour guide. The Lion Gardens look amazing. 

Lol re trying to emotionally blackmail to the silk factory where the high pressure sales will start. Like the souks in Dubai. Yes no thanks too long in the tooth mate. You were very wise to make those decisions. 

I loved all your photos. It's such a different culture and architecture fascinating to us in the West.


----------



## WanderlustNZ

More great posts.  
What a fabulous day you had - you squeezed so much in.  
I'm going to have to go back and look at my photos of Suzhou as strangely none of your pics triggered any memories.  
All I remember is being on a small boat travelling down small canals and there being a lot of lanterns and old buildings.  Perhaps all we saw on our visit was an older part of town.  
It seems there is plenty more to explore if I'm ever back in the area.


----------



## WanderlustNZ

PrincessInOz said:


> I loved Suzhou.  I think when I head back, I will plan 3 nights there and cover even more ground.  It offered the history and cityscape that I was looking for.  I suspect that I will love Beijing for the same reason as well.
> .



You should definitely add Beijing to the bucket list.  You have such a wonderful way of absorbing and retelling history and there is just so much there.  

Plus if you ever get the opportunity, visit the Li River.  It's a photographers paradise, and my favourite of all the places we visited in China.


----------



## PrincessInOz

zanzibar138 said:


> Wow what an interesting day you had! Glad it all turned out for the best in the end. And at least through the 'small group tour' you met your new Chinese friends



Yes.  I was very pleased to have met them.  And it all worked out in the end.  






tiggrbaby said:


> Those noodles looked delish!
> 
> You did a great job of turning what could have been a disaster into a wonderful day!  Especially loved your pics with the reflections.



Thank you!

I'm also relieved and pleased that it worked out the way it did.







Paula Sedley-Burke said:


> Great update on your event filled day. Your Mother looks as sweet as candy.



Aww.  You're sweet to say it.    I'll tell her you said so.





Paula Sedley-Burke said:


> Mental note go to China get a private tour guide.



I should have booked one before I left.  I just figured I would be able to get one at local rates when I got to China.  I'm sure you can....I just didn't work out how!





Paula Sedley-Burke said:


> The Lion Gardens look amazing.











Paula Sedley-Burke said:


> Lol re trying to emotionally blackmail to the silk factory where the high pressure sales will start. Like the souks in Dubai. Yes no thanks too long in the tooth mate. You were very wise to make those decisions.



On a different day and with a different agenda, I may have been willing to go to the silk factory.  But not on this trip.








Paula Sedley-Burke said:


> I loved all your photos. It's such a different culture and architecture fascinating to us in the West.



I found the architecture and culture fascinating as well.  I'm definitely mellowing and being more accepting of my Asian heritage as I grow older!!!  [/QUOTE]


----------



## PrincessInOz

WanderlustNZ said:


> More great posts.
> What a fabulous day you had - you squeezed so much in.
> I'm going to have to go back and look at my photos of Suzhou as strangely none of your pics triggered any memories.
> All I remember is being on a small boat travelling down small canals and there being a lot of lanterns and old buildings.  Perhaps all we saw on our visit was an older part of town.
> It seems there is plenty more to explore if I'm ever back in the area.



Sadly, I missed out on the old Hutong/town area in Suzhou.  I expect that's where you went to and I was really hoping to get a canal ride down the old part of town.  Oh well.  Next time.  I know I definitely need to spend more time in Suzhou.






WanderlustNZ said:


> You should definitely add Beijing to the bucket list.  You have such a wonderful way of absorbing and retelling history and there is just so much there.



I'm hoping that @Aussie Wendy might be persuaded to add some of her Beijing pictures and experience to this TR at some stage.   (No pressure!)

It is on my list.  I came home and had one of those conversations with DH.  I think we may prioritise Japan over China; but we think our next two vacays will be Japan and then China.






WanderlustNZ said:


> Plus if you ever get the opportunity, visit the Li River.  It's a photographers paradise, and my favourite of all the places we visited in China.



I'll add it to the list.  I want to do a Yangzte cruise.  Maybe I can figure out the Li River in the itinerary.

ETA.  I just checked.  Yes, the Li River is on my list.  We want to go to Guilin.  It's very high on DH's list.


----------



## PrincessInOz

*A Very Late Afternoon Snack*



Anyone else notice that there is a lack of food porn on this day?


Well…..we were so busy trying to work out what to do and what not to do in Suzhou that we never really found a place to have lunch.  There were a number of carts selling food when we got off the canal cruise but I wasn’t in the mood to buy something off those carts; especially without knowing the pedigree of cooking.  


And then when we ditched the tour, we weren’t necessarily in a position to go seek out something to eat either.


So….it was only when we got back to the station that we finally found something to snack on.  It was too late for lunch; so we ended up with just a snack.


The waiting area at Suzhou Train Station is just one big cavernous space.







The main waiting hall is just that.  A waiting hall; and you may notice the ‘blocks’ in the picture.  Those blocks were either restrooms (and they did have Western style facilities) and a few of them did have shops.  But the shops weren’t food places that you might expect in a western train station.  It took us a while to cotton on…..but look at the upper level.  Within each ‘block’, there would be a flight of stairs heading up.  That’s where you’ll find the food places.


So, in the end, we picked one of the blocks and found a zongzi, warm…..and filled with red bean.  







Sorry for the low quality of the picture.  But I was taking it with the smart phone and was in a rush to wolf the food down.

From memory, the Zongzi cost about 10 Yuan or so.  It might have been a little less or a bit more.  I don't exactly remember because my mother was paying for it whilst I got us some bottled water (which runs at about 3 or 4 Yuan for the standard size).



(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Shanghai DisMeet Dinner - Two Becomes Four*


As much as I would have liked more time in Suzhou, I was very keen to head back to Shanghai today.  Afterall, today, the other Aussie Dis-sers that signed up to the Shanghai vacay were starting to arrive.


So….@Aussie Wendy lives in Queensland.  She had started out the earliest of us all, with her DD, and had headed to Beijing first.  They were arriving to Shanghai today.  They had gotten to Shanghai in the afternoon, whilst we were still at Suzhou, and were catching in the sights on the Bund when we finally got back.  Thank goodness for a working cellphone service!  We certainly WhatApp’ed each other a little so that we could work out a suitably convenient time to meet up.


In the end, we caught up with them outside Daimaru on Nanjing Road.


Aussie Wendy and I have been Dis-Meeting, mostly in Melbourne, over the last 4 or 5 years now.  

(Hmmm…..I think it might be my turn to head up to Queensland for our next catch-up!  By my count, it’s 3-0 in her favour!)


I guess Shanghai is about as good a place as any for a DisMeet, right?


Wendy asked me to find a place for dinner.  Well…..I’d only spent an afternoon in Shanghai and hadn’t really gotten too many ideas.  We thought of heading back to the Hot Pot location simply because there were other restaurants on the other levels.  But when we suggested it, Wendy and her DD told us that they had sampled a Hot Pot in Beijing.  

Also, Wendy and her DD told us that they weren’t really hungry.  They only wanted something light.
I think their lack of appetite had something to do with a multiple order of Shanghai Dumplings in Beijing, a miscommunication of sorts.  So, that put dumplings out of the picture as well.


Something light?  Well….I thought of heading back to Shi-tan Lu immediately.  We walked down the street and showed them the snacks there.  But it wasn't quite what Wendy had in mind. 

You may recall that this street also had a few small eating establishments.







We checked out the menus and decided on this place.



 



Of all the places down the street, this one had a little Chinese interior décor cred.







Wendy’s DD captured the DisMeet moment.







We were too busy chatting and eating; that I completely forgot to take any pictures of the dinner!  Afterall, I was a little hungry.  This is as good as it gets tonight.







We ended up with an order of ½ Roast Duck, a serve of Chinese broccoli and an order of eggplant, with a little spice.  We also got 2 bowls of rice to share and tea for all.



On reflection, I think I could have done with a bit more food on this night.  


The bill for dinner came to 129 Yuan.  That’s about $26 in my money.



(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*A Little Night Exploration – Follow the Leader to the Former French Concession*


After dinner, my mother headed back to the hotel for an early night.  She had gotten tired from her day in Suzhou.  Aussie Wendy, her DD and I decided we needed to go-see a bit more of Shanghai.


This was the other side of Nanjing Road (East) towards the People’s Square train station.







We found some activity in one of the small cross-streets.  I guess it’s a recreation of Shanghai in the 20’s and 30’s and the gangster opium scene.



 




We kept walking to the People's Square train station and boarded a train out.  

Our excursion destination for this night was the Former French Concession of Shanghai.  


The Former French Concessions (FFC) of Shanghai was one of those foreign tracks of land ceded by the Chinese.  In this case, this track was ceded to the French from 1849 to 1943.  From the time of inception and right up until today, the FFC is one of the premier areas to live and shop when in Shanghai.  I gather property values there are even more expensive than New York!


For this excursion, I figured it was better to let Aussie Wendy and her DD work out where we were going to.  I just played follow the leader!

The upshot is….I kinda know where we went but I’m not entirely sure of the details.  Best I can work out, we started out at the Huangpi South Road Station (at least I think it was there) and walked our way towards the Shaanxi South Street Station (at least I think it was there).  I also think our meandering for this night roughly followed the blue dotted line in this map below.  Wendy can confirm when she gets back on the Dis again.  








No matter.  I’ll just share what I captured on the camera.  

We headed towards Xintiandi, a fashionable district composed of an area of reconstituted traditional mid-19th century shikumen ("stone gate") houses on narrow alleys….. 







…..cafes and restaurants.  Any number of celebrity chefs have opened up dining establishments in Shanghai and Xintiandi.  








Most of the cafes and restaurants feature both indoor and outdoor seating.  It looked great to me and perhaps we should have headed here to find a place for dinner instead.  Next time.  








Xintiandi is also known as a shopping mecca.  For the eagle-eyed amoung you, that's a Shanghai Tang store right there.  Silk apparel in there will be about 5 - 10x what you will find in the silk stores elsewhere. 







This one is for Aussie Wendy.








We found much to admire here and lots of ambience.








You can see why it’s popular with the expat community.







I liked the mix of the old and new in this part of Shanghai.







We did wander down some of the narrow longtangs.  There was an old world charm to it all.








The FFC is renowned for it’s tree-lined streets.  As it was early spring in Shanghai, I expect this would have been a prime example in a couple of months.







I do wish we had more time to spend in the FFC but we only had this night.  Oh well.  It’ll give me something to come back to Shanghai for. 







We found a historic building here.  It’s the Museum of the First National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party.  The museum combines exhibits about the history of China, the history of the city of Shanghai, and the events surrounding the foundation of the Chinese Communist Party.







I think Wendy led us down Xingye Road and down Nanchang Road.  We must has headed down Sinan Road because I remember we walked past the former residence of Sun Yat Sun.  I contemplated taking a picture but I do remember watching Rick Stein in Shanghai and he did say that the security guards did not want them filming anywhere near the residence.  


I don’t remember whether we saw this cute place in Sinan Road or Fuxing Middle Road (I think it was Sinan) but we had to stop to take a picture of it.







Super cute….and super tempting.  So we headed on in.







We sat at this table.







I was duly amused by the sign.  Western style facilities here!








There was a super eclectic collection inside.




















We ordered drinks.  2 English Breakfast teas and 1 hot chocolate.








No prizes for guessing which one was mine.








And yes, I did check out the outside garden.







It was a very pleasant way to end the day.  

After this, we walked to Shaanxi South Street Station.  We caught the Metro back to our respective hotels, with plans on meeting up for the next day.  I was really grateful to Wendy for taking the lead on this night’s excursion.  It gave me time to just sit back and enjoy the sights without having to think about where to go next or look at a map.  Thank you, Wendy.


Oh.  For the record, the bill for the drinks came to 147 Yuan.  Yes.  It was more expensive than dinner!!!  And for anyone interested.  If you are planning on having coffee in Shanghai, be prepared to part with about 50 Yuan for a latte or cappuccino.  That’s about $10 in my money.

The exception to this pricing is Starbucks.  You’ll fork over about 30 Yuan (or about $6) there.


----------



## zanzibar138

Looks like you had a lovely evening! That hot chocolate looks well worth the money


----------



## Aussie Wendy

Fairy Floss said:


> I'm pretty sure he collected a commission for bringing.....
> I would guarantee that this happened
> 
> Also Viator is a company that resells tours - sort of like a broker
> Most tours in China include a compulsory shopping tour at a government store (very annoying!)
> 
> 
> Okie dokies....
> my telco in Aus is Vodafone
> One of the reasons I am with them is they charge only $5 a day to use your phone/data plan in certain countries overseas (AND you only pay for the days you actually use it)
> China is one of the countries
> I downloaded express VPN - this was an app on my phone and I managed to get a 7 day free trial
> My connection was L.A. - I didn't know how to change my connection
> I didn't have too much trouble with this and the hotel wifi
> The free park wifi was fine - except for day 2 - SDL decided you needed a code sent to your phone via SMS to connect (I decided I didn't want to spend $5 to connect to 'free' wifi)
> I needed to use Vodafone in Hong Kong - the free park wifi was so patchy that didn't realise it existed



My experience. We also have a "temporary" vodofone deal that we bought for I think 6 months just to use for a series of trips us and some rellies were taking to access the $5/day option and then we plan to cancel as our main phone is with Telstra (who DH works for so we get a staff discount). We planned on using the $5/day on days that we needed to connect to others (like fellow Disers) figuring we might not use it every day. We also downloaded a free one month trial of Express VPN before we left, installed it on the phone and made sure it worked. In China we "switched it on" each time we needed it before trying to connect to any internet sites. It worked fine using Hong Kong as our country (and it was easy to choose which country to connect through as it asked us each time we activated it) - sometimes we had to hit re-connect immediately twice in a row, occasionally it dropped out but re-connection took seconds. I would recommend it and use it again without hesitation. Free wifi in SDL was middling - sometimes it worked sometimes it didn't. Like Fairy Floss one day it asked us for a code via SMS - again not wanting to "waste" $5 we didn't bother. The wifi worked fine in the hotels. By the by we also went to Beijing and stayed one night in a central hotel in Shanghai. Free wifi was included in both hotels and worked perfectly and we used it for some local info but we needed to have Express VPN switched on if we wanted to access Google and gmail. We used WhatsApp to message my DH back home. I can't remember (my DD would) if that only worked if Express VPN was switched on but I think so.


----------



## Aussie Wendy

Finished reading about Suzhou-I have to go there. Funnily DD good friend and fellow student's dad is living and working in China - we thought outside Shanghai somewhere. After we got back she discovered he lives in Suzhou!!! (at least if 'Imo' got her pronunciation right!) Definitely added Suzhou to my return list with DH and on the Grand Canal, look what is in my Beijing collection by the Houhai lakes -

Totally failing to add flickr link - (switched from Photobucket to Flickr). Dis Tech support pages don't seem to help. Can't find reference to a BB code anywhere on Flickr image when I right click as their instructions say, just to FB, Tumblr et al. Help please someone in the know.


----------



## dolphingirl47

PrincessInOz said:


> Well…..we were so busy trying to work out what to do and what not to do in Suzhou that we never really found a place to have lunch.



I know that feeling. This has happened to us on a few trips.



PrincessInOz said:


> So, in the end, we picked one of the blocks and found a zongzi, warm…..and filled with red bean.



That looks nice.



PrincessInOz said:


> We ended up with an order of ½ Roast Duck, a serve of Chinese broccoli and an order of eggplant, with a little spice. We also got 2 bowls of rice to share and tea for all.



I am glad you got some duck.



PrincessInOz said:


> I gather property values there are even more expensive than New York!



Wow, that is impressive.



PrincessInOz said:


> We headed towards Xintiandi, a fashionable district composed of an area of reconstituted traditional mid-19th century shikumen ("stone gate") houses on narrow alleys…..



This looks amazing.



PrincessInOz said:


> The exception to this pricing is Starbucks. You’ll fork over about 30 Yuan (or about $6) there.



That is surprising that Starbucks is cheaper than other places.

Corinna


----------



## dolphingirl47

Aussie Wendy said:


> Totally failing to add flickr link - (switched from Photobucket to Flickr). Dis Tech support pages don't seem to help. Can't find reference to a BB code anywhere on Flickr image when I right click as their instructions say, just to FB, Tumblr et al. Help please someone in the know.



I use Flickr. If I pull up a photo, I get 5 icons to the right of it. You want the middle one, which is the slightly curved arrow. When you click on this, a box with various tabs comes up. The last tab is BB code. Then you just have to select the size and copy the link.

Corinna


----------



## Aussie Wendy

You are making me sound obstreperous PIO with dinner! I guess we wanted more than snacks but less than a big 3 course meal-lol! You should have spoken up more forcefully. Sorry if you were still hungry that first night - we should have ordered two meat dishes in retrospect, especially given how bony that duck was! Readers wait til we get to the chicken with its head still on in Disneytown....... 

It was fun wandering around the FC (and catching up on what's been going on in our lives). Being after dark we couldn't walk through Fuxing Park which the route I was following and then I got a bit disorientated going around it. When I figure out my flickr posting I will put up the map and where we deviated. I think a bit later in the year with the trees all in leaf would have been more evocative for a wander too. The antique + coffee shop was a great find. I was very envious of your hot chocolate and wish I'd had the same and blown my slightly dodgy lactose tolerances! 

I will post pics and of course the accompanying story on Beijing for the info of those who plan to visit, just as soon as I learn how to operate with Flickr and I get time (I am thinking over Easter!) In the meantime I am really enjoying your take and of course your amazing pics, on Shanghai!


----------



## Aussie Wendy

dolphingirl47 said:


> I use Flickr. If I pull up a photo, I get 5 icons to the right of it. You want the middle one, which is the slightly curved arrow. When you click on this, a box with various tabs comes up. The last tab is BB code. Then you just have to select the size and copy the link.
> 
> Corinna



The trouble is Corinna that I am not getting those icons to the right of it. What am I doing wrong? At the moment the photo is sitting under Camera Roll. I wanted to create an album (as this will form part of a China album) but it just has link to camera roll underneath. I feel like I am in the totally wrong spot to start with?


----------



## Aussie Wendy

Ok I see add to album and have done that but I still don't get any icons to the side if I click on it in album only underneath 4 icons for share (to FB et al), delete, make a book and download.


----------



## zanzibar138

Ok I'll see if I can explain it Aussie Wendy...

When I go into Flickr I go to my Photostream (not Camera Roll).
Then I click on the photo I want. There should be 5 icons to the right hand side underneath the photo.
Click on the arrow, choose your size, and copy the link!

Hope that helps.


----------



## Aussie Wendy

Forget what I just posted. I think I finally have it.

See if this works.



DSC02465 (768x1024) by Wendy Brealey, on Flickr


----------



## PrincessInOz

zanzibar138 said:


> Looks like you had a lovely evening! That hot chocolate looks well worth the money



It was a very good hot chocolate.   I guess this was one of those "when in Shanghai/China" situations where the cost of the chocolate was a real sticker shock.  It was the same with coffee.  I FLAT-ly refused to pay $10 for coffee until we got to the Starbucks at Disneytown.  $6....I could swallow.


----------



## Aussie Wendy

So how do I get rid of the name of the photo appearing also?


----------



## PrincessInOz

dolphingirl47 said:


> I am glad you got some duck.



Peking Duck was the only un-ticked item off my foodie list for this trip.  The Peking Duck restaurant was just a little too far away for us.  If there had been one nearer the end of Nanjing Road we were in, we would probably have been happy to stop and eat there.





dolphingirl47 said:


> That is surprising that Starbucks is cheaper than other places.



I know, right?  That's the way the pricing was in Shanghai.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Aussie Wendy said:


> Finished reading about Suzhou-I have to go there. Funnily DD good friend and fellow student's dad is living and working in China - we thought outside Shanghai somewhere. After we got back she discovered he lives in Suzhou!!! (at least if 'Imo' got her pronunciation right!) Definitely added Suzhou to my return list with DH



So.....when are "we" planning on going back with the DH's???


----------



## PrincessInOz

Aussie Wendy said:


> Totally failing to add flickr link - (switched from Photobucket to Flickr). Dis Tech support pages don't seem to help. Can't find reference to a BB code anywhere on Flickr image when I right click as their instructions say, just to FB, Tumblr et al. Help please someone in the know.



I sure hope that either Corinna or Zanzibar help you out because I don't use Flickr anymore.  I know they've updated their functionality a few times since I last went in there and I think I had the same issue....couldn't find the BB or URL codes at all!

Good luck with it and I hope to see some pics of Beijing.  No pressure.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Aussie Wendy said:


> You are making me sound obstreperous PIO with dinner! I guess we wanted more than snacks but less than a big 3 course meal-lol! You should have spoken up more forcefully.




Sorry!  I didn't mean to make you sound obstreperous.  And you totally weren't at all!!!  I think I completely misunderstood your definition of light meal.  On hindsight, we should have headed up one of the shopping malls on Nanjing Road to see if they had a food court....or headed towards Xintiandi earlier.  Next time!


----------



## PrincessInOz

Aussie Wendy said:


> Readers wait til we get to the chicken with its head still on in Disneytown.......







And you were right about the pinkness of the chicken as well.  I came home and looked at the picture and couldn't believe that I ate it as well!!!


----------



## PrincessInOz

Aussie Wendy said:


> Forget what I just posted. I think I finally have it.
> 
> See if this works.





YAY!  It worked!!!


Did you find the Grand Canal?


----------



## Aussie Wendy

That was right by the side of the Houhai lake systems so I am presuming that this last lake forms the end of the canal in Beijing? I have to do some more research as at the time I hadn't read about the Grand Canal (coincidentally I just finished a fiction book - since getting back - in which it was mentioned) and yes the Antique Garden Cafe was in Sinan Rd.


----------



## Paula Sedley-Burke

I can't get over the vibrant colours and neons in Shanghai. It looks almost like a movie set. Lovely photos of you. How nice to meet up with Aussie Wendy and DD. 

The sights are just amazing. I can't stop looking at them! 

Thanks for posting. Yummy hot chocolate. Still cheaper than a coke in Venice...


----------



## dolphingirl47

Aussie Wendy said:


> So how do I get rid of the name of the photo appearing also?



Unfortunately that is a little cumbersome. About halfway in the link, you will see [/img][/url]. If you delete everything behind it, it will just show the photo and not the name. When I copy and paste the link, it actually inserts a break after [/img][/url] so deleting it is nice and easy. It is just a pain to have to do with for every photo.

Corinna


----------



## zanzibar138

Aussie Wendy said:


> So how do I get rid of the name of the photo appearing also?





dolphingirl47 said:


> Unfortunately that is a little cumbersome. About halfway in the link, you will see [/img][/url]. If you delete everything behind it, it will just show the photo and not the name. When I copy and paste the link, it actually inserts a break after [/img][/url] so deleting it is nice and easy. It is just a pain to have to do with for every photo.
> 
> Corinna



Yep, I do this too. So annoying!


----------



## PrincessInOz

Aussie Wendy said:


> That was right by the side of the Houhai lake systems so I am presuming that this last lake forms the end of the canal in Beijing? I have to do some more research as at the time I hadn't read about the Grand Canal (coincidentally I just finished a fiction book - since getting back - in which it was mentioned) and yes the Antique Garden Cafe was in Sinan Rd.



Thanks for confirming!


(And yes.  If and when I head to Beijing, I'm going to need to go seek it out as well....now that I know it exists.  And it looks like there are cruises that run down the Grand Canal.)


----------



## PrincessInOz

Paula Sedley-Burke said:


> I can't get over the vibrant colours and neons in Shanghai. It looks almost like a movie set. Lovely photos of you. How nice to meet up with Aussie Wendy and DD.
> 
> The sights are just amazing. I can't stop looking at them!
> 
> Thanks for posting. Yummy hot chocolate. Still cheaper than a coke in Venice...



Thanks for reading!

It was really nice to catch up with all the Aussie contingent that made the trek over.


----------



## Aussie Wendy

Thanks Corinna and Zanzibar. Now I know. Hmm Photobucket is quicker and easier - have to see what I have on there though as I know it was getting full at one stage.


----------



## WanderlustNZ

Another great update.  The French part of town looks charming.


----------



## PrincessInOz

WanderlustNZ said:


> Another great update.  The French part of town looks charming.



I really enjoyed the night time meandering.  It will be somewhere that I'd like to get back to during daylight hours.


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Day 3 – Shanghai to Shanghai Disneyland*


*The Second Breakfast*



We got up early again.  Afterall, breakfast was calling our name!  We grabbed our standard table.







This time, I was much more comfortable with the hotel and figured I was just going to take pictures of the buffet area.







There are a lot of buffet warmers.  That’ll give you an idea that we did have the full Western style options as well as the Eastern options.



In the right-hand corner, you’ll find my La-la Mein master noodle maker.



 



There was also the percolated coffee and if you notice the container on the left of the picture, the Chinese seem to like warm/hot milk!  I suspect it was a solution made from powdered milk.  By my Aussie milk standards, it never really looked like the right milk colour to me.


There were also cold fruit and veg options.







I was surprised by the fruit selection.  Maybe it was just the season and what was available in China, but there wasn’t the wide selection of fruit I would expect at a standard buffet.








What I found interesting about the buffet were the Asian condiments.  You would grab a selection of these pickles to have with congee.







Likewise with the salted egg and preserved tofu.








The selection of breads and pastry was also diverse.  Aside from the expected Western options….







….we also found the Eastern options to be ample.







Yes.  I did notice them.   I liked the quirky table decorations very much!







Once again, I went with the handmade noodle breakfast.  I also got a some of the Asian condiments to go with my meal.  I do like salted duck eggs but it is something of an acquired taste.  








For those wondering how the eggs are made, I have made salted duck eggs myself at home.  Soak the duck eggs in a brine solution (a 25% salt to hot water solution, boiled to dissolved and then cooled right down to room temperature), with some peppercorns, star anise and rice wine for at least 25 days.  



I had looked at the fruit the morning before and passed up on it.  Not so this morning.








Believe it or not….the kumquat was sweet!  The skin was sweet and completely edible.  It must be a completely different variety to the kumquat we get in Australia.



My mother also got some fruit this morning….and an egg, boiled in some soy sauce and water.  If you do see this at an East/West buffet, it is worth trying.  The water can be flavoured with various additions such as soy sauce, mirin or sake, brown sugar and ginger.  When you peel the egg, the other bit of the eggwhite might be a little brown; but that’s what adds additional flavour to the hard boiled egg.








Once again, we enjoyed the buffet breakfast at the hotel.  Our second breakfast was also our last one at this hotel.  So, I said my goodbyes to the master noodle maker and thanked him.  I sure hope he understood how much I had enjoyed his food.






(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Not Fun Moment with the Credit Card*



One of the things that any traveller thinks about before leaving for an overseas vacation…..will my credit card work in the country that I’m going to?


For us Aussies, the answer is invariably yes.  Afterall, we live in an island continent and if we want to see anything of the world, we have to travel.  Therefore, it is almost a given that our banks will have already worked out arrangements with any bank in the world for credit card, cash withdrawals etc for their travelling customers.


The only thing the banks require is for their customers to let them know that they are travelling so that they can update the information in their systems.  

My bank has progressed this side of the transaction to the point where I no longer have to go into a branch and inform them over the counter.  I can update the details via my online banking account.  I had duly completed this exercise about a week beforehand.


I will admit that I had given a bit more thought about the combination of cash, credit and prepaid debit card for this trip than for any of my other vacations.  Afterall, it was my first time in China.  Still.....I figured that there are a lot of Australians that do travel to China every year and no one has ever complained about not having banking access.  I reasoned that banking and the use of credit cards in China would be fairly standard.   


In any event, what you would hear is the occasional story about credit card scam.  Been there, done that.  DH's card had been scammed on a previous vacay to Orlando and there was no way I wanted a repeat of having to deal with the changeover of cards again. 

So I decided to carry a lot more cash than normal.  I effectively carried enough cash for the daily expenses, small souvenir purchases and enough to cover all ground travel costs.  I had only planned to use the credit card for larger purchases at departmental stores or at Disney.  I also had prepaid for all my accommodation in China and prepaid for the SDL park tickets.  

It actually works out well as China is predominantly a cash society anyway.



For the record and for security/peace of mind reasons – I did leave the bulk of the cash behind in the hotel safes as soon as I checked in.  I only carried a daily allowance with me.



Anyhoo........

When we checked into the Central Hotel, they requested a hold of about 1000 Yuan (about $200 in my money).  I could have left cash or they would have put a transaction hold on my credit card for the amount.  Given that it was the hotel and not some fly-by-night store, I chose to use the credit card.  At point of check-in, there was no issue with the hotel completing the transaction at that point.



After breakfast, we checked out of the hotel.  At point of check-out, the hotel tried to reverse the transaction and it failed!  
It failed on two separate machines and with 3 hotel staff trying to complete the reversal.  
The message they got on the machine was that the card holder should contact their bank.



Say what????



Yes, I had a minor meltdown at that point.  With my bank!!!!


With only a local data SIM, it was impossible for me to call my bank.  So, I contact my DH and got him to contact the bank.  As he’s not the legal lessee of the account, they wouldn’t talk to him.  


That left the hotel with $200 on my credit card that they couldn’t refund to me, a queue of rather impatient people behind me with grumpy looks on their faces and time ticking down on the clock where we had to meet up with Aussie Wendy.  


As there was nothing I could do about the situation and the hotel staff being as helpful as they possibly could, I had to let it go.  At best, the staff told me that when I sorted it out with my bank (which was looking like it would only happen when I got home), I could send them an email and they would then sort it out.


So, we left our bags with the hotel concierge and headed out.








( Continued in Next Post)


----------



## dolphingirl47

PrincessInOz said:


>



That looks stunning.



PrincessInOz said:


> Believe it or not….the kumquat was sweet! The skin was sweet and completely edible. It must be a completely different variety to the kumquat we get in Australia.



I would not have expected this. I like the kumquats we can get here, but they are a mix of bitter and tangy.

Corinna


----------



## PrincessInOz

*In Search Of......Zen *


I left the hotel feeling very grumpy and flustered.  DH was still texting me with updates on his lack of progress with the bank.  They kept insisting that there should be no reason why the transaction would not be working.  According to the person he spoke with, they only block charges....they NEVER block refunds.
He also told me that the person had relented enough to check my account details and had confirmed that I had updated the account with all the right information.

There really wasn't much more we could do.  But I was definitely in need of some zen.



And there….on Central Square, with the hotel in the background….I found the balance.







It took a few minutes, but the grumpiness did flutter away.







My mother had taught to me ask if it was okay to take photos in Mandarin.  







The ladies were obliging!








There were also some Tai Chi practitioners in the square.







This one was mesmerising.







His moves were slow, deliberate and extremely fluid.







The graceful movements fanned away all my grumpiness.  I definitely left the square in a much better frame of mind.









(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*In Search Of….Old Town*


Our destination today was the Old Nanshi area or Old City.

Old City is the area inside the the ancient walled city of Shanghai, the city walls ringed the city around what is today Renmin & Zhonghua streets. During the era of foreign concessions, the old city remained exclusively Chinese, and foreigners seldom ventured there. These days there are more foreigners.  Afterall, it is a very touristy part of Shanghai.  


Aussie Wendy and I had arranged to meet up at the Yu Garden train station.  From our hotel, we walked up to the Nanjing East Road Station.  The Yu Garden station was one stop down and caught up with Wendy and her DD.  








From the station, it was a short walk to the Yuyuan Bazaar.  We passed by one of the four gates into this area.







There was a jewellery shop down this street.  It was guarded by a pair of Guardian Lions.







The lions are always in pairs – one male and one female – representing ying and yang; power and supremacy, and compassion and support.  The guardians are placed outside a building to protect against negative energy.  They are meant to attract happy and satisfied customers and keep trouble makers away.  It is said these guardian lions will stop anyone with malicious intentions from entering the establishment.  As a result, many offices, shops, hotels and restaurants may place these Chinese guardian lions outside on either side of the entrance.  You'll find them to be quite common in Asian areas everywhere around the world.









This is the Yuyuan Bazaar complex.  It’s what I would call “fake old”.  It might look the part but it’s really not that old.  It contains a jumble of touristy shops, selling silk fans, bamboo articles, shell carvings, paintings, jade and anything else you might want to get as a souvenir of your Shanghai visit.  It is one of the areas that tourists would head to when in Shanghai.

It was a maze of long alleys filled wall to wall with shops…..






….that occasionally expanded out into open spaces.  







We kept going in the one direction and basically stuck to the one alley.  It turned out to be a good strategy on how to navigate our way through the Bazaar section of YuYuan.  We saw lots to admire and be interested in.  The thing that I liked about this place was that the storekeepers weren't that pushy about pulling you inside their shops.  They were (mostly) happy to let you browse.








We eventually came out to the ‘genuine old’ part of Yuyuan.  That’s the Mid-Lake Pavilion Teahouse building in the middle, which you get to by the 9 zig-zag bridge.  The zigzag bridge is a common feature in classical Chinese gardens.  According to local lore (and tourist guides!) zigzag bridges and paths are said to confound evil spirits that can only walk straight lines.  

Yeah.  I really don't know why the guides tell you that.  I've watched enough Chinese ghost stories in my youth to know that this one doesn't make sense.  All the ghosts in those Chinese movies were very capable of floating through walls and chasing people in straight lines.  And we all know that movies always portray the truth!   

In actual fact, these zigzag bridges are mainly decorative features based on the Zen principle of mindfulness.  It’s meant to slow your walking pace down to take pleasure of the landscape around. 







We weren’t in the mood to stop for tea.  We were in search of Old Shanghai!


----------



## tiggrbaby

What choices for breakfast!  Sorry to hear about the credit trouble; that can really cloud you day.  Lovely pics of the people in the square!


----------



## shushh

Ok I've finally caught up!
So nice to see a photo of yourself and Aussie Wendy! Another long time favourite DIS member of mine. I think it's wonderful that you're doing this trip together. Nothing like exploring a Disney park with other fans.

Re: zig zag bridges. Yes I too confirm from childhood tv that Chinese ghosts definitely don't have problems overcoming those!


----------



## OrangeBirdGirl

PrincessinOz - Great posts, well the ones I've read.  We are heading there next month so some of the posts I've breezed over as I want to be surprised.  Yuyuan is something we were hoping to hit up but not sure so I checked out that segment.  Looks pretty neat!  How long did you spend there?  We are thinking we might be there when the gardens open at 8:30 and then stay until 10:30 and get back to our hotel for check out then head over to Disney.  Were the shops open before 8:30 so we could start a little earlier?  

I'm glad to see how much you liked the location of your hotel.  We are staying right across the street from where you are.


----------



## darrenf67

Hello again!

I am back from Beijing, Shanghai and Hog Kong and what an amazing trip its was- thanks in many ways to the advice from you all.

Just caught up on your trip and am reliving many things we did just last week!


----------



## zanzibar138

Looks like a lovely morning, with the exception of the credit card debacle. Glad you were able to find your zen afterwards and not let it ruin your day. Love the photos from the square, especially the guy doing Tai Chi.


----------



## franandaj

OK, I'm only partially caught up, but that's because I'm not going to look at these photos from my phone and I've only been looking from my computer so I am having trouble keeping up.  I do have to say that your pictures are incredible!  I know you have been doing "etudes" in your photos and posting them in albums online, but on FB all I have time to do is look at headlines and besides from my phone, pictures are pictures and it's hard to enjoy whether or not they are any good.

I have to say that your pictures have evolved to absolutely exquisite.  I mean you have always taken great pictures, but they have become even more artistic as you have honed your craft!  

I enjoyed the story about the Father and Son, I'm sure they were wary because they thought you were "fan girls" when in reality you just wanted to cling on to someone as a lifeline.  When you showed that you were simply another "person" and that you didn't know they were famous, they probably lightened up.  I think you made a good choice to bail on the tour, why bother go to something where they are selling you stuff, although I might have been enthralled with a silk factory as to how they made stuff.  I just wouldn't have bought anything.  Don't like the feel of silk.  But that guide was absolutely rude.  I spend plenty in food and beverage, I don't need to bring home unnecessary souvenirs from your country.  Fran takes care of that!

Glad you got the rickshaw ride in before you went home.



PrincessInOz said:


> I hope you got some Pho in the last couple of days! I decided that I needed some Hot Pot; so we had the home version for dinner last night. I suspect home made Hot Pot might make it to my dinners a bit more over my winter months.



Well that Nomad Asian Bistro has a pretty good "Chicken Noodle Soup" that I picked up that morning.  It did the trick.



PrincessInOz said:


> You can either hire guides or book yourself in with one of those vacay tour companies. But knowing how you two travel, I think the individual guide might be the better way to go for you.



We don't want to be on a bus, so we would probably book a guide that would accommodate Fran's scooter.  You will see this in my current TR.



PrincessInOz said:


> The areas that I headed to in Shanghai were mostly flat and well paved, so it would be easy to navigate. But then...my idea of flat and well-paved may not match yours.



That's kind of like what we found in New Zealand.  They called a lot of things HA that we had to laugh at.  Yes they were flat, but in reality if you were to push a wheelchair or ride a scooter it was a joke.



PrincessInOz said:


> The restrooms.....you know that China does a lot of squat toilets, right?



You mean like the holes in the ground like they have in Europe?



PrincessInOz said:


> If you're thinking about taking the scooters, you might want to take your scooters with very good brakes on them.



Well I would walk, and we would just take it slow.  I don't need a scooter as long as we don't cover too much ground in one day.  You'll see that at the end of my current TR. However they have no brakes, just that they stop once you release the throttle.  Fran is pretty good negotiating crowds.  It's just whether or not she can make it up curbs or not, so the curb cuts are important.


----------



## dolphingirl47

PrincessInOz said:


> After breakfast, we checked out of the hotel. At point of check-out, the hotel tried to reverse the transaction and it failed!
> It failed on two separate machines and with 3 hotel staff trying to complete the reversal.
> The message they got on the machine was that the card holder should contact their bank.



That is a new one on me and an absolute pain.



PrincessInOz said:


> According to the person he spoke with, they only block charges....they NEVER block refunds.



That is how it should be. After all, nobody is going to do you any harm by putting money into your account.



PrincessInOz said:


>



That looks absolutely amazing.



PrincessInOz said:


> The thing that I liked about this place was that the storekeepers weren't that pushy about pulling you inside their shops. They were (mostly) happy to let you browse.



That is a definite bonus.

My multi-quote is playing up again. I loved the photos of the people on the square and also the one with the tea house.

Corinna


----------



## Paula Sedley-Burke

What an intereting buffet breakfast at the hotel! I couod have circled that for hours. Watched what locals ate. Nice they offered both western and eastern.

Oh my re credit card! We hate using our credit cards out of the UK. We find America the worse for credit card fraud. Now we mostly take cash. How annoying re $200. Is this a scam by the hotel?

The old city sounds great lovely to meet up with Aussie Wendy and DD. I love the lions being yin and yan. I will watch out for those.

Lovely photos of Tai Chi and fans etc. Plus old town. 

Lol re ZigZag bridges. It's like a lot of this folk law. Irish says keep holy water by the door. Keep the spirits out. The amount of spirits the Irish drink..


----------



## WanderlustNZ

More great updates.  It's so nice to read about your catch-ups with Wendy so I'm looking forward to the upcoming posts about Old Shanghai.  

Sorry about you cc issues.  Looking forward to hearing if they're all now sorted.


----------



## PrincessInOz

tiggrbaby said:


> What choices for breakfast!  Sorry to hear about the credit trouble; that can really cloud you day.  Lovely pics of the people in the square!



Thanks!  I think the people in the square go there regularly.  I had seen a similar group there the morning before from the hotel window and was glad to have been able to capture them on this second morning.







shushh said:


> Ok I've finally caught up!
> So nice to see a photo of yourself and Aussie Wendy! Another long time favourite DIS member of mine. I think it's wonderful that you're doing this trip together. Nothing like exploring a Disney park with other fans.
> 
> Re: zig zag bridges. Yes I too confirm from childhood tv that Chinese ghosts definitely don't have problems overcoming those!




Hey!  Thanks for checking in whilst you're on vacay!  Hope you're having a great time in Shanghai and enjoying the newest Disney park yourself.

Yes, Aussie Wendy is one of my favourite Aussie Dis members as well.  Next time, we should all go together.  I know you keep asking us along on your trips!!


----------



## PrincessInOz

OrangeBirdGirl said:


> PrincessinOz - Great posts, well the ones I've read.  We are heading there next month so some of the posts I've breezed over as I want to be surprised.



Thank you.  
Congrats on having a vacay countdown looking so exciting and close! 
I wish you happy travels and I hope you enjoy Shanghai.  Are you going anywhere else?




OrangeBirdGirl said:


> Yuyuan is something we were hoping to hit up but not sure so I checked out that segment.  Looks pretty neat!  How long did you spend there?



The Yuyuan area was rather interesting for me.  In the end, we probably spent a total of about an hour or so in the Bazaar area.  The Gardens was even better.  I think we spent about 2 hours in there looking at everything and into every building.  The Gardens will be the feature of the next set of posts that I put up so it may provide a bit more intel and help you confirm if this is where you want to go or not.






OrangeBirdGirl said:


> We are thinking we might be there when the gardens open at 8:30 and then stay until 10:30 and get back to our hotel for check out then head over to Disney.  Were the shops open before 8:30 so we could start a little earlier?



I don't know if the shops open before 8.30.   I would expect that they may open around the same time.  I think Wendy and I arranged to catch up between 9 and 9.30 am; so by the time we meandered through the Bazaar and got to the Gardens, it was close to 10 am.

Are you heading back to the hotel to meet their check-out time?

Perhaps you could consider checking out before you head out and leaving your bags with concierge.  That way, you don't have a time restriction to get back to the hotel and if you like the Yuyuan area, then you could stay longer.      






OrangeBirdGirl said:


> I'm glad to see how much you liked the location of your hotel.  We are staying right across the street from where you are.



Ooh.  I'll be curious to find out what you thought of that hotel....and if they have a better thermostat system for room conditioning!


----------



## PrincessInOz

darrenf67 said:


> Hello again!
> 
> I am back from Beijing, Shanghai and Hog Kong and what an amazing trip its was- thanks in many ways to the advice from you all.
> 
> Just caught up on your trip and am reliving many things we did just last week!



Welcome back, Darren.

Glad you had an amazing trip!  Are you going to post a report?  I'd be interested to see how it all went from your perspective.


----------



## franandaj

Sounds like a nice evening with Wendy and her DD!

I'm slowly catching up here!


----------



## PrincessInOz

zanzibar138 said:


> Looks like a lovely morning, with the exception of the credit card debacle. Glad you were able to find your zen afterwards and not let it ruin your day. Love the photos from the square, especially the guy doing Tai Chi.



Yup.  It was a shame about the CC debacle; otherwise it would have been a perfect morning.

That guy was incredibly focussed at his Tai Chi.  He didn't ever make eye contact with me and so I didn't want to intrude too much on his morning exercise and aside from taking the 2 shots, I moved on the others in the square.  I wish I had made eye contact.  I would have been happy to take more pictures of him.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Paula Sedley-Burke said:


> What an intereting buffet breakfast at the hotel! I couod have circled that for hours. Watched what locals ate. Nice they offered both western and eastern.
> 
> Oh my re credit card! We hate using our credit cards out of the UK. We find America the worse for credit card fraud. Now we mostly take cash.



We normally do a combination of cash and load cash up on the travel card; plus take CC to the US. 
Believe it or not, the time DH CC was scammed.....we only used it in two locations.  To pay for the Disney hotel accommodation; and to pay for a dinner in Silicon Valley.  Sadly, the charges that landed on our CC (and blocked by the bank) were in the East Coast.  I hate to think that Disney Cast Members were involved in the scam.  






Paula Sedley-Burke said:


> How annoying re $200. Is this a scam by the hotel?



I didn't think so.  They were genuinely trying to refund the money.  Hence why we ended up with 3 people trying to help and they did use both machines at the check-in.  The second machine had just been used and the transaction had successfully completed by another staff member.  They came over to help....and then the manager came on by to try and resolve it as well. 





Paula Sedley-Burke said:


> The old city sounds great lovely to meet up with Aussie Wendy and DD. I love the lions being yin and yan. I will watch out for those.
> 
> Lovely photos of Tai Chi and fans etc. Plus old town.



There's a bit more to come about our day in the old town area.  





Paula Sedley-Burke said:


> Lol re ZigZag bridges. It's like a lot of this folk law. Irish says keep holy water by the door. Keep the spirits out. The amount of spirits the Irish drink..



I think we could write a book on all the folklore stuff around the world!  LOL


----------



## PrincessInOz

dolphingirl47 said:


> I would not have expected this. I like the kumquats we can get here, but they are a mix of bitter and tangy.
> 
> Corinna



I know, right?  I didn't expect it either and if I had realised that they were sweet, skin and all, I would have grabbed some on the first morning.  We saw someone else in the room having them for breakfast and they just popped the whole lot in their mouths.  That's when we realised we should try it!







dolphingirl47 said:


> That is a new one on me and an absolute pain.



I think they were also surprised at the hotel!





dolphingirl47 said:


> That is how it should be. After all, nobody is going to do you any harm by putting money into your account.



 


And if anyone out there wants to deposit money into my account, feel free to PM me!! 





dolphingirl47 said:


> My multi-quote is playing up again. I loved the photos of the people on the square and also the one with the tea house.
> 
> Corinna



It was a short time wth the people in the square; but very enjoyable!
Thanks.


----------



## franandaj

OK, caught up on breakfast and Yuyuan Bazaar.  I would be all over those noodles again!  At least I'd eaten this time when you showed them.  Last time I ended up with some, or did I already mention that?

What a pain with the credit card issue.  I'm glad you were able to find your zen again!

The Bazaar looks interesting and I'm glad the shopkeepers weren't too pushy.  That's always my fear in foreign countries. People are so much pushier, kind of like cruise ports!


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> I enjoyed the story about the Father and Son, I'm sure they were wary because they thought you were "fan girls" when in reality you just wanted to cling on to someone as a lifeline.



I think they were as sorry as we were to part company when we got out of the garden. 





franandaj said:


> I think you made a good choice to bail on the tour, why bother go to something where they are selling you stuff, although I might have been enthralled with a silk factory as to how they made stuff.



There is a silk museum in Suzhou.

On a different day and with more time, I wouldn't have minded heading to the silk factory.  But we didn't tick it on our list of things we wanted to do and that was what rankled more than anything else.  Why take us there when we didn't ask for it? 






franandaj said:


> But that guide was absolutely rude.



If anything, he helped my mother stop feeling guilty about bailing out on the tour.  I had no issues with it and moving on; but I think my mother was a little guilty about doing so until that guide spoke so rudely to her.





franandaj said:


> Well that Nomad Asian Bistro has a pretty good "Chicken Noodle Soup" that I picked up that morning. It did the trick.



I remember the NAB!  Glad you got something.




franandaj said:


> You mean like the holes in the ground like they have in Europe?



I think I have a picture of a Chinese squat toilet somewhere in my collection.  I'll see if I can dig it up and post it somewhere in the storyline.  





franandaj said:


> We don't want to be on a bus, so we would probably book a guide that would accommodate Fran's scooter.



That would be best!





franandaj said:


> Well I would walk, and we would just take it slow. I don't need a scooter as long as we don't cover too much ground in one day. You'll see that at the end of my current TR. However they have no brakes, just that they stop once you release the throttle.



I think your scooter was the one that would slow down with a bit of inertia movement after you released the throttle.  I remember you telling me that in one of our trips together.  It could have been on that night outside the HM at MNSSHP in Orlando.  Some of the people in the crowd just walked in front of you without thinking about whether you would stop for them or not.




franandaj said:


> Fran is pretty good negotiating crowds. It's just whether or not she can make it up curbs or not, so the curb cuts are important.



In Shanghai, the curbs have all got appropriate cuts at the intersections.  The motorbikes will use them to get on the curb.  They were a bit of a safety menace as the motorbike riders would just get on the curb even if you were standing right there.  They just expected you to move.  After experiencing this once or twice, I just kept a safe distance away from the kerbs when I was waiting for the traffic lights to change.






franandaj said:


> Sounds like a nice evening with Wendy and her DD!
> 
> I'm slowly catching up here!



I think you're nearly there!  
Thanks for persevering.


----------



## PrincessInOz

See?  I knew it wouldn't take you long.  



franandaj said:


> OK, caught up on breakfast and Yuyuan Bazaar.  I would be all over those noodles again!  At least I'd eaten this time when you showed them.  Last time I ended up with some, or did I already mention that?








franandaj said:


> What a pain with the credit card issue.  I'm glad you were able to find your zen again!
> 
> The Bazaar looks interesting and I'm glad the shopkeepers weren't too pushy.  That's always my fear in foreign countries. People are so much pushier, kind of like cruise ports!



I know we are reading and hearing about the cultural differences and how pushy/rude people are in China.  We got there on a Thursday and started to interact with the locals mid-week.  I actually thought that the people that lived in Shanghai weren't that bad.  It is a city with a large expat community and a large number of tourists.  I think that has helped the Shanghai locals work out how to deal with Westerners.


----------



## PrincessInOz

WanderlustNZ said:


> More great updates.  It's so nice to read about your catch-ups with Wendy so I'm looking forward to the upcoming posts about Old Shanghai.
> 
> Sorry about you cc issues.  Looking forward to hearing if they're all now sorted.



Thank you.

We had a great time with Wendy in Shanghai.


----------



## Fairy Floss

PrincessInOz said:


> Yeah. I really don't know why the guides tell you that. I've watched enough Chinese ghost stories in my youth to know that this one doesn't make sense. All the ghosts in those Chinese movies were very capable of floating through walls and chasing people in straight lines. And we all know that movies always portray the truth!



LOL!!


----------



## shushh

PrincessInOz said:


> Hey! Thanks for checking in whilst you're on vacay! Hope you're having a great time in Shanghai and enjoying the newest Disney park yourself.
> 
> Yes, Aussie Wendy is one of my favourite Aussie Dis members as well. Next time, we should all go together. I know you keep asking us along on your trips!!



My pleasure! We had some down time and you know how I love reading your TRs! We're having a good time but we feel shattered with so many early starts and long days. We really enjoyed our days at Shanghai Disney. 

We should definitely go together! Just think of the all the photos that I don't have to take anymore if you're around!!!


----------



## Aussie Wendy

shushh said:


> Ok I've finally caught up!
> So nice to see a photo of yourself and Aussie Wendy! Another long time favourite DIS member of mine. I think it's wonderful that you're doing this trip together. Nothing like exploring a Disney park with other fans.
> 
> Re: zig zag bridges. Yes I too confirm from childhood tv that Chinese ghosts definitely don't have problems overcoming those!



Ah you are so sweet shushh. I haven't dropped in on your blog for some time. Hope you and the children are all doing well. It was lovely travelling with all the Disgirls. It would have been fun to have had their company in Beijing too. I am glad you have been enjoying your trip too.


----------



## OrangeBirdGirl

PrincessInOz said:


> Thank you.
> Congrats on having a vacay countdown looking so exciting and close!
> I wish you happy travels and I hope you enjoy Shanghai.  Are you going anywhere else?
> 
> The Yuyuan area was rather interesting for me.  In the end, we probably spent a total of about an hour or so in the Bazaar area.  The Gardens was even better.  I think we spent about 2 hours in there looking at everything and into every building.  The Gardens will be the feature of the next set of posts that I put up so it may provide a bit more intel and help you confirm if this is where you want to go or not.
> 
> I don't know if the shops open before 8.30.   I would expect that they may open around the same time.  I think Wendy and I arranged to catch up between 9 and 9.30 am; so by the time we meandered through the Bazaar and got to the Gardens, it was close to 10 am.
> 
> Are you heading back to the hotel to meet their check-out time?
> 
> Perhaps you could consider checking out before you head out and leaving your bags with concierge.  That way, you don't have a time restriction to get back to the hotel and if you like the Yuyuan area, then you could stay longer.
> 
> Ooh.  I'll be curious to find out what you thought of that hotel....and if they have a better thermostat system for room conditioning!



We (DH & I) are headed to Beijing first, then train down to Shanghai.  In Shanghai we are doing a night food tour, a 20km bike ride tour through the city, a day out in Zhujiajiao (on our own), Bund and Yuyuan.  Not sure what else we'll add in.  I'm looking forward to your post on the gardens. 

Thank you for the idea of checking out before heading to Yuyuan and storing our bags.  That day is transition to Disney (no tickets), our plan will be to see Toy Story & Disneyland hotel, Wishing Star Park and Disneytown before we spend a couple days dedicated to the park.  Depending on how the gardens look in your upcoming post, we might try to dedicate more time there and spend the morning before heading over to Disney just wandering around taking last minute pictures.


----------



## CaliKris

I just stumbled upon your Trip Report as my husband and I are going to China in June.  Your photos are amazing and I am enjoying reading about your travels.  Your adventure in Suzhou would have put me out of my comfort zone, but I think those kind of spontaneous days end up being the best part of travel.  I will definitely book ahead if we decide to go there.  I look forward to your adventures in Disney.


----------



## PrincessInOz

shushh said:


> My pleasure! We had some down time and you know how I love reading your TRs! We're having a good time but we feel shattered with so many early starts and long days. We really enjoyed our days at Shanghai Disney.



Glad you're having a great time. 

Yes....early starts and long days do end up with that shattered feeling.  Hope you get to recover soon.





shushh said:


> We should definitely go together! Just think of the all the photos that I don't have to take anymore if you're around!!!



Actually.....I was thinking that YOU could take pictures and I wouldn't have to take that many!  LOL






OrangeBirdGirl said:


> We (DH & I) are headed to Beijing first, then train down to Shanghai.  In Shanghai we are doing a night food tour, a 20km bike ride tour through the city, a day out in Zhujiajiao (on our own), Bund and Yuyuan.  Not sure what else we'll add in.  I'm looking forward to your post on the gardens.



Sounds like a great trip!  Hope you're planning on doing a TR!






OrangeBirdGirl said:


> Thank you for the idea of checking out before heading to Yuyuan and storing our bags.  That day is transition to Disney (no tickets), our plan will be to see Toy Story & Disneyland hotel, Wishing Star Park and Disneytown before we spend a couple days dedicated to the park.  Depending on how the gardens look in your upcoming post, we might try to dedicate more time there and spend the morning before heading over to Disney just wandering around taking last minute pictures.



Good idea to check out the resorts and Wishing Star Park!  
You could also see the fireworks from the Disneyland Hotel, if that fits in with your plans.  You won't be able to see the projections, but you can do that when you get into the park.  I personally think the fireworks were worth catching from hotel side.


----------



## PrincessInOz

CaliKris said:


> I just stumbled upon your Trip Report as my husband and I are going to China in June.  Your photos are amazing and I am enjoying reading about your travels.  Your adventure in Suzhou would have put me out of my comfort zone, but I think those kind of spontaneous days end up being the best part of travel.  I will definitely book ahead if we decide to go there.  I look forward to your adventures in Disney.



Thank you for stopping by!  And I hope the TR helps with your planning.  

How long are you going for and where are you planning on going?


----------



## PrincessInOz

*In Search Of…...Peace and Health*



We had made our way to the Huxinting Teahouse in the Yu Bazaar.  It’s also known as the Pavilion in Lake Center Tea House and it is the oldest teahouse in Shanghai.  Sadly, we didn’t have time to explore the teahouse other than admire it from the other side of the water.  Believe it or not, this teahouse used to be part of the Yu Gardens, which is where we were heading to.









The entrance to the Yu Gardens can be found around this part of the teahouse, kinda behind me where this picture was taken.  There is a small window to the side of the entrance where you pay your money and get your entry ticket.  I think it cost 40 Yuan each to enter.








The Yuyuan Gardens was originally built as a private garden during the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644). It was finished in 1577 by a government officer named Pan Yunduan.  He built it for his parents to enjoy in their old age.  I don’t know if he ever got parental acknowledgement or approval for building this garden because it did ultimately lead to the loss of the Pan family fortune….but I loved this garden.  








It is called "Yuyuan"; and "Yu" in Chinese means "Peace and Health".  







In the 400 years of existence, Yuyuan Garden had undergone many changes. During the late Ming Dynasty, it became very dilapidated with the decline of Pan's family. In 1760, some rich merchants bought it and spent more than 20 years reconstructing the buildings. During the Opium War of the 19th century, it was severely damaged. The garden you see today is the result of a five-year restoration project which began in 1956. It was open to the public in September, 1961.  The Chinese Government declared it a National Monument in 1982.  I guess that makes it one of those must-do’s in Shanghai.

There are over 5 acres of space in the Garden of Peace and Health.  It is completely jam-packed in here with things to see.  Just like the Lion Forest Garden in Suzhou, the Yuyuan Garden is steeped in all the symbolic elements you would expect in a classical Chinese garden.   


We started in a pretty elaborate pavilion.  I think this is the inside of the Sansui Hall, which would be the principal pavilion in this garden.  There were a number of rooms to this hall and I gather it was used when guests came to visit.







It's filled with beautiful rosewood furniture and there was some intricate decorative carvings which served as windows.







We were to find delectable passageways throughout the garden.  This was the passageway between Sansui Hall and Yanshan Hall.







Don’t be fooled by the lack of people in these pictures.  I waited AGES for it to clear….on both sides!








I think this is Yanshan Hall.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m usually taking pictures of the names of the buildings to jog my memory.  However, there were very few signs in English in this part of the garden....or at least none that I easily spotted.








I expect it was Yanshan Hall because it looks out on to the amazing rockery area.








A pond or lake is the central element of a classical Chinese garden.  







Water represents lightness and communication, and carried the food of life on its journey through the valleys and plains. Water also is the complement to the mountain, the other central element of the garden, and represents dreams and the infinity of spaces.










The classical garden is usually surrounded by a wall, usually painted white, which served as a pure backdrop for the flowers and trees.  Well….it was a backdrop for us….and about a quarter of the tourists in Shanghai!







We kept meandering along.  All the while, I kept my eye out for the little details.  







Whether this is genuine old or fake old, I don’t know.  But I liked how they had these sorts of paving details around the garden.







In fact, I loved the paving in this place.








I also liked the rockery in here.  The rock garden is an integral element of Chinese classical gardens, a symbol of stability and endurance. 








The passageway took us into another building.  Anyone else getting the feeling that there was a lot to see here?







This was too good a photo opp to pass up on.








It’s 2 out of 2 for this element in the Classical Gardens we’ve seen.   The stone boat gives a different view of the water.  It adds to the ‘borrowed’ scenery concept of a Chinese garden. 







This is totally random….but for the Old Fogies reading along (and you know who you are), this is a Gingko Biloba tree.  It’s over 300 years old.







The buildings here were rather interesting.







But it really was the roof tiles that caught my attention.






This was the Martial Sing Stage.  






We walked past the famed Dragon walls.  Each area in this garden is separated from the others by "dragon walls" with undulating gray tiled ridges, each terminating in a dragon's head.









(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)



We moved into the Waterside Pavilion section.








We stopped to enjoy the garden here.







Sadly, modern life is encroaching on this garden.  I wish I could have seen this garden without having to power lines or tall buildings in the landscape.  But that's just me personally. 







I think this was where the Great Rockery area is.  With a height of 14 meters (about 50 feet), it is the largest as well as the oldest rockery in the southern region of the Yangtze River.









I did spend some time capturing the statues on the roof!








The roof apex of large halls are usually topped with a ridge of tiles and statues for both decorative purposes as well as to weigh down the layers of roofing tiles for stability.





















We found turtles in the pond.













As well as koi.















More Dragon Walls.








We moved into another section of the garden.








This was the main stage.







The Ancient Stage is the first of its kind in a garden in the region south of the Yangtze River.






Built in 1888, this stage is known for it’s grand ceiling of 22 rings joined by 20 curving lines.  The dome was designed to provide acoustics for the surrounding area and from all accounts, it was perfectly done.







The Dress Circle building at the back is where the VIPs would sit to enjoy the performance.  That’s a long way for sound to be projected!







I think we spent close on 2 hours in here and there were way too many details for us to take in and capture in the one visit.


























By this stage, we all agreed it was time to move on.    The crowds were starting to gather inside the garden.









(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

*In Search Of......Food Porn*



Without a doubt, when we got outside, there were tantalising smells in the air.  The Yuyuan Bazaar was in full swing and aside from the tourist trinket shops, there were heaps of food options. 








We wandered in through a food court.  I asked if I could take pictures at the stations and everyone said yes!







Tofu.  I don’t think it was the smelly special.







Dim sums.








More dim sum offerings.







Sticky rice.







Red bean sweet soup; and lotus bean sweet soup.








We did have a brief discussion about eating here.  We were peckish but still full from the breakfast buffets at the respective hotels.  Besides….there wasn’t a spare table in the house.







(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

*In Search Of......A Place Far from the Madding Crowds*



We headed back out into the alleys of the Yuyuan Bazaar.  There were even MORE people out here than before.







It wasn’t too bad; but it would have been nice to have a bit more personal space.








Wendy had obviously done a bit more research than me about Old Shanghai and she knew where we should head to.  Always happy to follow a leader!

With a history of nearly 600 years, City God Temple of Shanghai is the most significant Taoist temple in Shanghai.  It costs 10 Yuan (or $2 in my money) to enter.







The city god (Chenghuangshen) is a tutelary deity or deities in Chinese folk religion who is believed to protect the people and the affairs of the particular village, town or city of great dimension, and the corresponding afterlife location.  An equivalent to St. Peter in the Christian religion, this deity weighs the moral character of the deceased and decides what kind of afterlife is in store. People come from everywhere to show worship to him or her and ask for specific favors such as safeness, health, marriage, longevity and so on. The most common favor requested in these prayers is good health.


In this particular temple, there are three town gods: Huoguang a famous general of Western Han Dynasty (202 BC – -9 AD), Qin Yubo, a celebrity of Yuan Dynasty (1271– 1368), also known as a dutiful son. It is said that he constructed a palace that imitated the style of the emperor’s throne room, which his mother desired to see. When the emperor learned about this, he sent an officer to investigate, so Qin Yubo transformed the palace into a temple to escape punishment. After his death, he appeared in a war leader’s dream and warned him to give up a massacre, so the people of this city were saved. The third is Chen Huacheng, sacrificed in the First Opium War (1839 – 1842).  Your guess is as good as mine as to which is which.







The temple consists of 9 halls where various statues of immortals that are believed to be in charge of certain aspect of human life receive endless worship.  Believe it or not….they didn’t ban photography in the temple but there were a number of halls where the musicians (they were playing Chinese instruments) were telling me via sign language not to take pictures.  Always happy to comply.


One of the Halls contain a LOT of statues.  (And yes, I did ask about photography in here.  No one said no.  Plus everyone else around was also taking pictures with their phone cameras.)







I can only assume they are of the different deities.






In any event, it gives you an idea of what Arhat Hall was like at the Xiyuan Temple in Suzhou.



I understand that the City God Temple in Shanghai was restored around 2005.  Seems like the restoration activities are still going on.







It’s going to look amazing when all that gilding is completed.







Another hall where photography seemed to be permitted.







There was also a hall where I think you could buy one of these memorial tassels, write the name of your ancestor and hang it up on the wall or from the ceiling.  







We all had a good look around the City God Temple.  Whilst it was busy, it wasn’t anywhere near as busy as outside in the Bazaar.  A place away from the madding crowd; and a great pick by Aussie Wendy!


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## dolphingirl47

PrincessInOz said:


> It’s also known as the Pavilion in Lake Center Tea House and it is the oldest teahouse in Shanghai. Sadly, we didn’t have time to explore the teahouse other than admire it from the other side of the water.



What a shame that you did not have time to explore. This looks stunning.



PrincessInOz said:


> In the 400 years of existence, Yuyuan Garden had undergone many changes. During the late Ming Dynasty, it became very dilapidated with the decline of Pan's family. In 1760, some rich merchants bought it and spent more than 20 years reconstructing the buildings. During the Opium War of the 19th century, it was severely damaged. The garden you see today is the result of a five-year restoration project which began in 1956. It was open to the public in September, 1961. The Chinese Government declared it a National Monument in 1982. I guess that makes it one of those must-do’s in Shanghai.



That is some really interesting history.



PrincessInOz said:


> We were to find delectable passageways throughout the garden. This was the passageway between Sansui Hall and Yanshan Hall.








This is absolutely stunning. Your patience definitely paid off.



PrincessInOz said:


>



I never knew that there are blue koi.



PrincessInOz said:


> Dim sums.



I could eat some of those right now. Fortunately it is lunch time here.



PrincessInOz said:


>



That perspective is amazing.

What a wonderful morning. I could have commented on each photo how much I love it. 

Corinna


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## darrenf67

PrincessInOz said:


> (Continued from Previous Post)
> 
> 
> 
> We moved into the Waterside Pavilion section.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> We stopped to enjoy the garden here.
> 
> 
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> 
> Sadly, modern life is encroaching on this garden.  I wish I could have seen this garden without having to power lines or tall buildings in the landscape.  But that's just me personally.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I think this was where the Great Rockery area is.  With a height of 14 meters (about 50 feet), it is the largest as well as the oldest rockery in the southern region of the Yangtze River.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I did spend some time capturing the statues on the roof!
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> This was the main stage.
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> 
> 
> The Ancient Stage is the first of its kind in a garden in the region south of the Yangtze River.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Built in 1888, this stage is known for it’s grand ceiling of 22 rings joined by 20 curving lines.  The dome was designed to provide acoustics for the surrounding area and from all accounts, it was perfectly done.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The Dress Circle building at the back is where the VIPs would sit to enjoy the performance.  That’s a long way for sound to be projected!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I think we spent close on 2 hours in here and there were way too many details for us to take in and capture in the one visit.
> 
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> By this stage, we all agreed it was time to move on.    The crowds were starting to gather inside the garden.
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> (Continued in Next Post)


we visited these gardens as well and loved them - so beautiful and quite peaceful to walk through. The ponds were beautiful.


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## CaliKris

PrincessInOz said:


> Thank you for stopping by!  And I hope the TR helps with your planning.
> 
> How long are you going for and where are you planning on going?


We are taking the Adventure by Disney trip which goes to Hong Kong, Beijing, Chengdu, Xian, Guilin and Shanghai.  We will be there just over two weeks.  We have extra pre-days in Hong Kong and post-days in Shanghai, so I am trying to plan those days myself.  I am really enjoying your TR and photos!!


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## RodBelding

Joining. Your pictures are absolutely incredible!


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## PrincessInOz

dolphingirl47 said:


> What a shame that you did not have time to explore. This looks stunning.



There's always next time.  





dolphingirl47 said:


> This is absolutely stunning. Your patience definitely paid off.



Thanks.  I was glad to have made the effort to wait.





dolphingirl47 said:


> I never knew that there are blue koi.



I think they come in a variety of colours.  Orange is the most common.





dolphingirl47 said:


> What a wonderful morning. I could have commented on each photo how much I love it.



It was a great day all round.


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## PrincessInOz

darrenf67 said:


> we visited these gardens as well and loved them - so beautiful and quite peaceful to walk through. The ponds were beautiful.



I think if/when I'm in Shanghai again, this garden may be on the re-do list; especially if my DH goes with me.  I think he'll like this garden.  Did you visit the gardens mid-week and was it busy?  We went on the Saturday and I expect we may have had a bigger crowd than mid-week.  






CaliKris said:


> We are taking the Adventure by Disney trip which goes to Hong Kong, Beijing, Chengdu, Xian, Guilin and Shanghai.  We will be there just over two weeks.  We have extra pre-days in Hong Kong and post-days in Shanghai, so I am trying to plan those days myself.  I am really enjoying your TR and photos!!



Nice!  I hope you enjoy the ABD.  Sounds like a great tour.
And with the extra days in HK and Shanghai, your vacay sounds like it will be perfect!  Have fun with the planning and if any of us can help answer questions, feel free to ask!


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## PrincessInOz

RodBelding said:


> Joining. Your pictures are absolutely incredible!




  Hey Paul!  Nice to see you here.
Thanks for joining.  Glad you enjoy the pics.  Hopefully, the Disney ones will be up to scratch as well.


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## darrenf67

PrincessInOz said:


> I think if/when I'm in Shanghai again, this garden may be on the re-do list; especially if my DH goes with me.  I think he'll like this garden.  Did you visit the gardens mid-week and was it busy?  We went on the Saturday and I expect we may have had a bigger crowd than mid-week.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice!  I hope you enjoy the ABD.  Sounds like a great tour.
> And with the extra days in HK and Shanghai, your vacay sounds like it will be perfect!  Have fun with the planning and if any of us can help answer questions, feel free to ask!



we went on a Sunday AND a long weekend holiday and it was packed!!! I would like to redo on a less busy day for sure.


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## PrincessInOz

darrenf67 said:


> we went on a Sunday AND a long weekend holiday and it was packed!!! I would like to redo on a less busy day for sure.




Oooh!  Early April, right?  That would mean Ching Ming festival....where they are supposed to 'sweep' and clean the graves of ancestors and pay their respects.  Yes, it would have been packed!


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## OrangeBirdGirl

Great write up on Yuyuan!  Thank you for sharing.  I think we're going to add this in on one of our free afternoons so we will not feel rushed (we were initially thinking a couple hours before we headed over to Disney).


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## zanzibar138

Wonderful pictures of the gardens and the temple! It was certainly looking very packed by the time you left - glad Aussie Wendy had something a little less crowded up her sleeve.


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## PrincessInOz

OrangeBirdGirl said:


> Great write up on Yuyuan!  Thank you for sharing.  I think we're going to add this in on one of our free afternoons so we will not feel rushed (we were initially thinking a couple hours before we headed over to Disney).



Good idea not to rush Yuyuan.  There was lots to see there and so easy to miss things.  Despite the gazillion pictures, I managed to miss the Exquisite Jade Rock, which is supposed to the be the piece that everyone wants to see at Yuyuan.  D'oh!  Something for next time.






zanzibar138 said:


> Wonderful pictures of the gardens and the temple! It was certainly looking very packed by the time you left - glad Aussie Wendy had something a little less crowded up her sleeve.



Thanks.
Yes, I was glad that Wendy suggested heading to the Temple after the gardens.  It was a little less busy there.


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## PrincessInOz

*In Search Of…….Shanghai Old Street Food Stalls*



Despite it being busy, we headed back into the Yuyuan Bazaar.  







We had all seen souvenirs that we wanted in the shops near where we entered in the morning so we braved the crowds and found our way back and picked them up.







So, between the Gardens, the City God Temple and shopping at the Bazaar, the only thing left was to eat at Yuyuan.  


It’ll have to wait for another visit.


Today, being a Saturday, the crowds just got bigger by the minute.  So, all Yuyuan’d out, we decided to head out in search of food.  We made our way out to Shanghai Old Street.







Originally named Fangbang Middle Road, Shanghai Old Street stretches 825 meters and is an ode to the city’s past. There were once many typical banks, jewellery shops, restaurants, theaters, and other venues all along the way. Along the ends of the road, it connected Shanghai City God Temple and Yuyuan Garden.  Fake old or genuine old….it made no difference to me.  The architecture down this street was just gorgeous.  I wished I could have come to this area at night to check out the night lights.  As it is, I’m adding it to the re-do/must-do list for next time I’m here in Shanghai.







I remembered researching places to eat in Shanghai and had the vague recollection that Fangbang Middle Road had been in most top 5 lists of places to eat in Shanghai.  I think Wendy thought the same.

Silk shop, silk shop, medicine shop, silk shop, medicine shop, silk shop…..







We kept walking down the street.  







Yes, we walked on the street….just like the locals.







Ominously, there were no tantalising smells in the air.  From one end of the street to the other!  Nor could we smell anything down the cross streets.  







We got to the end of the street and I think we asked my mother to check with a shopkeeper.  







She pointed us in the direction of a shopping center on Henan Road.   







Post script.  

Since my return, I’ve double-checked Fangbang Middle Road.  A google search returns pages of reviews on this street as a foodie street.  Only one of the reference has been updated with the following:

_We’re sorry to report that the vendors and restaurants at Sipalou Lu and Fangbang Lu have suffered the same fate as those on Wujiang Lu and have been shut down._


I guess it explains why we never found any food options here.




(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

*In Search Of…….Lunch!  We’re Hungry!*


That shopkeeper did give us good and bad information.  The good intel was that the multilevel shopping mall did have any number of food options on the various levels.  The shopkeeper told us to head to level 4 or 5.  We headed there and quickly realised that the options on these levels didn’t grab us.


Luckily, we had noticed a few more eating establishments during our trip up to the upper floors.  So, we found ourselves in a hand-pulled noodle shop on level 2 or 3.








By this stage, I believe everyone was starving.  My mother ordered a soup noodles and I didn’t even remember to or get a sniff at taking a picture.  Wendy, her DD and I ordered the beef (or was it pork?) noodles.  







It was here that I realised what a master the noodle maker at the hotel was.  The noodles here were tasty; but the diameter of the noodles was not consistent within the strand and between strands.

Still, it was a good meal and whilst I cannot remember exactly how much the noodles were, I think each bowl was less than 40 Yuan.  That’s less than $8 in my money.  Maybe @Aussie Wendy can remember exactly how much the dishes were.




(Continued in Next Post)


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## Aussie Wendy

We found the same issue looking for eateries near the Lama and Confucius Temples - lots of reviews on line but none at the locations any more.


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## PrincessInOz

*In Search Of…….An Old Lilong Neighbourhood*


We still had one more destination to go-see in the Old Nanshi area.  So, we started to head down Fuxing East Road. Surprisingly, there was a mosque here.  It piqued my interest so much that I came home to google.  This is the Xiaotaoyuan Mosque, formerly known as Islamic Western Mosque or Shanghai Western Mosque.  It is the largest mosque in Shanghai.  Turns out the Islamic Association of China is one of the 5 officially sanctioned religious groups in China.







Just as we walked past this area, we came across an old residential neighbourhood.  Aussie Wendy and I just looked at each other….and we headed on in.








We had stumbled across an old style Shanghai Lilong.  "Li" means communities, "Long" means lanes. Simply put, lilong housing, is a type of lane-and-community based urban dwelling form. 







Since the former leader of China, Deng Xiaoping, announced the Chinese economic reform in 1978, the change of the urban landscape in Shanghai has accelerated the redevelopment (mostly demolition) of lilong neighbourhoods.  Lilongs are (sadly) not viewed as significant historic heritage in Shanghai.  There are a few – such as Xintiandi and Tianxifang – that have been renovated to become trendy areas.  But they are few and far between.







Different from the traditional Chinese residences, which were built separately and individually, lilong housing was built by Western property developers from the 1840’s to 1950. The real estate developers built clusters of two-story brick housing in order to gain the most profit on limited land. 







A lilong was built as a community where there are several alley ways (or longtangs) inside the block with the units having their doorways along the alleys.  Only a few major alleys were connected to the outside roads.  As a consequence, once we moved inside to the inner alleys, it felt like a rabbit warren in here.







The design gave the residents shared longtangs as places for communicating with neighbors, while the block was separated from the outside as a community because of the way the outer alleys were designed.  It makes for close neighbours.







It felt surreal meandering through this old lilong area.  Sadly, with the amount of modern construction going on in Shanghai, old lilongs such as these are now residences for the lower socio-economic group in Shanghai.  Anyone with the means would be living in the more modern and newer apartments.

I understand that there are a lack of the basic necessities that we take for granted in our houses such as bathrooms in the individual units.  From personal observation, we certainly saw a group of 3 men facing a wall down the end of one of the streets we walked down.  I guess there was nowhere else for them to go.  We walked slower down that longtang and made a right turn as quickly as possible!  Despite that and the obvious poorness of the area, it certainly felt like a community in here.  








As China continues to replace the old/historical city landscape with a new urban development, lilong neighbourhoods like this one will head the way of the dodo.   I guess (or hope) that new housing will be made available to these residents but that community feel will probably be lost once they move.








I’m just glad to have been able to explore one for a small fragment of time to see and feel what it must have been like to live in Old Shanghai.







(Continued in Next Post)


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## Aussie Wendy

PrincessInOz said:


> *In Search Of…….Lunch!  We’re Hungry!*
> 
> 
> Still, it was a good meal and whilst I cannot remember exactly how much the noodles were, I think each bowl was less than 40 Yuan.  That’s less than $8 in my money.  Maybe @Aussie Wendy can remember exactly how much the dishes were.
> 
> (Continued in Next Post)



My diary says the meal including a bottle of water cost us 25Y each ($5 at the exchange rate) and can't remember the meat.


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## zanzibar138

Shame about your first lunch option being a fizzer, but it seems like it all turned out for the best. Those noodles look delish despite being unevenly sized


----------



## PrincessInOz

*In Search Of…….Shanghai Old City Wall*


We still had that one other thing to go-see in the Old Nanshi area.







This original Old City of Shanghai was once defined by a defensive wall.  The old walls were demolished in 1912 but there are two sections still remaining.  The more significant of the two is Dajing Ge Pavilion.  You’ll find it at the corner of Dajing Road and Renmin Road.







Entry to this historic attraction will set you back 5 Yuan (or about $1 in my money).







The wall was built in 1553 during the Ming Dynasty, to defend itself against Japanese pirates.  I guess it’s pretty ironic that this relic of the past is surrounded by corporate pirates.







The wall measured 8.1m (27 ft.) high and 4.8km (3 miles) around, and had 10 gates. All that remains today is 50m (164 ft.) of wall. 






We were allowed to walk through and pretty much see what we wanted.







I guess the Pavilion was rebuilt at some stage.  As there were no signs in English and I don’t read Chinese, I really don’t know why or when.







There is also a small temple in here.







I think this might be a temple to the God of War, Guan Yu.







It didn’t take long for us to see this place.  And that was with me taking pictures!







Again…..if walls could talk, I wonder what tales it would tell?







This is all that’s left of the Old Wall….from Renmin Street.







Even though there wasn’t much to see, in the end, I think I’m pleased that we made the effort to find this place.







(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

*In Search Of…….A Credit Card Refund Found!*



Wendy’s hotel was in the area of Old Nanshi and we walked her and her DD back to their hotel with plans to meet up again later in the night.

From there, my DM and I headed back to the Yu Garden train station and caught the train back to the Nanjing East Road station.  That meant we had to walk down Nanjing Road one more time to our hotel.



It was here that I realised what people mean when they say that the Chinese can be rude and not respectful of personal space.  Bear in mind that this was a Saturday afternoon.  By this stage, there were tons of people down Nanjing Road and there was a bit of pushing and cutting in going on in front of me.  I couldn’t believe the difference!  My mother told me that it was more likely the behaviour we were seeing was from Chinese people from the countryside visiting Shanghai than the more respectful and polite Shanghainese that we had encountered the last couple of days.  


I was really glad to get back to our hotel. That last few meters down Nanjing Road really tested my patience. 


And I was even more pleased to find an envelop waiting for me when we got back to the hotel.  The bellhop gave it to me when he got our bags.  Turns out the hotel staff had managed to refund the 1000 Yuan back to my credit card whilst we were out and about.  That was such welcomed news to me!




(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

*In Search Of……..The House of the Mouse!*


It’s time.  Time for Disney!  Disney!  Disney!


My mother and I decided we were catching a taxi to Shanghai Disneyland.  We had talked about sharing a taxi with Wendy and her DD.  I think we completely overestimated how large her bags were and we figured that it was probably better to make our own way there.  


Sorry Wendy.  If I realised how compactly you had packed, we would have definitely picked you up on the way!!!



Anyway.  The hotel got us a taxi and, best I can figure it, we probably took this route to the House of the Mouse.







You can see the proximity of Disneyland to Pudong International Airport, which is the blue plane dot to the right of the map.


I may not be able to read Chinese but I can definitely read Mickey Head.  This was the second such sign we saw on the way.








I guess we were heading in via the West Entrance.








My excitement levels were through the roof.  OMG! OMG!  OMG!  








Somewhere past this point, our taxi driver just didn’t have a clue where to go.  







I had printed out the Disney Hotel address out in English AND in CHINESE.  He could read the Chinese but I guess he’s never taken anyone to the Disney Hotel before.  He definitely knew the way to the Toy Story Hotel and took us there instead.  He also understood ‘no’. So, he backtracked and we went round again.


We stopped and asked a security guard along the road.  Turns out he didn’t know either.  This first security guard didn't even seem to know that there were hotels in the resort.  I guess he must have been a recent recruit.  


Luckily, the second security guard we asked gave our driver some instructions and shortly after that we pulled up to the security gate of the Disneyland Hotel.


*Disney!  Disney!  Disney!*



Postscript

For the record, the cost of the taxi will set you back somewhere between 150 - 180 Yuan from downtown Shanghai.  Even with going round in circles twice, we ended up with a taxi fare of 175 Yuan.  That's about $35 in my money.  This is probably going to be the most expensive way of getting to Disney from Shanghai proper.

If they are reading, perhaps the others can disclose how they got to the resort and how much it cost them.


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## zanzibar138

Great insight into some Old Shanghai. I do love old city walls!

Good news about the credit card refund too!


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## zanzibar138

Woohoo! Disney Disney Disney!

For the record, we also had trouble with our taxi driver. We had addresses printed out in English and Chinese as well and it didn't seem to make any difference. In the end we pointed to the Mickey head on Fairy Floss's t-shirt and that seemed to help lol!


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## dolphingirl47

PrincessInOz said:


>



I absolutely love the contrast between the traditional architecture and the modern buildings.



PrincessInOz said:


> We’re sorry to report that the vendors and restaurants at Sipalou Lu and Fangbang Lu have suffered the same fate as those on Wujiang Lu and have been shut down.



What a shame that they had all gone.



PrincessInOz said:


> It was here that I realised what a master the noodle maker at the hotel was. The noodles here were tasty; but the diameter of the noodles was not consistent within the strand and between strands.



Your lunch looked really nice even though the noodle maker was not as good as the one at the hotel.



PrincessInOz said:


> Since the former leader of China, Deng Xiaoping, announced the Chinese economic reform in 1978, the change of the urban landscape in Shanghai has accelerated the redevelopment (mostly demolition) of lilong neighbourhoods.



For all the poverty and the lack of creature  comforts, it is a shame that they are destroying a art of the heritage.



PrincessInOz said:


>



This looks pretty impressive even though there is not much of it left.



PrincessInOz said:


>



I absolutely love this photo. 



PrincessInOz said:


> I was really glad to get back to our hotel. That last few meters down Nanjing Road really tested my patience.



What a shame that this was so unpleasant.



PrincessInOz said:


> And I was even more pleased to find an envelop waiting for me when we got back to the hotel. The bellhop gave it to me when he got our bags. Turns out the hotel staff had managed to refund the 1000 Yuan back to my credit card whilst we were out and about. That was such welcomed news to me!



That is great news.



PrincessInOz said:


> We stopped and asked a security guard along the road. Turns out he didn’t know either. This first security guard didn't even seem to know that there were hotels in the resort. I guess he must have been a recent recruit.



Now that is really worrying. Was this Disney security? I am glad you made it in the end and the price seems fair especially considering the detour.

Corinna


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## darrenf67

PrincessInOz said:


> *In Search Of……..The House of the Mouse!*
> 
> 
> It’s time.  Time for Disney!  Disney!  Disney!
> 
> 
> My mother and I decided we were catching a taxi to Shanghai Disneyland.  We had talked about sharing a taxi with Wendy and her DD.  I think we completely overestimated how large her bags were and we figured that it was probably better to make our own way there.
> 
> 
> Sorry Wendy.  If I realised how compactly you had packed, we would have definitely picked you up on the way!!!
> 
> 
> 
> Anyway.  The hotel got us a taxi and, best I can figure it, we probably took this route to the House of the Mouse.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You can see the proximity of Disneyland to Pudong International Airport, which is the blue plane dot to the right of the map.
> 
> 
> I may not be able to read Chinese but I can definitely read Mickey Head.  This was the second such sign we saw on the way.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I guess we were heading in via the West Entrance.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My excitement levels were through the roof.  OMG! OMG!  OMG!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Somewhere past this point, our taxi driver just didn’t have a clue where to go.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I had printed out the Disney Hotel address out in English AND in CHINESE.  He could read the Chinese but I guess he’s never taken anyone to the Disney Hotel before.  He definitely knew the way to the Toy Story Hotel and took us there instead.  He also understood ‘no’. So, he backtracked and we went round again.
> 
> 
> We stopped and asked a security guard along the road.  Turns out he didn’t know either.  This first security guard didn't even seem to know that there were hotels in the resort.  I guess he must have been a recent recruit.
> 
> 
> Luckily, the second security guard we asked gave our driver some instructions and shortly after that we pulled up to the security gate of the Disneyland Hotel.
> 
> 
> *Disney!  Disney!  Disney!*
> 
> 
> 
> Postscript
> 
> For the record, the cost of the taxi will set you back somewhere between 150 - 180 Yuan from downtown Shanghai.  Even with going round in circles twice, we ended up with a taxi fare of 175 Yuan.  That's about $35 in my money.  This is probably going to be the most expensive way of getting to Disney from Shanghai proper.
> 
> If they are reading, perhaps the others can disclose how they got to the resort and how much it cost them.


Let the Disney time begin!! Yay


----------



## PrincessInOz

Aussie Wendy said:


> We found the same issue looking for eateries near the Lama and Confucius Temples - lots of reviews on line but none at the locations any more.



I wonder why the Chinese Government are doing that.

Oh well....I guess it means we have to research a bit more next time.





Aussie Wendy said:


> My diary says the meal including a bottle of water cost us 25Y each ($5 at the exchange rate) and can't remember the meat.



Thank you for this.  I thought the noodles might have been 17 Yuan...but I chalked it down to a faulty memory because that price just seemed ridiculously cheap to me.  So, I thought it was about 37 Yuan.  Looks like that might have been for 2 bowls of noodles!


----------



## PrincessInOz

zanzibar138 said:


> Shame about your first lunch option being a fizzer, but it seems like it all turned out for the best. Those noodles look delish
> despite being unevenly sized



You're right about the lunch!  Those noodles were delicious.  And even if the noodles were a little uneven, it added to the rustic-ness of the dish.  It also provided me with the comparison for the noodle maker at the hotel.  Don't get me wrong. The noodles here were also very good.  I'd be happy to go back for a repeat meal there.





zanzibar138 said:


> Great insight into some Old Shanghai. I do love old city walls!
> 
> Good news about the credit card refund too!



It's just a shame they demolished so much of the old city wall.  It would have been cool to see a longer stretch of it, like what we saw in Suzhou.  However, I expect everything pales into comparison against the Great Wall.


Yes.  I was very happy about the credit card refund.  It meant that I didn't have to worry about it for the rest of the trip.  








zanzibar138 said:


> Woohoo! Disney Disney Disney!
> 
> For the record, we also had trouble with our taxi driver. We had addresses printed out in English and Chinese as well and it didn't seem to make any difference. In the end we pointed to the Mickey head on Fairy Floss's t-shirt and that seemed to help lol!




Did @Fairy Floss flash her t-shirt at the taxi driver?????




I expect that as more visitors head to the Shanghai Disneyland Resort, the taxi drivers will know where they need to go over time.


----------



## PrincessInOz

dolphingirl47 said:


> I absolutely love the contrast between the traditional architecture and the modern buildings.



There were those sorts of contrast everywhere in the Old Nanshi area.  And I found bits and pieces even around Nanjing Road.






dolphingirl47 said:


> What a shame that they had all gone.



Yes.  I can only guess that the Chinese Government want to clean up the street food scene.  





dolphingirl47 said:


> Your lunch looked really nice even though the noodle maker was not as good as the one at the hotel.



Lunch was very good.  I'm happy to go back and eat there again.  The noodles here absolutely confirmed what a master the noodle maker in the hotel was.  But there was nothing wrong with the taste and texture of the noodles.






dolphingirl47 said:


> For all the poverty and the lack of creature comforts, it is a shame that they are destroying a art of the heritage.



 I just wish that they would redevelop more of these old areas in Shanghai.  
But I guess the land is just too valuable for a property developer.




dolphingirl47 said:


> This looks pretty impressive even though there is not much of it left.



Glad you like it.





dolphingirl47 said:


> What a shame that this was so unpleasant.



The take-out for me is that I probably be a bit more mentally prepared next time.






dolphingirl47 said:


> Now that is really worrying. Was this Disney security? I am glad you made it in the end and the price seems fair especially considering the detour.



It was Disney security.  I expect that he was a new employee and hadn't yet remembered everything about the resort.

I thought that the taxi fares in Shanghai were pretty decent all round.


----------



## PrincessInOz

darrenf67 said:


> Let the Disney time begin!! Yay


----------



## Fairy Floss

PrincessInOz said:


> Did @Fairy Floss flash her t-shirt at the taxi driver?????



Sort of ...
I was in the back so he couldn't see what I was wearing 
So ... I took off my t shirt 
And passed it over to the front .... 
I think I was discreet ....


----------



## Paula Sedley-Burke

It is just so interesting all these components of the city. The povety not having insude toilets. I wonder if the have public baths like we did in England years ago. My Mum's house did not have a bathroom. It had an outside toilet full of spiders! They had to go to the public baths to wash.

The noodles at the hotel must have been skillfull glad you got yoir refund! 

How interesting a mosque. 

Yeah going to Disney!


----------



## WanderlustNZ

All caught up and looking forward to your Disney installations.  
I'm also craving dumplings and noodles 

So pleased you got your refund back.


----------



## zanzibar138

Fairy Floss said:


> Sort of ...
> I was in the back so he couldn't see what I was wearing
> So ... I took off my t shirt
> And passed it over to the front ....
> I think I was discreet ....



Fairy Floss should mention that she was actually wearing a singlet underneath


----------



## PrincessInOz

Fairy Floss said:


> Sort of ...
> I was in the back so he couldn't see what I was wearing
> So ... I took off my t shirt
> And passed it over to the front ....
> I think I was discreet ....




I'm sure the taxi driver didn't mind.  Bwa ha ha ha ha ha.


----------



## PrincessInOz

zanzibar138 said:


> Fairy Floss should mention that she was actually wearing a singlet underneath



I'm sure the taxi driver minded!!!!  Bwa ha ha ha ha.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Paula Sedley-Burke said:


> It is just so interesting all these components of the city. The povety not having insude toilets. I wonder if the have public baths like we did in England years ago. My Mum's house did not have a bathroom. It had an outside toilet full of spiders! They had to go to the public baths to wash.
> 
> The noodles at the hotel must have been skillfull glad you got yoir refund!
> 
> How interesting a mosque.
> 
> Yeah going to Disney!



As much as I love old things, I like having my private facilities.  

I don't know how people managed in the old days without a flushing toilet!


----------



## PrincessInOz

WanderlustNZ said:


> All caught up and looking forward to your Disney installations.
> I'm also craving dumplings and noodles
> 
> So pleased you got your refund back.



Yeah.  I keep thinking about those noodles!


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Welcome Home*


I think we all know the feeling.


The pain we try to ignore and hide away in the far corners of our minds when we are not at Disney.  The pain that grows with the passing of time between visits to Disney.  The pain that goes away when we finally go home.


Yes, I am among friends here.  You KNOW what I mean.


Welcome Home!







There was no time to take pictures whilst we were checking in. 


Be prepared for check-in.  It starts at the security gate!


I had to show my reservation confirmation and my passport to the security guard before he would open the gate to let the taxi in.  So that meant that I had papers in hand plus carry-on/camera bags to deal with when we got to the Porte-Cochere.  Our suitcases – we let bellhop deal with.  


At concierge, you’ll need the reservation confirmation and your passports for everyone in the room.  The Cast Members will check your passports to make sure that there is a China Visa in your passport.  Apparently, it is Government policy that they do that at every hotel you check into.  

We were handed 2 room cards.  The room key/card isn’t a KTTW or a Magic Band, so room charging wasn’t set up for us.  We weren’t asked if we wanted room charge either.  For the record, I think it’s just a matter of time for Disney to rectify this.  Whilst they aren’t KTTW, the room keys do have the standard inbuilt magnetic (chip) smarts so I guess it is possible.


We were also handed 4 other cards.  They were our park tickets.  At the time we were visiting, the longest ticket on offer was a 2-day ticket.  We were hitting the park for 3 days.  So, we got two cards each.  One card was for 2 days and the other was for a single day ticket.  







We were told that the first time we used each card we would need to show our passport to the Cast Member on entry duty.  We complied with this on Day 1 and Day 3 and didn’t have any issues.  I don’t know what would happen if we didn’t have our passports with us.

I gather that a season pass has been recently introduced at Shanghai Disney.  It may be interesting to do the price comparison to see where the Disney Fuzzy Maths shows breakeven point to be.  I suspect that it may end up being 3.5 days, with food and merchandise discounts.



We were handed a cardboard pack with the standard resort information in it.  We were also handed English version park maps, which we took to the park and used for the duration of our stay.  I didn’t test it out but we were advised that the English version might be a rare breed in the park.  


My mother and I were very keen to check out our room, so we headed up rather than dawdle downstairs taking pictures.  We wanted to unpack and get ourselves ready for some room guests later.  


But Disney had other plans for us.  So, the unpacking had to wait a bit whilst I took pictures. 

My mother’s birthday month is March and I had mentioned that fact way back in December when I booked our accommodation.  Look what was waiting for us when we got to the room.







Ok.  I’m almost pretty sure that my mother was contemplating how to leave those letters on the bed whilst she slept. 








I had no such qualms.  I’m almost sure that I could fit myself in the bed and leave the decorations alone.







The buttons?  They were in the cardboard folder!  







We got the I’m Celebrating and Happy Birthday buttons at check-in.  They seemed to fit right in with the rest of the decorations on the bed.







We also got a towel cake.  This one made it home intact in my mother’s bag.  







Bellhop pitched up with our bags within 5 minutes of us getting to the room.  I was still taking pictures!







It’s a standard Disney room size.  And yes, the beds are just a double; not a queen.








There is a Murphy bed in the room.







That meant that we had very little cupboard space.







Did you spot the water bottles?  We got 4 bottles in the room.  







They do replace bottles but if you have some left there, they only replenish up to 4 bottles.  They don’t just leave you with 4 per day.  I found that between my mother and I, we were consistently going through 3 bottles of water a day.  4 bottles were more than enough for Disney without us having to buy extra water in the park.  If you’re into collecting your allocation of 4 bottles, you’ll need to remove some before room service hits.  


We also found 2 bottles of water in the bathroom.  We did use these for teeth cleaning purposes.  They don’t top up the bottles here, just the ones in the room.  
After the second day, I moved 2 bottles of water from the room into the bathroom so that mousekeeping would top up the other stash.  Call it a 2-bottle buffer.  It worked for me.







Being a newer Disney hotel, you’d expect the facilities to be shiny and clean.  







It was.  The grouting was still sparkling!







H2O products!







We also found the complimentary toiletries in one of the bathroom drawers.  It was a generous allocation.



 



Aside from bathrobes, we also had room slippers, with the appropriate Mickey Head decorations.  The slippers are yours to take home.  








The room safe is a generous size.  It’s definitely not the ridiculously small WDW safe size so you should be able to fit most gadgets and all your important paper stuff in here.







All in all, I was very happy with our home away from home.  Very happy indeed.


Postscript.

There were a couple of incidents (which my mother and I didn't experience) that the others experienced.  They may not have been as happy with the Disneyland Hotel as I was.  Perhaps they can provide their viewpoints to give you a different perspective.


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*I Only Went Down to get a Quick Snack*



After I unpacked, I was feeling a little peckish.  My mother....not so much so.  So, I headed downstairs solo just to get a quick snack.


This was the quick snack that I picked up.  It set me back about 78 Yuan or about $15 in my money.







As Caeser salad’s go, it wasn’t anything to set the world alight.  But it hit the spot.


If all I did was go down for a quick snack, this edition would be over right now.









Yeah.









So let’s see what I managed to get with the quick snack.




I may not have gotten pictures of reception earlier.  Not so on my second visit.


This is the Reception Desk.








Concierge is directly across from reception.







The lobby area is Disney opulent.







I didn't bring my tripod down with me so that ceiling and I have unfinished business.







There was a pianist in the corner playing Disney tunes.  Actually, there were two of them and they were both amazing.  They just kept playing a set each and changed over.  It was non-stop music from about 5 – 7 pm.  







On the Reception side of the lobby, there was a passageway.







I found my snack here.







I loved the Treble Clef doors!







There was even a delicate ballerina marble statue.  True Disney style!








Inside, there were Ballet touches everywhere!  







Very appropriate for the Ballet Cafe.







I sat here to enjoy my Caeser.







Afterall, this was my view.









(Continued Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Mickey Snacks at the Ballet Cafe*


The park was obviously still opened.  There was hardly anyone around.  Not that I was complaining.....I didn't have to wait to get served at all.







And....The Cast Members were happy to let me snap away.













They still had Opening Day cups available.  I guess it's Opening Year.







For the Aussies reading along, that’s nearly $10 for a meat pie.  I don’t know if it comes with the dead horse or not!   (And for those that aren’t Aussies, ‘dead horse’ is slang for tomato sauce or ketchup.)







Sticker shock came with this item.  At 20 Yuan for the egg tart, I thought this was highway robbery.  We were getting 6 small tarts for 10 Yuan in Nanjing Road.  







In the cabinets, there was a vast array of Mickey Heads.


































For anyone with a nut allergy, do not lick the screen.








There were Mickeys EVERYWHERE!





















There were even Minnie items.







I was super tempted by these popcorn containers.







In the end, I didn’t get them.







It's been a while since I've been in an American Park but I had the distinct feeling that there were more Mickey snacks in this one shop than any of the ones in the US.  Happy to be corrected if this feeling is wrong!










(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*You’ll need Drinks with your Snacks (Bacchus Lounge)*



Next to the Ballet Café towards the Lobby, you’ll find a watering hole.








It's named after the Roman God of Agriculture, Wine and Fertility.....and general debauchery!  







As this is the DisBoards and we are talking about Bacchus, let’s just leave it at that.  It was bad enough that I already had to truncate a banned word a number of times already.  I'm definitely not keen to incur any points!








I did go in….for research purposes, of course, so that I could take pictures and provide an update here.







I thought the décor was functional.   It was almost the same as the Ballet Café only the upholstery is a little different.







If it weren’t for the Mickey Heads on the table, I wouldn’t have remembered that I was in a Disney resort.








Still…..in the important matters, it probably was fully loaded.  







I will admit that I was a little disappointed with the functional decor in here.  There would have been a lot of scope for Disney to go with an edgy but intimate Art Nouveau lounge style bar here.  Oh well.  



I had to break off my hotel meandering at this point.  For the eagle-eyed among us, you may have spied our guests in a previous picture.  And time was getting on and we had a date with my room!


----------



## Aussie Wendy

zanzibar138 said:


> Shame about your first lunch option being a fizzer, but it seems like it all turned out for the best. Those noodles look delish despite being unevenly sized



Not having tasted PiO's gourmet version I can't comment - but we were hungry and they tasted good!


----------



## Aussie Wendy

PrincessInOz said:


> As much as I love old things, I like having my private facilities.
> 
> I don't know how people managed in the old days without a flushing toilet!



When we first emigrated from England to Qld and "the bush" (so in 1973) we had a thunder box (outside toilet to all you non Aussie readers).  It was a combined Post Office store with the old timber house attached. The "loo" was by the back fence, down a slippery grass slope, around 20 metres away. We were told "bang on the sides with the stick by the door so the snakes drop out of the ceiling and slither away" - yes seriously! The next morning Mum had us with the spades manually starting to dig a hole for a septic system. Not sure how long it took to get an indoor loo installed - I do remember using the outdoor one for a couple of months. Quite a difference for us Londoners! and yes I visited many a thunderbox over the next few years staying with farming friends and always banged the sides before entering - and yes I did see snakes slithering out once or twice and hearing a thud as they fell on several occasions!


----------



## darrenf67

PrincessInOz said:


> *Mickey Snacks at the Ballet Cafe*
> 
> 
> The park was obviously still opened.  There was hardly anyone around.  Not that I was complaining.....I didn't have to wait to get served at all.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And....The Cast Members were happy to let me snap away.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> They still had Opening Day cups available.  I guess it's Opening Year.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> For the Aussies reading along, that’s nearly $10 for a meat pie.  I don’t know if it comes with the dead horse or not!   (And for those that aren’t Aussies, ‘dead horse’ is slang for tomato sauce or ketchup.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sticker shock came with this item.  At 20 Yuan for the egg tart, I thought this was highway robbery.  We were getting 6 small tarts for 10 Yuan in Nanjing Road.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In the cabinets, there was a vast array of Mickey Heads.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> For anyone with a nut allergy, do not lick the screen.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There were Mickeys EVERYWHERE!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There were even Minnie items.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I was super tempted by these popcorn containers.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In the end, I didn’t get them.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It's been a while since I've been in an American Park but I had the distinct feeling that there were more Mickey snacks in this one shop than any of the ones in the US.  Happy to be corrected if this feeling is wrong!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (Continued in Next Post)


Yes we got the popcorn!


----------



## darrenf67

PrincessInOz said:


> *You’ll need Drinks with your Snacks (Bacchus Lounge)*
> 
> 
> 
> Next to the Ballet Café towards the Lobby, you’ll find a watering hole.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It's named after the Roman God of Agriculture, Wine and Fertility.....and general debauchery!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As this is the DisBoards and we are talking about Bacchus, let’s just leave it at that.  It was bad enough that I already had to truncate a banned word a number of times already.  I'm definitely not keen to incur any points!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I did go in….for research purposes, of course, so that I could take pictures and provide an update here.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I thought the décor was functional.   It was almost the same as the Ballet Café only the upholstery is a little different.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If it weren’t for the Mickey Heads on the table, I wouldn’t have remembered that I was in a Disney resort.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Still…..in the important matters, it probably was fully loaded.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I will admit that I was a little disappointed with the functional decor in here.  There would have been a lot of scope for Disney to go with an edgy but intimate Art Nouveau lounge style bar here.  Oh well.
> 
> 
> 
> I had to break off my hotel meandering at this point.  For the eagle-eyed among us, you may have spied our guests in a previous picture.  And time was getting on and we had a date with my room!


We went over to the Disneyland hotel and had a look around, shopped in the gift store and had breakfast at Lumiere's  - it looked fantastic! Don't get me wrong i loved Toy Story Hotel, but this was a class above. Love the slippers by the way! We got Buzz/Woody slippers!


----------



## Aussie Wendy

Umm what I am meant to be adding? Yes we were travelling light so we took the subway out to Disney. Cost us 6Y each (just over Aus$1). From the subway station nearest us (Yu Garden on line 10) my diary says we changed twice but it must have been three times looking at the map. Given we were travelling in peak hour the first part of our journey was a bit crowded but we just stood with our luggage. There were several routes we could have taken. I picked the one that looked the fastest. We went one stop to Nanjing Rd (where PIO and her Mum would have got off) then changed to Line 2 6 stops to Longyang Rd. The interchange between lines at Nanjing Rd I seem to recall was a bit of a walk. At Longyang Rd we took Line 16 2 stops to Luoshan Rd, all above ground and on a nearly empty train then finally Line 11 3 stops to Disney. At Luoshan Rd there was just one platform so no transfers needed and really easy. We only had a small backpack type bag each similar in size to a rolling carry-on bag which would have been just as easy to manoeuvre on escalators plus our "day" bags. 

The most confusing part of the entire trip was exiting Disney train station and working out where the Disney resort buses left from. We went right and came to some bus carrels painted blue but there was a bigger bus interchange in front of us further back with orange buses. A security type person told us we wanted the blue buses - which made sense when one pulled up (at the "blue" painted bus stops). The orange buses we worked out later were "city" buses. The first blue bus stop was marked a bit confusingly indicating they were going to somewhere other than the resorts but the rows further along the line were clearly marked - one for Toy Story Hotel and one for Disneyland Hotel - so we waited about 15 mins for our bus to arrive. It was deserted being now around 5.30pm. This was a different spot to where the regular buses from Disneyland that went straight to the hotels left from. I presume this would have been the train station drop off point. We discovered later it was right next to Disneytown. It had taken us around one hour to do the journey. The bus left with us and one other couple and took about 15 mins driving around a maze of circling roads til we pulled up outside our hotel, Toy Story. So really it was easier than dealing with confused taxi drivers! and if you don't have a lot of luggage with you catching the subway (metro) is an option. Direct from the airport you would catch the Maglev to Longyang Rd (and pay the Maglev fare PIO paid) and then (for another 5Y) take line 16 to Luoshan and line 11 to Disney. 

As an aside I wish we had had longer in the hotels to sample all the tasty wares PIO is showing above. We had the spinach quiche as a light dinner/snack from the Ballet Cafe and it was very delicious. If I find a pic I will add it later. We tried the very yummy blueberry and the nut muffins for breakfast from Toy Story Cafe (same as PIO's pics) one morning and two types of yoghurts (also good though noticeably dearer compared to our ridiculously cheap food elsewhere!)


----------



## WanderlustNZ

I know I've said it before, but you have such a great way of writing your TRs - the blend of text and photos makes them so easy and fun to read.  

While, we loved our visit to China, to be honest, Shanghai was the area that interested us least.  I didn't think I would ever have a urge to go back.  Yet reading about your visit through your eyes, I am beginning to think differently.  

That hotel looks gorgeous.  My guess is that the person who designed the decor on the Fantasy and Dream had a big hand in this also.  

Those snacks are pretty pricy, but they do look delicious.


----------



## dhorner233

Wow! You are really on top of this trip report! I got behind! But I'm back. I love your photography! You do such a great job of composition and use creative angles. Always an inspiration!


----------



## 1nfrequent

*PrincessinOz* I just want to say that this is an incredible trip report.  So useful and informative and your photos ... Man.  They are incredible.  Truly.  I am in awe, ma'am. 

I'm cribbing like crazy because I'm off to Shanghai in September.  I had planned on taking the Maglev from the airport but your experience has made me pause.  I'm one of the whitest people in the world, I walk around like I've got TOURIST tattooed on my forehead and I don't speak any mandarin (apart from ni hao) so I'm a bit worried about being taken advantage of. I think that my hotel does a meet and greet service so I'll look into seeing how much that costs.

I'm actually staying at the Sofitel so it's good to know not to have big expectations from the concierge.   I've got 5 days in total in the city and was planning to spend 2 in Disney and the rest wandering around the city and the Bund.

Can I ask, I know that there are scammers in the city but did you ever worry about pickpockets at all?  I've got a good bag with an inside zip that hugs close to my body and I can get a money belt but I'm a bit wary given that you need to take your passport with you to the parks.

1F


----------



## RachelTori

Pio - I haven't had much time lately to keep up with this TR (or your Facebook posts), but I wanted to make sure you know I am in total awe of the photos and your commentary!  What a fabulous trip!  

I have to add, your mother is absolutely adorable!


----------



## CaliKris

What a wonderful tour of the Shanghai Disneyland Hotel you just gave us!  With your amazing photos and commentary, I feel like I have been there.


----------



## franandaj

Catching up....again....Just glad that Fran went to bed as soon as we got home tonight, so that I could look at my computer without her evil eye looking over my shoulder.  I started reading this report this morning on my phone and was discouraged I couldn't really make out the photos, much better on the computer!



PrincessInOz said:


> Don’t be fooled by the lack of people in these pictures. I waited AGES for it to clear….on both sides!



I do that too!



PrincessInOz said:


> In the 400 years of existence, Yuyuan Garden had undergone many changes. During the late Ming Dynasty, it became very dilapidated with the decline of Pan's family. In 1760, some rich merchants bought it and spent more than 20 years reconstructing the buildings. During the Opium War of the 19th century, it was severely damaged. The garden you see today is the result of a five-year restoration project which began in 1956. It was open to the public in September, 1961. The Chinese Government declared it a National Monument in 1982. I guess that makes it one of those must-do’s in Shanghai.



OK, now I KNOW that I have to do a TON of research on China before we go to Shanghai.  I'm sure Fran thinks we're just going to Disney, but I'm not flying all that way and not seeing the other sights!



PrincessInOz said:


> I think this is Yanshan Hall. Don’t get me wrong, I’m usually taking pictures of the names of the buildings to jog my memory. However, there were very few signs in English in this part of the garden....or at least none that I easily spotted.



And this further cements that I need an English speaking guide to tell us what we are seeing!



PrincessInOz said:


> A pond or lake is the central element of a classical Chinese garden.



Again, more reason that I need to do my homework.  I don't even know what a Classical Chinese Garden is!  Much less the elements that I should be impressed by!



PrincessInOz said:


> We kept meandering along. All the while, I kept my eye out for the little details.



And why I'm glad I'm seeing this on the computer, so cool!



PrincessInOz said:


> In fact, I loved the paving in this place.



If the scooter could even get into that place, this would just kill the battery!



PrincessInOz said:


> But it really was the roof tiles that caught my attention.



Those are some elaborate roof tiles!



PrincessInOz said:


> I think we spent close on 2 hours in here and there were way too many details for us to take in and capture in the one visit.



I'm wondering with all the beautiful architecture that you are seeing if you get to overload like we did on our SW Roadtrip 



PrincessInOz said:


> We all had a good look around the City God Temple. Whilst it was busy, it wasn’t anywhere near as busy as outside in the Bazaar. A place away from the madding crowd; and a great pick by Aussie Wendy!



Yay Aussie Wendy for a good choice!


----------



## franandaj

Still catching up.  But I've secured you another lurker.  While reading I've been FB messaging with @Flossbolna 's BF and sent the link to him.  Yes Michael I'm calling you out!    He's interested in your trip as well.  I'm also taking advantage of the fact that Fran is still asleep and I'm not!



PrincessInOz said:


> It was here that I realised what a master the noodle maker at the hotel was. The noodles here were tasty; but the diameter of the noodles was not consistent within the strand and between strands.



Those noodles still look good.  I'm still craving noodles!  Even though my "2nd dinner" last night was Wontons, Tempura Shrimp, and Potstickers (all of the frozen variety), I still want some good noodles!



PrincessInOz said:


> As China continues to replace the old/historical city landscape with a new urban development, lilong neighbourhoods like this one will head the way of the dodo. I guess (or hope) that new housing will be made available to these residents but that community feel will probably be lost once they move.



Unfortunately unless they really believe in socialist values, they probably will not, or the new housing will be so far outside the city that it will be in accessible.  With the recent US/China developents I believe we are going to heck in a handbag.  But I don't want to be banned from the DIS so I won't say anything further.



PrincessInOz said:


> Entry to this historic attraction will set you back 5 Yuan (or about $1 in my money).



Seems like most of these attractions are very affordable.



PrincessInOz said:


> The wall was built in 1553 during the Ming Dynasty, to defend itself against Japanese pirates. I guess it’s pretty ironic that this relic of the past is surrounded by corporate pirates.



Yeah, and other corporate vultures as well.



PrincessInOz said:


> And I was even more pleased to find an envelop waiting for me when we got back to the hotel. The bellhop gave it to me when he got our bags. Turns out the hotel staff had managed to refund the 1000 Yuan back to my credit card whilst we were out and about. That was such welcomed news to me!



That's great!



PrincessInOz said:


> I may not be able to read Chinese but I can definitely read Mickey Head. This was the second such sign we saw on the way.



Yay Mickey!


----------



## shushh

I'm home! And just caught up. 

The same things caught my eye at the garden/temples! Those roof shingles I found out were all individually made! And the way they did the stone paving also fascinated me. Wished my photos of them were as good as yours!

The lilos would have been good to experience. I have no doubt that they will be extinct sooner rather than later. We experienced the "modern" Shanghai on the Pudong side where Mal's friend lives. And from the top of the SWFC, we saw the seemingly never ending cityscape. Near Mal's friend apartment block, a huge mall (of the outdoor type similar to American outlet malls) only took them 3 months to construct!!!

With regard to behaviour, we were informed that there was a massive push from the government to "educate" the people for the 2010 world expo in Shanghai. And when the government wants something, they are serious about it. The people were apparently "Educated" about lining up, not spitting, etc. Our guide mentioned that any "rude" behaviour are likely to be those from other more rural parts of China as Shanghai gets a large volume of local visitors.

And yay for Disney!!! We too loved our time at the Disneyland and glad we allocated time to enjoy the facilities. Thank you for capturing the beauty of the hotel so beautifully. The decorations for your mum are pretty full on!

I'm pretty sure we didn't show our passports on the first day for our tickets but I know our photos were taken at the turnstile. Actually we found out the next day, when we randomly allocated tickets and the photo that flashed didn't match the person, so she scanned all the tickets and we just entered in a file...


----------



## shushh

Aussie Wendy said:


> The most confusing part of the entire trip was exiting Disney train station and working out where the Disney resort buses left from. We went right and came to some bus carrels painted blue but there was a bigger bus interchange in front of us further back with orange buses. A security type person told us we wanted the blue buses - which made sense when one pulled up (at the "blue" painted bus stops). The orange buses we worked out later were "city" buses. The first blue bus stop was marked a bit confusingly indicating they were going to somewhere other than the resorts but the rows further along the line were clearly marked - one for Toy Story Hotel and one for Disneyland Hotel - so we waited about 15 mins for our bus to arrive. It was deserted being now around 5.30pm. This was a different spot to where the regular buses from Disneyland that went straight to the hotels left from. \



Haha! That was us. We caught the NON- disney orange buses...without paying. And only realised after getting off. And wandered why the bus driver looked at us in a funny way...


----------



## shushh

FWIW, our taxi fare back from Disneyland Hotel to our hotel in Shanghai (in Pudong area near Pearl Tower) cost us 100RMB per cab. We left at around 3:30pm on a Thursday


----------



## Aussie Wendy

WanderlustNZ said:


> I know I've said it before, but you have such a great way of writing your TRs - the blend of text and photos makes them so easy and fun to read.
> 
> While, we loved our visit to China, to be honest, Shanghai was the area that interested us least.  I didn't think I would ever have a urge to go back.  Yet reading about your visit through your eyes, I am beginning to think differently.
> 
> That hotel looks gorgeous.  My guess is that the person who designed the decor on the Fantasy and Dream had a big hand in this also.
> 
> Those snacks are pretty pricy, but they do look delicious.



Wanderlust we liked Shanghai the least too though Suzhou looks great from PIO pics.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Aussie Wendy said:


> Not having tasted PiO's gourmet version I can't comment - but we were hungry and they tasted good!



I wonder if we can find that place again!





Aussie Wendy said:


> When we first emigrated from England to Qld and "the bush" (so in 1973) we had a thunder box (outside toilet to all you non Aussie readers).  It was a combined Post Office store with the old timber house attached. The "loo" was by the back fence, down a slippery grass slope, around 20 metres away. We were told "bang on the sides with the stick by the door so the snakes drop out of the ceiling and slither away" - yes seriously! The next morning Mum had us with the spades manually starting to dig a hole for a septic system. Not sure how long it took to get an indoor loo installed - I do remember using the outdoor one for a couple of months. Quite a difference for us Londoners! and yes I visited many a thunderbox over the next few years staying with farming friends and always banged the sides before entering - and yes I did see snakes slithering out once or twice and hearing a thud as they fell on several occasions!



OMG!  I think I would have had serious constipation issues if I had to do that every time I needed to go!  





Aussie Wendy said:


> It had taken us around one hour to do the journey. The bus left with us and one other couple and took about 15 mins driving around a maze of circling roads til we pulled up outside our hotel, Toy Story. So really it was easier than dealing with confused taxi drivers!



Timewise, I think it took us about 30 minutes with the taxi.  







Aussie Wendy said:


> As an aside I wish we had had longer in the hotels to sample all the tasty wares



I wish the same too.  We really squeezed in as much as possible to see a little more of Shanghai.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Aussie Wendy said:


> Umm what I am meant to be adding? Yes we were travelling light so we took the subway out to Disney. Cost us 6Y each (just over Aus$1). From the subway station nearest us (Yu Garden on line 10) my diary says we changed twice but it must have been three times looking at the map. Given we were travelling in peak hour the first part of our journey was a bit crowded but we just stood with our luggage. There were several routes we could have taken. I picked the one that looked the fastest. We went one stop to Nanjing Rd (where PIO and her Mum would have got off) then changed to Line 2 6 stops to Longyang Rd. The interchange between lines at Nanjing Rd I seem to recall was a bit of a walk. At Longyang Rd we took Line 16 2 stops to Luoshan Rd, all above ground and on a nearly empty train then finally Line 11 3 stops to Disney. At Luoshan Rd there was just one platform so no transfers needed and really easy. We only had a small backpack type bag each similar in size to a rolling carry-on bag which would have been just as easy to manoeuvre on escalators plus our "day" bags.
> 
> The most confusing part of the entire trip was exiting Disney train station and working out where the Disney resort buses left from. We went right and came to some bus carrels painted blue but there was a bigger bus interchange in front of us further back with orange buses. A security type person told us we wanted the blue buses - which made sense when one pulled up (at the "blue" painted bus stops). The orange buses we worked out later were "city" buses. The first blue bus stop was marked a bit confusingly indicating they were going to somewhere other than the resorts but the rows further along the line were clearly marked - one for Toy Story Hotel and one for Disneyland Hotel - so we waited about 15 mins for our bus to arrive. It was deserted being now around 5.30pm. This was a different spot to where the regular buses from Disneyland that went straight to the hotels left from. I presume this would have been the train station drop off point. We discovered later it was right next to Disneytown. It had taken us around one hour to do the journey. The bus left with us and one other couple and took about 15 mins driving around a maze of circling roads til we pulled up outside our hotel, Toy Story. So really it was easier than dealing with confused taxi drivers! and if you don't have a lot of luggage with you catching the subway (metro) is an option. Direct from the airport you would catch the Maglev to Longyang Rd (and pay the Maglev fare PIO paid) and then (for another 5Y) take line 16 to Luoshan and line 11 to Disney.
> 
> As an aside I wish we had had longer in the hotels to sample all the tasty wares PIO is showing above. We had the spinach quiche as a light dinner/snack from the Ballet Cafe and it was very delicious. If I find a pic I will add it later. We tried the very yummy blueberry and the nut muffins for breakfast from Toy Story Cafe (same as PIO's pics) one morning and two types of yoghurts (also good though noticeably dearer compared to our ridiculously cheap food elsewhere!)



Thank you!!!!!


----------



## PrincessInOz

darrenf67 said:


> Yes we got the popcorn!



And did you EAT the popcorn???


I need to travel a lot lighter next time in order to fit both the Mickey and Minnie containers in my bag.


----------



## PrincessInOz

darrenf67 said:


> breakfast at Lumiere's - it looked fantastic!




It was a good character breakfast, wasn't it?

That's still to come in one of the updates.


----------



## PrincessInOz

WanderlustNZ said:


> I know I've said it before, but you have such a great way of writing your TRs - the blend of text and photos makes them so easy and fun to read.



Thank you.  

It's been a while since I've written a Disney TR.  Glad I still remember how!!!




WanderlustNZ said:


> to be honest, Shanghai was the area that interested us least. I didn't think I would ever have a urge to go back.



Shanghai didn't exactly grab me either.  It was just a little too modern for my tastes.  I did like parts of it; and will definitely want to go back to Suzhou and the French Concession.





WanderlustNZ said:


> My guess is that the person who designed the decor on the Fantasy and Dream had a big hand in this also.



Yes.  It certainly looks like the ship lobby area, doesn't it?





WanderlustNZ said:


> Those snacks are pretty pricy, but they do look delicious.



Compared to the ridiculously cheap prices in Shanghai proper, it was highway robbery.  No wonder the Chinese say it's very expensive to spend a day at Disneyland.


----------



## PrincessInOz

dhorner233 said:


> Wow! You are really on top of this trip report! I got behind! But I'm back. I love your photography! You do such a great job of composition and use creative angles. Always an inspiration!



Welcome back!  And thank you.  

Hope to catch you and your gorgeous pictures on the photoboard!


----------



## PrincessInOz

1nfrequent said:


> I just want to say that this is an incredible trip report. So useful and informative and your photos ... Man. They are incredible. Truly. I am in awe, ma'am.



Welcome.....and thank you.  





1nfrequent said:


> I'm off to Shanghai in September





1nfrequent said:


> I'm actually staying at the Sofitel so it's good to know not to have big expectations from the concierge.  I've got 5 days in total in the city and was planning to spend 2 in Disney and the rest wandering around the city and the Bund.



Glad the info is coming in handy for your trip.  It sounds like an awesome trip and I wish you happy planning and happy travels.  
The location of the Sofitel is great.  You'll be right there on Nanjing Road. 






1nfrequent said:


> I had planned on taking the Maglev from the airport but your experience has made me pause. I'm one of the whitest people in the world, I walk around like I've got TOURIST tattooed on my forehead and I don't speak any mandarin (apart from ni hao) so I'm a bit worried about being taken advantage of. I think that my hotel does a meet and greet service so I'll look into seeing how much that costs.



I would still recommend the Maglev.  It's a very convenient way to get closer towards downtown Shanghai and all you have to do is keep walking and ignoring everyone.  
Perhaps the Sofitel could do a meet and greet at the Longyang Road Train Station?





1nfrequent said:


> Can I ask, I know that there are scammers in the city but did you ever worry about pickpockets at all? I've got a good bag with an inside zip that hugs close to my body and I can get a money belt but I'm a bit wary given that you need to take your passport with you to the parks.



I actually didn't worry about pickpockets.  In downtown Shanghai, I left most valuables and the extra cash in the room safe.  If it's the same in September, you'll probably notice a lot of police/security about in Nanjing Road.  Even at night.  I headed back to the hotel by myself on the night that Wendy, her DD and I went to the French Concession and will admit that I was a lot more alert about who/what was going on around me...just in case.

In Disneyland, it didn't even cross my mind.  I kept my passport inside my camera backpack and because it was in an inside pocket, my wallet and camera would have been more likely to be taken than the passport.


----------



## PrincessInOz

RachelTori said:


> Pio - I haven't had much time lately to keep up with this TR (or your Facebook posts), but I wanted to make sure you know I am in total awe of the photos and your commentary!  What a fabulous trip!
> 
> I have to add, your mother is absolutely adorable!




  Glad you found time to stop by again!
Hope you and DH are well....and don't worry about it.  I'm having difficulties keeping up with anyone on FB!

Thank you!


----------



## PrincessInOz

CaliKris said:


> What a wonderful tour of the Shanghai Disneyland Hotel you just gave us!  With your amazing photos and commentary, I feel like I have been there.



Thank you!  Glad you're right there with me!


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> Catching up....again....Just glad that Fran went to bed as soon as we got home tonight, so that I could look at my computer without her evil eye looking over my shoulder.



Just tell her that she needs to also read this TR.  She certainly looked at the condensed version on FB; so tell her I've got a lot more detail here....and more pics!  





franandaj said:


> on my phone and was discouraged I couldn't really make out the photo



Dang it!  I've been trying to not overload the editions with too many pictures because I know you have trouble downloading them all on the phone.  Oh well.






franandaj said:


> OK, now I KNOW that I have to do a TON of research on China before we go to Shanghai. I'm sure Fran thinks we're just going to Disney, but I'm not flying all that way and not seeing the other sights!





franandaj said:


> And this further cements that I need an English speaking guide to tell us what we are seeing!



I think if you do the research on what things to see and then get an English speaking guide, they should be able to fill you in on all the history and details.





franandaj said:


> If the scooter could even get into that place, this would just kill the battery!



Hmmm.  A friend of mine was heading to China over the Easter break.  She was taking her mother and they were going to hire a wheelchair (the push kind; not the motorised version).  If I catch up with her, I'll ask if they went to Yuyuan and if it was easy to get around with the wheelchair. 

I'm thinking that there are some sections where it will be very hard to get the scooter in.  Plus...some of the rooms in the pavilions have a threshhold rise which will make it impossible for the scooter to enter.  The rise has got something to do with a Chinese belief that you should cross a threshhold; not walk on it.





franandaj said:


> I'm wondering with all the beautiful architecture that you are seeing if you get to overload like we did on our SW Roadtrip



I did get to that point at the Yuyuan Gardens.  There was just so much to see everywhere.





franandaj said:


> Yes Michael I'm calling you out!  He's interested in your trip as well. I'm also taking advantage of the fact that Fran is still asleep and I'm not!



  Hi Michael!  Hope you're having fun lurking!







franandaj said:


> Those noodles still look good. I'm still craving noodles!



I've been craving noodles since I've come back.  I might have to go visit a Shanghai eatery at the weekend and get some Shanghai style noodles!






franandaj said:


> With the recent US/China developents I believe we are going to heck in a handbag. But I don't want to be banned from the DIS so I won't say anything further.



What with me having to truncate a certain word; and then posting about Bacchus and debauchery.....and now you......I'm certainly on a roll with this TR!!!!  

Let's see....that's us covering off profanity, s-e-x and now politics!!

  I wonder if there are any mods out there lurking??????   








franandaj said:


> Seems like most of these attractions are very affordable.



Yes.  Although....I don't know if it's worth you and Fran heading into the Old Wall in Shanghai.  There are stairs to climb and no elevator for the scooter.


----------



## PrincessInOz

shushh said:


> I'm home! And just caught up.



Welcome back!





shushh said:


> The same things caught my eye at the garden/temples! Those roof shingles I found out were all individually made! And the way they did the stone paving also fascinated me. Wished my photos of them were as good as yours!



I'm sure your pics are as good as mine.  I remember your photos!

BTW - that reminds me.  Could you PM me your blog again?  I inadvertently lost a whole bunch of info as a result of either FB killing my previous username and/or getting a new laptop and forgetting to migrate all my links.





shushh said:


> With regard to behaviour, we were informed that there was a massive push from the government to "educate" the people for the 2010 world expo in Shanghai. And when the government wants something, they are serious about it. The people were apparently "Educated" about lining up, not spitting, etc. Our guide mentioned that any "rude" behaviour are likely to be those from other more rural parts of China as Shanghai gets a large volume of local visitors.



That would explain why we found the Shanghai people rather courteous.  Thanks for sharing.






shushh said:


> I'm pretty sure we didn't show our passports on the first day for our tickets but I know our photos were taken at the turnstile. Actually we found out the next day, when we randomly allocated tickets and the photo that flashed didn't match the person, so she scanned all the tickets and we just entered in a file...





shushh said:


> FWIW, our taxi fare back from Disneyland Hotel to our hotel in Shanghai (in Pudong area near Pearl Tower) cost us 100RMB per cab. We left at around 3:30pm on a Thursday



Excellent intel!  Thanks for sharing.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Aussie Wendy said:


> Wanderlust we liked Shanghai the least too though Suzhou looks great from PIO pics.



If I had my time over, I think I would have gone to Beijing like you did.


----------



## PrincessInOz

For anyone interested, Aussie Wendy has started her TR!

Link here or head to the "Other Lands" section on the Dis.  You should find it there.



Hmmm......Wendy tends to write quicker than me.  Hope I can keep up with her!


----------



## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> At concierge, you’ll need the reservation confirmation and your passports for everyone in the room. The Cast Members will check your passports to make sure that there is a China Visa in your passport. Apparently, it is Government policy that they do that at every hotel you check into.



Wow, that's very big brothery of them.



PrincessInOz said:


> I don’t know what would happen if we didn’t have our passports with us.



I don't like having my Passport on me. I'd probably activate the ticket, and take passport back to the room.



PrincessInOz said:


> We also got a towel cake. This one made it home intact in my mother’s bag.





The hotel lobby looks nice, but not overly Disney.



Aussie Wendy said:


> We were told "bang on the sides with the stick by the door so the snakes drop out of the ceiling and slither away" - yes seriously!



Triple 



PrincessInOz said:


> I think if you do the research on what things to see and then get an English speaking guide, they should be able to fill you in on all the history and details.



What I want to know is a basic history of the Dynasties, overall historic time line and such. All we ever learned about China (at least in my education) was Mao Tse Tung = bad, Nixon good, until he went bad.



PrincessInOz said:


> I'm thinking that there are some sections where it will be very hard to get the scooter in. Plus...some of the rooms in the pavilions have a threshhold rise which will make it impossible for the scooter to enter. The rise has got something to do with a Chinese belief that you should cross a threshhold; not walk on it.



She knows that lots in foreign countries will not be scooter accessible, so she can make the decision if she wants to see I bad enough to get up and climb the steps.

Yay! Now I'm caught up (for now).


----------



## 1nfrequent

PrincessInOz said:


> The location of the Sofitel is great. You'll be right there on Nanjing Road.



Oh smashing!  I was going backwards and forwards about what hotel to choose but I wanted something with a good location.



PrincessInOz said:


> Perhaps the Sofitel could do a meet and greet at the Longyang Road Train Station?



Good idea.  I'll look into it.  I do want to take the Maglev (I did bullet trains in Japan and they're all amazing - well, compared to the rubbish trains we have in Britain ...). I'm also keen to save some money as well.



PrincessInOz said:


> I actually didn't worry about pickpockets. In downtown Shanghai, I left most valuables and the extra cash in the room safe. If it's the same in September, you'll probably notice a lot of police/security about in Nanjing Road. Even at night. I headed back to the hotel by myself on the night that Wendy, her DD and I went to the French Concession and will admit that I was a lot more alert about who/what was going on around me...just in case.



That's a relief.  Thank you.

Looking forward to reading more. :grabby hands:

1F


----------



## WanderlustNZ

Aussie Wendy said:


> Wanderlust we liked Shanghai the least too though Suzhou looks great from PIO pics.



In all fairness, I realise now that the time we spent in Shanghai was really rushed (from memory only about 1 full day in Shanghai and one in Shuzhou) and I see from this trip report that there was a lot we didn't see or do.    Plus it was our final stop on a whirlwind tour of many parts of China and I remember feeling like I was ready by that stage for a full day nap.  

At the end of the day though it was seeing the history (in places like Beijing and Xian) and the small town life on the Li and tributaries of the Yangtze that really fascinated hubby and I.    
The wonderful thing about China is that it offers so many different experiences in one country.


----------



## Aussie Wendy

PrincessInOz said:


> For anyone interested, Aussie Wendy has started her TR!
> 
> Link here or head to the "Other Lands" section on the Dis.  You should find it there.
> 
> 
> 
> Hmmm......Wendy tends to write quicker than me.  Hope I can keep up with her!



Thanks!! I intended to do this but simply had to go to bed last night rather than spent another 30 mins remembering how to do it - lol! and I wouldn't be saying that - you are snapping this one out pronto and I do have work I am meant to be doing - like right now!!!. Bye..off to earn some $ to pay for another trip.


----------



## zanzibar138

I was so looking forward to seeing your hotel pictures PIO, and you did not disappoint 



Aussie Wendy said:


> The most confusing part of the entire trip was exiting Disney train station and working out where the Disney resort buses left from.





shushh said:


> Haha! That was us. We caught the NON- disney orange buses...without paying. And only realised after getting off. And wandered why the bus driver looked at us in a funny way...



Ah, glad it wasn't just me then. This tripped me up badly on my first trip there. And you can only imagine the craziness of Opening Day and nobody having the slightest clue what was going on or being able to understand me lol!



1nfrequent said:


> I'm cribbing like crazy because I'm off to Shanghai in September. I had planned on taking the Maglev from the airport but your experience has made me pause. I'm one of the whitest people in the world, I walk around like I've got TOURIST tattooed on my forehead and I don't speak any mandarin (apart from ni hao) so I'm a bit worried about being taken advantage of. I think that my hotel does a meet and greet service so I'll look into seeing how much that costs.





1nfrequent said:


> Can I ask, I know that there are scammers in the city but did you ever worry about pickpockets at all? I've got a good bag with an inside zip that hugs close to my body and I can get a money belt but I'm a bit wary given that you need to take your passport with you to the parks.



I wouldn't let PIO's experience put you off the Maglev. I was a young woman on my own with long blonde ringlets (so stood out just a little bit!), and would struggle to even say ni hao correctly lol! I had absolutely no trouble at all. I was much less concerned about taking the train than I was about getting a taxi  My hotel was right near Longyang Station (where the Maglev stops), so I didn't have to worry about changing trains or getting a taxi from there.

I also had no problems whatsoever with pickpockets or personal safety. I went for a walk and took the train a bit further into the city that evening (once again on my own). Wandering around a quiet waterfront area in Pudong in relative darkness, I felt quite safe and had no immediate concerns. On the train and in other crowded areas, I just made sure that I held my handbag in front of me where I could see it. I didn't make any special efforts anywhere else.



RachelTori said:


> I have to add, your mother is absolutely adorable!



PIO's mother is absolutely lovely and was a lot of fun too!


----------



## zanzibar138

As PIO mentioned previously, some of us did have some slight issues with the Disneyland Hotel. My main issues happened when I returned to the hotel for a mid-afternoon rest. It was our second day of constant soaking rain, and I was having issues with my connectivity and was losing touch with the other DISers. I was a bit over everything, and was looking forward to freshening up in my room and hitting the club lounge for some lunch.

We had previously checked in, but the room wasn't ready, so I went back to the reception desk to pick up my room key, which was a smooth and painless process. However, up in the room, the toilet wouldn't flush! Tried to wash my hands before heading back down to reception to make a complaint, and there was no water coming out of the basin taps either. Tried the shower - no water there. So back downstairs I trudged. After some initial confusion, I was told that they were doing some maintenance and had in fact turned off the mains to the entire hotel. Would have been nice of them to let me know that when they were giving me my room key! Apparently it was due to come back on soon. In all fairness, when I got back to my room, the toilet had been flushed. I assume they had sent someone up with a bucket.

While I was downstairs and annoyed about the water situation, I decided to head to Bacchus Lounge for a drink. Upon check in, we had been given some vouchers. The writing was mostly in Chinese, but when they were handed to us, we were told they could be used for a drink. I handed the voucher over at the bar, and was surprised that I was able to choose from any of the drinks available - I had assumed that it would be the usual 'welcome drink' situation, where you just get what you're given. I chose some tropical concoction, and enjoyed it while taking in the lovely views over the lake to the park. Unfortunately there had been some confusion and language barrier issues. When I went to leave, I was given a bill for the drink! Apparently the voucher was only for a discount on a drink, not a whole drink, and I was left to pay about AUD $10. Normally this wouldn't have been a huge issue, but when were staying club level, so I felt a little ripped off about paying for the drink and I left feeling even more annoyed than I had felt when I went in!

After freshening up in my room (now that the water was back on), I headed to the club lounge for another drink lol! I still hadn't eaten anything either, so was looking forward to seeing what snacks they had on offer. Unfortunately I arrived just as they were packing up the afternoon offerings, and the evening offerings wouldn't be available for another hour. Of course, I would have known that if I'd have actually looked at the club lounge schedule and my watch before I went in, but the incident with the water had meant that I had turned up later than expected. Anyway, I was still able to get a drink, and drank it while taking in the views and checking up on facebook etc. Eventually the evening snacks were ready and I was able to make up a nice little plate for myself before heading back to the park.

Mostly, my complaints were fairly minor and it wasn't really the hotel's fault (except for the water) - it was just me having a bad day. It certainly wasn't my best Disney day, and on the bus ride back to the park I found myself repeating 'a bad day at Disney still beats a good day at work' in my head lol!

And for what it's worth, I had a lovely evening in the park and finished off the day on a high note


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> Wow, that's very big brothery of them.



Absolutely.  But I guess this is a case of their country, their rules. 





franandaj said:


> I don't like having my Passport on me. I'd probably activate the ticket, and take passport back to the room.



That could work if you don't mind the trip back and out again.





franandaj said:


> The hotel lobby looks nice, but not overly Disney.



I liked the hotel lobby very much.  It was rather 'adult'.  I think that's why I like the Beach Club lobby as well.





franandaj said:


> What I want to know is a basic history of the Dynasties, overall historic time line and such. All we ever learned about China (at least in my education) was Mao Tse Tung = bad, Nixon good, until he went bad.



I need to learn about the various dynasties as well and how they fit into the timeline!





franandaj said:


> Yay! Now I'm caught up (for now).



YAY!


----------



## PrincessInOz

1nfrequent said:


> I do want to take the Maglev (I did bullet trains in Japan and they're all amazing - well, compared to the rubbish trains we have in Britain ...). I'm also keen to save some money as well.



If there is only one of you, it is probably a cheap way to travel!  Hope you decide to stick with the Maglev option, despite the scammers.   





WanderlustNZ said:


> In all fairness, I realise now that the time we spent in Shanghai was really rushed (from memory only about 1 full day in Shanghai and one in Shuzhou) and I see from this trip report that there was a lot we didn't see or do. Plus it was our final stop on a whirlwind tour of many parts of China and I remember feeling like I was ready by that stage for a full day nap.



Maybe....next time we go, you can join us!


----------



## PrincessInOz

zanzibar138 said:


> I was so looking forward to seeing your hotel pictures PIO, and you did not disappoint



Phew!  Glad you liked them!!






zanzibar138 said:


> PIO's mother is absolutely lovely and was a lot of fun too!



Awww.  I'll let her know!





zanzibar138 said:


> As PIO mentioned previously, some of us did have some slight issues with the Disneyland Hotel. My main issues happened when I returned to the hotel for a mid-afternoon rest. It was our second day of constant soaking rain, and I was having issues with my connectivity and was losing touch with the other DISers. I was a bit over everything, and was looking forward to freshening up in my room and hitting the club lounge for some lunch.
> 
> We had previously checked in, but the room wasn't ready, so I went back to the reception desk to pick up my room key, which was a smooth and painless process. However, up in the room, the toilet wouldn't flush! Tried to wash my hands before heading back down to reception to make a complaint, and there was no water coming out of the basin taps either. Tried the shower - no water there. So back downstairs I trudged. After some initial confusion, I was told that they were doing some maintenance and had in fact turned off the mains to the entire hotel. Would have been nice of them to let me know that when they were giving me my room key! Apparently it was due to come back on soon. In all fairness, when I got back to my room, the toilet had been flushed. I assume they had sent someone up with a bucket.
> 
> While I was downstairs and annoyed about the water situation, I decided to head to Bacchus Lounge for a drink. Upon check in, we had been given some vouchers. The writing was mostly in Chinese, but when they were handed to us, we were told they could be used for a drink. I handed the voucher over at the bar, and was surprised that I was able to choose from any of the drinks available - I had assumed that it would be the usual 'welcome drink' situation, where you just get what you're given. I chose some tropical concoction, and enjoyed it while taking in the lovely views over the lake to the park. Unfortunately there had been some confusion and language barrier issues. When I went to leave, I was given a bill for the drink! Apparently the voucher was only for a discount on a drink, not a whole drink, and I was left to pay about AUD $10. Normally this wouldn't have been a huge issue, but when were staying club level, so I felt a little ripped off about paying for the drink and I left feeling even more annoyed than I had felt when I went in!
> 
> After freshening up in my room (now that the water was back on), I headed to the club lounge for another drink lol! I still hadn't eaten anything either, so was looking forward to seeing what snacks they had on offer. Unfortunately I arrived just as they were packing up the afternoon offerings, and the evening offerings wouldn't be available for another hour. Of course, I would have known that if I'd have actually looked at the club lounge schedule and my watch before I went in, but the incident with the water had meant that I had turned up later than expected. Anyway, I was still able to get a drink, and drank it while taking in the views and checking up on facebook etc. Eventually the evening snacks were ready and I was able to make up a nice little plate for myself before heading back to the park.
> 
> Mostly, my complaints were fairly minor and it wasn't really the hotel's fault (except for the water) - it was just me having a bad day. It certainly wasn't my best Disney day, and on the bus ride back to the park I found myself repeating 'a bad day at Disney still beats a good day at work' in my head lol!
> 
> And for what it's worth, I had a lovely evening in the park and finished off the day on a high note



Thanks for sharing!


----------



## Fairy Floss

1nfrequent said:


> Can I ask, I know that there are scammers in the city but did you ever worry about pickpockets at all? I've got a good bag with an inside zip that hugs close to my body and I can get a money belt but I'm a bit wary given that you need to take your passport with you to the parks.


Where country are you In?
I  make scarves with a pocket for your valuables 
These came about as a result of almost being pickpocketted in Paris


----------



## Fairy Floss

Just another note about park tickets 
I ordered mine with my room reservation and didn't have to show my passport at the park


----------



## Aussie Wendy

I agree PIO's Mum was wonderful. Besides being such a warm, friendly, fun person you should have seen her on Tron!

As per Zanzibar 138's comment, like her we transferred from Toy Story to Disneyland Hotel but just for one night. We also got caught with the water issue. We checked in and the desk clerk said they had given us a room on a high floor so we had good views. When we went upstairs (to a room that yes had views across the lake and even the castle if I squewed sideways!! and we had only paid for a standard room so I presume was a bit of an upgrade) we discovered no water. I rang down to reception as was unsure if it was just our room but whoever answered the phone couldn't understand what I was asking. I got put through to a better English speaking manager who confirmed there was an issue and the whole hotel was off and "did we need housekeeping to bring a bucket to flush". I said no thank you but we did think that they should have let us know when we checked in that there was no water for the next hour or so, instead of us having to chase it up. I felt they didn't really know how to handle the situation and "to save face" hoped it would soon be fixed. As we were cold and damp it was unfortunate.

We got crankier that night. Almost midnight we were in bed almost asleep when DD said to me she thought someone was softly knocking on our door. The next door people had been very noisy an hour previously especially and we felt that the walls were very thin as we had heard click, click, clicking - probably them turning the bedside lights on and off trying to work out how to make the headboard light up (which we had done at 4pm!) but it sounded right by our ears where I presume the beds must back-back. So I said no it's for next door. We dozed off and 10 mins or so later our phone rang and it was reception telling us "why didn't we answer the door to our room service" - quite crankily. I said we haven't ordered room service and after some tooing and frooing of them questioning and me responding we agreed someone had given the wrong room number. 10 mins later very loud bangs on our door. I got up - I admit I was cranky now - and it was the room service lad insisting he had to deliver to us. I kept saying no, no, not us, we just told reception, and since his English was not very good I mimed we have been asleep as he seemed most determined he was going to give us room service come what may and not take no for an answer. Then his phone rang and there was a convo in Chinese - I presume from reception, and he smiled, agreed it must be someone else and departed. I made sure when we checked out it hadn't been recorded to our room! So I don't know if the real people ever got their order!

The third, very minor incident, was when we collected our bags from Bellhop that evening prior to saying goodbye to PIO as I had something stored to pass on. They kept trying to order us a taxi and we kept saying no not yet, we are saying goodbye to our friend. We knew we wanted to use the bathroom, maybe grab a snack etc first as there would be nothing at the airport hotel. It just felt like a fly buzzing about me so I was fairly short in the end saying please go away. We will come and see you when we are ready. 

No that was the fourth. The first was catching the ferry that afternoon. The CM there said the next ferry would only be 10 mins so we waited sheltering under their minuscule brolly in the rain rather than walk to the buses (our brollies had just about died by now). But the ferry didn't come. The ferry was half way across heading to the hotel side of the lake when we got there and pulled in to drop off I guess, but then pulled out and just did donuts in the lake round and round til finally a ferry came from the bottom of the lake, loaded up at the hotel and finally crossed to us and the other ferry departed down the lake. So our wait was around 35 mins. No big deal but if we had known it was some change-over time we would have just walked up to the buses instead. Perhaps the CM did not know that though or I felt more likely, it's a cultural thing and they want to tell you what will make you happy. Having limited sit-down shelter in the parks in rainy weather was an issue overall.  

In contrast every minute of our time at the Toy Story Hotel was perfect and maybe we just had quieter neighbours, but we didn't hear a peep from them though the room was occupied. Therefore, on return I am quite happy to stay there rather than pay the premium for the Disneyland Hotel. We still got H2O products, slippers etc. The cafe had not quite as good a selection as Disneyland Hotel but mostly the same items and it is easy to catch the bus over there for their eateries. You can walk to the parks though not as pretty and a bit further than Wishing Star Park. I know others in our group loved the Disneyland Hotel though so I think we were just subject to an unfortunate series of events! and it puts us in our place - because to be honest we are probably "Toy Story" kind of people - with our backpacks and usually bargain hotels and subwaying etc! So if your heart's desire is to stay at the Disneyland Hotel - and it is very beautiful - then go for it! and if you settle for Toy Story Hotel it's still great!


----------



## PrincessInOz

Fairy Floss said:


> Just another note about park tickets
> I ordered mine with my room reservation and didn't have to show my passport at the park



That's interesting...because I also ordered mine with my room reservation.  We had a trainee Cast Member check us into the hotel and her and her minder made it a point to tell us that we needed to take our passports in.

Oh well.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Aussie Wendy said:


> I agree PIO's Mum was wonderful. Besides being such a warm, friendly, fun person you should have seen her on Tron!
> 
> As per Zanzibar 138's comment, like her we transferred from Toy Story to Disneyland Hotel but just for one night. We also got caught with the water issue. We checked in and the desk clerk said they had given us a room on a high floor so we had good views. When we went upstairs (to a room that yes had views across the lake and even the castle if I squewed sideways!! and we had only paid for a standard room so I presume was a bit of an upgrade) we discovered no water. I rang down to reception as was unsure if it was just our room but whoever answered the phone couldn't understand what I was asking. I got put through to a better English speaking manager who confirmed there was an issue and the whole hotel was off and "did we need housekeeping to bring a bucket to flush". I said no thank you but we did think that they should have let us know when we checked in that there was no water for the next hour or so, instead of us having to chase it up. I felt they didn't really know how to handle the situation and "to save face" hoped it would soon be fixed. As we were cold and damp it was unfortunate.
> 
> We got crankier that night. Almost midnight we were in bed almost asleep when DD said to me she thought someone was softly knocking on our door. The next door people had been very noisy an hour previously especially and we felt that the walls were very thin as we had heard click, click, clicking - probably them turning the bedside lights on and off trying to work out how to make the headboard light up (which we had done at 4pm!) but it sounded right by our ears where I presume the beds must back-back. So I said no it's for next door. We dozed off and 10 mins or so later our phone rang and it was reception telling us "why didn't we answer the door to our room service" - quite crankily. I said we haven't ordered room service and after some tooing and frooing of them questioning and me responding we agreed someone had given the wrong room number. 10 mins later very loud bangs on our door. I got up - I admit I was cranky now - and it was the room service lad insisting he had to deliver to us. I kept saying no, no, not us, we just told reception, and since his English was not very good I mimed we have been asleep as he seemed most determined he was going to give us room service come what may and not take no for an answer. Then his phone rang and there was a convo in Chinese - I presume from reception, and he smiled, agreed it must be someone else and departed. I made sure when we checked out it hadn't been recorded to our room! So I don't know if the real people ever got their order!
> 
> The third, very minor incident, was when we collected our bags from Bellhop that evening prior to saying goodbye to PIO as I had something stored to pass on. They kept trying to order us a taxi and we kept saying no not yet, we are saying goodbye to our friend. We knew we wanted to use the bathroom, maybe grab a snack etc first as there would be nothing at the airport hotel. It just felt like a fly buzzing about me so I was fairly short in the end saying please go away. We will come and see you when we are ready.
> 
> No that was the fourth. The first was catching the ferry that afternoon. The CM there said the next ferry would only be 10 mins so we waited sheltering under their minuscule brolly in the rain rather than walk to the buses (our brollies had just about died by now). But the ferry didn't come. The ferry was half way across heading to the hotel side of the lake when we got there and pulled in to drop off I guess, but then pulled out and just did donuts in the lake round and round til finally a ferry came from the bottom of the lake, loaded up at the hotel and finally crossed to us and the other ferry departed down the lake. So our wait was around 35 mins. No big deal but if we had known it was some change-over time we would have just walked up to the buses instead. Perhaps the CM did not know that though or I felt more likely, it's a cultural thing and they want to tell you what will make you happy. Having limited sit-down shelter in the parks in rainy weather was an issue overall.
> 
> In contrast every minute of our time at the Toy Story Hotel was perfect and maybe we just had quieter neighbours, but we didn't hear a peep from them though the room was occupied. Therefore, on return I am quite happy to stay there rather than pay the premium for the Disneyland Hotel. We still got H2O products, slippers etc. The cafe had not quite as good a selection as Disneyland Hotel but mostly the same items and it is easy to catch the bus over there for their eateries. You can walk to the parks though not as pretty and a bit further than Wishing Star Park. I know others in our group loved the Disneyland Hotel though so I think we were just subject to an unfortunate series of events! and it puts us in our place - because to be honest we are probably "Toy Story" kind of people - with our backpacks and usually bargain hotels and subwaying etc! So if your heart's desire is to stay at the Disneyland Hotel - and it is very beautiful - then go for it! and if you settle for Toy Story Hotel it's still great!



Thanks for sharing!


----------



## PrincessInOz

*A Room with a View*



My DM and I had decided early in the piece that we were not going to do a split stay at Shanghai Disneyland.  

_As an aside, currently with only 2 resort hotels to pick from, a split stay might be worth considering especially if you’re looking at how best to allocate those precious accommodation dollar$ using Disney Fuzzy Maths (DFM)._


Once we decided that we were staying at the Disneyland Hotel, there was really only one room type choice for me.  Irrespective of how the DFM numbers worked out and even throwing Club Lounge into the equation, I was always going to make the fuzzy maths work out for a Room with a View.

In any case, neither my mother and I are big drinkers.  In fact, I call myself a one-pot screamer.  One pot of beer and I giggle silly and/or throw up.  Alcohol does that to me.  So, CL didn’t make sense….especially when we found out that it closed at about 9 pm at night.



No one made any comments when I first posted this picture in the earlier edition.









Perhaps this might give you a better idea of the view.








Through the looking window and the haze…..my room with a view was straight out towards the park.








It was a little prettier at night.  








With no park tickets for this day, it made sense for all of us (Aussie Wendy and her DD came over to share the view) to take a look at the Ignite the Dream fireworks from our room window.  It was also a good spot to share some snacks and a cuppa with them after our time in downtown Shanghai together.







This room worked out great for us.  We left the curtains opened at night and I would fall asleep knowing the park was right out there.  I would also wake up before sunrise to look at the park.  For my DM, she would come back to the room every night and check out the fireworks from our vantage point.  When I go back, I would definitely try and make sure that my accommodation budget covered for this same room class again.

I know the others have posted that they had water issues or the lack thereof on the day that they changed over from the Toy Story to the Disneyland Hotel.  My mother and I didn't experience that because we were in the park.
And poor Wendy had the issue of being woken up in the middle of the night; as well as noisy neighbours.  Again, we didn't have either of those two issues.





(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Ignite the Dream (From Our Room with A View)*



I have the best of luck and the worst of luck with them Fireworks Gods!


Those of you that have followed on some of my previous TRs will know that when it comes to shooting fireworks with a castle in the middle of the picture will know that I normally need at least 2 bites of the cherry before I end up getting a shot that I’m happy with.  This would be because I tend to forget something or circumstances happen that end up with the shoot not quite working out as planned.

So you can imagine that I had mixed feelings when it came to shooting Ignite the Dream.  


Ignite the Dream is billed as a Nighttime Spectacular of Magic and Light at the Storybook Castle, Shanghai Disneyland.    Like most other displays at Disneys around the world, this attraction combines building projections, fire, lasers and fireworks; and throws in water fountains as well.


As a photographer, the demise of the fireworks ONLY show to this kind of hybrid lighting effects is a challenge to shoot.  Afterall, the technique used to shoot fireworks is almost the complete opposite of the technique used to shoot building projections and lasers.  I know any number of togs that have tried to jump from one technique to the other and not really doing justice to the pictures.  I count myself in that number.  It comes down to a choice of one or the other…..or carrying 2 cameras.  
(I'm working on acquiring the 2nd camera!  Yes, that's step 1.  After I figure out how to acquire the second camera, I'll have to figure out how to carry it.  I just can't carry a second camera!!! and if anyone has any bright ideas, let me know.)  


From our room with a view, it was practically impossible to make out the building projections.  







And at the distance we were away from the castle, it was impossible to see the water fountains.  That happily meant that I only had to think about shooting the fireworks displays.  


And for those interested in the photobabble, I used my longest lens and zoomed right in on the castle.   We really were a long way away and the shoot needed the help of the telezoom.  For those not interested in the photobabble, just scroll on through for the pictures.







I set the camera up on a tripod and pretty much shot the fireworks using ISO 100, f/11 with shutter speeds anywhere from 2 – 15 seconds.  As I was shooting the show through the window glass, we turned the lights off in the room to cut out any reflective glare.  I do have a remote trigger and it does make it easier to start and stop the camera; and I use it to reduce the camera shake which happens when you manually press the button to take the shot.  However, if you’re doing this for the first time and/or you don’t have a remote trigger, you can just as easily set your camera to a 2-second delay and that will also cut down on any camera shake in your shots.

I always check the pictures after the first couple of shots.  If the trails are too bright, adjust the shutter speed to a shorter duration.







If the trails are too dark, adjust the shutter speed to a longer duration.







After I was happy with the basic settings and had a rough guide for what sorts of shutter speeds to use, I just then focussed on shooting the show.  Here are some of my favourites from this vantage location.

























































Remember how I said this is a hybrid lighting effects show that uses building projections…. 







…..lasers….







….fire……






…..fireworks…..






.....and throws in water fountains, which we can’t see at all?


The downside of viewing Ignite the Dream from this location is that there are a LOT of seemingly dark gaps between the firework bursts.  I gather from Zanzibar that the relatively smaller amount of fireworks could be due to the strict pollution standards that Shanghai is under.  I think there are only about 15 or so firework bursts in the whole show.  Those gaps are where you would be viewing the building projections, laser, fire and water fountain displays if you were right in the park.   From the room and without any music, it can be a bit boring.


For me, it was only after I came home and unpacked the pictures that I realised what a great view it was from that room…..providing you had telezoom eyesight.  If I had realised that whilst I was there, I may well have chosen to come back to the resort on the second night to shoot this show.


As it is….on this night….the Firework Gods were very kind to me.  Very kind indeed!



Postscript.  Not wanting to spoil anything, but this was about the only time I got to capture the fireworks.  So for me, the Room with a View was worth the money!




(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*I Only Went Down for a Quick Snap *



After the show, Wendy and her DD said goodnight and headed back to their hotel.  They, and the other Aussie Dis-sers, had chosen to do a split stay and were staying at the Toy Story Hotel.  I gather there is a resort-to-resort bus so it was just a matter of waiting for that Disney transport to show up and catch it back.


I had taken a few quick shots before Ignite the Dream around the resort when I had gone down for my quick snack and had left knowing I had unfinished business.  So, whilst I had time, I figured I might as well head down for a couple of quick snaps around the resort.   This time, I took my tripod with me.


For those that like to see pictures of indoor corridors.  Here’s what one looks like at the Disneyland Hotel.  







I forgot to include the pictures of the Tinkerbell Gift shop in the earlier post, so I’ll just put them in now.







The gift store is opened till about 11 pm at night, in case anyone is interested to shop after standard park hours.







Nothing will date this TR like the Beauty and the Beast merchandise that was prevalent during this visit!







I liked the Pixie Dust Tree (at least I’m calling it the Pixie Dust Tree) in the store.  Make a wish!







This is the view from the top most level (Level 6) that looks down on the lobby.  







You can almost touch those leadlights from this level.








Anyone else spot the obvious Hidden Mickey?







For the record and ETA after the original post.  There is a Level 7 - the Club Lounge level - and a level 8.  I've been reliably informed by Zanzibar and Shushh (thanks to you both!) that the Aurora Restaurant is on level 8.  Our room card wasn't programmed to let us on to level 7.  And we decided not to include Aurora for this visit.  Next time!



Every Disney lobby I’ve been to usually has pretty flowers.







This one was no exception.













I loved the details of the leadlight lamps in the lobby.







Dragonflies!







I wonder if this is lit during winter and if there is a Storyteller?







I also found a Hidden Mickey on the back of some of the chairs.







There is the most amazing Mickey and Friends statue in the lobby.







It was a musical theme!













































This shot closed out and finished off my earlier unfinished business with that ceiling.







Ummmm…..I may have gone a little photo crazy with that musical statue but unlike earlier, there were no kids running around the lobby at this late hour.  The only people up at this time of the night were the cleaners!

But I figured that as I was there and the lobby was devoid of guests, I might as well just capture the Fab 5 and grab all the angles I wanted.



(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*The Quick Snap Turned into a Cold Snap!*


As there was no one around, I figured I might as well head outside to take a look around the garden.  This is the view from just outside the lobby and I think it could also be a good spot to capture fireworks from if you haven’t got a room with a view.  It's just a slightly different angle to what I have from my room.







From this vantage point and with the telezoom lens, I just had to take a picture of the Tron building.








And the Castle.













I had no intention of spending too much time outside.  Afterall, it was a cold night.  But look what else I saw through that telezoom!







Topiary Mickey standing guard!








It was cold!  I know….because I did get right down to SIT on that cold paving.







The guard didn’t exactly leave his post but this was probably close enough to where he was patrolling and he was curious enough to come take a look at what I was doing.  







Both Topiary Mickey and the real guard at the back entrance thought I was crazy!  It really was cold.







In case anyone is wondering, it was close on midnight by the time I was done.  So much for a quick snap around the hotel lobby!  Yup.  I spent over 2 hours on this quick snap and cold snap.

It was definitely time to call it a night.  Afterall, I was freezing and there was important park business ahead for the next day!


----------



## darrenf67

PrincessInOz said:


> And did you EAT the popcorn???
> 
> 
> I need to travel a lot lighter next time in order to fit both the Mickey and Minnie containers in my bag.


Yes we ate the popcorn and then used the containers to hold socks i think haha


----------



## Fairy Floss

Absolutely LOVE your fireworks shots!

... and I'm another member of your lovely mother's fan club


----------



## darrenf67

the fireworks shots are brilliant - fantastic- great job!


----------



## RodBelding

Great shots! That view is awesome!!!


----------



## zanzibar138

Amazing fireworks shots. For me, a park view room will always be more worthwhile than club level. I'm similar to you, don't really eat or drink enough to get much value out of it. Mostly though, I'll just go for the cheapest room category lol!

Love your shots from around the hotel too.

And FWIW, I believe the Aurora restaurant is located on level 8, directly above the club lounge.


----------



## shushh

As per usual, you've captured the essence of the Disneyland Hotel beautifully. The floral arrangements were stunning. I actually think the hotel is a great place to get shots of the fireworks. We found there were too many obstacles in the form of poles or buildings near the castle to get a clear shot/view. 

We made sure that we maxed the room capacity to get the most out of the club level privileges ie the food and drink! Luckily DH enjoys his beer and wine. And I got myself a Bailey's and milk. My teenager has just hit his growth spurt and so we felt that we did get our money's worth on the food provided. We did make sure that we allocated ourselves enough time to enjoy the club lounge. We, like the others, moved from the TS Hotel to Disneyland, but we didn't move across until 4pm. By the time we checked in and enjoyed drinks at the lounge the 5pm "snacks" were ready! If I had known they were so substantial I wouldn't have made reservations at Aurora so we could have eaten more!
 
Aurora is directly above the club lounge.


----------



## shushh

Here's the link to my blog 
http://deliriouslydemented.blogspot.com.au/2017/04/were-off-to-shanghai.html


----------



## shushh

PrincessInOz said:


> For anyone interested, Aussie Wendy has started her TR!
> 
> Link here or head to the "Other Lands" section on the Dis.  You should find it there.
> 
> 
> 
> Hmmm......Wendy tends to write quicker than me.  Hope I can keep up with her!


oh my gosh, Aussie Wendy you're a speed demon!
Love your TR. Short, sweet and full of useful information! It made me realise that I ramble somewhat...


----------



## mvf-m11c

Shanghai looks so amazing at night and the cruise looked fun to go on.

Nice to see that you and your mom had an amazing time together. Having to meet up with a DISer during the trip makes it even special.

The Lion Garden and Yu Garden look so amazing.

Your room at the Shanghai Disneyland hotel is nice as well as the Happy Balloons on the bed. When I saw your window from your room, it was a special one where you got to see the park.

As always, I do enjoy your long exposure shots of the fireworks as well as the nighttime shots. Even though you weren't able to bring your tripod in the park, you always find a way to use your tripod at the max.


----------



## Fairy Floss

For me, a bonus of club level is that I meet people 
This visit, I met a lovely lady from Texas, a lady who works for Disney and a pair of lovely boys from Holland who frequent Paris Disneyland 
I made sure I was back by "wine o clock " and watched the fireworks from the lounge (with the same view as Pio)
The breakfast offerings were almost as good as Lumier's
... also, Mickey came in his pyjamas after a bedtime story


----------



## rndmr2

Now THIS is cute!!



Fairy Floss said:


>




   Joined in on the TR a few days ago and now I am caught up! I really have enjoyed it so far. I would love to do a trip like this someday. The Disneyland Hotel is Beautiful, that view is something else! Loved the fireworks pictures. That garden is really pretty outside too.

 Looking forward to reading about the rest of the trip.


----------



## Flossbolna

I am totally behind but just read the last update. I was so behind from the beginning, but then had to see why @franandaj tagged me on this thread (no idea if Michael made it here already or not, but I will tell him about the amazing pictures that I saw just in the last two updates!!) and now I skipped all the Shanghai city stuff to which I need to go back. This is a TR that I do not want to read on my phone because it would not do justice to your amazing pictures! I now feel like there will be no point in me taking any pictures while at SDL since yours are so much more superior...


----------



## tiggrbaby

Beautiful gardens!  

Oh my that hotel!  How cute they decorated the room!  Glad your mom got to keep her "cake!"  

Your talent for photography is amazing!


----------



## 1nfrequent

Fairy Floss said:


> Where country are you In?



United Kingdom.  If you've got a site, I'd be interested in checking it out.

1F


----------



## Fairy Floss

1nfrequent said:


> United Kingdom.  If you've got a site, I'd be interested in checking it out.
> 
> 1F


I've sent you a pm
- I have lists of Disney fabric


----------



## disney144

I noticed you ate a salad. Are uncooked vegetables at the Disney resort safe to eat? Anything we should avoid to avoid tummy issues (obviously we will not drink tap water)


----------



## PrincessInOz

darrenf67 said:


> Yes we ate the popcorn and then used the containers to hold socks i think haha



Yeah.  I did think about doing that too but sadly, I've completely slowed down on being about to eat sweet things.  





Fairy Floss said:


> Absolutely LOVE your fireworks shots!
> 
> ... and I'm another member of your lovely mother's fan club



Thanks and I'll let her know!  






darrenf67 said:


> the fireworks shots are brilliant - fantastic- great job!








RodBelding said:


> Great shots! That view is awesome!!!



Thanks.  Yes, I was very happy with my room category choice.





zanzibar138 said:


> Amazing fireworks shots. For me, a park view room will always be more worthwhile than club level. I'm similar to you, don't really eat or drink enough to get much value out of it. Mostly though, I'll just go for the cheapest room category lol!



Thanks.  

I'd like to get to CL one of these days.  I just have to find a resort with longer opening hours and also have DS with me.  If it were just DH and me, we wouldn't do it justice.





zanzibar138 said:


> Love your shots from around the hotel too.
> 
> And FWIW, I believe the Aurora restaurant is located on level 8, directly above the club lounge.



Thanks.  I might go back and update that post with the right level.


----------



## PrincessInOz

shushh said:


> As per usual, you've captured the essence of the Disneyland Hotel beautifully. The floral arrangements were stunning. I actually think the hotel is a great place to get shots of the fireworks. We found there were too many obstacles in the form of poles or buildings near the castle to get a clear shot/view.



Thanks.  

I thought the same as well.  Admittedly, we had 2 nights of rain and that only left 1 night to shoot the park without rain.....so I thought it was just a lack of time to explore and find the right position.  But I thought this show was one to be watched and enjoyed in the park; rather than trying to capture it down the barrel of a camera.





shushh said:


> We made sure that we maxed the room capacity to get the most out of the club level privileges ie the food and drink! Luckily DH enjoys his beer and wine. And I got myself a Bailey's and milk. My teenager has just hit his growth spurt and so we felt that we did get our money's worth on the food provided. We did make sure that we allocated ourselves enough time to enjoy the club lounge. We, like the others, moved from the TS Hotel to Disneyland, but we didn't move across until 4pm. By the time we checked in and enjoyed drinks at the lounge the 5pm "snacks" were ready! If I had known they were so substantial I wouldn't have made reservations at Aurora so we could have eaten more!



Teenagers!  Yes.  The equation for CL works out with different people in the room.  Sounds like you had a great time there.





shushh said:


> Aurora is directly above the club lounge.



Thanks.  I will go back and update that post with the correct info.




shushh said:


> Here's the link to my blog



Excellent.  Saved to my favourites and I'll have to find some clear space and catch up!  Thank you.





mvf-m11c said:


> Shanghai looks so amazing at night and the cruise looked fun to go on.
> 
> Nice to see that you and your mom had an amazing time together. Having to meet up with a DISer during the trip makes it even special.
> 
> The Lion Garden and Yu Garden look so amazing.
> 
> Your room at the Shanghai Disneyland hotel is nice as well as the Happy Balloons on the bed. When I saw your window from your room, it was a special one where you got to see the park.
> 
> As always, I do enjoy your long exposure shots of the fireworks as well as the nighttime shots. Even though you weren't able to bring your tripod in the park, you always find a way to use your tripod at the max.



Nice to see you on the boards!

On reflection, I think I may have misunderstood the CM!  In any event, with 2 nights of rain, it wasn't pleasant shooting at all.





Fairy Floss said:


> For me, a bonus of club level is that I meet people
> This visit, I met a lovely lady from Texas, a lady who works for Disney and a pair of lovely boys from Holland who frequent Paris Disneyland
> I made sure I was back by "wine o clock " and watched the fireworks from the lounge (with the same view as Pio)
> The breakfast offerings were almost as good as Lumier's
> ... also, Mickey came in his pyjamas after a bedtime story



CL makes sense for you too.  I know you enjoyed it!


----------



## PrincessInOz

rndmr2 said:


> Joined in on the TR a few days ago and now I am caught up! I really have enjoyed it so far. I would love to do a trip like this someday. The Disneyland Hotel is Beautiful, that view is something else! Loved the fireworks pictures. That garden is really pretty outside too.
> 
> Looking forward to reading about the rest of the trip.



Thanks for sticking around!  Glad you're enjoying the TR and I hope you get to head out to Shanghai (and Hong Kong) sooner rather than later.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Flossbolna said:


> I am totally behind but just read the last update. I was so behind from the beginning, but then had to see why @franandaj tagged me on this thread (no idea if Michael made it here already or not, but I will tell him about the amazing pictures that I saw just in the last two updates!!) and now I skipped all the Shanghai city stuff to which I need to go back. This is a TR that I do not want to read on my phone because it would not do justice to your amazing pictures!






*cough*  *cough*  The pictures might look better on the small screen.  It'll definitely hide some of the flaws!  *cough*  *cough*

I don't know if Michael is lurking....and I don't even know if he's a Dis member.  
In any event, lurking is good.  





Flossbolna said:


> I now feel like there will be no point in me taking any pictures while at SDL since yours are so much more superior...



Aww.  Don't say that.  You'll definitely want to have your set of pictures at SDL as a memory of your and Michael's time there.


----------



## PrincessInOz

tiggrbaby said:


> Beautiful gardens!
> 
> Oh my that hotel! How cute they decorated the room! Glad your mom got to keep her "cake!"
> 
> Your talent for photography is amazing!






Thanks for checking in again!  
Yes, that's a great hotel and I was very pleased to see the decorations.  

Thank you!!  





disney144 said:


> I noticed you ate a salad. Are uncooked vegetables at the Disney resort safe to eat? Anything we should avoid to avoid tummy issues (obviously we will not drink tap water)



Hmmm.  You know.....I didn't even give it any thought at Disney.  I guess it was the end of Day 3 of the vacay and I figured if I was going to pick up anything, I would have done so on previous days.  
I eat a lot of fresh veg and fruit at home (my DH is vegetarian/vegan) and I was really missing the 'fresh' from my diet.  And when I got down to the Cafe, it was the only thing that I was interested to get.


The obvious is not to drink tap water.  I was also avoiding any ice in my drinks.


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Day 4: Shanghai Disneyland All Day Today*


*So I’m Awake….but the Sky is NOT Awake!*



Adrenalin kept me awake for a lot of the night and since I was awake, I thought it would be cool to look out the window and see if the sky was awake.


At 5.30 am in the morning, it was not.







I was totally enamoured with the Castle and Tron yesterday.  Time to look at the other direction.  Every Disney Park I’ve been to has at least one mountain.  Shanghai gives us Roaring Rapids Mountain.  







I had hoped for sunrise colour in the sky.  Sadly, the sky was not awake.  Sunrise was just not going to happen. 







At this stage, my mother woke up and we decided to get ready and head towards the park.  With a new park to explore, who can sleep?




(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Where Exactly Are We?*



Disney transportation started running from about 7 am in the morning.  We didn’t exactly catch the first bus out….but it must have been the second or the third service out.







We got to the ‘transport hub’ before 7.30 am.  We did wait about 5 minutes for the bus to arrive and it took about 5 minutes to get here.






Err….Where are we…exactly? 


What caught me a little off-guard was that when we got to the transport hub, I could see Disneytown and signs for Disneytown.  I wasn’t sure if I was to get off here or not.  We had to check with the Cast Member and he confirmed this was the stop for Disneytown and Disneyland. 


Don’t get me wrong. There was plenty of signage at the transport hub….but it’s all Chinese to me and I didn’t have a clue where we were or if I had to get off or not!  






Oh, Don’t shake your head at me!  
It’s a brand new resort and I hadn’t done much research on what was what.  And I didn’t know if there was a separate stop for Disneytown and another stop for the park entrance. 

*Hangs head in shame*


I only figured it out after we walked past a block of restrooms at the transport hub.  But then again….I’ve always been better at looking at pictures than reading!







Our hotel is the magenta bit at the bottom of the sign.  It doesn’t have the distinction of being the closest hotel to the park.  The Toy Story Hotel (top left) is a lot closer.  That lavender/purple roundabout (on that left side) is the one that our taxi out from Shanghai went round and round and round before finding the right entrance and the right hotel to get to.  So, that gave me another landmark for where I was.


The public transportation hub is where we got dropped off.   Interestingly, this part of the transport hub is just for shuttles, buses and taxi’s.  If you look on the map, you’ll see the drop off for the Wishing Star lake ferry and the Line 11 Metro/train station on the other side.  If there are also buses running from the Metro side, I can see why it is confusing for first time visitors and/or visitors choosing to take the train to get to Disney!  @zanzibar138 and @Aussie Wendy have already posted about this.

Disneytown is right next to Disneyland.  It’s even closer than Downtown Disney Anaheim is to the parks!  

And on the far right side…..you can see how large the land footprint for Disneyland is!



Once I had figured where exactly everything was, getting around was a snap.  The first time is always the hardest.



(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*4 + 2 = 6 at Starbucks (FireflyFi and her DF)*


We headed on around the corner.  






Ooh!  Look!  A Starbucks.







The all ubiquitous _Coffea arabica_ species has made it’s way into the Disney empire.  Not that I’m complaining! 







At Disneytown, it’s opened from 7 am.   It’s about the only establishment opened at this time of morning at Disneytown.







I was pleased to find that Starbucks was a viable option for breakfast compared to the café at the resort.








Even more pleasing….the numbers against the items on offer looked reasonable.













We had time to check out the merch at Starbucks.







This is one of my regrets.  I had decided that this set of mugs needed to come home with me on this first morning.  It had the name of a number of Chinese cities, including Suzhou on them.  I just forgot to buy a set!







Oh well.  Something for next time.


At 30-something Yuan for a cup of arabica bean, I reacquainted myself with my qwafee addiction.  This was my breakfast.







This was my mother’s.







Even more of a pleasant surprise.  We bumped into more of the Aussie Dis-ser contingent here without even having to make any plans.   This is @FireflyFi and her DFiancee.  They were also having brekkie at Starbucks.  







We had a lovely time catching up on their news and the travel day they had yesterday.  But as they were lingering over their coffee, my mother and I decided to head on ahead when we had finished ours.





(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*1st View of the Park*



Anyone that goes to Disney will know the feeling of walking through a gift shop at the exit of every ride.  I think Disney has taken this to a new level.  Looks like Disney found a way of making sure that their guests walk past the gift shop when they enter and exit the park entrance at Shanghai. 







Ooh look!  World of Disney!  It’s just past the Starbucks.  Unfortunately/Fortunately, it was closed.  (You can circle the right answer.)  






The bulk of the stores at Disneytown can be found to the left of the WoD store.  We kept heading along the right fork.  Not having been to Paris or Tokyo, this is the first Disneytown I've been to that's right by the gate.  It's significantly closer than even the Downtown Disney at Anaheim!  Absolute. shopping. heaven.



Aside from the customary bag check, the security gate came complete with walk-through scanners.







As we got our tickets at the resort, we didn’t need to acquaint ourselves with the ticket booths just past security.







It was here that we got our first view of Flower Mickey.








(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*100 Yuan = A Disney Scammer Problem*



We got in line.  







I know that there has been a lot of press about the rudeness of the Chinese people where lines are concerned.  Our first experience with queue cutting was here.  There was a couple that just barged their way towards the front of the queue.  Whilst I didn’t like it, there really wasn’t anything I could do.  Afterall, the group of people in the front and to the back of where the couple joined the line just let them in.  It really must be a cultural thing.   As Elsa said….Let it go. 

I will say that we did see a few instances of queue cutting during our time here.  By and large, they were in the minority.  The majority of queues were quite orderly.



However, it wasn’t long before another incident completely overshadowed any queue cutting behaviour and everything kinda paled into insignificance after that.  


It was about 8.20 am when we joined the queue.  The Park wasn’t schedule to open until 9 am; so I amused myself with a bit of people watching.  

It didn’t take me long to spot the people walking up and down the queues with bags of merchandise.  They were selling headbands, hats and whatever else would fit into a tote bag.  And yes, there were people buying the merch.


But there were also a few people walking up and down the queues without merchandise.  They weren’t exactly yelling but they did tout their ‘wares’ and my Mandarin speaking mother filled me in on the details.  My mother told me that these people were selling fast passes.  100 Yuan would get you 2 fast passes to choose from the rides that are linked to the FP system.  That’s $20 in my money.

My mother also told me that you would need to give them your phone number and they would text you in about an hour to collect the fast passes.  


There were people buying!

With all the security measures in place and TONS of guards everywhere, it was just mind-boggling as to how the scammers were there at the entrance and still able to get away with it.


Anyway.  We were to experience Countermeasure Mark 1 of how Disney was dealing with the scam at one of the FP rides later in the day.  At the time of our visit, Disney CM were asking to see our park ticket when we wanted to redeem our FP.  The CM would check that the ticket number matched the FP number.  


Err…….I think I figured out why the scammers were wanting your phone number and why it would take an hour to collect the FP.  I guess that’s the time it would take for them to custom print your fast pass with your ticket number and deliver them to the park.  

So much for FP and Ticket matching!



Since our return, I gather that Disney have now introduced Countermeasure Mark 2.  They are now selling Premium Access passes.  And they aren’t exactly cheap!  A single land-specific FP sells for 120/150 Yuan for peak/off peak (about $24/30 in my money) or a set of 7 FPs for all the FP rides sells for 480/600 Yuan (about $96/$120 in my money).  

It remains to be seen if the Countermeasure Mark 2 kills the scam.




(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*6 + 1 = 7 at Floral Mickey (Fairy Floss)*



We were pleasantly surprised to find that the gates opened at 8.30 am.  


I know that we should have been walking very fast towards one of the major attractions….but we found ourselves lingering in front of the park.







The Floral Mickey at Shanghai was worthy of a closer look.







I’ve always liked the Floral Mickey displays at the front of each park.  I know it’s just pansies, but there’s something rather special and magical about it.







Naturally I took my mother’s picture.







So there I was…..







……minding my own business…..and finding a friendly Photopass Photographer to boot…..







….when I got photobombed!!  







Who are these people?????  

My mother and me…..plus 2, of Aussie Wendy and her DD…..plus 2, of FireflyFi and her DF……plus 1, of @Fairy Floss.







And no!  We didn’t plan it.  We’re all such Disney-philes that Rope Drop is the only option!  Plus, if you tarry a little at the entrance, you’re bound to bump into each other!



(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*7 + 1 = 8 is Enough at Mickey Avenue (Zanzibar138)*




I think FireflyFi and her DF had plans of heading towards one of the big attractions.  We got them to stop for a bit longer to grab a picture of the group at the start of Mickey Avenue, with the castle in the background.


Thank Goodness we did!  


@zanzibar138 had been for a run around Wishing Star Lake and was a couple of minutes behind everyone else.  But she caught up with us right as we were arranging ourselves for a group picture and photobombed us.

It’s been an Aussie Dis-sers trip, 6 months in planning.  So….here we all are…..finally.  Aussie Wendy and her DD, me, FireflyFi and her DF, Fairy Floss, Zanzibar138 and my DM.  







Eight is definitely enough!  






The full complement of Aussie Dis-sers for this Shanghai trip!



(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*That Disney Feeling*



The first time I went to a park outside of America was in 2012.  After years of visiting Disneyland and WDW, I finally ventured out to Hong Kong Disneyland.


Then.  I wondered if a non-US park would engender the same feeling of being at Disney.  That feeling that hits you in the heart and at the back of the throat as you choke to hold back the tears.

In Hong Kong, it took me half a day to experience that feeling.  


In Shanghai…..it was immediately down Mickey Avenue.







We (FireflyFi and her DF went off to do their own thing.  The rest of us hung about as a group.) wandered slowly down the only Disneyland park without a Main Street, USA and ran into a group of Cast Members.







Despite the language barrier, they all understood the power of click-click-click.  







For me, Cast Members hold a lot of power over whether you have a good experience or not at Disney.  The group here kicked it off because they were so obviously happy to be there for us.  It was to be a good experience.   







The facade down Mickey Avenue was just different.  I gather that the stores and facades here represent different eras of Disney history.  There was so much newness to take in and I had to choke back the tears of finally being at a Disneyland again after 3 long years.







I had always thought I would come back and spend a bit more time here and explore the stores/facades.    I never did.  Next time.


At the end of Mickey Avenue was a major drawcard for me.  The Storyteller’s Statue is the same as the one found at DCA.  I was just lucky to get there with no one around.







That is one heck of a view!






By this stage, we were all itching to head for a ride!


----------



## zanzibar138

OMG I just love all your entrance pictures! I was finding myself starting to choke up a little reading along. Those group shots turned out really well, and I also love your CM pictures. I totally agree - despite the language barrier, the CMs at Shanghai have generally been among the best I've come across. I found them to have such enthusiasm and a genuine happiness to be there and sharing the experience with guests. Similar to how I find the CMs at HK, but probably with a touch more enthusiasm since it's still all a bit of a novelty.



disney144 said:


> I noticed you ate a salad. Are uncooked vegetables at the Disney resort safe to eat? Anything we should avoid to avoid tummy issues (obviously we will not drink tap water)



I was very naughty and completely let my guard down at Disneyland. I was quite happily eating fresh fruit and veggies, drinking iced drinks, and filling up my water bottle out of the drinking fountains in the park. I'm guessing that they use treated water throughout since I never got sick. I still wouldn't recommend drinking the tap water at the hotel though.



PrincessInOz said:


> Our hotel is the magenta bit at the bottom of the sign. It doesn’t have the distinction of being the closest hotel to the park. The Toy Story Hotel (top left) is a lot closer.



Just wanted to clarify. Despite its proximity to the park, the Toy Story Hotel is less walkable than the Disneyland Hotel. You may notice that there's a shortcut path from the Disneyland Hotel to DisneyTown through Wishing Star Park. This walk takes a maximum of 10 minutes. There is no such shortcut from the Toy Story Hotel, and the long driveway takes you a fair distance out of your way, so the walk was a good 20 minutes. AussieWendy and I tried to take a shortcut over the lawn once, so that we didn't have to go all the way around the driveway, and were promptly told off by the security guard lol!



PrincessInOz said:


> This is one of my regrets. I had decided that this set of mugs needed to come home with me on this first morning. It had the name of a number of Chinese cities, including Suzhou on them. I just forgot to buy a set!



There's always something, isn't there? These are great! Definitely one for next time.


----------



## Flossbolna

I have read that one problem Disney has is that they are not the majority partner. So, running the parks they have to work with their local Chinese partner. So, who knows how that comes into play with the scammers... 

Sorry that the sky was not really waking up very much that morning. But I am starting to get the impression that they did something similar to Paris there with the colors. DLP is known for having very dark and strong colors because those look still good on grey days, while WDW and DL have more pastel colors that pop in sunshine. I love the picture with the flowers and the lake in the front and the castle in the back. I think this is the first picture I have seen of that castle where it does not look like a monstrosity. So far, I am not a fan of that castle. But I will reserve judgement until I see it in person.

Which day of the week was it that you were there? It looks like early morning crowds were not too bad! Oh, and Starbucks looks good. We might visit there, too.


----------



## Aussie Wendy

Flossbolna said:


> I have read that one problem Disney has is that they are not the majority partner. So, running the parks they have to work with their local Chinese partner. So, who knows how that comes into play with the scammers...
> 
> Sorry that the sky was not really waking up very much that morning. But I am starting to get the impression that they did something similar to Paris there with the colors. DLP is known for having very dark and strong colors because those look still good on grey days, while WDW and DL have more pastel colors that pop in sunshine. I love the picture with the flowers and the lake in the front and the castle in the back. I think this is the first picture I have seen of that castle where it does not look like a monstrosity. So far, I am not a fan of that castle. But I will reserve judgement until I see it in person.
> 
> Which day of the week was it that you were there? It looks like early morning crowds were not too bad! Oh, and Starbucks looks good. We might visit there, too.



Hi jumping in. I was not a fan beforehand of the castle either. It did grow on me while there and did not look as big a monstrosity mish mash of styles as I feared it would but I still think I like DL Paris castle the best of them all. I agree that I think the colours were stronger here like DLP, for the hazy skies reason. We were there Sunday-Tuesday (Sat night firework pics in PIO's room). It was reputed to be a quiet time following celebrations held a week or so before - PIO will remember what they were I forget. It was quiet. The rain helped a lot but even our fine Tuesday, while it was a lot busier, those first few hours in the day were much quieter so it is worth getting up for rope drop and hitting the "biggies" early and making use of FastPass. Even so, in the afternoon we could still get onto most rides with reasonable wait times and lots were still walk-ons.


----------



## Flossbolna

Aussie Wendy said:


> Hi jumping in. I was not a fan beforehand of the castle either. It did grow on me while there and did not look as big a monstrosity mish mash of styles as I feared it would but I still think I like DL Paris castle the best of them all. I agree that I think the colours were stronger here like DLP, for the hazy skies reason. We were there Sunday-Tuesday (Sat night firework pics in PIO's room). It was reputed to be a quiet time following celebrations held a week or so before - PIO will remember what they were I forget. It was quiet. The rain helped a lot but even our fine Tuesday, while it was a lot busier, those first few hours in the day were much quieter so it is worth getting up for rope drop and hitting the "biggies" early and making use of FastPass. Even so, in the afternoon we could still get onto most rides with reasonable wait times and lots were still walk-ons.



Thanks!! We will be there on a Thursday and Friday in June. I am expecting more crowds than you had on a rainy March day... 

And I agree with you on the DLP castle - just the prettiest of them all!


----------



## darrenf67

PrincessInOz said:


> *4 + 2 = 6 at Starbucks (FireflyFi and her DF)*
> 
> 
> We headed on around the corner.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ooh!  Look!  A Starbucks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The all ubiquitous _Coffea arabica_ species has made it’s way into the Disney empire.  Not that I’m complaining!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> At Disneytown, it’s opened from 7 am.   It’s about the only establishment opened at this time of morning at Disneytown.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I was pleased to find that Starbucks was a viable option for breakfast compared to the café at the resort.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Even more pleasing….the numbers against the items on offer looked reasonable.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> We had time to check out the merch at Starbucks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is one of my regrets.  I had decided that this set of mugs needed to come home with me on this first morning.  It had the name of a number of Chinese cities, including Suzhou on them.  I just forgot to buy a set!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Oh well.  Something for next time.
> 
> 
> At 30-something Yuan for a cup of arabica bean, I reacquainted myself with my qwafee addiction.  This was my breakfast.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This was my mother’s.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Even more of a pleasant surprise.  We bumped into more of the Aussie Dis-ser contingent here without even having to make any plans.   This is @FireflyFi and her DFiancee.  They were also having brekkie at Starbucks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> We had a lovely time catching up on their news and the travel day they had yesterday.  But as they were lingering over their coffee, my mother and I decided to head on ahead when we had finished ours.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (Continued in Next Post)


We stopped here each day as well!


----------



## darrenf67

PrincessInOz said:


> *1st View of the Park*
> 
> 
> 
> Anyone that goes to Disney will know the feeling of walking through a gift shop at the exit of every ride.  I think Disney has taken this to a new level.  Looks like Disney found a way of making sure that their guests walk past the gift shop when they enter and exit the park entrance at Shanghai.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ooh look!  World of Disney!  It’s just past the Starbucks.  Unfortunately/Fortunately, it was closed.  (You can circle the right answer.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The bulk of the stores at Disneytown can be found to the left of the WoD store.  We kept heading along the right fork.  Not having been to Paris or Tokyo, this is the first Disneytown I've been to that's right by the gate.  It's significantly closer than even the Downtown Disney at Anaheim!  Absolute. shopping. heaven.
> 
> 
> 
> Aside from the customary bag check, the security gate came complete with walk-through scanners.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As we got our tickets at the resort, we didn’t need to acquaint ourselves with the ticket booths just past security.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It was here that we got our first view of Flower Mickey.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (Continued in Next Post)



Love this area - so unique but familiar


----------



## Aussie Wendy

disney144 said:


> I noticed you ate a salad. Are uncooked vegetables at the Disney resort safe to eat? Anything we should avoid to avoid tummy issues (obviously we will not drink tap water)



We "mostly" tried to avoid salads or veggies that weren't cooked but by Disney we were getting a bit complacent. Having seen mounds of food being prepared in hutongs such as veggies being peeled on the concrete (and given the use of pesticides in China and fertilisers) did serve to remind us that just because we were in a western style hotel or restaurant conditions may not be the same as at home. We did stick to bottled water even in Disney though I know Zanzibar was fine and used it for teeth cleaning too and reluctantly I did avoid the sliced fruit in our (non Disney) hotel buffet breakies. Still at Disney we were a lot less cautious and ate things including salad - more an end of the trip mentality. For the record both of us can have dodgy stomachs at times (hence our cautiousness), we did take probiotics that we brought with us, and we were great the whole trip and after getting home.


----------



## Aussie Wendy

PIO's pic of the map reminds me what I found most frustrating - none of the maps you are given (of hotel or park) have a map of the general area like that one showing where everything is in relation to each other. I never saw that map but I guess PIO found it around the entrance to Disneytown somewhere? I was longing for such a map.


----------



## zanzibar138

Flossbolna said:


> I love the picture with the flowers and the lake in the front and the castle in the back. I think this is the first picture I have seen of that castle where it does not look like a monstrosity. So far, I am not a fan of that castle. But I will reserve judgement until I see it in person.



I'll be interested to hear what you think of the castle after your trip. I was a little sceptical from the concept art and few photos I'd seen prior to opening day, but in person I thought it was just beautiful, especially all lit up at night. Having said that though, there'd be lots of photos of it around now, so you've probably got a better idea about what it really looks like than I did going in.


----------



## zanzibar138

Aussie Wendy said:


> PIO's pic of the map reminds me what I found most frustrating - none of the maps you are given (of hotel or park) have a map of the general area like that one showing where everything is in relation to each other. I never saw that map but I guess PIO found it around the entrance to Disneytown somewhere? I was longing for such a map.



I've never seen any of those types of maps for any Disney resort. Have you seen them before?

The map that PIO took a photo of is located between the DisneyTown bus station and Starbucks. It's on the left as you are heading towards the park. I don't think I saw any others now that I think of it.


----------



## PrincessInOz

zanzibar138 said:


> OMG I just love all your entrance pictures! I was finding myself starting to choke up a little reading along. Those group shots turned out really well, and I also love your CM pictures. I totally agree - despite the language barrier, the CMs at Shanghai have generally been among the best I've come across. I found them to have such enthusiasm and a genuine happiness to be there and sharing the experience with guests. Similar to how I find the CMs at HK, but probably with a touch more enthusiasm since it's still all a bit of a novelty.



Thanks!  I didn't take that many at the entrance so I was pretty pleased that all the ones that I did take were decent.
And yes, I liked the CM at Shanghai.  They were very eager to help.






zanzibar138 said:


> Just wanted to clarify. Despite its proximity to the park, the Toy Story Hotel is less walkable than the Disneyland Hotel. You may notice that there's a shortcut path from the Disneyland Hotel to DisneyTown through Wishing Star Park. This walk takes a maximum of 10 minutes. There is no such shortcut from the Toy Story Hotel, and the long driveway takes you a fair distance out of your way, so the walk was a good 20 minutes. AussieWendy and I tried to take a shortcut over the lawn once, so that we didn't have to go all the way around the driveway, and were promptly told off by the security guard lol!



Ah.  I did wonder if it was a shorter walk to the TSH.  The DLH took me about 15 minutes to walk.....and that was with me stopping to take pictures!  I expect if I didn't take picture, it would have taken about 7 or 8 minutes.  





zanzibar138 said:


> There's always something, isn't there? These are great! Definitely one for next time.


----------



## zanzibar138

PrincessInOz said:


> Thanks! I didn't take that many at the entrance so I was pretty pleased that all the ones that I did take were decent.



I also meant to comment on how beautiful your sunrise pictures are, even despite the lack of colour


----------



## PrincessInOz

Flossbolna said:


> I have read that one problem Disney has is that they are not the majority partner. So, running the parks they have to work with their local Chinese partner. So, who knows how that comes into play with the scammers...



I don't think they are the majority partner at Tokyo either.

I think the scammers are just too hard to put out of business; especially given that there are people willing to pay the price.  And if they are printing counterfeit FP at a nearby location, they can afford to print off 'custom' copies to match your park ticket.  Perhaps the Premium Access will kill off their business model.  Sadly, it means that Disney have now introduced a paid FP system; which is one of the things that was always a perk for the guest over the other theme parks.  It remains to be seen if Disney implement a similar paid model in any of the other parks.




Flossbolna said:


> Sorry that the sky was not really waking up very much that morning. But I am starting to get the impression that they did something similar to Paris there with the colors. DLP is known for having very dark and strong colors because those look still good on grey days, while WDW and DL have more pastel colors that pop in sunshine. I love the picture with the flowers and the lake in the front and the castle in the back. I think this is the first picture I have seen of that castle where it does not look like a monstrosity. So far, I am not a fan of that castle. But I will reserve judgement until I see it in person.



I know that castle has it's detractors and critics.  A lot of it has to do with the vast empty space of the Gardens on Imagination in front of the castle.  You'd expect the standard hub but it's not quite like that at Shanghai.  The result of all that empty space is that the hub and castle area just doesn't 'flow'.

But this castle does grow on you.  The longer you spend there, the more you come to like it.




Flossbolna said:


> Which day of the week was it that you were there? It looks like early morning crowds were not too bad! Oh, and Starbucks looks good. We might visit there, too.



I think Wendy responded.  But we were there on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.  

Early morning worked well for us.  
And yes, Starbucks was good.  There are 2 other (but effectively one) places in Disneytown that open at 7.30 am.  One of them is a bread/pastry place.  We did try them out on another day.  You may find that if you like bread products that this place is also worth checking out.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Aussie Wendy said:


> It was reputed to be a quiet time following celebrations held a week or so before - PIO will remember what they were I forget. It was quiet.



I think there was Golden Week at the end of Jan, and the Blue Dragon festival (to bring on spring rains) about 2 weeks before we were there.  We were also there before Ching Ming festival (sweeping of ancestral burial sites).  It was quiet!  It was even quieter at Shanghai Disneyland than at HKDL!!


----------



## PrincessInOz

darrenf67 said:


> We stopped here each day as well!


LOL.  Yes, I suspect Starbucks has the monopoly on the value for money breakfast if you're an early riser (and from a Western country)!





darrenf67 said:


> Love this area - so unique but familiar


----------



## PrincessInOz

Aussie Wendy said:


> PIO's pic of the map reminds me what I found most frustrating - none of the maps you are given (of hotel or park) have a map of the general area like that one showing where everything is in relation to each other. I never saw that map but I guess PIO found it around the entrance to Disneytown somewhere? I was longing for such a map.



The map has a red triangle on it.  That's where you'll find the sign.  And yes, Zanzibar is correct.  It's located right at the start of the Disney transport bus station.





zanzibar138 said:


> I've never seen any of those types of maps for any Disney resort. Have you seen them before?



I have seen them at Hong Kong Disneyland (and have a picture of it when we get up to that point).
I don't remember if I saw them at DLR but I think there were signs like that at WDW - only relating to the specific area or resort that you were at.  In any event, there are maps of WDW that you can get (non-Disney versions) from the local convenience stores that gives you that kind of overview of the whole WDW resort.





zanzibar138 said:


> The map that PIO took a photo of is located between the DisneyTown bus station and Starbucks. It's on the left as you are heading towards the park. I don't think I saw any others now that I think of it.









zanzibar138 said:


> I also meant to comment on how beautiful your sunrise pictures are, even despite the lack of colour



Thanks!  Yes, I liked the sunrise pictures despite the lack of colour.  They represent how things were when we were there and that's really important to me.  In any event.....At least I got value for money from my room with a view!


----------



## PrincessInOz

Flossbolna said:


> I think this is the first picture I have seen of that castle where it does not look like a monstrosity. So far, I am not a fan of that castle. But I will reserve judgement until I see it in person.





zanzibar138 said:


> I'll be interested to hear what you think of the castle after your trip. I was a little sceptical from the concept art and few photos I'd seen prior to opening day, but in person I thought it was just beautiful, especially all lit up at night. Having said that though, there'd be lots of photos of it around now, so you've probably got a better idea about what it really looks like than I did going in.



Me too!

It'll be interesting to see if that castle does end up "growing on you" too.


----------



## PrincessInOz

I have been having an internal debate all day about whether I post this or not and in the end, I decided that I really wanted to.




Paula Sedley-Burke said:


> It is just so interesting all these components of the city. The povety not having insude toilets. I wonder if the have public baths like we did in England years ago. My Mum's house did not have a bathroom. It had an outside toilet full of spiders! They had to go to the public baths to wash.
> 
> The noodles at the hotel must have been skillfull glad you got yoir refund!
> 
> How interesting a mosque.
> 
> Yeah going to Disney!




I woke up this morning to read that Polly passed away last night.  She had been battling health issues for as long as I've known her on the Dis.  Her partner posted on FB and @franandaj posted an update on Paula's last TR on the DIS, on request from the partner.

I will miss her cheerful comments on my TRs.  I will miss reading about her exploits and adventures on her TRs.  I will miss my online friend. 

RIP and Godspeed, Paula Sedley-Burke.  You touched so many of us on the Dis and you will be missed.


----------



## zanzibar138

So sorry to hear that PIO


----------



## Aussie Wendy

zanzibar138 said:


> I've never seen any of those types of maps for any Disney resort. Have you seen them before?
> 
> The map that PIO took a photo of is located between the DisneyTown bus station and Starbucks. It's on the left as you are heading towards the park. I don't think I saw any others now that I think of it.



I am pretty sure Tokyo Disneyland I was able to find maps, maybe before we left but I think from the hotel as well that showed the entire area including the location of hotels, Ikspiari etc in relation to the parks and ditto Disneyland Paris. Also WDW you can get overview maps of the entire area as well as the park maps.


----------



## Aussie Wendy

So very sorry to hear that PIO. I always enjoyed reading her TR where I lurked from time to time and her comments on others TR. My sympathy to all her family and friends. Lets hope there is some great big Disney park awaiting all of us aficionado's in Neverland.


----------



## shushh

The scammers made me really quite annoyed. It just ruined the whole Disney happy/wholesome feeling and made it feel cheap somehow. The park selling fastpasses is even more distressing! Like most, we've appreciated the fact that mostly you don't have to spend more in Disney to get a good experience if you take the time to research and use the system, unlike in Universal...DH is most upset!


PrincessInOz said:


> *7 + 1 = 8 is Enough at Mickey Avenue (Zanzibar138)*
> 
> Eight is definitely enough!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The full complement of Aussie Dis-sers for this Shanghai trip!


That is an awesome photo!  What a special way to experience a Disney park!


PrincessInOz said:


> *That Disney Feeling*
> 
> 
> The first time I went to a park outside of America was in 2012.  After years of visiting Disneyland and WDW, I finally ventured out to Hong Kong Disneyland.
> 
> Then.  I wondered if a non-US park would engender the same feeling of being at Disney.  That feeling that hits you in the heart and at the back of the throat as you choke to hold back the tears.
> 
> In Hong Kong, it took me half a day to experience that feeling.
> 
> In Shanghai…..it was immediately down Mickey Avenue.


That's me! Although I suspect that I am a lot softer than you. I get the feeling usually almost immediately after entering the gates or seeing the floral Mickey at the front!



PrincessInOz said:


> I have been having an internal debate all day about whether I post this or not and in the end, I decided that I really wanted to.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I woke up this morning to read that Polly passed away last night.  She had been battling health issues for as long as I've known her on the Dis.  Her partner posted on FB and @franandaj posted an update on Paula's last TR on the DIS, on request from the partner.
> 
> I will miss her cheerful comments on my TRs.  I will miss reading about her exploits and adventures on her TRs.  I will miss my online friend.
> 
> RIP and Godspeed, Paula Sedley-Burke.  You touched so many of us on the Dis and you will be missed.


I am sorry to hear this PIO. I do often remember her comments on various TRs. Hugs and prayers to her family and friends.


----------



## Fairy Floss

PrincessInOz said:


> I know that castle has it's detractors and critics. A lot of it has to do with the vast empty space of the Gardens on Imagination in front of the castle. You'd expect the standard hub but it's not quite like that at Shanghai. The result of all that empty space is that the hub and castle area just doesn't 'flow'.


I got lost in the loop behind the castle - thought I was in front of it .... had to get a C.M. Help me to 'escape' the park 



PrincessInOz said:


> I have been having an internal debate all day about whether I post this or not and in the end, I decided that I really wanted to.


So sad to hear this - I also read her posts while 'lurking ' 
My love to all who knew her


----------



## HalloweenNut

Great trip report so far! Thanks for all the detailed info. We're taking a family 2 week vacation to China and have a spare day in Shanghai. I did a search of things to do and found out there was a brand new Disneyland! I didn't even know. Can't wait to go but am panicking over the apparent lack of information. Our last trip to WDW I took the better part of a year to plan now I have just over a week while travelling - we leave for Beijing tomorrow! Yikes!


----------



## franandaj

ISO 100 on the fireworks shots?  No wonder I've been doing it all wrong!  I've been doing high ISOs!  Now I need to go out to DL and try again with a tripod and the new settings.  Are you using an ND filter too?  I bought one and it doesn't fit my camera lens.  

The view from your room is really nice, and this update made me glad that I waited until I was actually on a computer to look at your pictures.  The lobby and grounds are very beautiful. Do they include liquor in the concierge lounge?  Perhaps it might be a good thing for me!  

OK, off to read the next installment before Fran wakes up!


----------



## zanzibar138

Fairy Floss said:


> I got lost in the loop behind the castle - thought I was in front of it .... had to get a C.M. Help me to 'escape' the park





When was this?



HalloweenNut said:


> Great trip report so far! Thanks for all the detailed info. We're taking a family 2 week vacation to China and have a spare day in Shanghai. I did a search of things to do and found out there was a brand new Disneyland! I didn't even know. Can't wait to go but am panicking over the apparent lack of information. Our last trip to WDW I took the better part of a year to plan now I have just over a week while travelling - we leave for Beijing tomorrow! Yikes!



No need to panic. None of the other parks require anywhere near the amount of planning that WDW does. There are only a couple of character meals that you might want to book in advance (Lumiere's and Royal Banquet Hall). FPs are all the old paper variety that you just pick up when you get there. All you really need to do is familiarise yourself a little with the online map and pick out any must-dos, and figure out the rest when you get there 



franandaj said:


> Do they include liquor in the concierge lounge?  Perhaps it might be a good thing for me!



Yes they do  It was a pretty well stocked bar.


----------



## franandaj

Flossbolna said:


> no idea if Michael made it here already or not





PrincessInOz said:


> I don't know if Michael is lurking....



Well he did make his way over here, because he called me out on calling him out!     He also mentioned that it was an interesting read thus far.



PrincessInOz said:


> At 5.30 am in the morning, it was not.



Ugh, only 5 1/2 hours of sleep.  



PrincessInOz said:


> There was plenty of signage at the transport hub….but it’s all Chinese to me and I didn’t have a clue where we were or if I had to get off or not!



This is what worries me! Did you notice if the busses could accommodate scooters?



PrincessInOz said:


> I only figured it out after we walked past a block of restrooms at the transport hub. But then again….I’ve always been better at looking at pictures than reading!



Me too. The map is very helpful.



PrincessInOz said:


> Once I had figured where exactly everything was, getting around was a snap. The first time is always the hardest.



And now that I see how far it is from the hotel to the park, I guess I'll carry my passport.



PrincessInOz said:


> We had a lovely time catching up on their news and the travel day they had yesterday.



How nice to run into them over coffee.



PrincessInOz said:


> Aside from the customary bag check, the security gate came complete with walk-through scanners.



They have those in CA now too.



PrincessInOz said:


> As we got our tickets at the resort, we didn’t need to acquaint ourselves with the ticket booths just past security.



At least you could skip that one.



PrincessInOz said:


> But there were also a few people walking up and down the queues without merchandise. They weren’t exactly yelling but they did tout their ‘wares’ and my Mandarin speaking mother filled me in on the details. My mother told me that these people were selling fast passes. 100 Yuan would get you 2 fast passes to choose from the rides that are linked to the FP system. That’s $20 in my money.
> 
> My mother also told me that you would need to give them your phone number and they would text you in about an hour to collect the fast passes.



Ugh, that would never happen on a full Disney property.



PrincessInOz said:


> ….when I got photobombed!!







PrincessInOz said:


> It’s been an Aussie Dis-sers trip, 6 months in planning. So….here we all are



Nice. 



PrincessInOz said:


> The facade down Mickey Avenue was just different. I gather that the stores and facades here represent different eras of Disney history.



Now I wish I could remember what I read about Mickey Avenue when I looked at the display at D23 two years ago.


----------



## Fairy Floss

zanzibar138 said:


> When was this?


Monday when I wanted to get back for wine o clock .... felt I was in some parallel universe .... kept going past the mine train and enchanted crystal and couldn't find an escape ....


----------



## PrincessInOz

zanzibar138 said:


> So sorry to hear that PIO





Aussie Wendy said:


> So very sorry to hear that PIO. I always enjoyed reading her TR where I lurked from time to time and her comments on others TR. My sympathy to all her family and friends. Lets hope there is some great big Disney park awaiting all of us aficionado's in Neverland.





shushh said:


> I am sorry to hear this PIO. I do often remember her comments on various TRs. Hugs and prayers to her family and friends.





Fairy Floss said:


> So sad to hear this - I also read her posts while 'lurking '
> My love to all who knew her




Thank you for remembering her.  She would have liked that.


----------



## PrincessInOz

shushh said:


> The scammers made me really quite annoyed. It just ruined the whole Disney happy/wholesome feeling and made it feel cheap somehow. The park selling fastpasses is even more distressing! Like most, we've appreciated the fact that mostly you don't have to spend more in Disney to get a good experience if you take the time to research and use the system, unlike in Universal...DH is most upset!



Yeah.  I wonder how long it will be before the rest of Disney starts charging for a Premium Access FP.





shushh said:


> That is an awesome photo! What a special way to experience a Disney park!



It was missing you.  We did look at your April timeline to head there.....but by the time we checked the flights, there were none available on the special deal.





shushh said:


> That's me! Although I suspect that I am a lot softer than you. I get the feeling usually almost immediately after entering the gates or seeing the floral Mickey at the front!



I think Hong Kong was the only park so far where it took me the 1/2 day to get that feeling....the first time round I visited.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Fairy Floss said:


> I got lost in the loop behind the castle - thought I was in front of it .... had to get a C.M. Help me to 'escape' the park





Fairy Floss said:


> Monday when I wanted to get back for wine o clock .... felt I was in some parallel universe .... kept going past the mine train and enchanted crystal and couldn't find an escape ....



Oh no! Glad you found a friendly CM to help you out.


Now.....




:




So.....going round in circles at a Disneyland.  Is this a nightmare or a dream????


----------



## PrincessInOz

HalloweenNut said:


> Great trip report so far! Thanks for all the detailed info. We're taking a family 2 week vacation to China and have a spare day in Shanghai. I did a search of things to do and found out there was a brand new Disneyland! I didn't even know. Can't wait to go but am panicking over the apparent lack of information. Our last trip to WDW I took the better part of a year to plan now I have just over a week while travelling - we leave for Beijing tomorrow! Yikes!




Thank you.

Sounds like you've got a wonderful time planned in China.  And a visit to Shanghai Disneyland.

Zanzibar has already provided a response but I completely agree with her.  Planning a trip to WDW is an exercise in military precision.  It is much more relaxed at most other Disney locations.  I pretty much rocked up to Shanghai Disneyland without too much research.  But then....I knew we would have Zanzibar with us to help us get our bearings on the first day.  

About the only thing we did was book in the character meals because we were looking for tables of 6 or 8.  I suspect we may well have been able to rock up on the day or book when we arrived and still been okay.

Have fun with your trip!


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> ISO 100 on the fireworks shots? No wonder I've been doing it all wrong! I've been doing high ISOs! Now I need to go out to DL and try again with a tripod and the new settings. Are you using an ND filter too? I bought one and it doesn't fit my camera lens.



I will look forward to seeing your firework pictures at ISO 100.

I didn't use an ND filter at the hotel room.  The lens I used has a different diammeter to my standard lens and as I have a screw-on ND filter, it wouldn't have fitted.  I think you know what I mean if you have one that doesn't fit either!  





franandaj said:


> The view from your room is really nice, and this update made me glad that I waited until I was actually on a computer to look at your pictures. The lobby and grounds are very beautiful.









franandaj said:


> Do they include liquor in the concierge lounge? Perhaps it might be a good thing for me!





zanzibar138 said:


> Yes they do  It was a pretty well stocked bar.



Thanks for answering @zanzibar138.






franandaj said:


> Well he did make his way over here, because he called me out on calling him out!  He also mentioned that it was an interesting read thus far.



  Hi Michael!  Hope you are enjoying the read.






franandaj said:


> Ugh, only 5 1/2 hours of sleep.



I think I was definitely running on adrenalin on that first day.







franandaj said:


> This is what worries me! Did you notice if the busses could accommodate scooters?



There was space in the bus.  I guess they would fit scooters.  But I don't remember seeing if they had loaders on them.  They probably do.





franandaj said:


> And now that I see how far it is from the hotel to the park, I guess I'll carry my passport.









franandaj said:


> How nice to run into them over coffee.



It was a very pleasant surprise to see them there as well.






franandaj said:


> They have those in CA now too.



I guess that means they are there at WDW as well.  *sigh*






franandaj said:


> Ugh, that would never happen on a full Disney property.



It doesn't happen at Hong Kong nor at Tokyo.  Only in China!





franandaj said:


> Now I wish I could remember what I read about Mickey Avenue when I looked at the display at D23 two years ago.



Hmmm.   If we could remember which TR you posted that in, we could go back and see what you wrote about it.  I definitely remember pictures!


----------



## PrincessInOz

*It’s Adventure Time*



_Adventure Time_







_C'mon grab your friends_







_We're going to very distant lands_







_With Jake the Dog_







_and Finn the Human_







_The fun will never end_








_It's Adventure Time!_









Oh wait!  Wrong Animation Studio!  




But the theme song soooo fits!!! 







Where were we again?  Oh that’s right….we were heading for a ride in Adventure Isle.


We did sneak in a few pictures along the way.








The Fastpass system here is the Mark 1 paper copy version.  Disney decided to install central fastpass distribution booths in each land.  You head to the central point and select from the list of attractions in that land and you get a FP printed out.   In Adventure Isle, there are only 2 options….Soarin’ over the World and Rapid River.  Well….for us, there was only one option.  Rapid River was down for scheduled maintenance.  If you know how the original paper FP worked and the rules for when you can get another FP, you'll be fine here.  It works the same.







Even though it was a Sunday, we were obviously hitting the park on a non-busy’ish day.  There were still Fastpasses available for Soarin’ and there was barely any queue so we all got one. 



We kept walking.  Adventure Isle morphed into Treasure Cove.








As one of the two headline attractions of Shanghai Disneyland, we were naturally heading for the Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure ride.  But when we got there, the ride was down.









AARGH!!!  It sure was a long way to walk for a ride that was down.










(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*The Beauty and the Grey*


Our plan had been to ride the PotC but circumstances….and our lack of checking the Shanghai Disneyland app…..resulted in us having a nice walk around Treasure Cove lake.  After this experience, we all learnt our lesson and that app became our next best friend for the rest of the day.  It really was worth checking out what was opened and what the expected wait times were before we headed on over.


We completed the circuit round and found ourselves staring at the Enchanted Storybook Castle.







At 196 feet, it is the tallest Disney castle to be built and it does have it’s critics about the size (overpowering) and shape (too boxy); and that it’s too disconnected from the rest of the surroundings.  

Me?  I actually think it’s prettier in real life and it definitely grows on you.  







At this stage, the WDW castle is still my favourite; but I have yet to see the castle at Paris or Tokyo.



There is a castle walkthrough.  This is unfinished business for me.  My DM and I had every intention of doing the walkthrough….we just never made it.  








I know that Aussie Wendy did manage to go through; so I’m sure we’ll see her pictures on her TR at some stage.




Anyone getting the feeling that the day was a little grey?  That’s not just smog…..it was grey clouds.  The weather forecast in the lead up to our trip was predicting rain for this week.  Our crystal ball was telling us that the forecast were right!  It had been spitting on us for some time now.







Zanzibar138 suggested that we get on an attraction before the rain got too much heavier and we were walking towards it when we came across a little sheltered area.



And look who was under there!







We all got our Meet and Greet in!  Afterall, it gave us a chance of getting out of the grey sky and spitting rain, which was ominously getting heavier by the moment.  







And yes, we got another group shot in.  Our first princess at Shanghai Disneyland was to be the Beauty that the theatres would be filled with.  Belle!



 




(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*This is NOT a Roller Coaster – Our Surprise First Ride: Voyage to the Crystal Grotto*



Directly across from the Meet and Greet was our first Ride.







If anyone would have asked me what my first ride would be at Shanghai Disneyland, I doubt this one would have made my top 10!  But with Pirates down; and us being right there and a 5 minute wait, we walked right on in.  







It was practically walk-on and we found ourselves sitting down in the boat before we even had time to say cheese!







We cruised on past a range of standard Disney classics.







The dancing water fountains are a nice touch.







The BatB theming was true to form.







Next up is Aladdin.







More dancing water fountains.








We floated past some permanent topiaries.







They made for a bright and colourful shot but I still can’t work out where the dancing water fountains were!



Next up….Fantasia.  I’ve always been a sucker for Sorceror Mickey so I loved this display.







You guessed it…..more water fountains.









We turned another corner and came across the Tangled scene.







I didn’t capture it but the dancing water fountains were jets of water pushing up the lanterns.  Very pretty and creatively done!


For me, the piece-de-resistance of this attraction was the Mulan display.  LOVE!







In a water fountain themed ride, you’d expect Ariel to show up.  








The true lure for this attraction is that the ride does go through a chamber at the base of the Castle.







The walls of the Grotto are lit up with Disney characters.  Sadly, I wasn’t in the right position to capture them.







It’s only a short stint under the castle before you head back out to the open again.  







There is a familiar Tangled feel to this.







And then it’s back to the unloading area.







Fairy Floss brought the crystal ball so that we could play.  Crystal ball shots are rather popular with some of my 3D tog friends in Melbourne right now.







Since our return home and me looking at the pictures, I wish that the weather had been kinder so that we could have played more.  It would have been lovely to get some night shots through the crystal ball!








The Voyage of the Crystal Grotto is probably the big brother equivalent of the Storybook Land Canal Boat ride at Disneyland.  It’s a nice ride; but a little underwhelming for anyone who is seeking a thrill ride.  It definitely isn’t a roller coaster ride.

Having said that….I’ve just seen Zanzibar’s pictures of it at night from her Opening Day TR and I think that I will definitely do this at night if/when I’m at SDL again.





(Continued in the Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*This IS a Roller Coaster – TRON Lightcycle Power Run*



The grey day was getting greyer and the rain was a steady sprinkle now.  Zanzibar suggested that we get on the Tron ride next.  We weren’t sure if the ride would be shut if the rain got heavier and besides, Tron was billed as one of the two major attractions at SDL.


We walked in this general direction. 







I got the distinct impression that in land area this park was even bigger than Magic Kingdom!  








By the time we got to Tron, I was absolutely sure that this park was bigger than MK.  Effectively…..walking between the Pirates and Tron is about as far apart as you’ll get in this park.  And they are a long way apart!   







It’s not deserted….the rain was keeping everyone indoors!




The Tron ride is located in Tomorrowland.  It’s the first time that Disney have not included a Space Mountain in Tomorrowland at any of their parks.  Without this mainstay at Tomorrowland, Tron had a LOT to live up to.  By all accounts, this ride delivers.


I do remember watching the original Tron movie in the 80’s (yes, I AM that old fogie)…..and watching the Tron: Legacy sequel not so long ago.  If you do watch the original now, the computer graphics in the movie will seem very dated.   Just remember….Tron, the original has reached cult classic status in geekdom.    

In any case, today was going to be my turn to experience the virtual world come to life...and to find out how much this ride delivers.  


You will need to put ALL bags and loose items away in the (free) lockers before boarding this ride.  There is a small compartment on the vehicles where you can put things away; but it fits a cell phone and spectacles; and probably a small compact camera.   And yes….spectacles do count as ‘loose items’.



 


Wendy’s DD decided to sit out this ride.  So, we left our bags with her.  Just as well.  I did try to leave my camera bag in the lockers and got completely frustrated when I couldn't work out how to do it.  Yes, I could have asked a CM but it was just easier to leave it with Wendy's DD.


I took my cell phone in with me and grabbed some quick snaps.  







The theming inside the queue area is straight out of the Legacy sequel.







There were some announcements during the queue area.  As they were in Mandarin, I have no idea what they were saying!  I think my mother was telling me that one of them was around the fact that this is a roller coaster ride and that you needed to be in good health to ride it.  You know….the standard safety message.







It’s awfully grainy, Zanzibar and Wendy.  But this was the snap I got of the two of you.  I missed taking my mother and Fairy Floss!







I think the standby queue indicated that this was a 10-minute wait time.  That’s practically walk-on because it took us about that amount of time to walk through the queuing area.







My glasses?  I kept them on.  I had specially purchased a sports strap from my local optometrist before I left because I knew that they did check and ask people to put all loose items away.  And yes, the CM did indicate that I should put my glasses away until I showed him the safety strap.  He let me keep them on after that.


Then we were off into the I/O Portal, travelling through The Grid.  For a couple of minutes….you get to live in a virtual reality world where make-believe and G-forces collide.  It’s a pretty incongruous franchise in the Disney stable to base a major roller coaster theme ride on and hat’s off to the Imagineer that dreamed this up.  Pure Geek Heaven.   


So….here’s the photopass picture of me on this ride.  It was a BLAST!   






Aussie Wendy, Zanzibar, Fairy Floss and FireflyFi – I have FINALLY downloaded your pics to a USB stick.  I’ll get them to you shortly.


For the record.  I totally get why they ask for all loose items to be put away.  The acceleration and the twists and turns of this ride is one where if anything isn’t bolted down, then there is an high chance it will fall off.

This ride completely lived up to expectations.  Everyone – including my DM – just loved it.  There have been a few posts about the vehicles being uncomfortable to sit in but they were more comfortable than expected.  



It’s an AMAZING experience and probably in my top 3 Disney rides list so far.


----------



## tiggrbaby

Such beautiful pics!  That Tron ride looks like fun!


----------



## HalloweenNut

PrincessInOz said:


> Thank you.
> 
> Sounds like you've got a wonderful time planned in China.  And a visit to Shanghai Disneyland.
> 
> Zanzibar has already provided a response but I completely agree with her.  Planning a trip to WDW is an exercise in military precision.  It is much more relaxed at most other Disney locations.  I pretty much rocked up to Shanghai Disneyland without too much research.  But then....I knew we would have Zanzibar with us to help us get our bearings on the first day.
> 
> About the only thing we did was book in the character meals because we were looking for tables of 6 or 8.  I suspect we may well have been able to rock up on the day or book when we arrived and still been okay.
> 
> Have fun with your trip!



Thanks very much to you both! It's sort of a spur of the moment thing as we just happened to have a day free in Shanghai. Won't be able do everything of course but will focus on the attractions specific to Shanghai and just have a fun day of it. By that time we'll have seen the Great Wall, Xi'an and the Terra Cotta Warriors before taking a high speed bullet train to Shanghai. I figure the girls will be a bit sick of temples and historical sites by then and will go nuts for a day at Disney. We're keeping it a secret from them until that morning at breakfast. Cue the screaming!!


----------



## rndmr2

Great update! Sorry that the POTC ride was down, hope you eventually get to ride it. 

The boat ride looked cute.  

That Tron ride looks really cool. Is it a semi simulator like Dinosaur like moving through the rooms but not really going up and down hills, etc or does it actually move roller coaster-like?


----------



## WanderlustNZ

Gosh, I can't believe how far behind I had got.  You are really getting the updates up quickly. 

 I am so loving the Dismeet pics but feeling a bit sad I wasn't there.  It looks like so much fun and the park looks gorgeous. 

Really impressed by your firework pics, particularly the crisp clarity with that much zoom.  After playing with my camera a lot last weekend, I am extra interested in the settings you have been using.  
If you get the time at some stage, I'd particularly love to know what sort of settings you use for star (Astro, not celebrity) photos.  

We very nearly bought a DSLR the other day when DH found a good special while we were out shopping for other things.  But it all felt too impulsive and I said 'No'. However, it's definitely in the cards so if you have any tips on what we should and shouldn't be looking for, I'd love to hear them.


----------



## PrincessInOz

tiggrbaby said:


> Such beautiful pics!  That Tron ride looks like fun!



Thanks.  Yes, the Tron ride is lots of fun.   I loved it.






HalloweenNut said:


> Thanks very much to you both! It's sort of a spur of the moment thing as we just happened to have a day free in Shanghai. Won't be able do everything of course but will focus on the attractions specific to Shanghai and just have a fun day of it. By that time we'll have seen the Great Wall, Xi'an and the Terra Cotta Warriors before taking a high speed bullet train to Shanghai. I figure the girls will be a bit sick of temples and historical sites by then and will go nuts for a day at Disney. We're keeping it a secret from them until that morning at breakfast. Cue the screaming!!



Ooh!  What an awesome secret to keep for your girls.  I can hear the screaming now!  Hope you'll come back and tell us all about your trip.


----------



## PrincessInOz

rndmr2 said:


> Great update! Sorry that the POTC ride was down, hope you eventually get to ride it.



  There will be an update on Pirates.  Hope you'll stick around for it.





rndmr2 said:


> The boat ride looked cute.
> 
> That Tron ride looks really cool. Is it a semi simulator like Dinosaur like moving through the rooms but not really going up and down hills, etc or does it actually move roller coaster-like?



Tron is a full blown roller coaster.

Those cycles are the ride vehicles and it takes off just like Screamin' or Rock n Roll Roller Coaster.  It is indoors/outdoors and most of it is undercover and in the semi-dark (like Space).  It does twist and turn, so there are the standard G-forces that you would expect from a coaster ride.  Really cool!


----------



## PrincessInOz

WanderlustNZ said:


> Gosh, I can't believe how far behind I had got.  You are really getting the updates up quickly.



You're all caught up now.  





WanderlustNZ said:


> I am so loving the Dismeet pics but feeling a bit sad I wasn't there.  It looks like so much fun and the park looks gorgeous.



You were the other one that was missing.  Pity your schedule couldn't allow you to join us.





WanderlustNZ said:


> Really impressed by your firework pics, particularly the crisp clarity with that much zoom.  After playing with my camera a lot last weekend, I am extra interested in the settings you have been using.
> If you get the time at some stage, I'd particularly love to know what sort of settings you use for star (Astro, not celebrity) photos.



If you're doing milky way or aurora, check out this reference.

https://photographylife.com/photographing-the-milky-way/


In one of the pages of the above reference, they talk about the optimal shutter speed so that you don't capture the movement of stars in the sky.  There are any number of calculators on-line that you can input your ISO and lens.  They will provide you with an accurate calculation of what the longest shutter speed you can go to.
However, if you are okay with a general rule of thumb, I've been using 600/focal length.  So if you're shooting at 20 mm, generally up to about 30 secs will keep the stars as round stars without any movement.  It works for FF focal length.  
I tend to just take it to about 25 secs just to be extra sure.


Generally, it really depends on how dark the sky is.  Naturally you'd want as low an ISO as possible but that really depends on the night conditions.

As an example...this was taken with ISO 3200, f/3.5 (it's effectively a 16mm FF equivalent lens), 30 sec.







For Aurora Australis, you'd use the same settings....maybe tone the ISO down a notch if she's blowing like crazy.




If you're after "astro", this one might be more appropriate.

https://photographylife.com/astrophotography-tutorial/







WanderlustNZ said:


> We very nearly bought a DSLR the other day when DH found a good special while we were out shopping for other things.  But it all felt too impulsive and I said 'No'. However, it's definitely in the cards so if you have any tips on what we should and shouldn't be looking for, I'd love to hear them.



Hmmm.  You do know that I LOVE spending other people's money, right?????  



I think you're still shooting with the Sony RX100?

You'll need to consider if you want a dSLR or if you want to go with the mirrorless cameras.  Sony just announced a full frame mirrorless A9 camera.  The specs look amazing...but it remains to be seen if the camera stacks up to the claims.  It's due out late May so it may be worth waiting to see if it stacks up.  I also don't know if it will be much lighter than carrying a traditional dSLR by the time you put on the pro-lenses.
The other mirrorless camera worth considering is the newísh Oly OM-D E-M1 Mark 2.  It hit the stores in about Feb? this year and the images I'm seeing out of it look really good.  
I haven't looked at the Nikon range lately and the last one I looked at was the Nikon D500.  The specs were good enough to tempt me as well.
Both the new mirrorless cameras seem to target the sport/pro tog set.  


But the choice of camera comes down to what sort of photography you want to do.  Landscape, sports, birds, low light, etc...... 
If you're after landscape and not interested in fast frames per second, then there are any number of cameras out there that will do the job without the pricey $$$$.

The other thing to consider is the lens range.  You'll start with one or two.....and then you'll want something else....and then this other lens.....so take a look at what they offer by way of pro-type lenses and the cost.  The lens range is the reason why I stick with either Canon or Nikon.


I shoot with Canon and am ready to upgrade by camera body.  Sadly for me, because I have such a diverse range of shooting styles, Canon's current range doesn't have a body that does it all for me.  So, I'm stuck between wanting the 7DMII and the 5DMIV.   When I look at the cost, my eyes roll back in my head.  I need a drink!
Either of those two Canon bodies may also work for you.  Otherwise, one of their newer EOS camera (for the right price) will also work if you're mostly shooting landscape.


----------



## WanderlustNZ

I remember that pic of Uluru - it's gorgeous!  I'm so keen to capture pics like that. Thanks for all the useful info.   

I am shooting with a Sony RX100 which I love and is pretty good for a Point and Shoot, but I feel like a DSLR is the next step.  I don't really understand mirrorless cameras, so we haven't really looked at them.  But I will definitely google the options you mentioned.  

Our priority is landscape pics (both day and night) and we also want a lens with some good zoom for capturing birds and other animals.  For general day to day pics, I tend to opt for the lazy option of my phone.  If we can get away with no more than 2 lenses to start with, we should hopefully be able to justify the expense.  

Thanks again.


----------



## zanzibar138

Wow your photos from this morning do look dark and ominous, especially compared to the ones I've just put up on my Opening Day TR lol!



Fairy Floss said:


> Monday when I wanted to get back for wine o clock .... felt I was in some parallel universe .... kept going past the mine train and enchanted crystal and couldn't find an escape ....







PrincessInOz said:


> There is a castle walkthrough. This is unfinished business for me. My DM and I had every intention of doing the walkthrough….we just never made it.





PrincessInOz said:


> I know that Aussie Wendy did manage to go through; so I’m sure we’ll see her pictures on her TR at some stage.



I made the mistake of doing this attraction on our wettest morning. While everything was a walk on, there was a half hour wait for this. I wouldn't recommend waiting that long for it!


PrincessInOz said:


> *This is NOT a Roller Coaster – Our Surprise First Ride: Voyage to the Crystal Grotto*





Nice pics from this ride.



PrincessInOz said:


> They made for a bright and colourful shot but I still can’t work out where the dancing water fountains were!



Sadly there are no dancing water fountains with these topiaries. I have to say, I can't quite figure out what the point of them is. Perhaps it is some sort of nod to Alice in Wonderland?



PrincessInOz said:


> For me, the piece-de-resistance of this attraction was the Mulan display. LOVE!







PrincessInOz said:


> Fairy Floss brought the crystal ball so that we could play. Crystal ball shots are rather popular with some of my 3D tog friends in Melbourne right now.



Oooh I love this shot!



PrincessInOz said:


> Aussie Wendy, Zanzibar, Fairy Floss and FireflyFi – I have FINALLY downloaded your pics to a USB stick. I’ll get them to you shortly.



Yay! Thank you in advance


----------



## jesterrific

I just have to put my one comment in... hahaha. I only got around to read the first little bit before I fell behind. And now I've come to take a peak at your contents and OMG how am I ever going to catch up!!!  Bad Jessica... I have lots of reading to dooooo


----------



## Flossbolna

PrincessInOz said:


> And yes….spectacles do count as ‘loose items’.



 I am really nearsighted. -11 on both eyes. How am I even going to find my ride vehicle???? I guess I better invest in a safety strap like you did!! I am starting to realise that I am way behind on my SDL research!!! Thank you so much for this trip report, I can catch up at least a little bit!


----------



## RodBelding

Digging this TR. Shots are amazing. I don't mind dreary/rainy days in the parks. Keeps people away!


----------



## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> Yeah. I wonder how long it will be before the rest of Disney starts charging for a Premium Access FP.



Coming soon to a Disney park near me.  They already have the scanning kiosks in place at all the rides that take FP.  It's going to be an additional $10 to schedule it on your smart phone.



PrincessInOz said:


> You head to the central point and select from the list of attractions in that land and you get a FP printed out.



That sounds like a good solution.



PrincessInOz said:


> we were naturally heading for the Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure ride. But when we got there, the ride was down.



That sounded so cool based on what I saw at D23.



PrincessInOz said:


> There is a castle walkthrough. This is unfinished business for me. My DM and I had every intention of doing the walkthrough….we just never made it.



I remember reading (and seeing exhibits) about that one too!



PrincessInOz said:


> Voyage to the Crystal Grotto



Interesting, so it's a mix of The Jungle Cruise ride vehicles and Storybook land.



PrincessInOz said:


> Next up….Fantasia. I’ve always been a sucker for Sorceror Mickey so I loved this display.



It's really cool, and interesting how they use color since the weather is so dreary.



PrincessInOz said:


> Crystal ball shots are rather popular with some of my 3D tog friends in Melbourne right now.



Those shots are great!  Really creative!



PrincessInOz said:


> By the time we got to Tron, I was absolutely sure that this park was bigger than MK.



Do you think it's bigger than AK?



PrincessInOz said:


> I do remember watching the original Tron movie in the 80’s (yes, I AM that old fogie)



I never saw it back then.  I guess that's more education I'm going to need before heading to Shanghai.



PrincessInOz said:


> but it fits a cell phone and spectacles; and probably a small compact camera. And yes….spectacles do count as ‘loose items’.



That's about what I take on Space Mtn, and I put them in the pouch.  I'm still scared about losing my glasses on roller coasters so I take them off.



PrincessInOz said:


> So….here’s the photopass picture of me on this ride. It was a BLAST!



So, how are you fastened into the ride?  I can't imagine there isn't some kind of contraption holding you in your "seat".


----------



## zanzibar138

Flossbolna said:


> I am really nearsighted. -11 on both eyes. How am I even going to find my ride vehicle???? I guess I better invest in a safety strap like you did!! I am starting to realise that I am way behind on my SDL research!!! Thank you so much for this trip report, I can catch up at least a little bit!



You can wear your glasses until you get onto the ride vehicle. You'll just need to take them off and put them in the storage compartment before you take off. I would still recommend getting the strap though - I don't imagine it would be the same if you couldn't see all the effects!



franandaj said:


> I never saw it back then. I guess that's more education I'm going to need before heading to Shanghai.



I have never been the least bit interested in Tron and still haven't seen either of the movies. The ride still made sense to me and I enjoyed it thoroughly!



franandaj said:


> So, how are you fastened into the ride? I can't imagine there isn't some kind of contraption holding you in your "seat".



There is a brace kind of thing that locks down when you lean forward. It holds your legs and body in position, which is really all that's required. FWIW there is also an accessible vehicle in rotation that has regular sitting down style seats. I never actually saw it, but I believe FireFlyFi rode from there. She might pop in at some time and share her experience.


----------



## Aussie Wendy

PrincessInOz said:


> *This is NOT a Roller Coaster – Our Surprise First Ride: Voyage to the Crystal Grotto*
> 
> 
> The walls of the Grotto are lit up with Disney characters.  Sadly, I wasn’t in the right position to capture them.
> 
> (Continued in the Next Post)



I don't think I even remember seeing Disney characters on the walls in the grotto?? just the crystal but maybe I did and forgot already... 

So now I realise I am not just posting Beijing but a full TR - lol! yes we got some walk through the castle pics. I will aim to post different angles or shots to you when I get to SDL - long way to go yet in the TR for me - lol!


----------



## zanzibar138

Aussie Wendy said:


> I don't think I even remember seeing Disney characters on the walls in the grotto?? just the crystal but maybe I did and forgot already...



Yep, there were Disney characters!

Mushu...




Agrabah...


----------



## Aussie Wendy

rndmr2 said:


> Great update! Sorry that the POTC ride was down, hope you eventually get to ride it.
> 
> The boat ride looked cute.
> 
> That Tron ride looks really cool. Is it a semi simulator like Dinosaur like moving through the rooms but not really going up and down hills, etc or does it actually move roller coaster-like?



As PIO says it is a full coaster though due to the ride vehicles, it doesn't go upside down or loop. That is why DD sat it out - she suffers badly from motion sickness - can't do 3D and lots of sharp twists and turns makes her feel ill. Occasionally she takes drugs and gives it a go but so far various motion sickness drugs have made her feel icky too. She decided she didn't want the experience that badly (unlike Gringotts in Universal for example). I also am a bit dicey on some things and found my first ride on Tron, though I really enjoyed it, I came off feeling quite giddy and a bit "off" but it cleared quickly. Another day a ride in the second row rather than nearer the back was a lot different. Not sure why - maybe I knew what to expect? I kept my vision a bit more forward rather than looking from side to side? I could better see what was coming up? (Zanzibar said the front row is the best and I agree with her) but I loved it. I needed motion sickness drugs to ride Crush in DLP and enjoyed that too but felt more whoozy afterwards, despite drugs, than this one and I would be seriously ill if I ever rode Forbidden Journey at Universal without being drugged up first - and even then I have to be careful what I ride for the next 2 hours. So hope that is helpful for some. It is much faster, more twistier than BTMR or 7DMT and I think so much better than Space Mountain but then I am not a fan of it (find it too rough and very twisty but conversely almost boring??).


----------



## Aussie Wendy

zanzibar138 said:


> Yep, there were Disney characters!
> 
> Mushu...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Agrabah...



Well they are so damn subtle no wonder with my failing eyesight (don't get old!! ) I completely missed them - lol!!


----------



## Aussie Wendy

My lunch hour is nearly over and almost time to go back to work - sigh!!


----------



## PrincessInOz

zanzibar138 said:


> Wow your photos from this morning do look dark and ominous, especially compared to the ones I've just put up on my Opening Day TR lol!



We forget.....it was a grey morning!





zanzibar138 said:


> I made the mistake of doing this attraction on our wettest morning. While everything was a walk on, there was a half hour wait for this. I wouldn't recommend waiting that long for it!



I think we were rather lucky with wait times whilst we were there.  






zanzibar138 said:


> Nice pics from this ride.



Thanks!






zanzibar138 said:


> Sadly there are no dancing water fountains with these topiaries. I have to say, I can't quite figure out what the point of them is. Perhaps it is some sort of nod to Alice in Wonderland?



I know.  It was the only display that didn't have dancing water fountains!  LOL







zanzibar138 said:


> Oooh I love this shot!



Yeah.  Wish we'd played more with the crystal ball.


----------



## PrincessInOz

jesterrific said:


> I just have to put my one comment in... hahaha. I only got around to read the first little bit before I fell behind. And now I've come to take a peak at your contents and OMG how am I ever going to catch up!!!  Bad Jessica... I have lots of reading to dooooo



  Glad you made it over to the dark side!!

Take your time.....this TR isn't going anywhere.  Besides....I'm sure you'll catch up quick.  






Flossbolna said:


> I am really nearsighted. -11 on both eyes. How am I even going to find my ride vehicle???? I guess I better invest in a safety strap like you did!! I am starting to realise that I am way behind on my SDL research!!! Thank you so much for this trip report, I can catch up at least a little bit!



It actually was a very relaxed time at SDL.  I didn't do very much research and because there were low crowds, we just got on the rides we wanted to do.  The App helped heaps as well.






RodBelding said:


> Digging this TR. Shots are amazing. I don't mind dreary/rainy days in the parks. Keeps people away!



Thanks, Paul.  Hope the rest of the shots also get the same sort of reaction from you!  

I don't mind a bit of rain but we ended up with 2 full days of rain and it really did mean that I didn't get as many shots from around the park as I would have liked.  Oh well....thankfully Shanghai is a lot closer and cheaper to get to for me than going to Anaheim or Orlando!


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> Coming soon to a Disney park near me. They already have the scanning kiosks in place at all the rides that take FP. It's going to be an additional $10 to schedule it on your smart phone.



I thought I saw some posts on the DLR section but I didn't check in on the content.  

*sigh*

That didn't take long at all, did it?






franandaj said:


> That sounds like a good solution.



It is but it isn't.  I gather that there are loooong queues for the FP machines on a busy day.  Think how long the queues were for RSR and multiply it by at least 3.  I think I saw reports of people waiting an hour for a FP.  





franandaj said:


> That sounded so cool based on what I saw at D23.



You'll have to wait and see.  






franandaj said:


> Interesting, so it's a mix of The Jungle Cruise ride vehicles and Storybook land.



Yes.  On a hot day, this would be a perfect attraction mid-afternoon if the wait time wasn't more than 10 minutes.  
But there aren't any corny JC jokes!





franandaj said:


> It's really cool, and interesting how they use color since the weather is so dreary.



I thought the colour palatte at SDL was stronger than the US parks.






franandaj said:


> Those shots are great! Really creative!



Thanks!





franandaj said:


> Do you think it's bigger than AK?



Hmmm.  Hard to say as I haven't seen the size of the new AK with Pandora.  But it would be as large as AK.  And SDL is expanding as well.  They are already adding Toy Story land to it.






franandaj said:


> I never saw it back then. I guess that's more education I'm going to need before heading to Shanghai.



No need to see Tron.  In today's world, it will seem VERY dated.





franandaj said:


> So, how are you fastened into the ride? I can't imagine there isn't some kind of contraption holding you in your "seat".





zanzibar138 said:


> There is a brace kind of thing that locks down when you lean forward. It holds your legs and body in position, which is really all that's required. FWIW there is also an accessible vehicle in rotation that has regular sitting down style seats. I never actually saw it, but I believe FireFlyFi rode from there. She might pop in at some time and share her experience.



I might have a picture to post on another day.  But you have to assume the same position that a motorcycle rider does and that brace holds your body in position.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Aussie Wendy said:


> I don't think I even remember seeing Disney characters on the walls in the grotto?? just the crystal but maybe I did and forgot already...
> 
> So now I realise I am not just posting Beijing but a full TR - lol! yes we got some walk through the castle pics. I will aim to post different angles or shots to you when I get to SDL - long way to go yet in the TR for me - lol!





zanzibar138 said:


> Yep, there were Disney characters!
> 
> Mushu...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Agrabah...



Awesome pics, Zanzibar.  Thanks for sharing!

I think I was shooting Mushu but wasn't quick enough or in the right position for Agrabah!


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## PrincessInOz

Aussie Wendy said:


> Well they are so damn subtle no wonder with my failing eyesight (don't get old!! ) I completely missed them - lol!!



I need to go back and do that ride again.  I kept missing those projections.





Aussie Wendy said:


> My lunch hour is nearly over and almost time to go back to work - sigh!!



You had time for lunch???  Lucky you!!! 

I am hoping that I'll have time next week.  Work is starting to settle down for me.


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## Fairy Floss

franandaj said:


> Coming soon to a Disney park near me. They already have the scanning kiosks in place at all the rides that take FP. It's going to be an additional $10 to schedule it on your smart phone.



How soon?
I'll be in Anaheim at the end of May  ... 



PrincessInOz said:


> I might have a picture to post on another day. But you have to assume the same position that a motorcycle rider does and that brace holds your body in position.



Here's some pics of the ride  ... including the "car" at the back


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## franandaj

Fairy Floss said:


> How soon?
> I'll be in Anaheim at the end of May ...



Probably not that soon. I noticed the scanners at the end of March. They are placed right at the points where the FP queue merges with the regular queue, but they are under canvas covers. Most of my friends didn't even notice them. The news story I heard simply said, "coming later this year".  I'm gonna guess summer.


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## darrenf67

PrincessInOz said:


> *This is NOT a Roller Coaster – Our Surprise First Ride: Voyage to the Crystal Grotto*
> 
> 
> 
> Directly across from the Meet and Greet was our first Ride.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> If anyone would have asked me what my first ride would be at Shanghai Disneyland, I doubt this one would have made my top 10!  But with Pirates down; and us being right there and a 5 minute wait, we walked right on in.
> 
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> It was practically walk-on and we found ourselves sitting down in the boat before we even had time to say cheese!
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> We cruised on past a range of standard Disney classics.
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> The dancing water fountains are a nice touch.
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> The BatB theming was true to form.
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> Next up is Aladdin.
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> More dancing water fountains.
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> We floated past some permanent topiaries.
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> They made for a bright and colourful shot but I still can’t work out where the dancing water fountains were!
> 
> 
> 
> Next up….Fantasia.  I’ve always been a sucker for Sorceror Mickey so I loved this display.
> 
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> You guessed it…..more water fountains.
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> We turned another corner and came across the Tangled scene.
> 
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> I didn’t capture it but the dancing water fountains were jets of water pushing up the lanterns.  Very pretty and creatively done!
> 
> 
> For me, the piece-de-resistance of this attraction was the Mulan display.  LOVE!
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> In a water fountain themed ride, you’d expect Ariel to show up.
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> The true lure for this attraction is that the ride does go through a chamber at the base of the Castle.
> 
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> The walls of the Grotto are lit up with Disney characters.  Sadly, I wasn’t in the right position to capture them.
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> It’s only a short stint under the castle before you head back out to the open again.
> 
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> There is a familiar Tangled feel to this.
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> And then it’s back to the unloading area.
> 
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> Fairy Floss brought the crystal ball so that we could play.  Crystal ball shots are rather popular with some of my 3D tog friends in Melbourne right now.
> 
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> 
> Since our return home and me looking at the pictures, I wish that the weather had been kinder so that we could have played more.  It would have been lovely to get some night shots through the crystal ball!
> 
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> 
> 
> The Voyage of the Crystal Grotto is probably the big brother equivalent of the Storybook Land Canal Boat ride at Disneyland.  It’s a nice ride; but a little underwhelming for anyone who is seeking a thrill ride.  It definitely isn’t a roller coaster ride.
> 
> Having said that….I’ve just seen Zanzibar’s pictures of it at night from her Opening Day TR and I think that I will definitely do this at night if/when I’m at SDL again.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (Continued in the Next Post)


This looked pretty cool - it was closed when we were there - walls up and everything


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## darrenf67

I loved Tron - very cool set up and went a lot faster than I was expecting!


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## zanzibar138

PrincessInOz said:


> Awesome pics, Zanzibar.  Thanks for sharing!
> 
> I think I was shooting Mushu but wasn't quick enough or in the right position for Agrabah!



Thanks! Usually I don't even try for dark ride pics because I'm so terrible at them, but must have gotten lucky with these ones!


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## PrincessInOz

Fairy Floss said:


> Here's some pics of the ride ... including the "car" at the back



Thanks for posting!





darrenf67 said:


> This looked pretty cool - it was closed when we were there - walls up and everything



That's a shame.  It must have been down for a scheduled maintenance or something.





darrenf67 said:


> I loved Tron - very cool set up and went a lot faster than I was expecting!



Yes, it was a very cool ride.  I loved it too.





zanzibar138 said:


> Thanks! Usually I don't even try for dark ride pics because I'm so terrible at them, but must have gotten lucky with these ones!



Let's just say....you're getting better.


----------



## PrincessInOz

*A Quintessential Disney Ride – Peter Pan’s Flight*



Originally released on 5th February 1953, Peter Pan is probably one of Disney’s most classic and beloved films for historic reasons.  It is the final Disney animated feature released through RKO Radio Pictures before Walt Disney's founding of his own distribution company, Buena Vista Distribution.  BVD was founded in 1953, but after Peter Pan was released.  Peter Pan is also the final Disney film in which all nine members of Disney's Nine Old Men worked together as directing animators.  With that kind of provenance, it is no wonder that most people – me included – consider Peter Pan as something quintessentially Disney.


The attraction Peter Pan’s Flight was operating when Disneyland opened on July 17, 1955.  Aside from Hong Kong, there is a Peter Pan’s Flight at all the other Disneylands around the world.  Over the years, it has remained a very popular ride in every location.  It’s one of those rides that when I’m at Disneyland, I will think of Walt as I run my hands over those wooden barriers and gates.  


We were heading back towards Treasure Cove after our returning from the I/O Portal when we realised that there was a 10-minute stand-by wait for Peter Pan.  Besides, the queue area was mostly under cover.







I guess it’s universal.  No matter which Disneyland you’re in, there is always a wait for this attraction.  Not that I’m complaining.  This wait wasn't that bad.  10 minutes is practically unheard off at WDW or Anaheim unless you sprint to the attraction at rope drop.  And we all know sprinting is not allowed in a Disney park, right?  


In any event, the 10 minutes just gave me time to check out the details.







I liked the faux-marble statues of the Peter Pan characters.







As always, Disney’s attention to the details are one of the things that keep me coming back.







The fretwork medallions here were quintessentially Disney.







It might be new but Disney decided to hold true with the tight spaces for the loading area for this ride.  It might not have the wooden barriers of Disneyland but the narrower space made this area seem strangely familiar.







It also meant that queue cutting was hard to achieve in here.  But it still did happen.  All we did was just spread out a bit more to make sure that there was no free space between the 6 of us for any queue cutter to make their way past us.







At least they included a separate Fast Pass queue for this ride in Shanghai!  So, if you’re there during the busy period, the FP option might be worth considering.  Alternatively, if the new Premium Access option is available and the Disney Fuzzy Maths work for you, this might be something to think about.



The boarding area.  







Yes, it is a 2 x 2 configuration for the galleon vehicle.  My mother and I shared the front seat and there was space to spare.







Time to suspend reality.







From Shanghai to the roof tops of London.  It’s been a while since I’ve flown over London.  Whilst it looks the same, I did wonder if I had imagined a certain shadow to the scene.  Still there was a definitely ‘freshness’ to it all for me.  







Then we went into the Darling nursery.  Hmmm.  The flight in was a lot smoother than I remember.  I was expecting a certain bump in the landing that didn’t happen and missed the lights!  








It’s the original Soarin’ attraction!  Such a thrill to glide over Big Ben.  And yes, I don’t think I was imagining things.  This flight plan is definitely very smooth.  There are stops and go’s to it but it is much less jerky.







You can fly!  You can fly!  You can fly!







:  


I don’t remember the projected animations.  Is this a new addition since 2014?  Either that or I’ve been strangely unobservant or I’m really slipping down that Old Fogie road.




Past the second star to the right and straight on til morning.  We headed past Skull Island.







Neverland!  It’s all new and shiny.







This is one attraction where you can just sit back and take it easy.  







There’s nothing scary or wild about this ride.







Aside from the smoother flight plan, the animatronics of this ride are probably the best of all the Peter Pan rides I’ve been on.  But then it is a 2016 vintage.







This ride is almost a replica of the other Peter Pan rides.  I know it’s not a roller coaster but it really is pure classic Disney.  For my inner child, it’s a ride that I am happy to go on again and again and again.  There is just something compelling about it.




(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

*A Bounty-Full Lunch*



It was most definitely raining by the time we came out of Peter Pan Flight.







Get used to the wet for a bit.  We were to have this rain for the rest of the day and tomorrow as well.  Sadly, the rain means that I have a lack of general park pictures in my photo set for this vacay.







We were all hungry after leaving Tron and Zanzibar had suggested that we go eat at Barbarossa’s Bounty. 







So we headed indoors and checked out the menu.









It’s a Quick Service establishment and she said the food was rather decent here.







For those coming to Shanghai, you will notice that there are a lot of QS places to eat and not a lot of Table Service establishments in the park.  







That is definitely one of the differences that you will notice in Shanghai.  It’s one of those distinctively Shanghai Disney (and Hong Kong Disney) things.







However, don’t be fooled into thinking that the food will not be up to scratch.  Take a look at what was on offer here.







Yes!  It is Quick Service and the food is not made to order.  







Most of us chose either the BBQ Chicken with vegetables option.  It looked rather appetising that day.







The alternative was the BBQ ribs with rice.






My mother and I shared our mains as we ordered both options between us.  The Chicken was delicious and tender.  The ribs were wonderfully done and equally as tender.  In fact, for QS food, this exceeds any of the QS options in Epcot and would rival some of the low/mid end table service options in the American Disney locations. 

The only complaint I had was the corn on the cob.  It tasted plastic and I would skip biting into it, if you order this option.




(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

*Inside Barbarossa’s Bounty*



Aside from the food, the reason Zanzibar picked Barbarossa’s was for the ambience.  

There is a seating area in here that overlooks the Pirates of the Caribbean ride much like Blue Bayou does in Disneyland.
This area is very popular with the diners.  Sadly, we didn’t get a table by the water.  







There was a nice touch in the name on the archway as homage to the movie.


If I were in the US, I wouldn’t have even attempted this!  If we were in the US, I may have walked to the waterfront to take a look but only if I weren't going to disturb anyone or encroach on personal space.  But as we were in China, not only did I walk up to take a look, I also squeezed in between the tables to grab shots!  Neither party at the two tables I squeezed past even gave me a second look or said anything.  When in China, right?

This is a panoramic view of that ride.






After we finished eating, we explored some of the other dining rooms. 






There sure were a lot of them….and each one tastely decorated in that “waterfront pub” style.






There were even a few little nooks where you might have felt that this was a table service restaurant!







I was totally amazed by each room.







They might not have had waterfront views but they were just as equally engaging.  And the details were eye-wateringly diverse.







Absolute eye candy to be had everywhere on the walls!







And it wasn’t just the walls.














The lighting was equally as illuminating at how much attention to detail Disney paid to this establishment.







I could have spent all afternoon in here but time was marching on and we needed to keep going.


(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

*The One about Restrooms.*



Alright.  For those of you who are a bit uncomfortable about talking about bodily functions and unmentionables, keep going to the next post.  Do not collect $200, and there is no need to step into the toilet.


You may want to shut your eyes or put something in the way.







But we really need to move all blockers out of the way and look at something squarely in the face because everyone is generally interested to find out about it. 







I’m not exactly airing any dirty laundry….








….but we probably need to talk about Restrooms in China.   And I have pictures!
Afterall, when you have to go, you have to go.

It makes sense to me for this episode to go here in the TR simply because the last of the restroom pictures were taken whilst I was in Barbarossa's.





Squat toilets are quite common in China.  I took this picture where I was in Suzhou.  It was probably the ONLY time I actually had to use a squat toilet and that was because there was no choice.







As a child growing up in Asia, I did use squat toilets on the odd occasion…and in fact, my childhood home did have a squat toilet in the ‘servant’s quarters’.  Believe it or not, going into a squat was surprisingly like “second” nature to me.  I was totally amazed at how my body did manage to squat and get up.


Moving right along.


Disney facilities do include squat toilets as well as western style ones.  In any ladies restrooms, you’ll find the squat ones at the front and there is usually a queue for them.  The western style ones are usually at the back.  

I wish I’d taken a picture where you can see the floor area.  






The squat ones will have a step up which you can clearly see under the door, if you’re looking for it.


This is one of the western toilets in a restroom near Starbucks, that I took in the morning.







These are taken inside the Disabled Accessible restrooms at Barbarossa’s Bounty.  All of the ladies’ facilities that I went to had a DA restroom.







I cannot, of course, make any comments about the male facilities and if a similar setup exists.



(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

*100% Disney, Uniquely Chinese – Challenge Trails*



What is it about Disney that makes us keep going back time and time again?

Aside from their legendary customer service, I would hazard a guess that it is because Disney is a place that looks amazing – show ready – all the time.  Rain, hail, snow or shine.







It is also a place where adults can have just as much fun as kids.







I think these two things aptly capture what I found so endearing about the Challenge Trail.  Located in Adventure Isle, the Challenge Trails are a set of ropes courses set against the backdrop of Roaring Rapid Mountain.  It’s Disney alright…..but so uniquely Chinese as this attraction is not found in other Disney park.  







The Challenge Trails is another one of those attractions where you’re not allowed to bring anything with you on the rope course.  There are lockers for you to leave all bags behind.


For this one, my DM and Fairy Floss decided to sit it out.  They found somewhere under a large umbrella somewhere to keep dry and we left all our possessions with them.


There are 3 different options at each section of the trail that you can choose from.  In this particular case, the steps are the simplest option, the middle cargo nets would be the moderately difficult option and the plank and cargo option on the right would be the most challenging option.







Every section/climb would provide a set of 3 obstacles.  The obstacle sets included bridges, any and every form of suspended planks, barrels, balance beams and even a narrow path where you would practically hug the wall facing that waterfall.  You name it, we probably came across it during our challenge.


Thanks to Fairy Floss for these pictures of us navigating our way around the trail.


We were fitted into harnesses – S,M, L – complete with karabiners and lanyard.  All you have to do is clip the top of the lanyard into the pulley system for the trail and off you go!








Hang on to the lanyard as you work your way across the course.  It’s one of the ways you can use to keep your balance on the course.







Wendy’s DD and Zanzibar started to take the most difficult option at most of the obstacle sets.  But it was a wet day and the obstacles were slippery.  We did look at the moderately difficult option but towards the end, it was all so slippery that we all opted for the easiest and safest option.








Yes, I know.   The safety harness meant that we were never in any real danger.  But I didn’t relish the thought of slipping and embarrassing myself in front of my Dis friends.  







In case you’re thinking that this might not be for you.  I understand that there is a DA path that you can take through this part of the park.  I never got round to it but looking at Zanzibar’s pictures her her Opening Day TR, it looks well worth the walk round.  








There might be some of you that might consider this to be the grown-up version of the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail at DCA.  Believe me....the thrill and challenge factor of this course is no where near that at all.  Not even close!  This is pure adrenalin fun!


(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

*You DO Know this is a Roller Coaster? – Seven Dwarfs Mine Train*



Until Shanghai, I have not had the pleasure of riding the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.  It opened in Magic Kingdom in May 2014, after my last visit.  So, it was always going to be on my must-do list for Shanghai.







We got in line for the ride.  The rain was keeping people away and it took us hardly any time to enter the cavern.  







I was really eager to get on this ride so I rushed on ahead.







I was definitely sleeping on the job because I didn’t notice what was going on behind me….







There was a cast member that had stopped my mother and was trying to tell her something.

*“You DO know this is a roller coaster, don’t you?”*







Say what????


My mother was so shocked that she was more than a little gobsmacked!  She’s been to WDW and Disneyland and HKDL, ridden on most coasters at those 3 parks without anyone stopping her.  She looks amazing for her age and constantly gets away with people thinking she’s at least 15 – 20 years younger than she is.  I can only hope that I’ve hit the genetic lottery and inherited her youthful gene!  

I also think she was shocked because it’s the first time that someone has accurately put her in her age bracket.  But then again….we are in an Asian country where that youthful gene seems to be dominant and the people here are much more adept at gauging your age.


Thank goodness for Dis friends.  







The others had to tell the CM that my mother had been on TRON that day.  








I caught up with the goings on to hear them loudly telling the CM: “She’s been on TRON today.  TRON! TRON!”







I guess that did the trick!  The CM might or might not have understood English, but the mention of the granddaddy of roller coaster rides was enough.  My DM was allowed to head through.








I think that "You DO Know this is a Roller Coaster?" is going to be the running joke from this point forward.  It certainly was for the rest of this trip!



We sat in the front.







And got on the ride!







Yes.  We DO know this is a roller coaster ride!  The rush you get is the whole point of the ride!







Even if that rush feeling is gotten in the wet and cold!







The ride is themed to the first ever Walt Disney animated film and the theme probably as quintessentially Disney as Peter Pan.  As much as I love the Mark 1 version of the Snow White attraction at Disneyland, I have to say that I love this version better.   As a roller coaster ride, it’s perfectly aimed at the Disney kids level but it’s not a headline grabbing sort of coaster like TRON, right?

But having not ridden the Orlando attraction, I have nothing to compare apples to apples.  I gather that there might be a scene or two missing from the ride itself.  Guess I’m just going to have to get to Orlando and find out what the differences are!


----------



## Fairy Floss

I've ridden both and feel that this ride is identical to the Orlando version  but the cottage at the end in Shanghai is pathetic in comparison to the Orlando cottage
I loved Snow White and the Dwarves dancing in Orlando and the witch looking in through the window
 It was funny hearing the song sung in Chinese
 On another occasion I rode and was sitting next to a Chinese lady whose husband and son were in front
She was petrified...
I held her hand and sang along (me in English)....
we got to "hi ho..." and I said  "now they go home ... quick!"
She screamed and I laughed .... at the end we decided it was "like husband driving "


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## darrenf67

I loved the "freshness" the rides had at Shanghai - Peter Pan had a few wow moments for me with the digital projections, but Pirates took Disney Park rides to a whole new level. WOW  - amazing.


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## Flossbolna

Great update, I especially liked the bathroom details! Southern France has those, too, especially in public bathrooms. Maybe they are disappearing now. My mother always made the point when I was complaining as a kid when we were on vacation there that they are cleaner than the ones where you sit down as you don't need to touch anything with your naked behind. So, I got used to them. But I still would prefer the Western version in DL... 

The ribs at Barbossa's look very good. And the restaurant is very pretty. Reminds me of the counter service restaurants at DLP. They are also very themed, lots of small rooms and nooks. Luckily the food seems to be better in Shanghai though. I hope it stays that way and is not just an opening year thing before quality slips.

As far as I know the mine train is quite identical to WDW. Originally both versions were supposed to be quite more elaborate, have a third lift hill and far more show scenes. Then the budget was cut several times. 

Peter Pan looks a Little like Paris, too. At least there they have the same seating configuration with two rows. It is even three and three there.


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## tiggrbaby

Great ride pics!  That trail looked like a lot of fun; you were brave to tackle it in the rain.  The food and restaurant looked like a great find.


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## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> Originally released on 5th February 1953, Peter Pan is probably one of Disney’s most classic and beloved films for historic reasons. It is the final Disney animated feature released through RKO Radio Pictures before Walt Disney's founding of his own distribution company, Buena Vista Distribution. BVD was founded in 1953, but after Peter Pan was released. Peter Pan is also the final Disney film in which all nine members of Disney's Nine Old Men worked together as directing animators. With that kind of provenance, it is no wonder that most people – me included – consider Peter Pan as something quintessentially Disney.



Huh.  There was some information in there that I did not know!



PrincessInOz said:


> From Shanghai to the roof tops of London. It’s been a while since I’ve flown over London. Whilst it looks the same, I did wonder if I had imagined a certain shadow to the scene. Still there was a definitely ‘freshness’ to it all for me.



Nice shots on the ride!



PrincessInOz said:


> That is definitely one of the differences that you will notice in Shanghai. It’s one of those distinctively Shanghai Disney (and Hong Kong Disney) things.



What difference?



PrincessInOz said:


> However, don’t be fooled into thinking that the food will not be up to scratch. Take a look at what was on offer here.



I don't know what that is?  



PrincessInOz said:


> If I were in the US, I wouldn’t have even attempted this! If we were in the US, I may have walked to the waterfront to take a look but only if I weren't going to disturb anyone or encroach on personal space. But as we were in China, not only did I walk up to take a look, I also squeezed in between the tables to grab shots! Neither party at the two tables I squeezed past even gave me a second look or said anything. When in China, right?



Funny how different the two cultures are.



PrincessInOz said:


> Squat toilets are quite common in China. I took this picture where I was in Suzhou. It was probably the ONLY time I actually had to use a squat toilet and that was because there was no choice.



I remember coming across my first squat toilet at a rest stop in the Alps.  I had no idea to expect that!  



PrincessInOz said:


> These are taken inside the Disabled Accessible restrooms at Barbarossa’s Bounty. All of the ladies’ facilities that I went to had a DA restroom.



Thank you very much for taking those pictures.  I showed them to Fran and she was happy to see the bars.



PrincessInOz said:


> Challenge Trails are a set of ropes courses set against the backdrop of Roaring Rapid Mountain.



I think I would sit that one out...or take the disabled trail.



PrincessInOz said:


> There are 3 different options at each section of the trail that you can choose from.



They all look like more than I want to challenge.



PrincessInOz said:


> There was a cast member that had stopped my mother and was trying to tell her something.
> 
> *“You DO know this is a roller coaster, don’t you?”*



Wow.  Just wow.



PrincessInOz said:


> But having not ridden the Orlando attraction, I have nothing to compare apples to apples. I gather that there might be a scene or two missing from the ride itself. Guess I’m just going to have to get to Orlando and find out what the differences are!



They're probably missing from both versions of the ride.      You'll need to experience it for yourself.  My comment after my first ride was, "I'm glad I didn't wait 120 minutes to ride _that!"_


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## darrenf67

I thought the Adventure Isle challenges were so well done and the looks on the faces of the people as they were doing it was pure joy. A great idea and well executed.


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## Aussie Wendy

PrincessInOz said:


> *A Quintessential Disney Ride – Peter Pan’s Flight*
> 
> 
> This ride is almost a replica of the other Peter Pan rides.  I know it’s not a roller coaster but it really is pure classic Disney.  For my inner child, it’s a ride that I am happy to go on again and again and again.  There is just something compelling about it.
> 
> (Continued in Next Post)



Me too!! and not just because I was named by my Dad (Peter) after Wendy in Peter Pan.


----------



## zanzibar138

Another great update! Love seeing it all through your eyes (or lens )



PrincessInOz said:


> :
> 
> 
> I don’t remember the projected animations.  Is this a new addition since 2014?  Either that or I’ve been strangely unobservant or I’m really slipping down that Old Fogie road.



From what I can tell, there were a couple of new effects in the SDL version. It's been so long since I've done the DLR version, I couldn't tell what they were lol!


----------



## PrincessInOz

Fairy Floss said:


> I've ridden both and feel that this ride is identical to the Orlando version but the cottage at the end in Shanghai is pathetic in comparison to the Orlando cottage
> I loved Snow White and the Dwarves dancing in Orlando and the witch looking in through the window



Hmm.  I don't think I even remember the cottage.  So that must be how pathetic that is in comparison.





Fairy Floss said:


> It was funny hearing the song sung in Chinese



Ah.  I guess I was singing so loudly/badly in English that I didn't hear the Chinese.  






Fairy Floss said:


> On another occasion I rode and was sitting next to a Chinese lady whose husband and son were in front
> She was petrified...
> I held her hand and sang along (me in English)....
> we got to "hi ho..." and I said "now they go home ... quick!"
> She screamed and I laughed .... at the end we decided it was "like husband driving "



Just like husband driving.


----------



## PrincessInOz

darrenf67 said:


> I loved the "freshness" the rides had at Shanghai - Peter Pan had a few wow moments for me with the digital projections, but Pirates took Disney Park rides to a whole new level. WOW - amazing.



Yes, it was the freshness of everything that grabbed me too.  I suspect that in years to come, we're all going to be glad that we got there in the 1st year of opening.  (I know Zanzibar is going to be in the elite group of people that were there on opening day!  So awesome!)






darrenf67 said:


> I thought the Adventure Isle challenges were so well done and the looks on the faces of the people as they were doing it was pure joy. A great idea and well executed.



We have tree surfing here in Victoria.  I expect there might be places that do it in Queensland.  
Tree surfing is based on the same concept; except you don't have a choice of 3 routes at each pass.


Yes....pure joy on this challenge.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Flossbolna said:


> Great update, I especially liked the bathroom details! Southern France has those, too, especially in public bathrooms. Maybe they are disappearing now. My mother always made the point when I was complaining as a kid when we were on vacation there that they are cleaner than the ones where you sit down as you don't need to touch anything with your naked behind. So, I got used to them. But I still would prefer the Western version in DL...



I think that's what the Asians like about these kind of bathrooms too.  

I seem to recall that there might have been squat toilets in Mexico when we were last there too.  Again, I expect that they will also disappear.






Flossbolna said:


> The ribs at Barbossa's look very good. And the restaurant is very pretty. Reminds me of the counter service restaurants at DLP. They are also very themed, lots of small rooms and nooks. Luckily the food seems to be better in Shanghai though. I hope it stays that way and is not just an opening year thing before quality slips.



I have high hopes that the food quality will stay consistently high in Shanghai.  I know that the food in Hong Kong Disneyland (in the park itself) has kept to a very decent standard.  





Flossbolna said:


> As far as I know the mine train is quite identical to WDW. Originally both versions were supposed to be quite more elaborate, have a third lift hill and far more show scenes. Then the budget was cut several times.



Seems like there is a little cottage scene that is missing. 





Flossbolna said:


> Peter Pan looks a Little like Paris, too. At least there they have the same seating configuration with two rows. It is even three and three there.



I will get to Paris one of these days.  I have Tokyo in my sights first.






tiggrbaby said:


> Great ride pics! That trail looked like a lot of fun; you were brave to tackle it in the rain. The food and restaurant looked like a great find.



Thanks!  
I had a lot of fun on the trail.  The first couple of obstacles were okay.  Towards the end, it just got too slippery in the rain and I just opted for the easiest path across.


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> Huh. There was some information in there that I did not know!



Someday.....in one of your Disney trivia quiz things on a cruise somewhere.....you're going to thank me for it!!!  





franandaj said:


> What difference?



There is only one TS place in the Shanghai Disneyland park.  And that's the Royal Banquet Hall at the castle.  The rest of the eating places are either Quick Service or snack carts.  I don't think any of the American parks would cope if there was only one TS option available in the park.






franandaj said:


> I don't know what that is?



It's stuffed calamari or octopus.  By all accounts, it's meant to be the pick of the meals there.  I was going to try it but it just didn't look as appetising as the chicken did on the day we went.





franandaj said:


> Funny how different the two cultures are.









franandaj said:


> Thank you very much for taking those pictures. I showed them to Fran and she was happy to see the bars.



Glad she was happy.  I specifically made a point of getting in that particular cubicle for that reason.  






franandaj said:


> I think I would sit that one out...or take the disabled trail.



It is worth trying.  After the stairs, there are a few flat platforms.






franandaj said:


> Wow. Just wow.



I know, right?





franandaj said:


> They're probably missing from both versions of the ride.  You'll need to experience it for yourself. My comment after my first ride was, "I'm glad I didn't wait 120 minutes to ride _that!"_



I guess Snow White or the dwarfs were greedy guts' and ate ALL the apples.  So rude of them not to leave any for us!!  


Yes.  After going on this ride at Shanghai, I would say the same thing.  Can't believe that the ride gets out to 120 minutes in Orlando!


----------



## PrincessInOz

Aussie Wendy said:


> Me too!! and not just because I was named by my Dad (Peter) after Wendy in Peter Pan.



Ooh.  I did wonder if you were named for Wendy!  Nice to have the confirmation because I don't think I knew that before this!





zanzibar138 said:


> From what I can tell, there were a couple of new effects in the SDL version. It's been so long since I've done the DLR version, I couldn't tell what they were lol!



I think it was the projections on the wall.  There was Tinkerbell, and Peter's shadow in the scene over the rooftops of London, and them all flying to Neverland....and I think the sword fight shadows with Peter and Hook were also new.


I was hoping that either Bret or Alison could confirm.  I'm the same as you....the last time I rode Peter Pan could have been back in 2014.



And the ride is definitely much smoother.


----------



## 1nfrequent

Quick question about the lockers - how secure are they?  Were you happy to leave valuables in there?

1F


----------



## Agent 86

1nfrequent said:


> Quick question about the lockers - how secure are they?  Were you happy to leave valuables in there?
> 
> 1F



The Roaring Rapids lockers (which I used for the Challenge Trails because the line for the Challenge Trails lockers was very long) and the Tron lockers seemed fine. They no longer appear to require you to use a locker for Roaring Rapids - we took our backpack on the ride both times. On Tron, you can carry your wallet and phone with you. If you're not comfortable leaving them in your pocket, there is a small ... box at the front of the "motorbike" in which you can store them. Of course, I saw people openly playing with their phones on Tron (i.e. surfing, taking photos, etc) when actually loading (i.e. getting onto the bike and waiting for the ride to start) and nine times out of ten, the cast member would say nothing.

They didn't check for valuables on Challenge Trails particularly well. They simply mimed patting your pockets. Although we stored EVERYTHING in a locker (as instructed), there were plenty of locals in line openly playing with their phones and they were never challenged or asked to store their phone even though the various cast members could clearly see that they were using phones (both in line and when on the course). They also had their hats and sunglasses whereas we were instructed to remove and store our sunglasses (but could keep our hats).

Basically, as long as you didn't try to carry a bag onto Tron or Challenge Trails, then you would be fine.

In general, I noticed that the cast members were extremely lax about enforcing any rules. They wouldn't enforce height restrictions, Fast Pass return times, people who were pushing in, etc. The few cast members who I saw who tried to enforce the rules, seemed to end up in a yelling match and the guest would simply push past, walk around or otherwise ignore the cast member. The only time I saw a cast member successfully castigate someone was when a bunch of people tried to push into the standby line for Soaring and that's probably because the cast member was "supported" by the people in line who also started yelling.

So, basically. If you're uncomfortable storing valuables in the lockers, you probably don't have to for any ride / attraction. As long as you store your backpack or any merchandise bags, then you should be fine carrying your wallet and phone with you at all times and on all rides.

The lockers themselves were okay. There were two types - one which required you to set a pin code and one which required you to insert a coin and you then got a key on a band to wear around your wrist. We ended up using the latter type the most since it was very crowded around the machines for setting your pin code and because there is no real concept of personal space, it would have been easy for the people behind us to see the pin code. The type which required a coin to be inserted (which was returned after use) seemed to be less popular and was therefore easier to procure. I can't recall whether they offered both types at Roaring Rapids or whether they only offered the pin code style of locker.


----------



## zanzibar138

1nfrequent said:


> Quick question about the lockers - how secure are they?  Were you happy to leave valuables in there?
> 
> 1F



I was quite happy to leave my valuables in the lockers. I used the sort where you had to set a PIN, and it seemed perfectly secure to me. They are similar to the ones for The Mummy at Universal if you're familiar with those.


----------



## Aussie Wendy

PrincessInOz said:


> O
> 
> I think it was the projections on the wall.  There was Tinkerbell, and Peter's shadow in the scene over the rooftops of London, and them all flying to Neverland....and I think the sword fight shadows with Peter and Hook were also new.
> 
> I was hoping that either Bret or Alison could confirm.  I'm the same as you....the last time I rode Peter Pan could have been back in 2014.
> 
> And the ride is definitely much smoother.



Having rode WDW version just in Jan yes it felt like heaps of little things actually were different. The projections in SDL were unique though I noticed a few more shadow projections at WDW than I had previously (maybe just working better in refurb). The trip through the nursery is a bit different (eg don't pass close to the bed with Wendy and Michael in SDL) and there is a big difference with the splashdown by Skull Rock at SDL. I am sure we saw the Indians closer in WDW that we didn't in SDL but SDL we got close to Tinkerbell locked up that I don't remember seeing in WDW (but maybe it was the other side to me). The pirate ship projection like the beginning projections are much clearer and bigger at SDL and I am sure the characters are all in different spots saying goodbye. Think SDL pips it as the better now. Also yes MUCH smoother.  Cannot remember DL or DLP or TDL versions but I know one felt very very bumpy and jerky and we were disappointed but was that TDL or DL I am not sure.


----------



## Aussie Wendy

Agent 86 said:


> They didn't check for valuables on Challenge Trails particularly well. They simply mimed patting your pockets. Although we stored EVERYTHING in a locker (as instructed), there were plenty of locals in line openly playing with their phones and they were never challenged or asked to store their phone even though the various cast members could clearly see that they were using phones (both in line and when on the course). They also had their hats and sunglasses whereas we were instructed to remove and store our sunglasses (but could keep our hats).
> 
> Basically, as long as you didn't try to carry a bag onto Tron or Challenge Trails, then you would be fine.



Interested with this because the CM actually checked PIO and confirmed she had a mobile phone on her though she didn't have it out and when she said yes he ordered her to go back and leave her mobile phone behind or no entry to the trails. I had a small camera hidden in an inner pocket and he didn't challenge me but after that I didn't dare openly to get it out to take pics just snuck a quick one or two. Guess it depends on the CMs.


----------



## Agent 86

I don't think we came across a single cast member who was engaged and focused on their job.

The only time I saw a cast member show any signs of life were when two visiting Disney officials were around. But, as soon as they were out of sight, the cast member immediately reverted to their usual self.

To be fair, we did visit Shanghai less than two weeks after Tokyo and the cast members at Tokyo are uniformly amazing!


----------



## PrincessInOz

1nfrequent said:


> Quick question about the lockers - how secure are they?  Were you happy to leave valuables in there?
> 
> 1F





Agent 86 said:


> The Roaring Rapids lockers (which I used for the Challenge Trails because the line for the Challenge Trails lockers was very long) and the Tron lockers seemed fine. They no longer appear to require you to use a locker for Roaring Rapids - we took our backpack on the ride both times. On Tron, you can carry your wallet and phone with you. If you're not comfortable leaving them in your pocket, there is a small ... box at the front of the "motorbike" in which you can store them. Of course, I saw people openly playing with their phones on Tron (i.e. surfing, taking photos, etc) when actually loading (i.e. getting onto the bike and waiting for the ride to start) and nine times out of ten, the cast member would say nothing.
> 
> They didn't check for valuables on Challenge Trails particularly well. They simply mimed patting your pockets. Although we stored EVERYTHING in a locker (as instructed), there were plenty of locals in line openly playing with their phones and they were never challenged or asked to store their phone even though the various cast members could clearly see that they were using phones (both in line and when on the course). They also had their hats and sunglasses whereas we were instructed to remove and store our sunglasses (but could keep our hats).
> 
> Basically, as long as you didn't try to carry a bag onto Tron or Challenge Trails, then you would be fine.
> 
> In general, I noticed that the cast members were extremely lax about enforcing any rules. They wouldn't enforce height restrictions, Fast Pass return times, people who were pushing in, etc. The few cast members who I saw who tried to enforce the rules, seemed to end up in a yelling match and the guest would simply push past, walk around or otherwise ignore the cast member. The only time I saw a cast member successfully castigate someone was when a bunch of people tried to push into the standby line for Soaring and that's probably because the cast member was "supported" by the people in line who also started yelling.
> 
> So, basically. If you're uncomfortable storing valuables in the lockers, you probably don't have to for any ride / attraction. As long as you store your backpack or any merchandise bags, then you should be fine carrying your wallet and phone with you at all times and on all rides.
> 
> The lockers themselves were okay. There were two types - one which required you to set a pin code and one which required you to insert a coin and you then got a key on a band to wear around your wrist. We ended up using the latter type the most since it was very crowded around the machines for setting your pin code and because there is no real concept of personal space, it would have been easy for the people behind us to see the pin code. The type which required a coin to be inserted (which was returned after use) seemed to be less popular and was therefore easier to procure. I can't recall whether they offered both types at Roaring Rapids or whether they only offered the pin code style of locker.





zanzibar138 said:


> I was quite happy to leave my valuables in the lockers. I used the sort where you had to set a PIN, and it seemed perfectly secure to me. They are similar to the ones for The Mummy at Universal if you're familiar with those.





Thanks for the responses.

I agree with both.  They are rather secure and I would have been happy to use them and leave my valuables there......if I could have figured out how!  Looks like I missed the bit about putting coins in!  LOL.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Agent 86 said:


> Basically, as long as you didn't try to carry a bag onto Tron or Challenge Trails, then you would be fine.
> 
> In general, I noticed that the cast members were extremely lax about enforcing any rules. They wouldn't enforce height restrictions, Fast Pass return times, people who were pushing in, etc. The few cast members who I saw who tried to enforce the rules, seemed to end up in a yelling match and the guest would simply push past, walk around or otherwise ignore the cast member. The only time I saw a cast member successfully castigate someone was when a bunch of people tried to push into the standby line for Soaring and that's probably because the cast member was "supported" by the people in line who also started yelling.





Aussie Wendy said:


> Interested with this because the CM actually checked PIO and confirmed she had a mobile phone on her though she didn't have it out and when she said yes he ordered her to go back and leave her mobile phone behind or no entry to the trails. I had a small camera hidden in an inner pocket and he didn't challenge me but after that I didn't dare openly to get it out to take pics just snuck a quick one or two. Guess it depends on the CMs.



We were there at on a quiet week.  With the rain and mid-week, the longest we ever waited for a ride was 20 minutes.  Most of the time, they were walk-on.  
I think we only pulled 2 FP on the Sunday and 1 on the Monday before I realised there was no point.  

I don't know if you were there on a busy day or not, @Agent 86, but I suspect that the CM we encountered at the time we were there might have been a bit more diligent about keeping the rules.  They definitely were not allowing anyone in the FP entry if they didn't have a FP; and they checked the FP against the ticket numbers as well.  There was more than one group of people that were told to go away on the 2 instances where we walked up to the FP entry.

I expect it would be significantly different on a busy day.


And yes, I wasn't allowed to go on the Challenge trail until I had left my mobile phone behind.  Oh well.  I guess it really depends on the CM and if you've been picked out of the crowd.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Aussie Wendy said:


> Having rode WDW version just in Jan yes it felt like heaps of little things actually were different. The projections in SDL were unique though I noticed a few more shadow projections at WDW than I had previously (maybe just working better in refurb). The trip through the nursery is a bit different (eg don't pass close to the bed with Wendy and Michael in SDL) and there is a big difference with the splashdown by Skull Rock at SDL. I am sure we saw the Indians closer in WDW that we didn't in SDL but SDL we got close to Tinkerbell locked up that I don't remember seeing in WDW (but maybe it was the other side to me). The pirate ship projection like the beginning projections are much clearer and bigger at SDL and I am sure the characters are all in different spots saying goodbye. Think SDL pips it as the better now. Also yes MUCH smoother.  Cannot remember DL or DLP or TDL versions but I know one felt very very bumpy and jerky and we were disappointed but was that TDL or DL I am not sure.




I think the DL version is pretty jerky.  
I still need to get to Tokyo!


----------



## PrincessInOz

Agent 86 said:


> I don't think we came across a single cast member who was engaged and focused on their job.
> 
> The only time I saw a cast member show any signs of life were when two visiting Disney officials were around. But, as soon as they were out of sight, the cast member immediately reverted to their usual self.
> 
> To be fair, we did visit Shanghai less than two weeks after Tokyo and the cast members at Tokyo are uniformly amazing!




I'm definitely going to have to go to Tokyo!


----------



## Agent 86

PrincessInOz said:


> I agree with both.  They are rather secure and I would have been happy to use them and leave my valuables there......if I could have figured out how!  Looks like I missed the bit about putting coins in!  LOL.



Don't worry - I only figured out that a coin was required because I found a locker where someone had left the coin behind! It still took a couple of goes to figure out that you have to open the door, put your bag in, insert the coin in the top slot (while the door is still open), close the door (which causes the coin to be eaten) and then turn and remove the key!


----------



## Agent 86

PrincessInOz said:


> I don't know if you were there on a busy day or not, @Agent 86, but I suspect that the CM we encountered at the time we were there might have been a bit more diligent about keeping the rules.  They definitely were not allowing anyone in the FP entry if they didn't have a FP; and they checked the FP against the ticket numbers as well.  There was more than one group of people that were told to go away on the 2 instances where we walked up to the FP entry.



We went on a Wednesday and Thursday in April (i.e. about a week ago). The Wednesday wasn't too bad (probably due to the weather which was a little overcast), but the Thursday was pretty busy.

We definitely needed to use Fast Passes to get things done. You had to run to join the Fast Pass line for Soaring upon opening, or enter the standby line which got up to THREE HOURS! Everything else that offered Fast Passes required Fast Passes to avoid lengthy (i.e. 45 minutes or more) waits, with the possible exception of Buzz. Even the Mine Train had a 70 minute wait time just an hour or so after opening. Pirates was still possible with standby (although I was very frustrated by the amount of false information provided by Shanghai Disneyland about park opening times, character meet times and temporary ride closure times).

In terms of the Fast Pass line, I probably wasn't clear. They did check to make sure that the people held a Fast Pass, but they didn't enforce the return times. For example, standing in line at 11:30am, the cast member allows guests with Fast Passes for 11:45am and 1:30pm to enter. Sometimes the cast member would apparently try to push back, the guest would normally engage in a shouting match and then just push their way past (or the cast member simply wasn't interested in getting into a verbal stoush with the guest). So, you needed a Fast Pass, but they didn't seem to be particular about enforcing the return time (although we always used our Fast Passes within the valid window).


----------



## PrincessInOz

Agent 86 said:


> You had to run to join the Fast Pass line for Soaring upon opening, or enter the standby line which got up to THREE HOURS!



Then....we were lucky.  The longest the lines got to when we were there was about 30 mins for anything.  Most of the time, we practically walked-on everything.


----------



## PrincessInOz

*When Memory and Words Fail Me – PotC: The Battle for the Sunken Treasure*


Pirates of the Caribbean, the ride, opened at Disneyland in 1967.  This was the last attraction that Disney himself oversaw the construction of.  Sadly, he passed away about 3 months before the ride opened.  But the ride he helped design has been left with enduring stamina.  It’s a firm favourite at Disneyland and has subsequently been replicated at WDW, Tokyo Disneyland and Paris Disneyland.  Sadly, Hong Kong missed out on this attraction.

So successful is this attraction that it inspired the equally successful movie franchise.  Talk about art imitating life!


When Shanghai was announced, the initial concepts showed an amazing Treasure Cove and a new Pirates attraction.  Without a doubt, Disney were banking on the star power of the movie franchise and creating a whole land around the franchise.   Having spent some time walking back and forwards into this area, I was completely bowled over by how Disney had managed to create an area that looked so fresh without falling back on the cliché’s of the original attraction or the movie.  They have done an amazing job at ensuring that no matter what happens with the movie franchise, this area will continue to be a drawcard for this Disneyland.


To top it off, the Pirates ride has been completely reimagined.  By all accounts, it’s an amazing reimagination and has already garnered any number of Theme Park Ride Awards.

We had all eagerly headed in this direction to get on the ride.  It had been the universal choice of all of us Aussie Dissers this morning.  Our expectations had to be put on ice whilst the ride was down.


After we got off 7DMT, we checked the app and were delighted to find that the ride had reopened.  And yes….we criss-crossed back to Pirate Cove again.


The ride had a 20-minute standby wait time.  







At least the queue area is all under cover.  It was very wet out there.







The front part of this attraction is a fortress.  That would explain the spartan details.







We had gotten in the queue at the left-hand side.  There is a right-hand side and whilst there is no fast pass option for this ride, the middle line is for single riders.  With two sides, this is a rather fast loading ride.  







Once we got past the front part, the queue area started to get a bit more interesting.  It may not be the dream suite….but I bet they could charge a fortune for someone to spend the night here!







There were similar areas on the right side of the queue.  I just didn’t get a chance to capture any of it.  There is also another area on the left side where you get to look down at the vehicles as they progress along the ride.  I never managed to get a decent shot of that spot.


It didn’t take us long to get down to the stairs.  The boarding area is at the bottom of the stairs.






Yo Ho Ho Ho Ho.  A Pirate’s Life for Me!







We passed by the waterfront of Barbarossa’s Bounty.  Sure puts a different spin on the back side of the waterfall.







There were some very familiar scenes in here.













With subtle differences.  I guess after waiting around for 50 years, that dog has finally bitten the dust and turned to a skeleton!







So far, it was all plain sailing.







But then we turned a corner and the magic started to flow.  Jack Sparrow transformed in front of us…..






….and at this point, the memory card in my camera was completely filled up!


Yup.  Not only did technology fail me right at the key moment, but from this point on, the reimagined ride took over and words failed me too.  Yes, I could have fumbled with my stuff and changed the memory card.  But I was completely blown away by what Disney had done to this ride.  The best words I could I could come up with was…..

Omg, OMg, OMG!

OOH!

AAH!

WOW!

WOW!

AMAZING!


In many regards, I am pretty happy to have enjoyed this first experience without having to look down the barrel of my camera.  And whilst I may not have many computer memory of the first time I rode on The Battle of the Sunken Treasure, the feeling will be seared into my necktop memory banks for a long, long, long time.  


Awesome job, Disney!









And you'll have to wait and see if I managed to find the Sunken Treasure in a later edition.  



(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Swapping Orange Scents for Grass and Roses – Soarin’ Over the Horizon*



From Treasure Cove back to Adventure Isle.  We were sure putting in the steps today.


Soarin’ Over the Horizon is the updated film that replaced Soarin’ Over California.  This was a film clip that I was looking forward to viewing as it replaced the stunning California with iconic locations around the world.


We had pulled a FP for this attraction earlier in the day and our window had opened up.  When we got to the FP entry, we were all a little surprised to learn that we had to show our park ticket with the FP ticket.  It did hold us up for a little bit.  I hadn’t realised it before or maybe I’d never really looked at it in detail but the FP ticket does include the park ticket number that it was associated with. 

It was after we had gotten through the line that we figured out that this was countermeasure Mark 1 to the FP scam we had seen at the gate this morning.

We just whizzed right on through the queuing area and it was only after I came home that I realised that I didn’t do this queue area any justice from a photography perspective. 







It sure doesn’t look at all like the Soarin’ queue I remember.  I had to remind myself that this was Soarin’ and not the Indiana Jones attraction!








Looks like our flight captain has also been refreshed.








We did try and ask to be seated in the middle section of the ride but the CM wasn’t keen to let us wait.  That left us sitting on the extreme right…..with a highly distorted view.



Despite everything having a radical sort of slant to it, I liked seeing the images from around the world and smelling the new scents of roses and grass.  It was great to see Sydney and the Taj Mahal and the Great Wall and the Pyramids and Iguazu Falls.



But the images seemed to lack the Soarin’ factor of California.  I think you know what I mean.  
We didn’t swoop over the snow-capped Tahoe area, we didn’t glide over Yosemite.  There wasn’t that rush of exhilaration you feel when you sail over the Redwood Creek, as you curled your toes inwards to avoid the cold water.  I missed the Redwood Creek of California.  I even missed catching the golf ball over Palm Springs (but then I always missed catching it away).  I missed seeing the riders at Anza Borrego.  I missed the orange smell.


Perhaps it was the fact that this was my first time on Soarin’ Over the Horizon; and I had such vivid memories of Soarin’ Over California.   Perhaps I wasn’t ready to let go of California just yet.  Perhaps it was the distorted view we got.  

My DM and I decided that once was enough for this visit and we never did go back for a re-do of Soarin’.


Perhaps we should have given it a second chance and smelt the roses again. And I should have definitely stopped to capture more of the queue scenes.



(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Another Childhood Favourite – The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh*




When I was a child, I received a gift for my 8th birthday.  It was to become one of my favourite gifts to get so far.



 



The Winnie-the-Pooh cookbook has been in my possession for over *mumble* *mumble* years and I pull it out every so often to take a look at the pictures.  







And the recipes.







Ever since I got it, I’ve been completely enchanted by the Pooh world that A A Milne created.  I think the A A Milne Winnie-the-Pooh book was the first book that I chose to borrow from the library by myself, without my parents helping me select it.


But we need to get back to SDL.   


It was a dark and stormy day…..







….so, when we walked past the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and I noticed that it was a 10 minute wait for stand-by.... 

I….er…..coerced most of the others to get in line.  I knew the attraction was down for scheduled maintenance in Hong Kong and I figured this was probably going to be the only opportunity I was going to get to see Pooh Bear in the dark.







In any case, getting in the ride got us out of the rain and I got to reacquaint myself with another childhood favourite.







Yeah.  Despite the familiar characters, it’s still all Chinese to me.







I will say that the space heading into the boarding area just seemed a little bare (or should that be “bear”).  Maybe they might add some interest or interactive games in here at a later time.







The queue space between the fence is pretty wide and initially, we weren’t on the ball.  We did get queue-cut here.  
Western-manners Speechless!

Again, with a party of 6, all we did was spread out a little and stagger our standing pattern so that it was impossible for anyone to push past us.







The 10-minute wait time was almost spot on.  It took us about that time to get into the Hunny Pots.







And then we were heading towards the 100 Acre Wood.



 



“One can’t complain.  Afterall, I have my friends with me.”







I gather that there is a new movie version of Winnie the Pooh in the air.







“Oh my, oh my, oh my goodness gracious.”







A little bird told me that it’s a live action version, re-imagined…just a rumour, of course.







“Bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncy, fun, fun, fun, fun”








It'll definitely a movie that I’ll be eyeing off.







No, I don’t find that strange at all.







Afterall, with the possibility of  Ewan McGregor (currently in talks) as Christopher Robin and all the usual suspects present….








.....it could be fun.  








I’ll definitely be climbing on board to watch the movie.








And celebrating.  Especially if the rumours turn to reality.  







Yes.  A new reimagined movie! Looks like pure Hunny to me.  Providing, of course, it doesn't end up like the Robin Williams/Dustin Hoffman Hook movie!








Back to reality.  So glad that I got to go on another childhood favourite!



(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*My First Rainy Day Parade *



By this stage, we realised that it was getting close to the Parade start.   And so….we walked back towards the castle and found ourselves a spot. 







It had rained for the better part of the day so far and it was pretty miserable waiting in the rain.  Unlike the other guests, we didn’t have an umbrella and whilst the jacket and hood I was wearing was doing the job, my feet were getting rather soaked.  On reflection, I don't think I was the only one!  I think I can see one of the other guests on the other side with CROCS!







I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Rainy Day Parade at any Disney before.  







That’s not to say that I’ve never been at another Disney in the rain (it’s rained every time I’ve gone to Orlando)……only that I don’t remember waiting for to see a parade in the rain.  Afterall, it is a cut-down version of the parade when it rains.


Yeah.  I think we were all on some sort of high at being at SDL.  Ordinarily, I may have just taken the opportunity to go-see another attraction.








We got to see the Main Cheese.  He was much smarter than us.  At least he stayed dry!








In fact, all the characters were smarter than us.  They all stayed safely under cover in the second parade vehicle.  







Two floats.  That’s what we got for this rainy day parade.







Wet, cold and Frozen!







More the point.  My socks and shoes were wet through.  The last time this happened was when I was at Ocean Park in Hong Kong and I came down with bronchitis.  It took me a good 4 months to get rid of the cough.


I wasn’t keen to repeat that cough or experience in a hurry!  And my DM was also keen to get warm.  So, after the parade, we headed back to the resort.

We weren’t the only ones.  I think everyone headed back to their respective rooms to dry off a little!


----------



## Agent 86

PrincessInOz said:


> Then....we were lucky.  The longest the lines got to when we were there was about 30 mins for anything.  Most of the time, we practically walked-on everything.



So very jealous! I'll need to try and schedule my next visit for the rainy season.


----------



## Fairy Floss

PrincessInOz said:


> I'm definitely going to have to go to Tokyo!


Yes!!!


----------



## Fairy Floss

Agent 86 said:


> So very jealous! I'll need to try and schedule my next visit for the rainy season.


I LOVE going in the rain for this reason 
I've been in an EMPTY TDL in the rain 
....and... walk on - no wait for forbidden journey in Orlando


----------



## tiggrbaby

What fabulous pics of the rides!  Sounds like they really went all out for POTC.  Now I have to go google the new WTP movie!


----------



## Flossbolna

I have to admit that I scrolled through a lot of your Pirate pictures. I am trying to avoid spoilers. But it sounded like you agree with everyone else I have heard so far about how amazing Pirates is. There are rumours that the new Frozen boat ride coming to HKDL will be based on the same technology. If that is true, I bet their Frozen will be so much superior to the Epcot one.



PrincessInOz said:


> Perhaps it was the fact that this was my first time on Soarin’ Over the Horizon; and I had such vivid memories of Soarin’ Over California. Perhaps I wasn’t ready to let go of California just yet. Perhaps it was the distorted view we got.



I saw the new Soarin at WDW and have a similar feeling. My idea is that it is because the California version was better at incorporating the dynamics of nature into the film. To me the new version seemed far too focussed on man made objects that are so static (and therefore the contortion is far more visible than before as well).

The good thing for me for SDL is that their biggest hot ticket therefore is not a must do for me there. I would like to see the different ending (and the different line) there, but it is not a must do for me.

The rain really sounds upleasant! I am afraid that we will have lots of rain as well being there in summer...


----------



## Aussie Wendy

PrincessInOz said:


> *Another Childhood Favourite – The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh*
> 
> 
> I’ll definitely be climbing on board to watch the movie.
> 
> 
> Yes.  A new reimagined movie! Looks like pure Hunny to me.  Providing, of course, it doesn't end up like the Robin Williams/Dustin Hoffman Hook movie!
> 
> 
> 
> (Continued in Next Post)



I''ll be on board too but wait...DD and I really liked Hook?? I also own the book. You didn't!!


----------



## Aussie Wendy

Flossbolna said:


> I saw the new Soarin at WDW and have a similar feeling. My idea is that it is because the California version was better at incorporating the dynamics of nature into the film. To me the new version seemed far too focussed on man made objects that are so static (and therefore the contortion is far more visible than before as well). ..



I think you nailed it. I did like the Arctic scene with polar bears though and having seen it front and centre in Orlando it was better from that angle. I confess I am a bit "over" the Anaheim version and felt it was time for a new version - probably on rotation if it was possible rather than completely replacing the old. Or keep California in Anaheim and leave the new one in Orlando but don't replace them all the same. Do think they could've done a better job of something new though.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Agent 86 said:


> So very jealous! I'll need to try and schedule my next visit for the rainy season.



I think we hit Shanghai after their schools just went back and after Chinese New Year.  Plus there are a bunch of Chinese festival days in April, so people may have been either just finished vacations or saving up for April.  

I don't mind drizzle but the constant rain was not fun.





Fairy Floss said:


> Yes!!!



We need to scheme and plan!  LOL






Fairy Floss said:


> I LOVE going in the rain for this reason
> I've been in an EMPTY TDL in the rain
> ....and... walk on - no wait for forbidden journey in Orlando



I'll leave you with the rain.  







tiggrbaby said:


> What fabulous pics of the rides!  Sounds like they really went all out for POTC.  Now I have to go google the new WTP movie!



The Pirates here is great.  

I think the new movie might be called Christopher Robin.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Flossbolna said:


> I have to admit that I scrolled through a lot of your Pirate pictures. I am trying to avoid spoilers. But it sounded like you agree with everyone else I have heard so far about how amazing Pirates is. There are rumours that the new Frozen boat ride coming to HKDL will be based on the same technology. If that is true, I bet their Frozen will be so much superior to the Epcot one.



I don't blame you!  I did get more pictures of Pirates on both Day 2 and Day 3.  You'll have to avoid them because they do have images from the new technology sections of the ride.

And Hong Kong seems to be planning great things for their park.  Thankfully, HK is a lot closer to my part of the world and easier to get to!






Flossbolna said:


> I saw the new Soarin at WDW and have a similar feeling. My idea is that it is because the California version was better at incorporating the dynamics of nature into the film. To me the new version seemed far too focussed on man made objects that are so static (and therefore the contortion is far more visible than before as well).



Like Wendy, I think you've nailed the reason why I feel the way I do about this new version.  I love being outdoors and seeing great scenery and the California version had a lot of scenes of natural beauty.







Flossbolna said:


> The good thing for me for SDL is that their biggest hot ticket therefore is not a must do for me there. I would like to see the different ending (and the different line) there, but it is not a must do for me.



If you happen to be walking past and there is a 10-minute standby queue, it might be worth going in.  But yes, if you've been to the ones in the US, it isn't a must-do.





Flossbolna said:


> The rain really sounds upleasant! I am afraid that we will have lots of rain as well being there in summer...



I hope you don't get lots of rain!  Here's to clear skies and low crowds for you and M.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Aussie Wendy said:


> I''ll be on board too but wait...DD and I really liked Hook?? I also own the book. You didn't!!



I didn't exactly like Hook but I didn't hate it either.  

And I have a cookbook.  






Aussie Wendy said:


> I think you nailed it. I did like the Arctic scene with polar bears though and having seen it front and centre in Orlando it was better from that angle. I confess I am a bit "over" the Anaheim version and felt it was time for a new version - probably on rotation if it was possible rather than completely replacing the old. Or keep California in Anaheim and leave the new one in Orlando but don't replace them all the same. Do think they could've done a better job of something new though.



I definitely think it was time for a new version.  The old film was starting to look tatty.
But they could have definitely done a better job with the new version.


----------



## dhorner233

So glad I made it in time for Peter Pan! That's my favorite ride! That Tron ride is cool. Love your pictures! Thanks for posting them!


----------



## franandaj

So sad that your memory card ran out, but good for you a you were able to enjoy it.

But I'm hoping you went on the ride again so I can see some of it.  I have no idea when we will get to Shanghai, if ever.  It sounds so cool!

I rode Soarin from only the top middle for my first several times. I had to make a real attempt to go on it and not have a good seat, and it was definitely disconcerting. I missed the original version from my first ride. I think you nailed it with your assessment. The little adrenaline rushes you would get from Yosemite, the shock of the golf ball (I always flinched), and yes dipping your toes in Redwood Creek!


----------



## darrenf67

PrincessInOz said:


> *When Memory and Words Fail Me – PotC: The Battle for the Sunken Treasure*
> 
> 
> Pirates of the Caribbean, the ride, opened at Disneyland in 1967.  This was the last attraction that Disney himself oversaw the construction of.  Sadly, he passed away about 3 months before the ride opened.  But the ride he helped design has been left with enduring stamina.  It’s a firm favourite at Disneyland and has subsequently been replicated at WDW, Tokyo Disneyland and Paris Disneyland.  Sadly, Hong Kong missed out on this attraction.
> 
> So successful is this attraction that it inspired the equally successful movie franchise.  Talk about art imitating life!
> 
> 
> When Shanghai was announced, the initial concepts showed an amazing Treasure Cove and a new Pirates attraction.  Without a doubt, Disney were banking on the star power of the movie franchise and creating a whole land around the franchise.   Having spent some time walking back and forwards into this area, I was completely bowled over by how Disney had managed to create an area that looked so fresh without falling back on the cliché’s of the original attraction or the movie.  They have done an amazing job at ensuring that no matter what happens with the movie franchise, this area will continue to be a drawcard for this Disneyland.
> 
> 
> To top it off, the Pirates ride has been completely reimagined.  By all accounts, it’s an amazing reimagination and has already garnered any number of Theme Park Ride Awards.
> 
> We had all eagerly headed in this direction to get on the ride.  It had been the universal choice of all of us Aussie Dissers this morning.  Our expectations had to be put on ice whilst the ride was down.
> 
> 
> After we got off 7DMT, we checked the app and were delighted to find that the ride had reopened.  And yes….we criss-crossed back to Pirate Cove again.
> 
> 
> The ride had a 20-minute standby wait time.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> At least the queue area is all under cover.  It was very wet out there.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The front part of this attraction is a fortress.  That would explain the spartan details.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> We had gotten in the queue at the left-hand side.  There is a right-hand side and whilst there is no fast pass option for this ride, the middle line is for single riders.  With two sides, this is a rather fast loading ride.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Once we got past the front part, the queue area started to get a bit more interesting.  It may not be the dream suite….but I bet they could charge a fortune for someone to spend the night here!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There were similar areas on the right side of the queue.  I just didn’t get a chance to capture any of it.  There is also another area on the left side where you get to look down at the vehicles as they progress along the ride.  I never managed to get a decent shot of that spot.
> 
> 
> It didn’t take us long to get down to the stairs.  The boarding area is at the bottom of the stairs.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yo Ho Ho Ho Ho.  A Pirate’s Life for Me!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> We passed by the waterfront of Barbarossa’s Bounty.  Sure puts a different spin on the back side of the waterfall.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There were some very familiar scenes in here.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With subtle differences.  I guess after waiting around for 50 years, that dog has finally bitten the dust and turned to a skeleton!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So far, it was all plain sailing.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But then we turned a corner and the magic started to flow.  Jack Sparrow transformed in front of us…..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ….and at this point, the memory card in my camera was completely filled up!
> 
> 
> Yup.  Not only did technology fail me right at the key moment, but from this point on, the reimagined ride took over and words failed me too.  Yes, I could have fumbled with my stuff and changed the memory card.  But I was completely blown away by what Disney had done to this ride.  The best words I could I could come up with was…..
> 
> Omg, OMg, OMG!
> 
> OOH!
> 
> AAH!
> 
> WOW!
> 
> WOW!
> 
> AMAZING!
> 
> 
> In many regards, I am pretty happy to have enjoyed this first experience without having to look down the barrel of my camera.  And whilst I may not have many computer memory of the first time I rode on The Battle of the Sunken Treasure, the feeling will be seared into my necktop memory banks for a long, long, long time.
> 
> 
> Awesome job, Disney!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And you'll have to wait and see if I managed to find the Sunken Treasure in a later edition.
> 
> 
> 
> (Continued in Next Post)


Agree completely - loved it


----------



## darrenf67

PrincessInOz said:


> *Swapping Orange Scents for Grass and Roses – Soarin’ Over the Horizon*
> 
> 
> 
> From Treasure Cove back to Adventure Isle.  We were sure putting in the steps today.
> 
> 
> Soarin’ Over the Horizon is the updated film that replaced Soarin’ Over California.  This was a film clip that I was looking forward to viewing as it replaced the stunning California with iconic locations around the world.
> 
> 
> We had pulled a FP for this attraction earlier in the day and our window had opened up.  When we got to the FP entry, we were all a little surprised to learn that we had to show our park ticket with the FP ticket.  It did hold us up for a little bit.  I hadn’t realised it before or maybe I’d never really looked at it in detail but the FP ticket does include the park ticket number that it was associated with.
> 
> It was after we had gotten through the line that we figured out that this was countermeasure Mark 1 to the FP scam we had seen at the gate this morning.
> 
> We just whizzed right on through the queuing area and it was only after I came home that I realised that I didn’t do this queue area any justice from a photography perspective.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It sure doesn’t look at all like the Soarin’ queue I remember.  I had to remind myself that this was Soarin’ and not the Indiana Jones attraction!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Looks like our flight captain has also been refreshed.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> We did try and ask to be seated in the middle section of the ride but the CM wasn’t keen to let us wait.  That left us sitting on the extreme right…..with a highly distorted view.
> 
> 
> 
> Despite everything having a radical sort of slant to it, I liked seeing the images from around the world and smelling the new scents of roses and grass.  It was great to see Sydney and the Taj Mahal and the Great Wall and the Pyramids and Iguazu Falls.
> 
> 
> 
> But the images seemed to lack the Soarin’ factor of California.  I think you know what I mean.
> We didn’t swoop over the snow-capped Tahoe area, we didn’t glide over Yosemite.  There wasn’t that rush of exhilaration you feel when you sail over the Redwood Creek, as you curled your toes inwards to avoid the cold water.  I missed the Redwood Creek of California.  I even missed catching the golf ball over Palm Springs (but then I always missed catching it away).  I missed seeing the riders at Anza Borrego.  I missed the orange smell.
> 
> 
> Perhaps it was the fact that this was my first time on Soarin’ Over the Horizon; and I had such vivid memories of Soarin’ Over California.   Perhaps I wasn’t ready to let go of California just yet.  Perhaps it was the distorted view we got.
> 
> My DM and I decided that once was enough for this visit and we never did go back for a re-do of Soarin’.
> 
> 
> Perhaps we should have given it a second chance and smelt the roses again. And I should have definitely stopped to capture more of the queue scenes.
> 
> 
> 
> (Continued in Next Post)


We satin front right and I found the curved screen off putting - it distorted the images - still like the original more!


----------



## PrincessInOz

dhorner233 said:


> So glad I made it in time for Peter Pan! That's my favorite ride! That Tron ride is cool. Love your pictures! Thanks for posting them!



  Thanks for stopping by again, Denise.  Hope you have been well and say hello to J for me!

Peter Pan is your favourite?  I think I knew that.  But we still can't beat going round Its a Small World and singing at the top of our voices!!!  








franandaj said:


> So sad that your memory card ran out, but good for you a you were able to enjoy it.



I was a little frustrated when it happened and then we turned the corner and I wasn't when I saw the new section.  It worked out for the best.  






franandaj said:


> But I'm hoping you went on the ride again so I can see some of it. I have no idea when we will get to Shanghai, if ever. It sounds so cool!



Absolutely!  I managed to get on it multiple times on the next couple of days so there will be pictures.







franandaj said:


> I rode Soarin from only the top middle for my first several times. I had to make a real attempt to go on it and not have a good seat, and it was definitely disconcerting. I missed the original version from my first ride. I think you nailed it with your assessment. The little adrenaline rushes you would get from Yosemite, the shock of the golf ball (I always flinched), and yes dipping your toes in Redwood Creek!



I think I will give the new version another spin if I'm ever at a Disney location with it showing (and the queues aren't horrendously long).

Yes.  The new version misses those little moments.  If they had managed to incorporate similar feelings, it would have been great.







darrenf67 said:


> We satin front right and I found the curved screen off putting - it distorted the images - still like the original more!



It is a crazy distortion.  I expect this version will be around for a while but maybe Disney will take less time to come out with a new release.


----------



## Fairy Floss

darrenf67 said:


> We satin front right and I found the curved screen off putting - it distorted the images - still like the original more!


We were also in this position - the curved Eiffel Tower really did my head in!


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Because It’s Shop O’Clock Somewhere - The Newest World of Disney*



People who say I’m hard to shop for clearly don’t know where the 4 World of Disney stores are located.  Let me help you out.


Disney Village Marketplace aka Disney Springs, Walt Disney World, Orlando.  This flagship store opened up in Oct 2, 1996.  It’s the largest Disney retail therapy to be found!








Downtown Disney, Disneyland, Anaheim.  The second World of Disney opened in Jan 12, 2001, when the Downtown Disney District originally opened.







There was a World of Disney in NYC at one stage.  This store is no longer opened so it doesn’t count. (Picture courtesy of my DH)







The 3rd World of Disney is one that I have not yet had the pleasure of visiting.  That store is located in Paris and it opened on July 12, 2012.  My photo collection is not going to be complete until I make a visit.



The 4th and newest World of Disney is located at Disneytown, Shanghai Disneyland, Shanghai.  This store opened on June 14, 2016 when this whole resort opened.  You may recall that the store was closed when I first walked past this morning.  







After I changed my shoes and socks, I headed on back towards the park.  The others and I had made plans to catch up again at Starbucks.  I found myself here instead.








I know the others are reading.  In my defence…..I was at Starbucks at the appointed time.  I sent messages by WhatApp and waited 15 minutes without any response.  

You really didn’t expect to wait in Starbucks when there was all this merchandise to look at right next door?????  Afterall, it was Shop O’Clock whilst I was waiting!!!  







*  Come to think of it....with the Shanghai WoD opened, it will be Shop O'Clock somewhere in the world any time of the day!*

*Back to the story.*


Ok.  Let’s just pretend that I found this mug inside Starbucks.







I did leave messages to say that I had headed to WoD.  I did.  I really did.







Where did all my money go?  It’s like Hocus Pocus, I’m brokus!  But that’s okay.  I was just window shopping tonight.

The interesting thing that we all found out about Disney shopping in Shanghai was that there were very few items on discount.  Shanghai’s policy for dealing with excess or last season’s stock is to offer them as Gift With Purchase to shoppers.  The more you spend, the higher the value of the GwP.  They also did the standard spend X amount and you can buy this item for Y amount.


See the backpack on the right of the picture?  I think it ended up being 50 Yuan if you bought over 300 Yuan of merchandise.   The literal translation and definition of Disney Fuzzy Maths = “Spend $60 and you can then have the pleasure of spending an extra $10 for the bag”.






Yup, with that kind of shopper’s delight and incentive policy, it’s amazing how many of us needed to get this backpack.  Need, want.  Such a fine line.  I know we ALL came home with one.


And for anyone wondering what to get me, anything from any World of Disney store will be fine!  




(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*The Up-Side of Rain Days – Park Reflection*




When I got on the bus to head back to the park, a CM at the resort took one look at my tripod and shook his head.  “No tripod” was what he said to me.

I knew Disney’s policy on tripod has been changing and the rule seems to be that small tripods, providing they fit into the backpack, are allowed in.  As I have a smaller backpack than most, my travel tripod doesn’t fit.  
So, I took him at his word and left the tripod back in the hotel room.  

On reflection, I wish I had tested him out and taken my tripod to the park that night. 


Whilst it lightened my load, I was completely gnashing my teeth when I eventually caught up with Wendy and her DD and we headed into the park.  Do you see what I saw?








We had to spend some time trying to capture that reflection!







It is the Mickey Avenue Train Station at the top there but there isn’t a railroad running around this park.  When will my reflection show who I am inside?  







More pretty reflections as we walked down Mickey Avenue.








I resorted to handheld shots and am pretty happy with how they turned out.  







But now that I’m home and with the luxury of reflection time, a part of me really wished I had my tripod with me that night!








It was still raining when we walked down Mickey Avenue and my lens constantly had rain drops on them.  That meant that my pictures also had rain drops in them.








One of my photography goals this year is to learn how to drive Photoshop.  I’m using those Raindrops-Kept-Falling-on-my-Lens shots to experiment.  I think I was going for the Vincent van Gogh Starry Starry Night look but I may have ended with the Fantasia Night on Bald Mountain instead.  You have to admit….there is a rather Chernabog look to that Castle! 










So...the up-side of rain?  Just look down and see pretty colours on the ground!


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*That was a Rather Dumbo Suggestion of Mine - Dumbo the Flying Elephant*




We were all getting wet in the rain and feeling a little hungry.  As we were right there, Wendy suggested that we head into Remy’s Patisserie and got a sausage roll each.   For those interested, the rolls were 30-something Yuan each.  
I didn’t end up getting pictures.  



We didn’t want to wander very far away from the hub.  So, we walked around the Gardens of Imagination at night.  In the wet, I didn’t end up taking any pictures.


But there was something that I wanted to do.  Wendy and her DD were happy to go with the flow.








I suggested we get on Dumbo.  Afterall, it is something of an iconic ride at DLR.  And it was walk-on and sit right down.








But I forgot something, didn’t I?  It had been raining and everything was wet.







Yup.  It was only logical that the Dumbo ride would be wet as well.  To go with the wet socks and shoes from earlier, as soon as I sat down, I ended up with wet jocks as well. 







Talk about needing a spin dry!  That was a very Dumbo suggestion of mine!








(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Trash Cans at 30 Paces – More Park Reflections at Fantasia Carousel*



We didn’t wander very far from Mickey Avenue after the sausage roll snack and getting on Dumbo. 

I might be missing my tripod but I had a backup plan in mind.  Photographers heading to a Disney park have been thanking Walt Disney for the opportunity to use trash cans as tripod replacements for years!


I had no hesitation in using the trash cans in the rain.  Disney policy is to keep the parks sparkling, trash cans included, so everything always looks clean.   Despite the opening month news about Chinese behaviour, I had seen enough during the day to realise that the Disney cleanliness policy was also in full swing at Shanghai.  Plus, it had been raining all day so I expected the tops of the trash can to be well washed.  My camera and lens can attest to the rain.  Somewhere on there is Wendy and her DD.  See if you can spot them!!!








I wasn’t entirely happy with that location so….30 paces away, I came across another trash can.

Walt Disney truly thought of everything when planning his parks, including convenient placement of trash cans. According to legend, he calculated how many steps people took before they needed a trash can whilst watching them eat. He also ate a hot dog and wandered about 30 steps before he was done. 







These two trash cans captured the Fantasia Carousel but, on reflection, when I looked at the pictures at the back of my camera, I realised it didn’t give me the distance that I wanted.  The images would have been perfectly fine on a dry night but I was after a bit more.


Another 30 paces away from the 1st trash can, I found the view I was after. 







Yes, I can confirm that in this part of Gardens of Imagination/Mickey Avenue, trash cans in Shanghai Disneyland are also within 30 feet of each other.







Always happy to contribute to the Trash Can legend.  




(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*All about Montages - Ignite the Dream*



The first time I saw a montage sequence, I must have been about 7 or 8.  The montage occurred in the movie, Holiday Inn (I love this movie!!) which starred Bing Cosby and Fred Astaire.  During the Independence Day holiday part of the movie, there is a clip showing images from World War II.  Then, montages were played all together using split screen.  In the case of Holiday Inn, there were 6 splits in the screen, each showing the sequence.  It did make the scene ‘busy’ and hard to follow.  
There is another montage later in this movie but it layers multiple images over the same scene.  Again, it makes the screen appear ‘busy’.


Both these styles of montage have long fallen out of favour in movie making.   Today's montages avoid the use of multiple images in one shot.  Instead, movie makers prefer to use a simpler sequence of individual short, rapidly paced shots combined with a specially created background song to enhance the mood or reinforce the message being conveyed.


Ignite the Dream, A Nighttime Spectacular of Music and Light is what I would call Disney’s Montage show at Shanghai Disneyland.   
Not content with a standard montage of individual shots, they have thrown the entire kitchen sink at this. The show features fireworks, water fountains, fire, lasers, projection mapping, search lights in the sky all set to music.  That’s like trying to watch the Independence Day sequence of 6 split screens on Holiday Inn!!! 


Depending on how you feel about Sensory Overload, you’ll either love it or not.


You may recall that I had already shot the fireworks from my room with a view.  At the time, I felt grateful that all I needed to do from my room was focus on shooting the fireworks because it meant that I didn’t have to wrestle with my camera settings to jump between photographic techniques.   Not so tonight.  


So, on the list for me to capture……

…..water fountains…..(we were too far to do this justice).....




























….fire….













…..lasers…..

































…….projection mapping……  














































….and search lights.










I love the Disney Montage show.  I really do.  But the photographer in me "Wishes" they would simplify it a little.




Postscript.

I had picked a spot closer towards Mickey Avenue to view Ignite the Dream.  I think we were on the other side on the same longitude as the Storyteller’s statue.  We were too far back from the castle to do this show justice.  


Plus, it was raining.  I found myself constantly having to wipe away the rain drops off my camera lens.







That meant that if I pushed too hard, I was moving the lens position, and the shots would be out of focus.  I must have been pushing hard because there are a lot of shots out of focus.  


All in all, this is a night I would say that those Firework Gods and I were at deuce-all; and Mother Nature won hands down.





(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Calling it A Night - The Long Way Round to the Resort*




It was still rainy and wet when Ignite the Dream was over.  And it had been cold standing out in that rain.  All 3 of us voted to head back to the resort.  I can only assume that Fairy Floss and Zanzibar did the same.  

We parted company at the Steamboat Willie fountain outside the park.







By this time, we had been at Disneyland for about a day and I did know my way around.


I…er…kinda detoured a little on my way back to the transport hub.  I didn’t go inside.  I really should have.  Next time.








I was still in a reflective kinda of mood.







I was also checking out the layout of Disneytown and the restaurants.








And being pleasantly surprised by the relatively reasonable pricing at this Disneytown for food.







I headed back to the resort shortly after this.  It was time to call it a night!  All in all, it had been a very good (but wet) first day at Shanghai Disneyland.


----------



## tiggrbaby

Lovely, lovely pics!

I think shopping over Starbucks was a good use of your time!

It's a shame that tripods are now banned.


----------



## Fairy Floss

PrincessInOz said:


> I ended up with wet jocks as well.


Lol!!


----------



## zanzibar138

I've been keeping all up-to-date with reading... not so much with posting. So here goes!



PrincessInOz said:


> When Shanghai was announced, the initial concepts showed an amazing Treasure Cove and a new Pirates attraction.  Without a doubt, Disney were banking on the star power of the movie franchise and creating a whole land around the franchise.   Having spent some time walking back and forwards into this area, I was completely bowled over by how Disney had managed to create an area that looked so fresh without falling back on the cliché’s of the original attraction or the movie.  They have done an amazing job at ensuring that no matter what happens with the movie franchise, this area will continue to be a drawcard for this Disneyland.



Totally agree. This area is really well done.




PrincessInOz said:


> Once we got past the front part, the queue area started to get a bit more interesting.  It may not be the dream suite….but I bet they could charge a fortune for someone to spend the night here!





PrincessInOz said:


>



As long as you didn't mind checking in after the park closed and checking out before it opened again the next morning!




PrincessInOz said:


> There were similar areas on the right side of the queue.  I just didn’t get a chance to capture any of it.



This could be it...





There was this little room too.








PrincessInOz said:


> There is also another area on the left side where you get to look down at the vehicles as they progress along the ride.  I never managed to get a decent shot of that spot.










PrincessInOz said:


> With subtle differences.  I guess after waiting around for 50 years, that dog has finally bitten the dust and turned to a skeleton!






[/QUOTE]

I have to admit I like the dog better not as a skeleton!




PrincessInOz said:


> ….and at this point, the memory card in my camera was completely filled up!





PrincessInOz said:


> In many regards, I am pretty happy to have enjoyed this first experience without having to look down the barrel of my camera.  And whilst I may not have many computer memory of the first time I rode on The Battle of the Sunken Treasure, the feeling will be seared into my necktop memory banks for a long, long, long time.



I agree. Totally worth experiencing that attraction the first time with no distractions! I actually waited until my second (or could have even been third) go on it for my Opening Day report!



PrincessInOz said:


> But the images seemed to lack the Soarin’ factor of California.  I think you know what I mean.
> 
> We didn’t swoop over the snow-capped Tahoe area, we didn’t glide over Yosemite.  There wasn’t that rush of exhilaration you feel when you sail over the Redwood Creek, as you curled your toes inwards to avoid the cold water.  I missed the Redwood Creek of California.  I even missed catching the golf ball over Palm Springs (but then I always missed catching it away).  I missed seeing the riders at Anza Borrego.  I missed the orange smell.
> 
> My DM and I decided that once was enough for this visit and we never did go back for a re-do of Soarin’.
> 
> Perhaps we should have given it a second chance and smelt the roses again. And I should have definitely stopped to capture more of the queue scenes.





Flossbolna said:


> I saw the new Soarin at WDW and have a similar feeling. My idea is that it is because the California version was better at incorporating the dynamics of nature into the film. To me the new version seemed far too focussed on man made objects that are so static (and therefore the contortion is far more visible than before as well).
> 
> The good thing for me for SDL is that their biggest hot ticket therefore is not a must do for me there. I would like to see the different ending (and the different line) there, but it is not a must do for me.





Fairy Floss said:


> We were also in this position - the curved Eiffel Tower really did my head in!



I have never really 'got' Soarin'. I think I only went on the California version once, and kind of came off thinking 'that's it?'. This definitely wasn't a high priority for me, and if there had been a long wait, I wouldn't have bothered. Glad that circumstances were such that I managed to do it though.

I have to agree - I think the more natural California one was nicer.



PrincessInOz said:


> ….so, when we walked past the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and I noticed that it was a 10 minute wait for stand-by....
> 
> I….er…..coerced most of the others to get in line.  I knew the attraction was down for scheduled maintenance in Hong Kong and I figured this was probably going to be the only opportunity I was going to get to see Pooh Bear in the dark.
> 
> I will say that the space heading into the boarding area just seemed a little bare (or should that be “bear”).  Maybe they might add some interest or interactive games in here at a later time.
> 
> I gather that there is a new movie version of Winnie the Pooh in the air.
> 
> A little bird told me that it’s a live action version, re-imagined…just a rumour, of course.



I didn't even notice that this was scheduled for maintenance in HK lol! We didn't mind going on though - was a pleasant way to escape the rain for a bit after all!

I'm not sure how I feel about a live action re-imagined Pooh Bear movie. Of course, I've been sceptical about most of the live action remakes to date and have loved all of them so far, so perhaps I will feel the same about this one.



PrincessInOz said:


> It had rained for the better part of the day so far and it was pretty miserable waiting in the rain.  Unlike the other guests, we didn’t have an umbrella and whilst the jacket and hood I was wearing was doing the job, my feet were getting rather soaked.  On reflection, I don't think I was the only one!  I think I can see one of the other guests on the other side with CROCS!



When I heard that it was going to be rainy while we were there, I made sure to pack my waterproof hiking boots. The rest of me may have been damp and cold, but at least my feet were dry and comfortable for the whole trip!




PrincessInOz said:


> I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Rainy Day Parade at any Disney before.





PrincessInOz said:


> Yeah.  I think we were all on some sort of high at being at SDL.  Ordinarily, I may have just taken the opportunity to go-see another attraction.



I didn't know there was such a thing as a rainy day parade. I think I remember asking a CM if the parade would be on and they said 'yes'. I just assumed the rain didn't affect their regular parade for some reason lol!




PrincessInOz said:


> I wasn’t keen to repeat that cough or experience in a hurry!  And my DM was also keen to get warm.  So, after the parade, we headed back to the resort.





PrincessInOz said:


> We weren’t the only ones.  I think everyone headed back to their respective rooms to dry off a little!



Yikes! Glad you managed to avoid a repeat of that!

Yes, the rest of us headed back to our rooms too. The rain was getting a bit much by that stage and we were all damp and cold and a bit over it.



Flossbolna said:


> There are rumours that the new Frozen boat ride coming to HKDL will be based on the same technology. If that is true, I bet their Frozen will be so much superior to the Epcot one.



Oh, that would be awesome! I'm not a big Frozen fan, but I would totally be hanging out to do that ride if it was along the same lines as Shanghai's Pirates!



PrincessInOz said:


> I don't mind drizzle but the constant rain was not fun.
> 
> I'll leave you with the rain.



Yep, agreed. FairyFloss, you can have the rain all to yourself lol!



PrincessInOz said:


> After I changed my shoes and socks, I headed on back towards the park.  The others and I had made plans to catch up again at Starbucks.  I found myself here instead.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I know the others are reading.  In my defence…..I was at Starbucks at the appointed time.  I sent messages by WhatApp and waited 15 minutes without any response.
> 
> You really didn’t expect to wait in Starbucks when there was all this merchandise to look at right next door?????  Afterall, it was Shop O’Clock whilst I was waiting!!!
> 
> I did leave messages to say that I had headed to WoD.  I did.  I really did.



Yes, in PIO's defence, she did try to reach out to us. Unfortunately due to the issues I was having with my communications (ie SIM wasn't working, no access to wifi), I didn't get the messages until too late.

We did actually wonder if PIO had gone to WOD, and actually briefly checked it out, but we must have either already missed her or lost her in the huge store!

It worked out ok though. FairyFloss and I had each other for company, and we knew we would be catching up with PIO in the morning over breakfast.




PrincessInOz said:


> See the backpack on the right of the picture?  I think it ended up being 50 Yuan if you bought over 300 Yuan of merchandise.   The literal translation and definition of Disney Fuzzy Maths = “Spend $60 and you can then have the pleasure of spending an extra $10 for the bag”.





PrincessInOz said:


> Yup, with that kind of shopper’s delight and incentive policy, it’s amazing how many of us needed to get this backpack.  Need, want.  Such a fine line.  I know we ALL came home with one.



I actually didn't come home with a backpack. However, the red plasticy looking things next to the backpack were packs of bath toys that came free with a purchase over a certain amount. There were 6 bath toys in each pack, each representing a character from the Garden of the 12 Friends. I managed to come away with both packs, or 12 bath toys taking up valuable space in my luggage! On the plus side, they went down a treat as a souvenir for my little nephew!



PrincessInOz said:


> Another 30 paces away from the 1st trash can, I found the view I was after.



Oh, I spent so long trying to get this photo! I must have had the wrong trash can lol!

Love all your night time reflection photos!



PrincessInOz said:


> Ignite the Dream, A Nighttime Spectacular of Music and Light is what I would call Disney’s Montage show at Shanghai Disneyland.
> Not content with a standard montage of individual shots, they have thrown the entire kitchen sink at this. The show features fireworks, water fountains, fire, lasers, projection mapping, search lights in the sky all set to music.  That’s like trying to watch the Independence Day sequence of 6 split screens on Holiday Inn!!!
> 
> Depending on how you feel about Sensory Overload, you’ll either love it or not.



For the record, with Shanghai's air quality laws, Disney were unable to use fireworks as the main focus of their night time show. This may explain their apparent need to throw everything else at it that they could in an effort to make up for the lack of fireworks.

I quite liked the show, although I do have to agree with PIO that it did make it quite difficult to photograph well!




PrincessInOz said:


> Plus, it was raining.  I found myself constantly having to wipe away the rain drops off my camera lens.





PrincessInOz said:


> All in all, this is a night I would say that those Firework Gods and I were at deuce-all; and Mother Nature won hands down.



Yes, most of my shots from this show turned out like this too. I was trying to protect my camera with a Ziploc bag, but was still having to constantly wipe drops from the lens. I'm actually quite surprised my camera still works, given how sensitive the previous models have proven to be to moisture.



PrincessInOz said:


> It was still rainy and wet when Ignite the Dream was over.  And it had been cold standing out in that rain.  All 3 of us voted to head back to the resort.  I can only assume that Fairy Floss and Zanzibar did the same.
> 
> I headed back to the resort shortly after this.  It was time to call it a night!  All in all, it had been a very good (but wet) first day at Shanghai Disneyland.



Yes, FairyFloss and I headed straight back after Ignite the Dream. There was no hanging around DisneyTown for us either! Although for some crazy reason I decided it would be a great idea to walk back to the hotel in the rain. After all, I was already about as cold and damp as I was going to get lol!

Despite the rain and communication issues, it had been a (mostly) fun first day![/quote]


----------



## mvf-m11c

I can't believe I missed this many updates. But it was so nice to read all of your updates.

That is so neat that you got to hang out with a lot of DISers and friends during the trip. Those are very nice group shots.

Seeing all your photos of your trip at the park is so different from seeing the Disney commercial pictures. Even though you just got in the park that first day, I am already excited and seeing your side of your trip.

I remember before you post these updates that it was raining that first day at the park. Even though rain can be annoying when walking around but it does get you good photos as well. It is a shame that Shanghai doesn't allow tripods like WDW and DLR (sometimes but I did brought my tripod last month). 

Even though I barely go on roller coasters, the TRON Lightcycle Power Run would be something that I would enjoy. 

Nice to see that you were able to ride the 7DMT and to get a front row. Why does this remind me when I was at the MK when I rode it last year. Oh yea, you were in that same boat like me where I got to ride in the front and it was raining when I rode it.

Shame that the memory card filled up during the Pirates ride. All of your photos are amazing.

Even though it was wet that night, the nighttime shots are great. I'm glad that you were able to use the trash cans as another way to get your long exposure shots at night while they won't allow tripods. I have used the trash cans before but I do enjoy using my gorilla pod when I don't use the tripod. When I read Tom Bricker site about using other items without a tripod, I learned about the Green Pod which can be a good alternative. I have used it and it is nice but there are some disadvantages about using it. 

Igniter the Dream fireworks looks so amazing and I would have enjoyed seeing that firework show. Talk about a lot of new firework shows these last few years at the Disney Parks with Disneyland Forever at DL, Ignite the Dream and MK new firework show next week Happily Ever After.

Great updates.


----------



## Fairy Floss

zanzibar138 said:


> Yep, agreed. FairyFloss, you can have the rain all to yourself lol!


...and that's why the crowds are so low that the headline rides are a walk on


----------



## Aussie Wendy

PrincessInOz said:


> I didn't exactly like Hook but I didn't hate it either.
> 
> And I have a cookbook.
> 
> 
> I definitely think it was time for a new version.  The old film was starting to look tatty.
> But they could have definitely done a better job with the new version.



Actually I meant the book of the movie Hook written by one of my fave authors Terry Brooks. I think your WtP cookbook is awesome - very jealous.


----------



## PrincessInOz

tiggrbaby said:


> Lovely, lovely pics!
> 
> I think shopping over Starbucks was a good use of your time!
> 
> It's a shame that tripods are now banned.



Thanks!

Tripods aren't exactly banned.  The policy states:

_Tripod stands or monopod stands that cannot fit inside a standard backpack_

However, it also seems to depend on how the CM interprets that policy.  






zanzibar138 said:


> As long as you didn't mind checking in after the park closed and checking out before it opened again the next morning!



To stay in the Pirates ride for night, I would have no issue with that!  




zanzibar138 said:


> This could be it...



Thanks for sharing!!  






zanzibar138 said:


>




This was the area I never quite managed to capture.  Thanks for sharing this one!






zanzibar138 said:


> I have to admit I like the dog better not as a skeleton!



I haven't quite worked out which one I prefer.  I think it's great that Shanghai has the skeleton.  I'm not sure that I want to see the other versions end up with the same skeleton.





zanzibar138 said:


> I agree. Totally worth experiencing that attraction the first time with no distractions! I actually waited until my second (or could have even been third) go on it for my Opening Day report!



That's the same with me.  I think that I took the most shots through Pirates on our 3rd day.






zanzibar138 said:


> I have never really 'got' Soarin'. I think I only went on the California version once, and kind of came off thinking 'that's it?'. This definitely wasn't a high priority for me, and if there had been a long wait, I wouldn't have bothered. Glad that circumstances were such that I managed to do it though.
> 
> I have to agree - I think the more natural California one was nicer.



I loved Soarin' Over California.  But I wouldn't wait a long time for it.  I tend to get a FP or FP+ for this ride.  Luckily, every time I've hit DCA, I've managed to get on it around the 20 minute mark or under.  For Epcot, I would just hit it in the morning and only if there was not more than a 30 minute wait.







zanzibar138 said:


> I didn't even notice that this was scheduled for maintenance in HK lol! We didn't mind going on though - was a pleasant way to escape the rain for a bit after all!



Glad we went in then.  








zanzibar138 said:


> I'm not sure how I feel about a live action re-imagined Pooh Bear movie. Of course, I've been sceptical about most of the live action remakes to date and have loved all of them so far, so perhaps I will feel the same about this one.



I feel the same way about the recent spate of live action remakes.  So, I'll wait to see how the Christopher Robin movie works out.







zanzibar138 said:


> When I heard that it was going to be rainy while we were there, I made sure to pack my waterproof hiking boots. The rest of me may have been damp and cold, but at least my feet were dry and comfortable for the whole trip!



That's a very sensible thing to pack.

I was going to take my Rockport.  But when I checked them, I realised that they were a little worse for wear.  They were cracked at the toe.  I had got them soaked by sea water when I went down the Great Ocean Road and they would have ended up letting the rain in them as well.

I need new hiking boots.





zanzibar138 said:


> I didn't know there was such a thing as a rainy day parade. I think I remember asking a CM if the parade would be on and they said 'yes'. I just assumed the rain didn't affect their regular parade for some reason lol!



It happens often at WDW.  I've just never bothered to go see the rainy day parade before.






zanzibar138 said:


> We did actually wonder if PIO had gone to WOD, and actually briefly checked it out, but we must have either already missed her or lost her in the huge store!
> 
> It worked out ok though. FairyFloss and I had each other for company, and we knew we would be catching up with PIO in the morning over breakfast.



I think we kept missing each other by about 5 or 10 mins.  I figured we were in the Gardens of Imagination at the same time.








zanzibar138 said:


> I actually didn't come home with a backpack.



My mistake.  I thought you came home with it as well.  I know we had a conversation about the backpack at the hotel lobby when we were waiting for our taxi.  But then again....I was in a complete muddle that whole morning!





zanzibar138 said:


> Oh, I spent so long trying to get this photo! I must have had the wrong trash can lol!
> 
> Love all your night time reflection photos!



Thanks.  Yeah.  There were so many trash cans in that area!

If you want a high res version of that photo, let me know.  







zanzibar138 said:


> For the record, with Shanghai's air quality laws, Disney were unable to use fireworks as the main focus of their night time show. This may explain their apparent need to throw everything else at it that they could in an effort to make up for the lack of fireworks.









zanzibar138 said:


> Yes, most of my shots from this show turned out like this too. I was trying to protect my camera with a Ziploc bag, but was still having to constantly wipe drops from the lens. I'm actually quite surprised my camera still works, given how sensitive the previous models have proven to be to moisture.



I have a similar set of photos like this for the second night.  






zanzibar138 said:


> Although for some crazy reason I decided it would be a great idea to walk back to the hotel in the rain.



Wow.  I'm guessing you got very wet and had a hot shower when you got back to the room.


----------



## PrincessInOz

mvf-m11c said:


> I can't believe I missed this many updates. But it was so nice to read all of your updates.



  The good thing about the Dis is that the posts are there and you can always catch up.





mvf-m11c said:


> It is a shame that Shanghai doesn't allow tripods like WDW and DLR (sometimes but I did brought my tripod last month).



It has the same policy as WDW and DLR.  I really should have tested it out by bringing the MeFoto to the gate and getting security to make the call rather than just accepting the word of the CM at the hotel.  I can understand leaving it behind on the first night.....but I really should have brought it on another night.  Truth be know....I just didn't want to leave the park and head back to the room to get it.  And I had those firework trails from the hotel room in the bag already.





mvf-m11c said:


> Even though I barely go on roller coasters, the TRON Lightcycle Power Run would be something that I would enjoy.



If you like Test Track, you'd enjoy TRON.






mvf-m11c said:


> Shame that the memory card filled up during the Pirates ride.



It was.  But I wasn't sorry.  It was just great to sit back and enjoy the fantastic imagery that the rest of the ride provided.  





mvf-m11c said:


> the Green Pod which can be a good alternative.



It is.  I did have it in my bag that night and used it for balancing the camera on.  The problem was that the lens got wet and I needed to wipe the water off between shots.  Whilst the pod is great, it does need time to settle down again after you move it.  During the fireworks show, it just wasn't a workable option in the rain.  
The other thing about the 'hub' area at the Gardens of Imagination is that the prime spot for viewing fireworks doesn't really have a lot of flat areas to balance the pod on.  There are areas with fencing but the tops of those are round and they were wet and slippery.  So the pod didn't work in this area.





mvf-m11c said:


> Igniter the Dream fireworks looks so amazing and I would have enjoyed seeing that firework show. Talk about a lot of new firework shows these last few years at the Disney Parks with Disneyland Forever at DL, Ignite the Dream and MK new firework show next week Happily Ever After.



Yes.  Lots of new fireworks shows.  I hope that there are more firework bursts in them.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Aussie Wendy said:


> Actually I meant the book of the movie Hook written by one of my fave authors Terry Brooks. I think your WtP cookbook is awesome - very jealous.



Ah.  I have to admit....I never got into any of Terry Brooks' books.  I did start to read the Shannara Chronicles but never made much headway.  Maybe I need to re-borrow them from the library again.  
I'll have to keep an eye out for his Hook book.


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Day 5: Shanghai Disneyland All Day Today*


*
Rainy Day Strategy #1 – Sleep In*



I woke up early to take a look out the window.  There was not going to be a sunrise this morning.


The rain hadn’t let up all night.  It looked wet, wet and wet out there….and not particularly photogenic. A Rainy Day strategy would have to come into play for us today!


*Strategy #1.  Head on back into bed to grab more zzzz.  None of that “I’m awake so why isn’t the Sky awake” stuff this morning.  If the sky is wet, I’m going to stay warm and dry!*




(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*An Illuminating Establishment – Lumiere’s Kitchen*



I'm generally an early riser so sleep-in only goes so far for me.  

Good planning had 6 of us book in for a character breakfast at Lumiere’s Kitchen this morning.  Wendy and her DD opted out of this DisMeet.  Providence had our booking coincide with a wet morning.







Lumiere’s is one of only 3 table service establishments at Shanghai Disneyland.  Dining here for the character breakfast will set you back 248 Yuan; or about $50 in my money.







$50 is comparatively pricey for a character breakfast; especially when you stack it up against the same offerings in the US.  But if it seems expensive by Western standards, it must seem exorbitant by Chinese standards.  I guess that’s why there are only 3 TS dining places at SDL and much more options for QS and snacks.  In any event, we figured it was going to be a good way to spend some Dis-time together.



With a name like Lumiere’s, it isn’t hard to guess what the theme of this establishment is.







There were Beauty and the Beast touches everywhere!







I know there had been a lot of rain but I have to admit that I was surprised to find that there were drips INSIDE this area of the resort.







However, I did wonder if it was a function of a leaky plumbing system.  The others were to find later in the after that the plumbing had been turned off during the day.  Maybe they had to switch off the water to repair a leak or something.



We had booked our breakfast session for 7.30 – 7.45 am.  At this hour, and on a Monday morning, this place was empty!







Our table was by the window.  I’m guessing you won’t have any trouble picking out my DM.







The buffet area.







Whilst we were waiting for the others, I did take the opportunity to capture a few more details of the dining area.  This was the inner dining section.







It was an illuminating experience.  I loved the BatB touches here too.







I think this was my favourite section of the room.  Loved that mural.







I guess 7.45 – 8 am was a slightly more popular session.  By the time, I headed back to our table, there were a few more people in Lumiere’s…..







…..including my breakfast companions.








(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Leave the Pictures to Us – All about Disney PhotoPass*



You may have noticed that I had some Disney PhotoPass pictures in amoungst yesterday’s set of pictures.


That’s because Shanghai Disneyland does have PhotoPass photographers located around the park. I found them mostly down Mickey Avenue (the prime spots!) and in the character meet and greet locations.







As part of the PhotoPass system, you’ll also find cameras in some of the major attractions to take that candid shot of you whilst on the ride.  At time of writing, TRON Lightcycle Power Ride, Buzz Lightyear Planet Rescue and  PotC: Battle for the Sunken Treasure all have in-ride cameras installed.


I have previously purchased Photopass Plus or Memory Maker at Walt Disney World and at Disneyland before so I knew how it worked in the US.  However, I hadn’t bothered to do any research on the photopass options at Shanghai Disneyland or the cost.  The most I knew of it was what Zanzibar had written in her Opening Day trip report and I recalled that she had difficulties with making a purchase online.  So, it just kinda made sense not to dwell on it too much.  Besides, there were at least 7 people in our group that had a camera of some sort.  


Some time during this morning, a PhotoPass photographer approached our table to have a chat about the service.  As the booking was under my name, the others just pointed in my direction.   


The Shanghai Disneyland Photopass service works the same as what you would expect at the American parks.  There are photographers that will take your picture around the park and the resorts.  They will give you a card (the white ones in the picture below) that has a QR code.  Every time a PP tog takes a picture, they should scan a card, either start a new one or add to the one that you already have, after they take your picture.  The card will store an electronic record of the photo numbers. 

You can purchase individual picture – either by heading to Carefree Corner in Mickey Avenue or online via www.DisneyPhotoPass.com.cn.  Hand over the card in person and they will scan the QR code and show you the pictures that have been stored against that code.  Alternatively, enter the card details (or use a QR reader) online and you can view the pictures on a screen near you.

An individual picture will set you back about 59 Yuan.  I think that is roughly in line with US pricing for individual photos.


There is also the option to purchase the PhotoPass Plus option.  This is what I ended up buying after the discussion with the tog this morning.  The PP+ option at SDL will set you back 369 Yuan.  After the transaction was completed, I got given the card at the top of the picture below.  







For that price, I was told that I would get unlimited downloads for all my photopass photographs over the 3-day period.  I asked about how many cards I could link to the account.  I was told up to 3.


The photographer wanted me to set up the service whilst he was around.  I guessed from some of his comments that guests were having difficulties doing this when they got home by themselves.  

So, we downloaded the app on to my smart phone.  The spanner in the works on this morning was that it appeared that to set up the account, I needed to enter my mobile number.  I would then need to verify the account by entering the verification code that was sent to that mobile number.

Yeah.  I was on a prepaid Hong Kong service and there was no point using that number.  So, the tog and I gave up at this point.


It wasn’t until I got back to my room that night when I figured out that there was also the option to enter an email address to set up the account.  And that’s what I did that night.  Having VPN Express meant that I could then check my email and enter the verification code.  So, I successfully managed to set up an account by myself that night.  

I even managed to enter the card details against my account.  

However, I couldn’t work out where to go after that to see if the pictures had downloaded against the account.  I ended up making a trip down to Lumiere’s the morning after and finding that tog for some help.  As it turns out, I was blind.  All I had to do was go to the “photo” tab on the top bar and click there.  Once I realised how blind I was, my Photopass Plus was all good to go.  My mother and I had a great time collecting photos after this point using that souvenir PP+ card.


There was something that the tog told me which I’ve put down to “lost in translation”.  I was to find out about it after I came home.  

I had collected a white card on the morning of Day 3.  The photographer taking our picture that morning was just too quick.  He had scanned the card before I could even pull out my Photopass Plus card.  As I was told that I could load up to 3 cards to the account, I just went into my account and added it.  Then I promptly forgot all about it.

When I got home to download the pictures, those pictures from that morning were blocked for downloading.  I just couldn’t get it to work.


I ended up emailing Disney.  They responded within 3 business days:


Greetings from Shanghai Disney PhotoPass Team! 

With the purchase of Disney PhotoPass+, you will be able to download all your photos of up to Three Park Tickets or PhotoPass cards in ONE day OR ONE Park Ticket/ PhotoPass card used during THREE consecutive days.  In addition, you can download them as many times as you want within 365 days starting from the day you take photos. 

We bring good news. In order to thank you for your support, we have updated your PhotoPass account. You could download all of your photos.

Now please “Pull to Refresh” your “Purchased” page or “Sign out” and “Sign in” your PhotoPass account again. 

If you have any enquiries, please contact us anytime as you want.


Thank you!

Disney PhotoPass Team
Shanghai Disney Resort​


So…for anyone wanting to purchase PhotoPass +.  Just remember that you need to use the 1 card for 3 consecutive days.  Or 3 cards in 1 day.  It’s the little details that get me!!!!!


In any event, it’s all good.  I have a full set from the 3 days that I was there and I’ll be adding the PP+ pictures at the appropriate spots in this TR as I go along.
And I have a full year to download the pictures.


For those interested.  I’ve come back with just a little over 1000 pictures against my PP+ account.  There are numerous locations where we got multiple shots of us, and Disney have added character signatures and borders to all the shots.  Assuming that I got 6 or 7 shots per photographer, that’s about 150 different pictures I’ve come home with.  A lot of the pictures were from this morning’s character breakfast as we had 6 people to get through for 4 characters.

For each of the attraction pictures, they gave me 3 versions every time.  The difference between the 3 was how much the pictures were cropped.  All the attraction pictures came with their own borders.

As you would expect, the quality of the pictures varies from downright "ugly" to “OMG! So glad I got a memory at that location”.


369 Yuan equates to about $75.  For what I came home with, this was money well spent. 


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*The Early Breakfast is Worth Four Character Meet and Greets In the Camera *




As one of the earliest tables to arrive for Lumiere’s, we scored big time where the characters were concerned.  They started to come out at around 8 am and there was only one other group around.  It was them or us.  


Us!  We won.  


Yup.  Before we could even hit the food buffet, we had the full cornucopia of visitors!  We were the first table the characters came to visit and the characters all came to visit complete with their handlers as well as PhotoPass photographers.


As you would expect with a group of 6, all our cameras were clicking overtime.   We were also doubling up as photographers for each other as we handed our cameras to someone else to take our picture as we took our turn with striking a pose with the characters.   I could post the pictures that I took with my camera, but they are mainly of my mother and the group.  That's one of the reasons why I buy PP.  It's so that I can get pictures of myself.


So, given that we had purchased PP+, I figured you’d be more interested to see a selection of pictures that we got.  That way, you can gauge the quality of the photographers and Shanghai and figure out if the equation works for you or not.


We got to meet the main cheese, Mickey.





































Minnie also came out.


































Up next was Goofy.
(Just so there are no mistakes in identity, Goofy is the tall one with the hat.)


































Pluto tagged along as well.

































That official Disney photopass camera was working overtime with our table.  All 6 of us grabbed individual shots with each character and we made sure we got a group shot with each as well.  We ended up with a heap of pictures, way to many to post them all.


For my part, I wished that some of the PP togs would wait for us to get into position.  Most of them were good but some of them would just snap and not pay any attention to composition.  I know there were some in the selection that were also a little out of focus.  
Still, the majority worked out well.


I hope everyone is happy with their pictures!




(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Rainy Day Strategy #2 – Linger over a Leisurely Breakfast (Lumiere’s Kitchen Food Porn)*




Mother Nature was providing a wet start to the day.  It was the perfect backdrop for us so that we would want to spend a bit more time enjoying the breakfast rather than rushing off to the park!


*Strategy #2.  Linger over a leisurely breakfast.  Afterall, there’s no point rushing to the park for rope drop when there is yummy food to enjoy.*


With the character meet and greets all out of the way, it was time to concentrate on the buffet tables.


There was a decent array of food at Lumiere's Kitchen.  







The egg station was a perfect example of east meets west.







@franandaj and I have had various discussions over the years on various threads and TRs about how to cook the perfect scram.   You whisk the egg up, put it in a hot pan (preferably with butter) over a low to medium heat.  As the egg cooks, you gently push the bottom and move the cooked egg to the middle.  Continue doing so until most of the egg is cooked and then turn the heat off.   Then flip the whole lot over to just cook any bits that may not have quite set.  Take off almost immediately after you flip the egg over.  This chef cooked eggs the proper way!  






Just throwing it out there.  For anyone that disagrees that this is the perfect way to scramble eggs and wants to DisMeet with franandaj and me over a homecooked meal, feel free to pick any other meal time other than breakfast.  We both cook our eggs like this.  


I was completely distracted by the waffle station!  Sooooooo cute!







I may have sampled a few.







There were some fruits on offer.







But not as diverse a range as you would expect!  But that was par for the course in Shanghai.







No matter.  There was plenty else on offer.  Including that all important sweet pastry food group.







There was a LOT of sweet pastry.













The hot buffet section was also diverse and rather ‘grown-up’.  






There was the standard selection in the Western hot buffet section.






Likewise, in the Eastern hot buffet station.







But there was the classic Disney touch here and there.







My favourite station was the Dim Sum selection.







It may not have been the best Dim Sum in the world; but it was decent enough.


I guess you could say that about the whole Lumiere’s breakfast.  It was a decent enough breakfast and everything was cooked well.  I have no complaints about the food.


Was it value for money?  

For food alone, no.  But factor in the floor show and it’s a probably yes.  Compared to US pricing….it IS expensive.


----------



## Agent 86

I agree about the PhotoPass being great value for money.

We just grabbed the one-day PhotoPass which I think was around $40 (AUD) and we ended up with around 350 photos. As we're a couple, we typically don't end up with too many photos with both of us in it, so it was great to have so many photos with the two of us.

Did you experience any issues with the photographers? Towards the end of the day, the photographers were getting really stroppy (I guess they just wanted to finish work and get home), but it was pretty poor behaviour when interacting with guests (i.e. snatching the PP cards from guests, audibly grumbling and just generally clearly communicating with body language that they did not want to be there).


----------



## PrincessInOz

Agent 86 said:


> We just grabbed the one-day PhotoPass which I think was around $40 (AUD) and we ended up with around 350 photos. As we're a couple, we typically don't end up with too many photos with both of us in it, so it was great to have so many photos with the two of us.



You're right about the one-day PP.  I think it's about 199 Yuan.  At AU$40, that is a bargain.






Agent 86 said:


> Did you experience any issues with the photographers? Towards the end of the day, the photographers were getting really stroppy (I guess they just wanted to finish work and get home), but it was pretty poor behaviour when interacting with guests (i.e. snatching the PP cards from guests, audibly grumbling and just generally clearly communicating with body language that they did not want to be there).



I didn't experience issues with any of the togs during the 3 days we were there.  I guess low crowds makes it a pleasant experience for everyone, CM included.

The togs were always pretty polite to me and were always courteous when I ask them to take pictures using my camera.  My camera has 'special needs' because I set it up for back-button focussing.  So I always have to explain it to them.  But it means that I can always pick the better togs out.  Those that know a bit about photography know exactly what I mean when I show them the back-button.  Those that aren't that experienced just look blankly at me.  Towards the end, if I was getting blank looks, I was just handing over my cell phone instead.  But I never got any 'attitude' from the togs in the 3 days we were there.


----------



## tiggrbaby

Great choice for a rainy day!  You scored a great value with the photo package; love the pics!


----------



## zanzibar138

PrincessInOz said:


> That's a very sensible thing to pack.
> 
> I was going to take my Rockport. But when I checked them, I realised that they were a little worse for wear. They were cracked at the toe. I had got them soaked by sea water when I went down the Great Ocean Road and they would have ended up letting the rain in them as well.
> 
> I need new hiking boots.



Oh that's a shame. A pair of waterproof hiking boots is a wardrobe staple for me!



PrincessInOz said:


> I think we kept missing each other by about 5 or 10 mins. I figured we were in the Gardens of Imagination at the same time.



Yes, I suspect there were several occasions where we just kept missing each other. But the number of times we just happened to bump into each other also surprised me in such a large park!



PrincessInOz said:


> My mistake. I thought you came home with it as well. I know we had a conversation about the backpack at the hotel lobby when we were waiting for our taxi. But then again....I was in a complete muddle that whole morning!



I think we discussed that I regretted not buying one as I wasn't sure I'd have enough room to pack all my souvenirs 



PrincessInOz said:


> Thanks. Yeah. There were so many trash cans in that area!
> 
> If you want a high res version of that photo, let me know.



Would love a copy, thanks!



PrincessInOz said:


> I have a similar set of photos like this for the second night.



I actually had a lot better luck the second night. Only had to wipe the lens every 30 seconds or so instead of constantly lol!



PrincessInOz said:


> Wow. I'm guessing you got very wet and had a hot shower when you got back to the room.



Well, I figured I was about as damp and cold as I was going to get, and couldn't really be bothered with buses and crowds. Between my waterproof boots and fairly decent raincoat, it wasn't too bad going.



PrincessInOz said:


> $50 is comparatively pricey for a character breakfast; especially when you stack it up against the same offerings in the US. But if it seems expensive by Western standards, it must seem exorbitant by Chinese standards. I guess that’s why there are only 3 TS dining places at SDL and much more options for QS and snacks. In any event, we figured it was going to be a good way to spend some Dis-time together.



It certainly was a splurge, but I really enjoyed it and it was lovely to do it as a group. I think though the rain that morning made it all the more worthwhile 



PrincessInOz said:


> *Leave the Pictures to Us – All about Disney PhotoPass*



Thanks for putting up such a detailed post on this. I'm sure lots of people will appreciate it 



PrincessInOz said:


> So, given that we had purchased PP+, I figured you’d be more interested to see a selection of pictures that we got. That way, you can gauge the quality of the photographers and Shanghai and figure out if the equation works for you or not.



Love most of these photos, especially some of the group shots!



PrincessInOz said:


> There was a decent array of food at Lumiere's Kitchen.



That is the understatement of the century lol! I couldn't think of anything I might have wanted that wasn't there.


----------



## CaliKris

Thanks for the tip about PhotoPass+.  We will definitely be purchasing that for one of our tickets in Shanghai Disneyland.  Also, I bought an eyeglass retainer strap based on your experience on Tron.  I am hoping they let me keep my glasses on or I will not be able to see much of the ride!

Your trip report and photos are amazing!


----------



## WanderlustNZ

Looks like a fun, albeit expensive, Dis meet.  

Also fantastic job getting such great value out of the photopass.  It was one of the best purchases we made when last at WDW.  

Been trying to catch up with your thread (and others) for over a week now, but the Dis seems to like going down each night during my prime internet time of 8-10pm.  So this morning, with 1 degree temps outside, I am staying in bed and catching up on Disney gossip


----------



## PrincessInOz

tiggrbaby said:


> Great choice for a rainy day!  You scored a great value with the photo package; love the pics!




We booked in for breakfast in January.  So glad that my long term weather forecast was working!  

Yes.  That photo package was value for money.


----------



## PrincessInOz

zanzibar138 said:


> Oh that's a shame. A pair of waterproof hiking boots is a wardrobe staple for me!



I'm going to have to go shopping for a replacement pair soon.  I just didn't realise how bad the leather had cracked from the seawater.





zanzibar138 said:


> Yes, I suspect there were several occasions where we just kept missing each other. But the number of times we just happened to bump into each other also surprised me in such a large park!



I know, right? 





zanzibar138 said:


> I think we discussed that I regretted not buying one as I wasn't sure I'd have enough room to pack all my souvenirs



Oh, that's right.  I think I was using mine as carry-on and you weren't sure you could have even done it that way.






zanzibar138 said:


> Would love a copy, thanks!









zanzibar138 said:


> I actually had a lot better luck the second night. Only had to wipe the lens every 30 seconds or so instead of constantly lol!



I look forward to seeing your pictures in your TR (no pressure).  





zanzibar138 said:


> Well, I figured I was about as damp and cold as I was going to get, and couldn't really be bothered with buses and crowds. Between my waterproof boots and fairly decent raincoat, it wasn't too bad going.



Out of curiosity, how long did it take you to walk back to TSH?






zanzibar138 said:


> It certainly was a splurge, but I really enjoyed it and it was lovely to do it as a group. I think though the rain that morning made it all the more worthwhile



I really liked having breakfast with you all.  It was a lot of fun.  And the rain just made us all want to stay and enjoy it.






zanzibar138 said:


> Thanks for putting up such a detailed post on this. I'm sure lots of people will appreciate it









zanzibar138 said:


> That is the understatement of the century lol! I couldn't think of anything I might have wanted that wasn't there.



I don't recall seeing oatmeal porridge?  And the kitchen sink.


----------



## PrincessInOz

CaliKris said:


> Thanks for the tip about PhotoPass+.  We will definitely be purchasing that for one of our tickets in Shanghai Disneyland.  Also, I bought an eyeglass retainer strap based on your experience on Tron.  I am hoping they let me keep my glasses on or I will not be able to see much of the ride!
> 
> Your trip report and photos are amazing!



Thank you.  Hope you have a good trip to China!

If your strap keeps the glass on and it's a tight/close fit, they will let you keep your glasses on.  I'm in the same boat.  Everything is a blur if I don't have my glasses on.


----------



## PrincessInOz

WanderlustNZ said:


> Looks like a fun, albeit expensive, Dis meet



  A lot of fun.  You know how much I enjoy DisMeets!  





WanderlustNZ said:


> Also fantastic job getting such great value out of the photopass. It was one of the best purchases we made when last at WDW.



It makes perfect sense at WDW.  There just seems to be a lot of photographers around.  
I still have that picture of you and me at Epcot from 2013.






WanderlustNZ said:


> Been trying to catch up with your thread (and others) for over a week now, but the Dis seems to like going down each night during my prime internet time of 8-10pm. So this morning, with 1 degree temps outside, I am staying in bed and catching up on Disney gossip



I know how that feels like.  During daylight savings in Oz, the Dis Twilight Zone time is during those prime internet times for me too.

That's cold!  But I bet it's lovely scenery where you are.


----------



## Montanabel

This is such a fantastic trip report.  Thank you so much PrincessInOz, the level of detail in fantastic and the photos are great.  I didn't realise
Shanghai Disneyland was so big!


----------



## zanzibar138

PrincessInOz said:


> Out of curiosity, how long did it take you to walk back to TSH?



It took a good 20 minutes - probably not the smartest idea after a long day in the pouring rain lol!


----------



## PrincessInOz

Montanabel said:


> This is such a fantastic trip report.  Thank you so much PrincessInOz, the level of detail in fantastic and the photos are great.  I didn't realise
> Shanghai Disneyland was so big!



Thank you.  Glad you're enjoying it.

Maybe....there's a trip to SDL in the future for you?





zanzibar138 said:


> It took a good 20 minutes - probably not the smartest idea after a long day in the pouring rain lol!



Thanks for the info.  Looks like it could be closer to walk to the DL Hotel.


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Rainy Day Strategy #3 – Walk around the Park in One Direction *



For anyone keeping track of where we had gone to yesterday on the Park Map, our path would have looked something like this.







My head hurts just by looking at the ground we covered yesterday.  That’s a LOT of backward and forward from one end of the park to the other!  

It’s no wonder that my stepper app told me that I had walked over 29,000 steps yesterday.  



*Rainy Day Strategy #3 is one that you probably should adopt for any park; rain, hail, snow or shine.  The aim for today was to head around the park in one direction.  The assumption was that if we didn’t go back and forth, we would reduce the amount of time we were outside in the wet.*


I had taken a look at the map last night and checked out the show guide.  My plan of attack for today would have me taking a path around the park like this.







It turned out to be a good rainy day strategy.  My stepper app told me we covered 21,000 steps today.  That’s definitely over 1.5 trillion raindrops we avoided!



(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Rainy Day Strategy #4 – Spend Time doing Meet and Greets (Shanghai Mickey)*



After breakfast, the others headed to reception to check in.  They were all moving to the Disneyland Hotel as part of their split stay strategy.

My mother and I just headed straight to the park and it didn’t take us long to get there using Disney Transport.  The rain was falling a little on the heavy side so we were keen to find somewhere to get out of the rain as quickly as possible.  


*Rainy Day Strategy #4.  Go do some Meet and Greets in park.  Normally, there is a queue for in-park character meet and greets; which is why I will choose to go to a character meal during our stay.  But when it is raining outside, I don’t mind the extra queue time.  It means we stay out of the wet for longer.  So, on the bus, my mother and I had already decided that there was a character Meet and Greet that we just needed to do in Shanghai.*


You’ll find the Meet Mickey attraction on the Tomorrowland side of the Gardens of Imagination.  We powerwalked from the transportation hub here as quickly as possible.  The wait time was 5 minutes.








There were some very funky looking pictures in the front Gallery.   The people were definitely taking their time looking at these pictures!







We turned around the corner……



……and would you believe…..



…..everyone else walked PAST Mickey in his official Shanghai Disneyland jacket.  I guess the Chinese haven’t yet worked out who he is!  







Not that I minded.  It just meant that we got more time with the Big Cheese.  He was even happy to pose for me.







I was pretty pleased to have stopped here.  








The Photopass Service added the Grand Opening border to our pictures.








(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

*Incorporating the Marvel Universe into the Disney Empire*



In 2009, the Walt Disney Co bought Marvel Entertainment for about $4 billion.  As I was a comic fan-girl from waaaay back, I was totally celebrating that entry of the Marvel Universe into the Disney Empire.  


$4 Billion isn’t quite the 1.5 trillion number of raindrops we managed to avoid falling on us today….and that’s an eye-watering number by any standards….but then in 2009, I could not wait to see how the Marvel Universe would be incorporated into the ever-increasing Disney Empire.  At least in the Asian parks, that unfolding story is starting to happen.  







Yes, I know the Tower of Terror in DCA is undergoing a Guardians of the Galaxy transformation right now.  But that doesn't quite stack up to an entire land.  Hong Kong will have a new land based on Marvel in its future and for me, that means that my DH may be much happier to head to the land of merchandise when they are built.  Happy DH, many happy Disney trips for me, right?  







But until then, we’re temporarily stuck with entering the Marvel Universe to see static displays and exhibitions.  This seems to have been the well-trodden chosen path at Disneyland to date.  (Yes, I know the Tower of Terror in DCA is undergoing a Guardians of the Galaxy transformation right now.)







In this Universe pavilion, we got to check out Iron Man’s walk-in closet.  







It’s official.  Iron men definitely have less outfits than Iron women.  Tony Stark only has seven suits, one for each day of the week.  I think I can change outfits at least twice a day.  















































It wasn’t just look and don’t touch the suits.  We even got to virtually try on an Iron Man suit in here.  “Virtual” being the operative word.  But what cool about this is the fact that there is no need to don any headset, special goggles or even a wearable to step into the Iron Man suit.  Just stand on flat bullseye pad and I guess 3D-sensors do the rest.







As I couldn’t read or understand Mandarin, I can’t tell you anything about the back-story to this experience.  But any home-gamer can walk their way through without any issue.  Afterall, ka-pow and ka-boom and ka-hit are pretty much Universal in any language.  







If you’re pressed for time, you can skip it and DIY with your Playstation, X-Box or Wii system at home.  You’ll probably burn the same amount of calories at home compared to doing the hands and feet exercise in the Marvel Universe.



We did follow Rainy Day Strategy #4 of seeking out Meet and Greets in here.  


Poor Spiderman was spinning webs waiting for someone – anyone – to hang with him.  We were happy to oblige.  







Marvel Superheroes and my DM have never met face to face before!  I think she did an AWESOME job at posing with them.  Much better than me.







And because we had time, I asked Spidey if I could Peter Parker to his Spiderman.  He was more than happy to strike a pose.








Right next to Spidey was another All-American hero.  Again, he was just pacing around….waiting, waiting, waiting.








I can confirm that he was a proper American, and again, more than happy to shield-up for me.  He was also very chatty and kept us talking for far longer than most.  I guess finding people to pose with him was hard enough today; much less ones that speak English. 








I have to admit that whilst I liked what I saw in the Marvel Universe, it did leave me wanting more.  Much more.  Perhaps Disney ran out of budget when they decked out this pavilion, but I wished they had put in a Spiderman version of Sum of all Thrills.  A design-your-own swing and upside-down-cling-fest experience would be awesome!





(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Rainy Day Strategy #5 – Repeat Rides as much as Possible (Buzz Lightyear Planet Rescue)

*

It was still raining when we made our way to Tomorrowland.








My DM wanted to head to Infinity and Beyond.  Even though we were heading to outerspace, we were inside and out of the rain!







We followed the well-worn path to Star Command.







There were very familiar signposts in here.








I guess Zurg is still the Most Wanted Baddie around.








The ride vehicles are the same as any of the other Buzz Lightyear shooting galleries I’ve been in.  Thankfully, the gun is based on the DLR version so you get to remove it from the holster for better aim.

There are some cool additions to this version.







But there seemed to be a lot less giant robots around.







In fact, for a photographer, Infinity shooting in here is few and far between.













Perhaps it was just me and faulty memory.  But I was missing photographic targets in this version.







Heading to infinity and beyond was mostly just 2-dimensional.







There were the odd 3-dimensional target.







But they were definitely in the minority.







So, it was hardly surprising that my other infinity shooting score was higher.  







Despite shooting with a camera, I still got to 1st Class Ranger status.









*Rainy Day Strategy #5.  Whenever the opportunity presents itself, go on the same ride multiple times to stay out of the rain.*


When we came back to Tomorrowland, the rain seemed heavier than before.  So, we opted to enact Rainy Day Strategy #5.  We decided that given the wait time was 5 minutes (aka walk-on)……








…….we needed to repeat the ride.  This time, I chose to only use the gun and leave the camera in the bag.  The Photopass System here sent me a cool video.  Hopefully, it works!









We did repeat ride 3 times to stay out of the rain.  Shooting at infinity is DEFINITELY easier on this version of Buzz.  






This is now my newest highest score on any Buzz shooting gallery (my previous being in the high 600,000's, so I still stay a Cosmic Commando).  
I’ll take it.



(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*It’s Not Easy being GMO-Free – Experiment 626 (Stitch Meet and Greet)*



Genetic modification or genetic engineering is the direct manipulation of an organism's genome using biotechnology. It is a set of technologies used to change the genetic makeup of cells, including the transfer of genes within and across species boundaries to produce improved or novel organisms.  An organism that is generated through genetic engineering is considered to be genetically modified (GM) and the resulting entity is a genetically modified organism (GMO).


Whether we like it or not, GMOs are making their way into our lives.  My views on GMO range from pro and anti, depending on the application.  In some instances – where they improve medical science and is used to find cures for diseases, I can see the need for it.  In the cases where they are included in our food, I am completely against the application.  It’s a complex conundrum and one that I’ve accepted is going to be part of our lives for a while to come.  But I will admit that I completely avoid any food that has GMO in it.  


Going GMO-free proved to be impossible today.   


Dr Jumba’s illegal genetic Experiment 626 was designed to be bulletproof, shockproof, fireproof and can think faster than a supercomputer.  Experiment 626 is reputed to destroy everything he touches.  No wonder my DM was shocked to run into him!  







Thankfully, the destroyer-of-all-things power seems to have been neutralised and my DM survived for another picture.







This is one instance where I’m glad the handler takes better pictures than the official PP tog.  







To be fair, I know the wet weather made focussing my camera tricky.  I can only imagine how hard it would have been on the equipment being outside in the rain all day.


Yet again, we were the only ones seeking out the Meet and Greet.  Stitch was just happy to spend extra time posing for me as well.  







For today, I guess I’m on the pro-GMO side.



(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Rainy Day Strategy #6 – Stay Indoors as much as Possible (Star Wars Launch Bay)*




The Disney Empire has definitely been on a massive take-over strategy.  After the Marvel Universe, the Empire is slowly but surely taking over the Star Wars Galaxy as well.  This time the year was 2012 and it was another $4 billion deal for this Galaxy and more.  This takeover was less of a stretch than Marvel.  Afterall, there has been a Star Wars (Star Tours) attraction at Disney locations since 1987.

_Excited, am I.  _
_Experience the new Star Wars land I must._



I’m going to be waiting a few years before being able to hit any Star Wars land in the US parks.  For now, the Star Wars Launch Bay will just have to do.







*Rainy Day Strategy #6.  You may have noticed a trend in my touring plans today.  I was definitely seeking out any attraction that allowed me to stay indoors as much as possible.  Ordinarily, I do avoid walk-though exhibits during my trips to Disney because I definitely do seek out thrills.    But on a rainy day where I’m looking to stay indoors as much as possible, the Star Wars Launch Bay definitely fit the bill nicely.  *



I am aware that there are similar Launch Bays opened up at Walt Disney World and in Disneyland.  Both attractions opened in 2015, after my last visit to any of the American parks.  I can only imagine that they provide a similar experience based on the online descriptions and in the various pictures I’ve seen on the Dis.



There was the area where movie props were on display.







I think I was all displayed out by this stage and there is a lack of pictures in my collection.







Come to think of it….there was a lack of people in here too.







Like the other Launch Bays, we got to Meet and Greet!

Yeah.  You guessed it.  The Dark Side of the Force was just hanging around waiting for people to menace.







No one messes with my DM!







The interaction was totally in Mandarin; so I have no clue what was being said.  But I gather there was some sparring involved.







Vader was more than happy to oblige my character collection fetish today.







There was no disturbance in his force when I asked.  I managed to escape unscathed!







Kylo Ren was also in a world by himself.







He also had words to say to me….in Mandarin…..but without a universal translator, it was all….Mandarin to me.  Still, pointing a camera at him doesn’t need any other words.







There was a section in the Launch Bay to hang out with this droid.  







Don’t get too excited.  It was purely a photo opp.  







There was no interaction in any language to speak of.







The Star Wars geek in me got hyper-space excited about the Millennium Falcon.







Afterall, this is as close as I’m ever going to get to piloting the real thing.







A sign of how wet it was outside.  We elected to push our way through the crowds to go see the clip show.







Staying indoors for as long as possible was the mantra of the day, so we figured we could spend 10 minutes sitting through it.








The clips were all in English, with Chinese subtitles.







And they covered everything from A New Hope through to The Force Awaken.  







On a rainy day with low crowds, this was a perfect attraction to see at leisure.  If it’s busy and you haven’t met the Dark Side of the Force, it may be worth doing the Meet and Greets and then moving on.







(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Off Peak Grid Time (TRON Lightcycle Power Run)*




Before I left Tomorrowland, there was one thing left that I needed to do.







You could say I was hanging out for a re-do.







There is an outdoor section to this attraction; but don’t be fooled in thinking you’ll get rained on.  It’s completely covered in the Grid.







I will agree with Fairy Floss that rainy weather keeps the crowds away so that all the headline rides are walk-on.  That’s a bonus.







But I stand by my view that I would gladly trade some of the rain for a few more bodies.  Even though we were doing our best to keep indoors, it really wasn’t pleasant walking in the rain and getting wet and cold.  







I think you can see examples of the cycles just outside the ride.  I hope you can make out how the riders are positioning themselves on the ride in this picture.








I took my time walking through the queue area and used my smart phone to grab some shots.







Some of you might think that there is a rather ‘new’ Test Track feel about it all.  You’re not wrong.  The revamped Test Track was redesigned with Tron:Legacy in mind. 







We are definitely stepping into the real Grid here.







I did stop a few times to take shots.  If there was anyone behind me, they could have easily walked around me.  Anyone? Anyone?







I can, however, confirm that there were a handful of people in front of me.







My DM decided that she needed to hit the Tron gift shop instead.  So I had left my camera bag with her.  Sadly for me, I forgot to take my camera strap out of the bag and so the CM didn’t let me keep my glasses on this time.  It was all a blur for me!  Oh well.  







In any case, I could hardly see anything in the dark anyway.








Like Test Track, there is an area as you leave the ride for you to imagine the future.







As I didn’t spend any time in here at all, I can’t report on it.  Something for the next trip.








Yes.  This is an AWESOME ride.  I could definitely ride it over and over and over again.


----------



## tiggrbaby

Fabulous pics of the characters!  Mickey is adorable in his Shanghai suit!

Looking at the Tron cycles makes me wonder what the new ride at Animal Kingdom will be like...


----------



## RachelTori

Loving the photos, PIO!  And I have to add that your mother is absolutely adorable!  <3

I hope you (and your mom!) had a lovely Mother's Day!


----------



## zanzibar138

Seems like you had a much more pleasant rainy day morning than me lol! I have to admit though that with all that Marvel and Star Wars stuff, I would have gotten very bored very quickly if I'd tagged along. Annoyed that I never got around to meeting Shanghai Mickey though!


----------



## franandaj

Last week, I had quoted two of your updates on my phone, and then when I went to reply, poof! It was all gone! I was hoping that I would have time over the weekend, but no such luck. So here I am Monday morning, yet again attempting to reply on my phone. Let's see if I complete the reply while it's still Monday here! 



PrincessInOz said:


> I think I will give the new version another spin if I'm ever at a Disney location with it showing (and the queues aren't horrendously long).



Come to my park and I'll ensure that the queue is not too long, and you can sit in the top middle row. 



PrincessInOz said:


> There was a World of Disney in NYC at one stage.



OMG! Look how little your son is!



PrincessInOz said:


> You really didn’t expect to wait in Starbucks when there was all this merchandise to look at right next door????? Afterall, it was Shop O’Clock whilst I was waiting!!!



Of course. You should have just set up the meeting point in WoD!



PrincessInOz said:


> Where did all my money go? It’s like Hocus Pocus, I’m brokus!



  



PrincessInOz said:


> On reflection, I wish I had tested him out and taken my tripod to the park that night.



You need one of those mini gorilla pod thingies.



PrincessInOz said:


> We had to spend some time trying to capture that reflection!



Your reflection  shots are so cool. I'll try to remember all these cool techniques you're employing on this TR!  I really like the Christmas ornament one!



PrincessInOz said:


> One of my photography goals this year is to learn how to drive Photoshop. I’m using those Raindrops-Kept-Falling-on-my-Lens shots to experiment.



I think I said this when you posted this pic on FB, but that's an interesting use of Photoshop.  I usually just use it to remove unwanted people from my pictures!



PrincessInOz said:


> Wendy and her DD were happy to go with the flow.



Nice long exposure shot.



PrincessInOz said:


> I ended up with wet jocks as well.



That happens to me every time that I ride PotC at DL!



PrincessInOz said:


> Another 30 paces away from the 1st trash can, I found the view I was after.



Nice, like that shot!



PrincessInOz said:


> All in all, this is a night I would say that those Firework Gods and I were at deuce-all; and Mother Nature won hands down.



For such a difficult challenge, I'd say you did a great job!


----------



## HalloweenNut

> Yup.  Not only did technology fail me right at the key moment, but from this point on, the reimagined ride took over and words failed me too.  Yes, I could have fumbled with my stuff and changed the memory card.  But I was completely blown away by what Disney had done to this ride.  The best words I could I could come up with was…..





> Omg, OMg, OMG!
> 
> OOH!
> 
> AAH!
> 
> WOW!
> 
> WOW!
> 
> AMAZING!
> 
> 
> In many regards, I am pretty happy to have enjoyed this first experience without having to look down the barrel of my camera.  And whilst I may not have many computer memory of the first time I rode on The Battle of the Sunken Treasure, the feeling will be seared into my necktop memory banks for a long, long, long time.
> 
> 
> Awesome job, Disney!



Just got back from our China trip (still feeling the jet lag!) but had an amazing time and so glad we were able to go to Shanghai Disneyland, if only for one day. 

We didn't get there right at opening like I would have liked and so there was a fair sized lineup for security and tickets (we went on a Friday) but after taking in the view of the castle headed right to TRON for a fast pass. Did Buzz Lightyear while we waited for our time. I had to sit out as I had wreaked my knees climbing the Great Wall and all the walking but everyone loved it - even my wife who is not a coaster fan at all. 

After a quick peek at the Star Wars Landing Bay and the end of the Baymax show we went right for Pirates which had a 40min wait time. It went fast enough and we successfully formed an impenetrable barricade to prevent people from butting in line (not that they didn't try!). I totally agree with you about the new Pirates and was totally blown away with the scale of the sets and effects and the seamless blending of the two. So incredible. My new all-time favourite ride - even MORE than Haunted Mansion so that's saying a lot! If I had my way I would have lined right back up to ride it again and again! Everyone in our group loved it. 

So we had a quick visit and didn't get to ride a whole lot but had a great day and the kids were thrilled to go - totally unexpected for them. If I was to go again I'd plan on 3 days I think, just given the crowds and the size of the park which discourages criss-crossing for the few fast passes available. Thanks for the trip report - it helped a lot when we were there.


----------



## PrincessInOz

tiggrbaby said:


> Looking at the Tron cycles makes me wonder what the new ride at Animal Kingdom will be like...



The new Avatar ride looks awesome. 






RachelTori said:


> Loving the photos, PIO! And I have to add that your mother is absolutely adorable! <3
> 
> I hope you (and your mom!) had a lovely Mother's Day!



 

Thank you.

Mother's Day was great.  We had both sets of mothers over for afternoon tea.  I hope you had a great day too.






zanzibar138 said:


> Seems like you had a much more pleasant rainy day morning than me lol! I have to admit though that with all that Marvel and Star Wars stuff, I would have gotten very bored very quickly if I'd tagged along. Annoyed that I never got around to meeting Shanghai Mickey though!



I know I'm a Marvel and Star Wars geek so I had no issue spending time in the pavilions.  But if it weren't for the rain, I wouldn't have spent that amount of time there.  
At least you'll have something to go back to Shanghai for.


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> Last week, I had quoted two of your updates on my phone, and then when I went to reply, poof! It was all gone!



I have that problem on my laptop!!! 

Oh well.  At least you found time.  Thank you!






franandaj said:


> Come to my park and I'll ensure that the queue is not too long, and you can sit in the top middle row.



I need to save pennies again.  I definitely want to come to your park.....during Christmas season.  I really need pretty Christmas decoration shots in my collection.





franandaj said:


> OMG! Look how little your son is!



He was 5 on that trip.    Hard to believe how time flies.






franandaj said:


> Of course. You should have just set up the meeting point in WoD!



I know.  I really don't know what I was thinking when we said Starbucks!! 





franandaj said:


> You need one of those mini gorilla pod thingies.



I don't know if they make ones that support the weight of a dSLR.  






franandaj said:


> Your reflection shots are so cool. I'll try to remember all these cool techniques you're employing on this TR! I really like the Christmas ornament one!



I look forward to seeing your shots on one of your TRs.






franandaj said:


> I think I said this when you posted this pic on FB, but that's an interesting use of Photoshop. I usually just use it to remove unwanted people from my pictures!



I really need to learn how to use PS more.  I don't even know how to remove unwanted people!





franandaj said:


> That happens to me every time that I ride PotC at DL!



For some reason, PotC at DL always seems to have more wet seats than WDW.






franandaj said:


> For such a difficult challenge, I'd say you did a great job!



Thanks!


----------



## PrincessInOz

HalloweenNut said:


> Just got back from our China trip (still feeling the jet lag!) but had an amazing time and so glad we were able to go to Shanghai Disneyland, if only for one day.



Welcome back!  Glad that you made it to SDL even for a day.
Hope the jet lag clears soon.








HalloweenNut said:


> We didn't get there right at opening like I would have liked and so there was a fair sized lineup for security and tickets (we went on a Friday) but after taking in the view of the castle headed right to TRON for a fast pass. Did Buzz Lightyear while we waited for our time. I had to sit out as I had wreaked my knees climbing the Great Wall and all the walking but everyone loved it - even my wife who is not a coaster fan at all.



Oh...you didn't go on Tron?  That's a shame.
How are the knees?  Hope they are feeling better now.







HalloweenNut said:


> After a quick peek at the Star Wars Landing Bay and the end of the Baymax show



I didn't catch the Baymax show at all.  Too wet!






HalloweenNut said:


> we went right for Pirates which had a 40min wait time. It went fast enough and we successfully formed an impenetrable barricade to prevent people from butting in line (not that they didn't try!). I totally agree with you about the new Pirates and was totally blown away with the scale of the sets and effects and the seamless blending of the two. So incredible. My new all-time favourite ride - even MORE than Haunted Mansion so that's saying a lot! If I had my way I would have lined right back up to ride it again and again! Everyone in our group loved it.



Such an awesome ride, right?  

I do have pictures of it to share in an update.  I'll eventually get up to that point in the day.






HalloweenNut said:


> So we had a quick visit and didn't get to ride a whole lot but had a great day and the kids were thrilled to go - totally unexpected for them. If I was to go again I'd plan on 3 days I think, just given the crowds and the size of the park which discourages criss-crossing for the few fast passes available. Thanks for the trip report - it helped a lot when we were there.



Glad the report helped!

So.....when are you heading back????


----------



## Fairy Floss

PrincessInOz said:


> I don't know if they make ones that support the weight of a dSLR.



I have a DSLR one - it's good for my 100d
I'll bring it to the next meeting and you can try it out


----------



## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> Strategy #1. Head on back into bed to grab more zzzz.



I can agree with this one! Sometimes not even on an rainy day.



PrincessInOz said:


> Good planning had 6 of us book in for a character breakfast at Lumiere’s Kitchen this morning. Wendy and her DD opted out of this DisMeet. Providence had our booking coincide with a wet morning.



That worked out very well for you!



PrincessInOz said:


> I guess that’s why there are only 3 TS dining places at SDL and much more options for QS and snacks.



So I guess the 180 day dining booking dilemma is not an issue here...



PrincessInOz said:


> I know there had been a lot of rain but I have to admit that I was surprised to find that there were drips INSIDE this area of the resort.



Well I hope they got that fixed!



PrincessInOz said:


> We had booked our breakfast session for 7.30 – 7.45 am. At this hour, and on a Monday morning, this place was empty!



I'm not surprised, but then again at WDW it would have been packed. Probably even at DL as well.



PrincessInOz said:


> my Photopass Plus was all good to go. My mother and I had a great time collecting photos after this point using that souvenir PP+ card.



Sounds lie a good choice!



PrincessInOz said:


> So…for anyone wanting to purchase PhotoPass +. Just remember that you need to use the 1 card for 3 consecutive days. Or 3 cards in 1 day. It’s the little details that get me!!!!!



This is good to know. Just use the 1 card and nothing else when you're there for 3 days.



PrincessInOz said:


> For those interested. I’ve come back with just a little over 1000 pictures against my PP+ account



Good job!



PrincessInOz said:


> 369 Yuan equates to about $75. For what I came home with, this was money well spent.



Sounds reasonable.



PrincessInOz said:


> Yup. Before we could even hit the food buffet, we had the full cornucopia of visitors! We were the first table the characters came to visit and the characters all came to visit complete with their handlers as well as PhotoPass photographers.



I love when it works out that way! Get the business taken care of first so that you can just enjoy your meal!



PrincessInOz said:


> we made sure we got a group shot with each as well. We ended up with a heap of pictures, way to many to post them all.



I love all those group shots!



PrincessInOz said:


> Strategy #2. Linger over a leisurely breakfast.



I can't argue with this one!



PrincessInOz said:


> @franandaj and I have had various discussions over the years on various threads and TRs about how to cook the perfect scram.



  No browned bits of egg on my plate, I don't do that. 



PrincessInOz said:


> For anyone that disagrees that this is the perfect way to scramble eggs and wants to DisMeet with franandaj and me over a homecooked meal, feel free to pick any other meal time other than breakfast. We both cook our eggs like this.







PrincessInOz said:


> I was completely distracted by the waffle station! Sooooooo cute!



I love those waffles, a nice section there to capture the melted butter!



PrincessInOz said:


> There was the standard selection in the Western hot buffet section.



Good. I was wondering where the bacon was.



PrincessInOz said:


> For food alone, no. But factor in the floor show and it’s a probably yes. Compared to US pricing….it IS expensive.



Sounds reasonable, but I think it's something you gotta do, and I really liked the borders that Disney added, makes the pictures look great!


----------



## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> *Rainy Day Strategy #3 – Walk around the Park in One Direction *



This is a good strategy regardless of the weather....



PrincessInOz said:


> It’s no wonder that my stepper app told me that I had walked over 29,000 steps yesterday.



OMG! I would have been stuck in bed for the next three days if I walked that much!



PrincessInOz said:


> Rainy Day Strategy #3 is one that you probably should adopt for any park; rain, hail, snow or shine.



Oh. OK. I think I said that too. 



PrincessInOz said:


> My plan of attack for today would have me taking a path around the park like this



Looks reasonable.



PrincessInOz said:


> Rainy Day Strategy #4 – Spend Time doing Meet and Greets



That works, as long as they're inside.



PrincessInOz said:


> The wait time was 5 minutes.



Wow!



PrincessInOz said:


> everyone else walked PAST Mickey in his official Shanghai Disneyland jacket. I guess the Chinese haven’t yet worked out who he is!



Evidently, what did they think they were waiting for?  His jacket is so cute!



PrincessInOz said:


> As I was a comic fan-girl from waaaay back, I was totally celebrating that entry of the Marvel Universe into the Disney Empire.



I wasn't a fan of comic books so this is becoming an education process for me. Fran and I are going to eventually have to have a binge weekend where we catch up on the Marvel Universe. As of now we're about 10% in.



PrincessInOz said:


> Yes, I know the Tower of Terror in DCA is undergoing a Guardians of the Galaxy transformation right now. But that doesn't quite stack up to an entire land.



Just wait. Buh-bye Hollywodland. Hello Marvel Universe.



PrincessInOz said:


> Right next to Spidey was another All-American hero. Again, he was just pacing around….waiting, waiting, waiting.



Him I know....at least in the 1940s, still have to see him in modern day...



PrincessInOz said:


> Rainy Day Strategy #5 – Repeat Rides as much as Possible



I can see that working out.



PrincessInOz said:


> Thankfully, the gun is based on the DLR version so you get to remove it from the holster for better aim.



That's good to know! I don't want to ride in WDW anymore.

Continuing to play catch up! Be back for more gotta start my day!


----------



## WanderlustNZ

Great rainy day strategy and great pics of the characters. 

DH, the biggest Star Wars fan I know, walked past as I was reading your post and caught the pic of Kylo Ren (which is awesome by the way).  While he enjoys Disney, he doesn't have the urge to visit often like us Disney fans do.  However, any mention of a Star Wars ride or exhibit and his eyes glow up.  So, for what little it's worth, my DH gives your rainy day strategy of hanging out with Star Wars characters a big nod of approval.


----------



## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> But I will admit that I completely avoid any food that has GMO in it.



You're lucky to be able to do that.  They have been in use so long over here, that some things are hardly available without GMOs.  I had a very good lesson in them from a fellow DISer who is a farmer in the Midwest.



PrincessInOz said:


> Dr Jumba’s illegal genetic Experiment 626 was designed to be bulletproof, shockproof, fireproof and can think faster than a supercomputer. Experiment 626 is reputed to destroy everything he touches. No wonder my DM was shocked to run into him!



Well I'm glad he didn't destroy your Mom!



PrincessInOz said:


> This is one instance where I’m glad the handler takes better pictures than the official PP tog.



That really was a blurry picture, I'm surprised they gave it to you.  



PrincessInOz said:


> I’m going to be waiting a few years before being able to hit any Star Wars land in the US parks. For now, the Star Wars Launch Bay will just have to do.



So is everyone else.     But Launch Bay is still a kind of cool place to check out.



PrincessInOz said:


> Rainy Day Strategy #6. You may have noticed a trend in my touring plans today. I was definitely seeking out any attraction that allowed me to stay indoors as much as possible.



We do that in Florida sometimes too when it's too bloody hot!



PrincessInOz said:


> No one messes with my DM!



she is so cute!



PrincessInOz said:


> There was no interaction in any language to speak of.



That's OK, still a cool photo op!



PrincessInOz said:


> The clips were all in English, with Chinese subtitles.



Makes sense, they show the film in DL and DHS, so it's much easier to just add the Chinese subtitles.



PrincessInOz said:


> There is an outdoor section to this attraction; but don’t be fooled in thinking you’ll get rained on. It’s completely covered in the Grid.



Nice.



PrincessInOz said:


> I think you can see examples of the cycles just outside the ride. I hope you can make out how the riders are positioning themselves on the ride in this picture.



Looks uncomfortable, but I assume it's a fairly short ride.


----------



## mvf-m11c

Very interesting details about the Disney PhotoPass at Shanghai. I rarely get pictures with the CM's at DL but it will be something worth trying if I go to Shanghai one day. Very nice character pictures along with everyone in those different photos.

Even though it was raining, you were able to do quite a lot of character meet and greet along with the indoor rides.


----------



## zanzibar138

PrincessInOz said:


> It’s no wonder that my stepper app told me that I had walked over 29,000 steps yesterday.



My fitbit has not been cooperating lately, but I will take your 29,000 steps and raise you a 5k run first thing and a 20 minute walk between the hotel and the park


----------



## Aussie Wendy

zanzibar138 said:


> My fitbit has not been cooperating lately, but I will take your 29,000 steps and raise you a 5k run first thing and a 20 minute walk between the hotel and the park



Your siggie says it all Upcoming Trip "2023 Extreme RunDisney". You crazy person you. You probably maxed a bit over 40,000 steps that first day- whew! but don't you wish you could train in a DL all the time!! though runs and walks through the Aussie bush are pretty good too.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Fairy Floss said:


> I have a DSLR one - it's good for my 100d
> I'll bring it to the next meeting and you can try it out



Happy to try it out; but it has to be a very sturdy one with fat legs to support my dSLR and lens.  It's usually the lens that's the issue.


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> OMG! I would have been stuck in bed for the next three days if I walked that much!



For the entire trip, our lowest step count on one of the days was 21,000. 
I was surprised that my mother managed to keep at it for that many days in a row.  But then.....she did leave the park to head back to the room at about 6 pm every day when we were in Shanghai.  She watched the fireworks from the room.







franandaj said:


> That works, as long as they're inside.



 I deliberately picked heading in the Tomorrowland direction because that's where a lot of pavilions are and the M&G were inside.  







franandaj said:


> Wow!



The benefit of rainy days.  Low crowds and low wait times.






franandaj said:


> Evidently, what did they think they were waiting for? His jacket is so cute!



Apparently.....to just look at the pictures.  That's the one thing that was noticeably different about Shanghai.  Disney characters are not that well-known.







franandaj said:


> I wasn't a fan of comic books so this is becoming an education process for me. Fran and I are going to eventually have to have a binge weekend where we catch up on the Marvel Universe. As of now we're about 10% in.



Hope you get that binge happening!  Have you seen Guardians of the Galaxy?  If you haven't, that's probably a good place to start because it'll be more meaningful with the ToT conversion.








franandaj said:


> Just wait. Buh-bye Hollywodland. Hello Marvel Universe.



It'll be interesting to see what happens to the Universal park after that!  









franandaj said:


> Him I know....at least in the 1940s, still have to see him in modern day...



Yes.  The Captain America movies are good.







franandaj said:


> I can see that working out.



My mother likes the Buzz ride; so it really worked well for us.







franandaj said:


> Continuing to play catch up! Be back for more gotta start my day!



You're doing great with your catching up!






franandaj said:


> You're lucky to be able to do that. They have been in use so long over here, that some things are hardly available without GMOs. I had a very good lesson in them from a fellow DISer who is a farmer in the Midwest.



It's getting harder here too.  DH is totally avoiding canola oil.  He will eat corn if it is organic.  He's off soy as well.







franandaj said:


> Well I'm glad he didn't destroy your Mom!



Me too. 







franandaj said:


> That really was a blurry picture, I'm surprised they gave it to you.



Yeah.  But then....it was a very wet morning.  I'm not surprised that the tog was having problems with focus.  I know I was for the 2 rainy days.







franandaj said:


> Launch Bay is still a kind of cool place to check out.



I think the DLR version has somewhere that serves drinks?
The Launch Bay at Shanghai was just an exhibit hall.  








franandaj said:


> We do that in Florida sometimes too when it's too bloody hot!



Yes.  It's a completely different reason for staying indoors in Florida.






franandaj said:


> she is so cute!



  Yes she is.  She put me to shame with the way she posed with them.






franandaj said:


> Looks uncomfortable, but I assume it's a fairly short ride.



It wasn't as uncomfortable as it looked.  If you've been on a horse or ridden a motorbike, it's about the same sort of positioning.

The ride is probably about as long as RnRC or Space.  Not long enough!


----------



## PrincessInOz

mvf-m11c said:


> Very interesting details about the Disney PhotoPass at Shanghai. I rarely get pictures with the CM's at DL but it will be something worth trying if I go to Shanghai one day. Very nice character pictures along with everyone in those different photos.
> 
> Even though it was raining, you were able to do quite a lot of character meet and greet along with the indoor rides.



It's worth getting at WDW if you're there for an extended period as well.  Between the 4 parks, there are enough togs to make it worth while.  Especially if you go seek out the magic shots.


My DM and I figured that we were there.  No point staying in the room because it was wet; so we just did as much as we could and stayed out of the wet as much as possible.


----------



## PrincessInOz

zanzibar138 said:


> My fitbit has not been cooperating lately, but I will take your 29,000 steps and raise you a 5k run first thing and a 20 minute walk between the hotel and the park




I figure you do twice the amount of steps I do in a day.  No bet.  The pot's all yours!!  





Aussie Wendy said:


> Your siggie says it all Upcoming Trip "2023 Extreme RunDisney". You crazy person you. You probably maxed a bit over 40,000 steps that first day- whew! but don't you wish you could train in a DL all the time!! though runs and walks through the Aussie bush are pretty good too.


----------



## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> For the entire trip, our lowest step count on one of the days was 21,000.



When I wore a fitbit, I was happy on the days that I hit my 10,000 step goal. A few times I hit 14 or 15K and my body really felt it. There was one day in my life when I did 21,000 and that was the main day that we moved. It was excruciating and I'm pretty sure I soaked in my tub and did almost nothing for the next couple days!



PrincessInOz said:


> Hope you get that binge happening! Have you seen Guardians of the Galaxy?



I've seen the first one. That was good, in fact I just watched it again on the cruise in February. Not sure if I'll see the second before we go ride the ride. It'll be 11 days from now.



PrincessInOz said:


> It'll be interesting to see what happens to the Universal park after that!



Well Universal still has the rights East of the Mississippi, but DCA will undergo a massive transformation. I don't rink the Hollywood Universal has much Marvel in it. Especially now that they added Harry Potter.



PrincessInOz said:


> It's getting harder here too. DH is totally avoiding canola oil.



I just learned about that one. I think next time I need to buy general cooking oil, I'll go with grapeseed. 



PrincessInOz said:


> I think the DLR version has somewhere that serves drinks?



Both DHS & DL have Cantina areas but neither actually serve any beverages.


----------



## zanzibar138

Aussie Wendy said:


> Your siggie says it all Upcoming Trip "2023 Extreme RunDisney". You crazy person you. You probably maxed a bit over 40,000 steps that first day- whew! but don't you wish you could train in a DL all the time!! though runs and walks through the Aussie bush are pretty good too.



Yep, crazy person I am 

I would definitely take running around Disneyland any day of the week - it's nice and flat there too 



PrincessInOz said:


> I figure you do twice the amount of steps I do in a day.  No bet.  The pot's all yours!!



My regular days are actually pretty sedentary. The joys of a desk job.


----------



## darrenf67

PrincessInOz said:


> *An Illuminating Establishment – Lumiere’s Kitchen*
> 
> 
> 
> I'm generally an early riser so sleep-in only goes so far for me.
> 
> Good planning had 6 of us book in for a character breakfast at Lumiere’s Kitchen this morning.  Wendy and her DD opted out of this DisMeet.  Providence had our booking coincide with a wet morning.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Lumiere’s is one of only 3 table service establishments at Shanghai Disneyland.  Dining here for the character breakfast will set you back 248 Yuan; or about $50 in my money.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> $50 is comparatively pricey for a character breakfast; especially when you stack it up against the same offerings in the US.  But if it seems expensive by Western standards, it must seem exorbitant by Chinese standards.  I guess that’s why there are only 3 TS dining places at SDL and much more options for QS and snacks.  In any event, we figured it was going to be a good way to spend some Dis-time together.
> 
> 
> 
> With a name like Lumiere’s, it isn’t hard to guess what the theme of this establishment is.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There were Beauty and the Beast touches everywhere!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I know there had been a lot of rain but I have to admit that I was surprised to find that there were drips INSIDE this area of the resort.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> However, I did wonder if it was a function of a leaky plumbing system.  The others were to find later in the after that the plumbing had been turned off during the day.  Maybe they had to switch off the water to repair a leak or something.
> 
> 
> 
> We had booked our breakfast session for 7.30 – 7.45 am.  At this hour, and on a Monday morning, this place was empty!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Our table was by the window.  I’m guessing you won’t have any trouble picking out my DM.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The buffet area.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Whilst we were waiting for the others, I did take the opportunity to capture a few more details of the dining area.  This was the inner dining section.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It was an illuminating experience.  I loved the BatB touches here too.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I think this was my favourite section of the room.  Loved that mural.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I guess 7.45 – 8 am was a slightly more popular session.  By the time, I headed back to our table, there were a few more people in Lumiere’s…..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …..including my breakfast companions.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (Continued in Next Post)


Loved breakfast here


----------



## darrenf67

Agree with you TRON is amazing!


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> When I wore a fitbit, I was happy on the days that I hit my 10,000 step goal. A few times I hit 14 or 15K and my body really felt it. There was one day in my life when I did 21,000 and that was the main day that we moved. It was excruciating and I'm pretty sure I soaked in my tub and did almost nothing for the next couple days!



I think I definitely came home from China and HK feeling the steps!








franandaj said:


> I've seen the first one. That was good, in fact I just watched it again on the cruise in February. Not sure if I'll see the second before we go ride the ride. It'll be 11 days from now.



Not long to go.  I look forward to hearing all about the new theme!






franandaj said:


> I don't rink the Hollywood Universal has much Marvel in it. Especially now that they added Harry Potter.



Next time I head to SoCal, I think a trip to the dark side might be in order.






franandaj said:


> I just learned about that one. I think next time I need to buy general cooking oil, I'll go with grapeseed.



I'm using olive oil.  I know DH has a bunch of different oils as well.  






franandaj said:


> Both DHS & DL have Cantina areas but neither actually serve any beverages.



Hmmm.  No Cantina at the Shanghai version, drinks or otherwise.






zanzibar138 said:


> Yep, crazy person I am
> 
> I would definitely take running around Disneyland any day of the week - it's nice and flat there too










zanzibar138 said:


> My regular days are actually pretty sedentary. The joys of a desk job.



Tell me about it! 






darrenf67 said:


> Loved breakfast here



Lumiere's did serve a decent breakfast.







darrenf67 said:


> Agree with you TRON is amazing!


----------



## PrincessInOz

*On our way to Adventure Isle - Neverland got in the Way*




I’d spent all morning in Tomorrowland because it was the part of the park that had the most number of indoor activities.  Try as hard as I did to implement as many rainy day strategies as possible, we couldn’t stay here forever and we couldn’t put off walking in the rain any longer.  We had to finally leave Tomorrowland and brave the rain.  







We hadn’t intended to detour but the stand-by sign said 5 minutes.  That was all the hook I needed.  







I didn’t think it was possible to get that low a number for this attraction but was happy to be proven otherwise.  And yes, we just kept walking right on up to this point before we had to stop and wait.







The wait time was less than 5 minutes.  We were definitely flying through to Neverland today. 







We even had to wait for the doors to open!








“All the world is made of faith, and trust, and pixie dust.”







It’s such a darling nursery.  I love the rocking horse.







Wave goodbye, Nana.  We’re heading up to the rooftops of London.







I know it’s blurry….but I’m hoping @franandaj or @mvf-m11c  can confirm if these projections can also be found in the DLR or WDW version.







It didn’t take long for us to reach Neverland.  It was just “second star to the right and straight on til morning”.








“I suppose it's like the ticking crocodile, isn't it? Time is chasing after all of us.”







“I’m a codfish.”








“All children, except one, grow up.”








“To live will be an awfully big adventure.”









When we got back from Neverland, we kept on heading to Adventure Isle.



(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Rainy Day Strategy #7 – Go See all Live Stage Shows (Tarzan: Call of the Jungle)*





*Rainy Day Strategy #7.  Check out the daily show guide and plan your tour plans around all and any stage shows.  Afterall, the aim of the game on a rainy day is to stay indoors as much as possible.*




My first trip to WDW was back in 2005.  I was totally blown away by how vast the World was and how different the 4 theme parks were.  So many things stayed with me from that trip.  One of which was a stage show called Tarzan Rocks.


Tarzan Rocks played at Animal Kingdom’s Theatre in the Wild, where Finding Nemo The Musical currently resides.  It’s been consigned to the Disney extinction list and I’ve always regretted never being able to see it a second time.  Afterall, the show featured the fantastic music of Phil Collins, all sung live, plus rollerbladers and acrobats zooming all around the stage performing mesmerising stunts, flips, jumps and anything else that just seemed impossible to do on wheels!  Without being 'punny' about it, Tarzan Rocks will always Be in my Heart.


When I found out that there was a Tarzan stage show at Shanghai Disneyland, this production rocketed up in my list of must-do’s.   On a rainy day, it was an even more perfect attraction to hit as it took us out of the wet.  Even better, we managed to catch up with Aussie Wendy and her DD in the queue.  








This version does feature a retelling of the Edgar Rice Burroughs story of the orphan Tarzan being brought up by apes.  At least, I think it does.  Aside from the music, everything else is in Mandarin.








I had hoped that we might see a similarly thrilling version and I have to admit that, secretly, I had hoped to see the roller-derby being pulled out again.  







Sadly, it was not to be.








We got a version featuring the sort of acrobatics that you would expect to see in a Chinese Cultural dinner show.








There sure was no monkeying around in this show.








It was all a hop,








.....skip,









....and jump.









There were fight scenes that were all acrobatically choreographed and well carried out.








There were even some uplifting moments.















I have to admit that a lot of the Chinese acrobatics just seemed tame to me. 


























Particularly when I remember the rollerblading stunts of the show that Rocks.  But comparisons are a little unfair; especially given that Tarzan Rocks has been consigned to Disney archives.


Still…..there were sections of the show that were pure Disney gold.









Jane really lifted up the quality of the show for me.








Don’t get me wrong.  Tarzan wasn’t exactly a slouch either.  









He was really good as well.








Just put it down to a personal preference.  I really like aerial and trapeze artists and they are always highlights for me.







So, any show with aerial acrobatics in it is always going to score big in my book.







And in this production, any time Tarzan and Jane were interacting with each other, I could totally Feel the Love Tonight.








I totally loved the aerial dance.















The aerialist components of this Tarzan show were very good.  And if you’ve never seen the extinct version, this would be classed as pure Disney entertainment.  







For anyone who has seen Tarzan Rocks and loves that show.  This show will not draw the oohs and aahs that the roller derby moments do/did.  I also missed having a rock band on stage and the live performance singing of the Rock version.  But as I said, comparisons are a little unfair.




Besides, on a hot afternoon or a rainy day, this show probably becomes a must-do.  It’ll get you out of the elements for the queue wait time plus 30-minutes show time. 


Afterall, it's a Disney show, with classic music.  What's not to love?





(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## Fairy Floss

franandaj said:


> I've seen the first one. That was good, in fact I just watched it again on the cruise in February. Not sure if I'll see the second before we go ride the ride. It'll be 11 days from now.


We arrive in Disneyland in 11 days too - say hi! if you see me


----------



## PrincessInOz

*I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major Pirate (Jack Sparrow Stunt Show)*




Rain kept us following Rainy Day Strategy #7.  Afterall, the aim of the game on a rainy day is to stay indoors as much as possible.



After the Tarzan show, we parted company with Aussie Wendy and her DD after this show with promises to catch up for dinner.



From Adventure Isle, we headed towards Pirate Cove and straight to the Pirate Show.  The timing of the two shows at this time of day was such that we walked out of one theatre and straight into the other. 



We were fortunate enough to meet a mother and son and her sister in the foyer.   We now have tour guides in Chengdu; should we ever want to check out the pandas there.








I did try and capture the details in the foyer.













But it wasn’t long when things began to happen in that foyer.  There seemed to be a bit of audience participation required for clapping, laughing and general egging on the characters.  As it was in Mandarin, I really can’t tell you what it was about.




But……when did that ever stop me, right???


Gilbert and Sullivan would be proud to see their Pirates of Penzance casting by Disney!


I’m guessing this is the Pirate King.








It IS a Pirate Show…..so, let’s say this is Samuel, the Lieutenant.










It didn’t take long for Major-General Stanley to make an appearance.







And I thought Ruth was a woman…..but no matter.  We’ll go with Ruth.






After a while, we followed the crowd into the Theatre.








General Stanley’s daughter Mabel was warmly greeted on stage.








Turns out I got Ruth wrongly pegged.  Absolutely multi-talented indeed!







Our protagonist?  Who else but Frederic, the Pirate Apprentice.









So…..Frederic has finally reached the age of 21.  He was supposed to be apprenticed as a pilot.







But Ruth mis-heard and he was apprenticed as a pirate instead.







As Frederick is now 21, his apprenticeship is over and he leaves the ship in search of adventure.  Didn’t take him long to get into a fight.







I don’t remember cannons featuring in the Penzance show.








But after the fog cleared….







….Frederick’s trouble seemed to have gotten a whole heap worse.  You could say he was at a noose-end.








He miraculously found his way to the top…..







…and promptly fell....







…heels below head….






….for Mabel with the flicky hair.







After a bit of sparring with the Major-General....







The must have come to an understanding.  Because the Major-General bent over backwards to help him.  The very model of a Major-General indeed!







Pour O Pour the Pirate’s Sherry.  I’m pretty sure the Major-General and Frederick are trying to round up all the pirates!








Poor Wand’ring Me!







This is the spectacular bit of the show.  About 2/3 of the way into the show, there is a fight in mid-air.  







That’s an amazing horizontal wind machine they have as part of this show.  It allows for the fight scene to cover a lot of air…..







….up and down….







…down and up!  Yes!  The characters are literally floating in mid-air and fighting with each other.  They also move vertically during the fight scene and I found this section super impressive.








But back to the Pirate show.  There’s always a happy ending.







The hero always gets the girl.  Or, the girl always gets the hero.







Hip!  Hip!  Hooray!







Say goodbye to the Pirate King and his lieutenant.








Ok.  Perhaps Disney didn’t put on the Pirates of Penzance.  But hey…..I didn’t understand a word of the dialogue in here and that means I get creative license to play around with my images.   








It was a fun way to pass some time on a rainy afternoon.  I expect it would have been on my to-do list on a hot afternoon as well.  But if there was no rain and bigger crowds, I think this attraction could have been one I would have skipped because of the language barrier.  Perhaps Disney will install universal translators in the near future.  
Based on the crowd reaction, it could be a lot of fun.


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Another TR to follow along*



@zanzibar138 has also started her TR on this Aussie Dis-sers trip.  
Link is here or you can find it on the Other Lands section on the Dis.


----------



## Fairy Floss

PrincessInOz said:


> Ok. Perhaps Disney didn’t put on the Pirates of Penzance. But hey…..I didn’t understand a word of the dialogue in here and that means I get creative license to play around with my images.



I LOVED your take on it!
....and as usual, your photos are spectacular


----------



## zanzibar138

I really liked the Tarzan show. I guess it's because I didn't see the old one 

Loved your take on the Pirates show too. I have no idea what the actual storyline was, so we'll go with that 

And thanks for the shout out!


----------



## tiggrbaby

I remember that Tarzan show; it was really high energy and fun!  But the version you saw looks like it had its own charm.

Very immature of me, but I giggled at the monkey bums!

That pirate show looked amazing!


----------



## darrenf67

That wind machine action sequence was a highlight of the pirate show - pretty darn clever!


----------



## mvf-m11c

The Tarzan show is something I would like to see. I remember when I was at the D23 Expo in 2015 that talked about Shanghai Disneyland and this show. I never watched seen the show on video or on pictures until now. It looked very entertaining and I will have to watch it one day. But it is different from watching it in person than on video which isn't the same.

The Pirate show was interesting as well.


----------



## Aussie Wendy

Awesome pictures. We enjoyed the Tarzan show too, never having had anything to compare to and despite the language we also really liked the Pirates - could kind of get the gist and the wind tunnel fighting segment was excellent. I also quite liked the stand offs with the Admiral.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Fairy Floss said:


> We arrive in Disneyland in 11 days too - say hi! if you see me



Safe travels!  Have fun and look forward to hearing all about it.





Fairy Floss said:


> I LOVED your take on it!
> ....and as usual, your photos are spectacular



  Thank you.







zanzibar138 said:


> I really liked the Tarzan show. I guess it's because I didn't see the old one
> 
> Loved your take on the Pirates show too. I have no idea what the actual storyline was, so we'll go with that
> 
> And thanks for the shout out!



I liked the Tarzan show; but I really loved the roller derby version at DAK.








tiggrbaby said:


> I remember that Tarzan show; it was really high energy and fun!  But the version you saw looks like it had its own charm.
> 
> Very immature of me, but I giggled at the monkey bums!
> 
> That pirate show looked amazing!



Yes.  The Tarzan show was fun and I know I shouldn't compare.

The monkey bums were cute!








darrenf67 said:


> That wind machine action sequence was a highlight of the pirate show - pretty darn clever!



Yeah.  It really was the highlight of the show.






mvf-m11c said:


> The Tarzan show is something I would like to see. I remember when I was at the D23 Expo in 2015 that talked about Shanghai Disneyland and this show. I never watched seen the show on video or on pictures until now. It looked very entertaining and I will have to watch it one day. But it is different from watching it in person than on video which isn't the same.
> 
> The Pirate show was interesting as well.



Both the shows were entertaining at Shanghai.  Hope you get to see them sometime!  Maybe you could add it to a TDL trip?







Aussie Wendy said:


> Awesome pictures. We enjoyed the Tarzan show too, never having had anything to compare to and despite hte language we also really liked the Pirates - could kind of get the gist and the wind tunnel fighting segment was excellent. I also quite liked the stand offs with the General.



Thanks.

Tarzan was enjoyable.  I just really loved Tarzan Rocks.

Both shows were fun and a really good way to keep out of the rain that day.


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Rainy Day Strategy #8 – Enjoying a Hot Drink (Ovaltine is NOT Hot Chocolate!!!)*




We had eaten such a full breakfast that neither my mother or I had felt hungry that day.  At least, we hadn’t felt hungry until after the Jack Sparrow Stunt Show.  

We still weren’t feeling hungry but we were both thirsty and in need of a drink.  


*Rainy Day Strategy #8.  On a cold and rainy day, nothing cheers you up like a hot drink.  So, you might as well take time out and enjoy a hot drink.*


As we were right there, we headed in to Barbarossa’s Bounty to see if we could get something warm to drink.  Naturally, I was tempted in there.  We ended up getting this snack.  

CAUTION:  This picture MAY contain traces of nuts, sugar, milk solids, processed wheat products and oil.







Yup, as you would expect…..With that many ingredients that are considered on the naughty food list, it was DELICIOUS!


We also got Hot Chocolate.  I figured the chocolate would cheer me up.

This is what we were given for Hot Chocolate.







Ummmm.  Ovaltine is NOT Hot Chocolate.  At least, it’s not the kind that I’m used to.We had to use hot water to make the hot chocolate.  There was no milk involved!  


The drink did warm me up; but I'm not a fan of Ovaltine.  I made myself drink 2/3 of it.  I had to leave the rest of it behind.




(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*PotC Fully Loaded: Covering Old Ground*




There was another good thing to come out of our time in Barbarossa’s.  The SDL app had indicated that the PotC attraction was down but we noticed that the boats were running whilst we were having our not hot chocolate.  And they were filled with people!



So, we headed on next door as quickly as we could.



 




The wait times weren’t too bad.







The app did eventually update whilst we were in queue.   








With not very many people behind me, I held the queue up a little.







Afterall, we were undercover in the fort.








The Disney spirit was alive and well in this ride.  No one pushed ahead of us or hurried me up.








A 15-minute wait time will mean that you’ll have to wait in the ‘dungeon’ section of the queue.








It gave me the opportunity to shoot the Map Room.








It didn’t take us long to get to the top of the stairs.  I think it was about a 10-minute wait in total.







I asked if we could sit at the front.  Afterall, it is the best place to sit if you want to snap, snap, snap away in this attraction.  The CM was happy to let us wait for the next boat before letting us board in the front.







Front of the line, with the Pirate Lord of Singapore ahead of us!







With a clear view ahead.  







I somehow suspect that Disney Imagineers took a hard look at the Willie Wonker Wonkavator, which can go sideways and slantways and longways and backways and frontways and squareways and any ways you can think of, when they were designing this ride. 

The tracks for this attraction are one of the reasons why this ride works the way it does.   Suffice to say, it’s a magnetic track system that allows the bateaus to travel frontways, backways, upways, downways and sideways. It can speed up or slow down, maintain vehicle to vehicle spacing, and can synchronize show elements exactly to the position of the vehicle.


The talking skull…..all in Mandarin…..looks straight out of DLR.  I might even know someone with a replica of this prop in their home!








It didn’t take us long to clear the Fortress Snobbish area.








We headed into Barbarossa’s Bounty waterfront area again.  I guess this puts a completely different spin to the “backside of the waterfall”, right?








The “Dead Man’s Grotto” section of the Shanghai version.







They call this the Cave of Misfortune. 







I think we all recognise some of these scenes.







It’s not a true Mickey Head….but that lock could be a hidden Mickey.







Poor unfortunate souls.








I think we got up to meeting Jack Sparrow yesterday.










For anyone not wanting to see the new version of this ride, stop now.  Go back.  I'll be fully loaded in the next post.




(You've been warned about the spoilers!!)








(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*PotC Fully Loaded: Finding the Sunken Treasure At Last*



Yesterday, when I first got on the ride, my memory card filled up just after we met Jack Sparrow and I was left stumped for words after that point.  


Not so this time round!


From here on end, it’s the ride imitating the movie series.


The magic of this ride is the way it takes you into the Graveyard of Lost Ships.  Those magnetic tracks made me feel like we were completely submerging down into the bottom of Davy Jones’ locker.







The projection system completely makes this an awesome experience.  The curved screen in here puts Soarin’ and IMAX to shame!  And it’s HUGE!  When that Kraken rose up, it was just gobsmacking larger than life.







I reckon that screen covers about 270 degrees inside the Graveyard.  For anyone who doesn’t want to lose the magic…don’t look back and up.


Even better than the new tracks and the projection system……somehow, Disney have managed to merge the physical 3D world with the 2D world and make it all seem so real.  There were times where it was impossible to work out where one realm stopped and the other started.








Pure magic!







Another turn and we headed into Davy Jones’ lair.   There are two unfortunate souls that will be in those stockades for a long, long, long time.  The animatronics are pure Disney and absolutely amazing. 







Again, there were angles in here where I couldn’t tell the difference between 3D reality and 2D projection.







This ride is all about the Battle for the Sunken Treasure.







We definitely found the treasure.







The extent of Disney theming can be found in the details…..check out the barnacles on the prow of the boat!








As the first version of the Pirates ride to be based entirely on the movie series, the audio-animatronics in here were straight out of big screen.

Audio-animatronics have come a long way from the Tiki Room.   Instead of using pneumatics and hydraulics to operate them, these days, AA use high speed computers and sensors to control speech and movement.  It’s no wonder that Maccus seems larger than life!   







And if his first mate didn’t impress you, Davy Jones, himself, can also be found as an example of life imitating art.  







Both were stunningly amazing.


Another turn and we hit another massive curved IMAX screen.  This time, we were rising up, up and up.








Straight into the middle of battleships!














Upways, downways, sideways, slantways and backways…..







The battle was raging all around and being completely immersed in it, I hardly noticed the splash and drop that came with this part of the ride.







All his dialogue was in Mandarin.  I guess he was happy to have found treasure and to see us again.








Another turn and we were back.







It’s a close call between this attraction and Tron for Best-In-Park.  I’m calling it a tie.  Both rides are absolutely amazing and will be the reasons why I’d be happy to head back to Shanghai Disneyland anytime!








(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*The Lure of the Siren Was Wasted on Me (Siren’s Revenge)*




After being immersed in all things pirates, it was little wonder that there was an attraction in Treasure Cove that my DM wanted to explore.







The lure of the Siren was strong for my DM and I was happy enough to go along with the suggestion.  







Besides, it looked empty in there.







There were some quirky figureheads in this area.







I guess you could call it cutting edge.







The Siren’s Revenge is a full-scale replica of a pirate’s ship.  I’m sure someone here can confirm if Joshamee Gibbs was it’s captain.







I remember feeling rather cold in here and that probably explains why my pictures are rather pedestrian.



 



I sure didn’t give myself enough rope in here to capture the essence of the ship.







Everything just seemed a little flat to me.







Talk about clangers…..







….and leaving things to hang and dry!







Still, I think my DM had a good time looking around.







It took me a while to see through the fog I was in.







I did eventually realise that the view from the deck was stunning.








I really need to get back on this ship next time and give it a closer look.








It might just be worth checking out, if you have time and if there are no crowds.



(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Back to My Happy Place in the Jungle (Happy Circle Meet and Greet)*




It was still spitting a little when we headed out of Treasure Cove.  At least, it was a heavy rain anymore.







We were heading into Adventure Isle when I realised that we were walking past a Meet and Greet area.







There was a group ahead of us; so wait time was probably 5 minutes.

Of all the Jungle Book characters, Baloo is my favourite!  I may have even been (badly) singing the Bare Necessities of Life when I gave him a hug.














Sadly, I didn’t get an individual shot of Baloo.  Surprisingly, there was another group behind us and we were hustled out of there by the CM.


We found King Louie next door.








He was happy to pose for me.







Photopass came in handy here as well.









If nothing else, meeting Baloo and King Louie put me in a happy frame of mind for the rest of the night.








(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Walking Our Way out of the Park*




After our Jungle Book encounter, we kept on walking around.  With the rain, I wonder how busy the Challenge Trails had been today.  It would have been super slippery on the rope courses.







Roaring Rapids was down for scheduled maintenance.









It’s an all too familiar look for me.  I’ve seen Grizzly Bear Rapids in the same state.







Roaring Rapids will remain something for me to come back for.







I’ll be chomping at the bit to get on it next time.







I got my answer about how quiet it had been here today.  If you can read it, Soarin’ stand-by wait time is 5 minutes.  And there are still fast passes available!







If we had wanted to go on them, the Explorer Canoes were also a 5-minute wait.







I did try and capture some of the details in this part of the park.







But we had arranged to meet Wendy and her DD for dinner and needed to head out to make our date with them.







I think my DM was also feeling the cold and was over the wet at this time.  She hustled out even faster than me!







Sadly, the drizzle started to get a little bit heavier by the time we made it to the Wandering Moon Teahouse.







I did feel sorry for the CM standing out there.







We cut across the Garden of Imagination from one side of the Castle…..








….to the other.







We were heading towards Disneytown!


----------



## tiggrbaby

Whoa!!!  That POTC is unreal!  

The pics of you and your mom with the characters are adorable!


----------



## franandaj

Nice pictures in the shows.  Too bad they didn't have subtitles or some element for the non Mandarin speakers.  I think this is going to be our most disappointing part if we ever get there.  Not knowing what is going on.  I like your idea of making up the stories as you go along!  



Fairy Floss said:


> We arrive in Disneyland in 11 days too - say hi! if you see me



We're going to DCA that day mainly to ride Guardians of the Galaxy, and my Mom wants to get on Soarin'.  Those are the only firm plans so far, other than dinner at the Uva Bar and Cafe.  I'll keep a lookout for you!


----------



## zanzibar138

PrincessInOz said:


> Ummmm. Ovaltine is NOT Hot Chocolate. At least, it’s not the kind that I’m used to.We had to use hot water to make the hot chocolate. There was no milk involved!



For the record, I got a real hot chocolate at the Sunnyside Marketplace at the Toy Story Hotel, so it is around.



PrincessInOz said:


> There was another good thing to come out of our time in Barbarossa’s. The SDL app had indicated that the PotC attraction was down but we noticed that the boats were running whilst we were having our not hot chocolate. And they were filled with people!



Lucky you! Love your run-through of this ride.



PrincessInOz said:


>



Typical PIO - caught mid-click!



PrincessInOz said:


> I did eventually realise that the view from the deck was stunning.



Yep, that was definitely the best part of that attraction. Although I do regret not going aboard for a better look this time around. Last time I could hardly move with all the people!



PrincessInOz said:


> Sadly, I didn’t get an individual shot of Baloo. Surprisingly, there was another group behind us and we were hustled out of there by the CM.



That is surprising. On my previous trip I found the CMs at Happy Circle to be among the most laidback I had met!



PrincessInOz said:


> If nothing else, meeting Baloo and King Louie put me in a happy frame of mind for the rest of the night.



I also regret not going back to my happy place on this day! I'm sure it would have helped my mood 



PrincessInOz said:


> After our Jungle Book encounter, we kept on walking around. With the rain, I wonder how busy the Challenge Trails had been today. It would have been super slippery on the rope courses.



I'm surprised the Challenge Trails were even open in that kind of weather! I wouldn't have thought it would be much fun!



PrincessInOz said:


> I got my answer about how quiet it had been here today. If you can read it, Soarin’ stand-by wait time is 5 minutes. And there are still fast passes available!







PrincessInOz said:


> I did try and capture some of the details in this part of the park.



You did a great job 



PrincessInOz said:


>



Ooh! Love this angle!


----------



## darrenf67

POTC was an absolute highlight - we rode it 4 times i think. Outstanding


----------



## Aussie Wendy

PIO captured the pics beautifully but you can't represent the sheer amazement of that huge screen incorporating projection and 3D elements and riding through it - has to be experienced! A bit like just taking pictures in Soarin'. And yes I thought typical PIO caught taking a pic!

That hot chocolate was not inviting! Yep we got real hot chocolate from Toy Story Hotel the previous day too.  

We spent some time on Siren's Revenge the next day and it was quiet even though it was a fine day. You did notice the pictures talked to you though in Mandarin so not sure what they were saying? and among the bunks I forget what - kittens meowing perhaps, people snoring. That big map you can actually twirl the inner map to different points as per the map in the movie. We had a dude that we couldn't work out if he was a CM or a cosplay (but didn't think they were allowed) in the boat with us and on the quay but saw him later elsewhere further afield than just those surrounds which would be odd normally (unless it was a long way to an CM exit).

DD wonders if there were some hints from the next Pirates movie embedded in the ship as they have done that before.  

I am jealous of your and Zanzibar's pics with Jungle Book characters. I only realised belatedly that M&G was there and then every time we went past I could only see King Louie who I really do not like but if Baloo had been there I would have jumped in line!

I agree the castle with the flowers in front is a brilliant pic.


----------



## PrincessInOz

tiggrbaby said:


> Whoa!!! That POTC is unreal!



It is an unreal attraction.  The pictures don't do it full justice.






tiggrbaby said:


> The pics of you and your mom with the characters are adorable!



Thanks.  I'm so glad we got so many pictures together.  It was one of my highlights for this trip.






franandaj said:


> Nice pictures in the shows. Too bad they didn't have subtitles or some element for the non Mandarin speakers. I think this is going to be our most disappointing part if we ever get there. Not knowing what is going on. I like your idea of making up the stories as you go along!



I hope it's a matter of time before they add subtitles.  I know we all know the stories and everything....but I would still like the subtitles.






zanzibar138 said:


> For the record, I got a real hot chocolate at the Sunnyside Marketplace at the Toy Story Hotel, so it is around.



Well....at least we know it's available.






zanzibar138 said:


> Lucky you! Love your run-through of this ride.



Thanks.  I hope you got on the ride as well?







zanzibar138 said:


> Typical PIO - caught mid-click!



For some reason.....all my on-ride pictures look like that; except for TRON and a couple from Buzz.  I really don't know why at all.  







zanzibar138 said:


> I do regret not going aboard for a better look this time around.



We definitely have to go back then.  







zanzibar138 said:


> That is surprising. On my previous trip I found the CMs at Happy Circle to be among the most laidback I had met!



The group behind me had 2 kids.  And I think the kids were running in, so we were hustled out.






zanzibar138 said:


> I'm surprised the Challenge Trails were even open in that kind of weather! I wouldn't have thought it would be much fun!



I was surprised as well.  Although, I do wonder if anyone was *brave* enough?







zanzibar138 said:


> Ooh! Love this angle!



I'm glad I spotted it!


----------



## PrincessInOz

darrenf67 said:


> POTC was an absolute highlight - we rode it 4 times i think. Outstanding



 I think that was the same number I got up to over the 3 days.  It's such a great attraction.







Aussie Wendy said:


> PIO captured the pics beautifully but you can't represent the sheer amazement of that huge screen incorporating projection and 3D elements and riding through it - has to be experienced! A bit like just taking pictures in Soarin'. And yes I thought typical PIO caught taking a pic!



Agreed.  The pics don't do it justice.  







Aussie Wendy said:


> That hot chocolate was not inviting! Yep we got real hot chocolate from Toy Story Hotel the previous day too.



That was definitely NOT a hot chocolate! 







Aussie Wendy said:


> We spent some time on Siren's Revenge the next day and it was quiet even though it was a fine day. You did notice the pictures talked to you though in Mandarin so not sure what they were saying? and among the bunks I forget what - kittens meowing perhaps, people snoring. That big map you can actually twirl the inner map to different points as per the map in the movie.



I really wasn't feeling the love on Siren's Revenge.  Definitely felt cold and didn't poke about.  So, I completely missed the hidden details.  But I did notice Barbarossa talking to us.  Didn't understand a single word.







Aussie Wendy said:


> DD wonders if there were some hints from the next Pirates movie embedded in the ship as they have done that before.



I guess we'll find out when the next one opens in the theatres!







Aussie Wendy said:


> I am jealous of your and Zanzibar's pics with Jungle Book characters. I only realised belatedly that M&G was there and then every time we went past I could only see King Louie who I really do not like but if Baloo had been there I would have jumped in line!



That's a shame.  I always try and hunt out Baloo if I can.  Next trip!







Aussie Wendy said:


> I agree the castle with the flowers in front is a brilliant pic.



Thanks!


----------



## WanderlustNZ

It's so great to see the Chinese touches within the park.  
Also, that castle is pretty spectacular. Remind me, what Princess does it belong to?


----------



## PrincessInOz

WanderlustNZ said:


> It's so great to see the Chinese touches within the park.
> Also, that castle is pretty spectacular. Remind me, what Princess does it belong to?



Enchanted Storybook Castle is the first one to be dedicated to Disney Princesses.


----------



## Fairy Floss

PrincessInOz said:


> I'm glad I spotted it!


So am I - just beautiful!!


----------



## knewton64

Getting ideas for my next DISney adventure and I see yours......





Just made my day -


Getting caught up..........





T.T.F.N.
&
CHEERS Y'ALL


----------



## PrincessInOz

Fairy Floss said:


> So am I - just beautiful!!



Thank you.  





knewton64 said:


> Getting ideas for my next DISney adventure and I see yours......
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just made my day -
> 
> 
> Getting caught up..........
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> T.T.F.N.
> &
> CHEERS Y'ALL




  Hi Kris!  Long time no see.  Hope you've been well.

The Asian parks are worth a trip!


----------



## franandaj

Pirates sounds like a neat ride, and your pictures are all the spoiler that I want to know.  I don't plan on watching any videos of it in case I actually make it there one day.  Too bad you weren't feeling it on that ship, but I can see that a walk through pirateish attraction wouldn't have the thrill factor of some of the other rides you've already done.  

Sounds like you mostly avoided the rain, but I can see that after a while, you just get sick and tired of slogging around with wet feet and pants.  Nice pics with Baloo and King Louie on the way out.


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> Pirates sounds like a neat ride, and your pictures are all the spoiler that I want to know.  I don't plan on watching any videos of it in case I actually make it there one day.  Too bad you weren't feeling it on that ship, but I can see that a walk through pirateish attraction wouldn't have the thrill factor of some of the other rides you've already done.



I did have a small internal debate about posting the pictures; but then I figured that if you didn't want to see them, you'd avoid them and move along to the next post.

Yes.  I'm definitely going to have to give that ship another look-over at some stage.






franandaj said:


> Sounds like you mostly avoided the rain, but I can see that after a while, you just get sick and tired of slogging around with wet feet and pants.  Nice pics with Baloo and King Louie on the way out.



I was definitely getting very tired of the rain on that second afternoon.  Still....when at Disney, you just have to make the most of it.  Irrespective of what the weather is.


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Rainy Day Strategy #9 – On a Rainy Day, it’s Time for Disneytown*




By this time of the day, both my DM and I were completely over the wet, wet and wet.  I know we spent as much time indoors as possible but the rain really put a damper on our spirits.


We had arranged to meet Aussie Wendy and her DD for dinner and there was still a little time to go before our date; but we figured we might as well head on out and spend some time doing a little window shopping.


*Rainy Day Strategy #9.  On a rainy day, there’s always time to go shopping.  Especially when Disneytown is right there.  *


You step into Disneytown the moment you leave the turnstiles at the exit near Tomorrowland.  







We checked out some of the food options here.  There were a few familiar chains.







I was keen to check out Spoonful of Sugar.







It’s not quite Marceline’s or Goofy’s Kitchen….but it contains all the basic essentials you’d expect for this sugar food group.














FairyFloss is a highly talented cookie maker.  I’m hoping that she might make us a batch of either Mickey or Minnie cookies at some stage.  No pressure.














Baymax seems to be popular in Shanghai.  







We looked around a bit more but didn’t stay too much longer.








By this stage, it was time for us to go meet Wendy and her DD.




(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Rainy Day Strategy #10 – It’s Always worth Lingering over another Meal (Crystal Jade)*



It started to drizzle again when we caught up with Wendy.  It won’t come as any surprise that they also had enough of the rain as well.  Low crowds are preferable but quite honestly, after 2 days of wetness, I would happily trade the rain for more bodies.


After a little discussion, we all decided that we wanted Chinese for dinner tonight.







*Rainy Day Strategy #10.  It’s always worth linger over a meal on a rainy day!  Heck……it’s worth lingering over TWO meals on a rainy day.*




Somehow, we missed the main entrance and foyer area.  We entered through the door on the right and were shown to our seats.







If we had entered through the main entrance, we would have stepped into their reception area.







In any event, we were too busy working what to order to really care what entrance we came through.







Crystal Jade is a Singapore-based brand with one Michelin star and a couple of Michelin Bib Gourmand awards.  There are over 100 restaurants spread across 25 major cities.  For those in the US, you’ll find a Crystal Jade at the Embarcadero Centre, with views to the Ferry Building, in San Francisco.  For those in Australia, we have yet to have the pleasure of a Crystal Jade.







I left the ordering to my mother and Aussie Wendy, with one request.  I needed some Hot and Sour soup to thaw me out from the cold and from the sugar rush of Spoonful of Sugar.   The soup was tasty enough but it did lack a bit of depth to the soup base.







The mixed vegetables with oyster sauce was decent.  Aside from the vegetables, there was a selection of mushroom and fungi.  I know fungi may not be to everyone’s taste buds; but it was for mine.







We also ordered a beans with a minced meat.  I think it could have been a pork mince.







The dish was delicious.  But it was the plate decoration that had us all oohing and aahing.   It was very delicate and pretty and one of the chefs in the kitchen must have spent a lot of time practising how to make it look so good.








The dish that drew the most amount of commentary from the table?







We had all agreed that we wanted chicken.  Given that we had dined together in Shanghai and shared ½ duck, we figured we would be better going for a whole chicken this time round.  








Nope.  You aren’t seeing things.  The whole chicken……..WAS whole.







But aside from the value-added head and comb, it was the pinkness of the chicken that had 2.5 of us gasping.  I suspect it was way too pink for Wendy and her DD.  I was the half.  It was barely acceptable for me…..and I do remember eating pink chicken in my youth.  

My DM did her best to tell Wendy that that’s how chicken is cooked in Asia…..and I do remember eating pink chicken in my youth.  
It wasn’t until I came home and unpacked my pictures before I realised how pink that chicken was.  It looked a little different and more cooked under the tungsten lighting.  If I had taken a proper look at the colour, I suspect that Wendy and I would have insisted it go back to the kitchen for another round of cooking.




We did stay in the warmth for as long as possible.  But the park was still opened and we figured we needed to make the most of our time here.  So, we rugged back up and headed on out.








(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*The Lights of Tron at Night*



We used the Tomorrowland entrance to head back into the park.  At this time of night, it was a straight walk-in after bag check. 







If you’re wondering about the round orb on the left hand side, that’s the Jet Packs ride.  It’s Shanghai’s version of Astro Orbitor.



We weren’t looking for any rides, but wanted to capture Tron at night. So, we headed over in this direction.







The lights make this area very pretty at night.








From this angle, you can see what a rush this ride is.







Check out where the vehicles have headed to.  I think you can work out the tight corner and imagine the possible g-force as well.








And it goes fast!








I could have stayed here for a bit longer.  I really liked the pretty colours.














And as much as we would have liked to go on, we figured we needed to head to the Gardens of Imagination area if we were going to get a position for Ignite the Night.






(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Igniting the Nightmare (Wishing for a New Camera Body)*



The theme for this day had been wet, wet and more wet.  Whilst the rain had eventually let up a little in the late afternoon, it was still spitting when we left Crystal Jade.  


My DM had decided that she was heading back to the room after dinner.  She’s always been smarter than me.  On hindsight, I think I should have followed her lead and head back to the room as well.  Because…..when we were taking pictures of Tron at night, I found myself feeling rather cold.  


Wet and cold did not make for a good combination.   Still…..I had hoped to try for more pictures of Ignite the Dream so we headed on over to the Gardens of Imagination to grab a spot.  


I guess everyone had the same idea because when we got there, the middle areas of Gardens (with a central view of the castle) were full of people and umbrellas.  None of us were in the mood for crowds tonight.   So, we headed on over to a part of the Gardens that we will just call Zanzibar’s view.  


Zanzibar had told us about this spot on the Dumbo side of Gardens where the path widened up to a small landing/balcony.  You’ll find pictures of what this view looks like in her Opening Day TR.  If you get a spot right against the railing, it is an awesome spot to view Ignite the Dream from.








I thought I’d struck on a brilliant idea for how to take pictures of the show without a tripod pod.







I had hoped that there would be trash cans in this section.   I figured that if there was a trash can, I’d be able to use it as a tripod replacement.  It was all going to plan when I realised that there were 2 of them located right in the middle of this balcony section.


I gleefully pounced and started to set up.  This was when Ignite the Dream became more of an Ignite the Nightmare for me.   I’d forgotten to factor in the wet.  The top of the trash can was wet and it was slippery.  The camera and the green pod I was sitting it on just moved about too much.  Plus, when I leant on the can to try and balance the camera, my jacket got soaked from the rain that had beaded along the side of the trash can.

Talk about a damp squib!  I ditched that idea rather quickly and resorted to shooting this show hand held after that.








To make matters worse, I thought that my camera was having difficulties focussing on the castle.







Since coming home and looking at the shots, I definitely think that the focus is just a little off.  







Sadly, it’s the first time I’ve felt that my beloved camera body needing replacing.  Sure….I’ve wanted a new camera body before.  But I’ve never felt that I’ve *needed* a new body until this moment.  It was as if a light bulb had gone off in my head.







So….I’ve called this chapter Igniting the Nightmare.   Not that it was a true nightmare but it was a nightmare of a feeling.  The worst feeling in the world is that moment of realisation when you finally know that you’re ready for a new camera and being in the middle of one of the best photographic opportunities in the world!







It will be a moment that will remain frozen in my long-term memory.







It wasn’t all bad.  I couldn’t do anything about the camera at this point but I could and did continue to shoot the show. 








Afterall, we were right there…..in the middle of Ignite the Dream.








I really liked the castle projections.







And even if I would have preferred more fireworks, the ones that were included in the show enhanced the viewing experience.







It is definitely a show where the projections, lasers, fireworks and water fountains all come together.








As far as viewing the show was concerned, this spot is great if you don’t want to be surrounded by the crowds.  







I don’t know what it would be like if there were a lot more people in the park.  But I guess no where is good if there were tons of people in the park.








The only thing about this position is that if you want to be able to view the projections in detail, you may want to get a lot closer.




















On this particular night, it was definitely a nice spot away from the madding crowds.









I just wished I had a new camera body!!!!!




(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Rainy Day Strategy #11 - Head back to the Resort Early*




After Ignite the Dream, we all opted to headed back to the resort.  We did debate staying and looking in the shops but it was starting to spit a little heavier at this stage.  And we were a little frozen.








*Rainy Day Strategy #11 - Head back to the Resort Early!!  Afterall, there is nothing like staying in a warm room to get out of the rain.*




Yeah.  We opted to head back to the resort and thaw out.  Disney Transport was waiting for us, so it wasn’t long before we were back home.


I got back to the room and decided to try my luck at Concierge.  We were within our 48-hour window for our flight out of Shanghai and I really wanted to have our boarding passes printed out.   Concierge was very obliging.  Lucy was super helpful and even asked if we wanted window or aisle seats.  







I left feeling rather Joy-ful.








Since I was down at the lobby, I figured I might as well grab a few more shots.  I hadn’t really gotten a standard shot of the musical Fab 5 statue.








And I realised that I hadn’t captured the musical details properly either.  It was a good night to fill the gap in my collection.







I was also seeking details tonight.







I loved the Art Nouveau pieces.







The spring flowers looked pretty and I was tempted for another shot.







I didn't stay long in the lobby.  It was definitely a night to get warm in the room and head to bed early.



I had looked for Hidden Mickeys the previous night.  I missed spotting this one!







And as I headed back to the room, I also missed the ones in the hallway carpet the night before.







Guess I had been pretty unobservant till now!







It was definitely time for a hot shower and an early night!  I went to bed hoping that the rain would stop.


----------



## tiggrbaby

The plate at the restaurant was lovely, but I just couldn't do that chicken!

Those Tron pictures are amazing!

Your pictures with a wonky camera body are far superior to anything I could do with new!


----------



## zanzibar138

Oh, that chicken did look pretty pink! Glad I decided not to join you for that one. The rest of the meal looked nice though, especially the beans with minced pork.

Nice shots of Tron and Tomorrowland at night. It really is a pretty area with all those lights.



PrincessInOz said:


> So, we headed on over to a part of the Gardens that we will just call Zanzibar’s view.



Love it! You are welcome to name any part of a Disney park you like after me 

Glad you enjoyed my spot. You got some lovely photos from there despite the issues with the rain and your camera.

And for the record, it was a great spot for me with the crowds of Opening Day. Started filling up about 20 minutes prior to showtime, but there was far less pushing and shoving than I've encountered in other spots.

Nice lot of details around the hotel too. Definitely worth keeping your eyes open around there!


----------



## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> I was definitely getting very tired of the rain on that second afternoon. Still....when at Disney, you just have to make the most of it. Irrespective of what the weather is.



I know just what you mean.  I had a day with @********* and his wife at Disneyland where we were caught in the rain.  It was one of their last days and they had done most everything they wanted, so we ended up going from bar to bar, but still we were stuck walking in the rain.  We got tired of it very quickly as well.



PrincessInOz said:


> You step into Disneytown the moment you leave the turnstiles at the exit near Tomorrowland.



I remember hearing that at D23, seems nice that it's not far away.



PrincessInOz said:


> We checked out some of the food options here. There were a few familiar chains.



Oy!  Were there more western chains than that or was it the only one?



PrincessInOz said:


> *Rainy Day Strategy #10. It’s always worth linger over a meal on a rainy day! Heck……it’s worth lingering over TWO meals on a rainy day.*



Heck ya!  I would rather sit inside and eat than get soaked.  Unfortunately you can only eat so much!



PrincessInOz said:


> For those in the US, you’ll find a Crystal Jade at the Embarcadero Centre, with views to the Ferry Building, in San Francisco.



Well I'll remember that, but before that I want to go to the soup dumpling place in Costa Mesa, you know the name of it, but it escapes me now.  It has Michelin stars as well.  There is one in San Jose too, so maybe we'll do it with my parents.



PrincessInOz said:


> I needed some Hot and Sour soup to thaw me out from the cold



Totally get that, but it doesn't look like any Hot and Sour soup I've ever had in the US or Canada.



PrincessInOz said:


> The mixed vegetables with oyster sauce was decent. Aside from the vegetables, there was a selection of mushroom and fungi. I know fungi may not be to everyone’s taste buds; but it was for mine.



Looks good!



PrincessInOz said:


> it was the pinkness of the chicken that had 2.5 of us gasping. I suspect it was way too pink for Wendy and her DD. I was the half. It was barely acceptable for me…..and I do remember eating pink chicken in my youth.



Yikes! Although the pinkness isn't cool, at least they included the beak so you know it really was chicken!  



PrincessInOz said:


> Check out where the vehicles have headed to. I think you can work out the tight corner and imagine the possible g-force as well.



Actually I'm having a hard time seeing it even from the computer.



PrincessInOz said:


> Talk about a damp squib! I ditched that idea rather quickly and resorted to shooting this show hand held after that.



Stupid rain. 



PrincessInOz said:


> The worst feeling in the world is that moment of realisation when you finally know that you’re ready for a new camera and being in the middle of one of the best photographic opportunities in the world!



Have you got one yet?



PrincessInOz said:


> It is definitely a show where the projections, lasers, fireworks and water fountains all come together.



I think you did a good job capturing it all.



PrincessInOz said:


> It was definitely time for a hot shower and an early night! I went to bed hoping that the rain would stop.



I'm hoping it stops too!  Did you have a bathtub in your room? I don't remember.


----------



## cschaaf

Note to self: If the menu says 'whole' I should avoid ordering that item.


----------



## PrincessInOz

tiggrbaby said:


> The plate at the restaurant was lovely, but I just couldn't do that chicken!



I don't think I could do that chicken in my pictures either!!!  





tiggrbaby said:


> Those Tron pictures are amazing!



Thank you.  





tiggrbaby said:


> Your pictures with a wonky camera body are far superior to anything I could do with new!



It's all relative.  I know I sound like I'm a whiny-brat about the pictures, but I guess.........wait!  I am a whiny-brat!!!!!  

Yeah.  It's all relative.  But I sadly came home knowing my tog skills had finally outgrown the 7D body.  I've had that camera since 2012 and it's practically attached to my hand.  It was such a wretched feeling.


----------



## PrincessInOz

zanzibar138 said:


> Oh, that chicken did look pretty pink! Glad I decided not to join you for that one. The rest of the meal looked nice though, especially the beans with minced pork.



You know you would have been more than welcomed to come join us!





zanzibar138 said:


> Nice shots of Tron and Tomorrowland at night. It really is a pretty area with all those lights.



Thanks.  Yes, that section is very pretty at night.





zanzibar138 said:


> Love it! You are welcome to name any part of a Disney park you like after me
> 
> Glad you enjoyed my spot. You got some lovely photos from there despite the issues with the rain and your camera.





That's officially your spot now.

Yeah.  The camera had problems focussing that night.  The pictures look fine....but I do pixel-peep up close and I know when I get way close in, it's not as sharp as it could be.  
*sigh*  The "joys" of learning to hone a craft!





zanzibar138 said:


> And for the record, it was a great spot for me with the crowds of Opening Day. Started filling up about 20 minutes prior to showtime, but there was far less pushing and shoving than I've encountered in other spots.
> 
> Nice lot of details around the hotel too. Definitely worth keeping your eyes open around there!



I just kept seeing different things every time I was in that hotel lobby.


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> I know just what you mean. I had a day with @********* and his wife at Disneyland where we were caught in the rain. It was one of their last days and they had done most everything they wanted, so we ended up going from bar to bar, but still we were stuck walking in the rain. We got tired of it very quickly as well.



@********** and his lovely wife visited DLR again?  How awesome!  (Aside from the rain, that is).  Bet you guys had a great DisMeet!






franandaj said:


> I remember hearing that at D23, seems nice that it's not far away.



It's even closer than Downtown Disney at Anaheim!






franandaj said:


> Oy! Were there more western chains than that or was it the only one?



Wolfgang Puck and Cheesecake Factory and Starbucks.  But they are a good fit for Shanghai Disneytown.  There are a LOT of Asian restaurants there and it is nice to have the western options as well.  Aside from Starbucks, we didn't really eat at WP or CF.





franandaj said:


> Heck ya! I would rather sit inside and eat than get soaked. Unfortunately you can only eat so much!











franandaj said:


> Well I'll remember that, but before that I want to go to the soup dumpling place in Costa Mesa, you know the name of it, but it escapes me now. It has Michelin stars as well. There is one in San Jose too, so maybe we'll do it with my parents.



Din Tai Fung.  Hope you get to the one in San Jose with your folks.





franandaj said:


> Totally get that, but it doesn't look like any Hot and Sour soup I've ever had in the US or Canada.



It's the Shanghai style of the Hot and Sour soup. 






franandaj said:


> Yikes! Although the pinkness isn't cool, at least they included the beak so you know it really was chicken!










franandaj said:


> Actually I'm having a hard time seeing it even from the computer.



Look for the blue ride vehicles.  You can see it is in a different position from one picture to the other.






franandaj said:


> Have you got one yet?



 

DH got me the 7D Mark II for my birthday.  I couldn't decide between that or going to a 5DMark(whatever) or heading down the new Olympus Full Frame mirrorless system.  I suspect he.....er......got tired of listening to my ramblings about new camera and just went out and got me the body.  The other two options would have meant that I would need new lenses as well.  






franandaj said:


> I think you did a good job capturing it all.



Thanks!





franandaj said:


> I'm hoping it stops too! Did you have a bathtub in your room? I don't remember.



The room does have a tub.  But somehow.....having my mother as a room mate didn't exactly make me want to soak in the tub for a long time!


----------



## PrincessInOz

cschaaf said:


> Note to self: If the menu says 'whole' I should avoid ordering that item.








I think that's a very sensible thing to note!!


----------



## Fairy Floss

PrincessInOz said:


> FairyFloss is a highly talented cookie maker. I’m hoping that she might make us a batch of either Mickey or Minnie cookies at some stage. No pressure


When I get back - I'll schedule some in for my disney friends



PrincessInOz said:


> The whole chicken……..WAS whole


Oh my!
Glad you didn't  get sick from undercooked chicken 



PrincessInOz said:


> we will just call Zanzibar’s view.


Yes!
Love it


----------



## skier_pete

PrincessInOz said:


> @********** and his lovely wife visited DLR again?  How awesome!  (Aside from the rain, that is).  Bet you guys had a great DisMeet!!



Hey there! I missed out on this TR - though have been following your pictures on Facebook! I'll join in, but since many pictures are now blocked at work, and I'm crazy busy both at home and at work I fall desparately behind on TRs.

Actually we met up with @franandaj twice last year. Once at Disneyland in Feb 2016 - in the rain as she pointed out - and that was great fun to catch up but less than fun being in the rain. Then we saw both her and Fran in Epcot in October 2016, at least for an hour or so while we did some Food and Wine tasting.  It might be a while before we catch up with them again, but it's always a good time!

Speaking of catching up, looks like I'm 31 pages behind, so it'll be awhile before I catch up here!


----------



## Fairy Floss

PrincessInOz said:


> DH got me the 7D Mark II for my birthday.



Oooh!!
Lucky you 
Your PioPics will be even more awesome now
Hope you had a great birthday xxx


----------



## PrincessInOz

Fairy Floss said:


> When I get back - I'll schedule some in for my disney friends









Fairy Floss said:


> Oh my!
> Glad you didn't get sick from undercooked chicken



Believe it or not......it was kinda cooked by Asian standards.  It was just pink!





Fairy Floss said:


> Oooh!!
> Lucky you
> Your PioPics will be even more awesome now
> Hope you had a great birthday xxx



Thanks.  I did.


----------



## PrincessInOz

********** said:


> Hey there! I missed out on this TR - though have been following your pictures on Facebook! I'll join in, but since many pictures are now blocked at work, and I'm crazy busy both at home and at work I fall desparately behind on TRs.





Crazy at home and at work seems to be a universal disease right now.  
Hope that you get some fun times in despite the craziness.






********** said:


> Actually we met up with @franandaj twice last year. Once at Disneyland in Feb 2016 - in the rain as she pointed out - and that was great fun to catch up but less than fun being in the rain. Then we saw both her and Fran in Epcot in October 2016, at least for an hour or so while we did some Food and Wine tasting. It might be a while before we catch up with them again, but it's always a good time!



I'm so envious.  Wish I had a trip to the US in the works.  Sadly, I don't think I'll be heading state-side for a couple of years.






********** said:


> Speaking of catching up, looks like I'm 31 pages behind, so it'll be awhile before I catch up here!



No worries, Pete.  The good thing about the Dis is that TRs don't go anywhere once they are written.


----------



## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> @********** and his lovely wife visited DLR again? How awesome! (Aside from the rain, that is). Bet you guys had a great DisMeet!



I see Pete clarified this...it was a while ago, but very memorable due to the wetness.



PrincessInOz said:


> Din Tai Fung. Hope you get to the one in San Jose with your folks.



Thanks for the name of that! Must convince Fran to go!


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> I see Pete clarified this...it was a while ago, but very memorable due to the wetness.



There are always moments like this in one's life.





franandaj said:


> Thanks for the name of that! Must convince Fran to go!



Hope you manage to go!


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Day 6: Our Third and Last Full Day in Shanghai Disneyland*



*It’s The Promise of a Sunny Day*




Our third and last full day in Shanghai Disneyland! 

I woke up early to take a look out the window.  








I was mightily excited by what I didn’t see.  No Rain!!!!



I had hoped for some sunrise colour…..








….sadly, there was nothing.








Still.  There was the promise of a golden sunny day ahead.








There would be no sleep-in for me, so I got ready for the day.  With the clear skies, I was looking forward to spending the day - dry - in the park.








(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Rolling with Breakfast (Bread Talk Products)*



Last night when we were looking around Disneytown, we stopped by a store by the name of Bread Talk.  There were signs up in the store about no photography, so I didn’t take any.  As the name suggests, it was filled with bread.


My DM and I decided that we would grab a few of the items there for breakfast this morning.  For anyone staying at the resorts, Bread Talk products are a really good option if you’re after a quick snack in your room.  It is opened from 8 am in the morning; so if you wanted to get an early start in Disneytown and not eat in your room, it's also a good alternative.


The croissants are standard size; not like the mini ones you’ll find at Starbucks.  From memory, each croissant was about 9 or 10 Yuan.








There are a whole bunch of very cute products in Bread Talk.  It was a shame that photography isn’t allowed in the shop because it would have been cool to share some of them here.

But we did purchase one of these cute bread rolls to share.  The bread rolls do cost a bit more; but there were too cute to resist.








I did feel very guilty biting into the bread bear!




(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*The No Worries Oasis*



I was ready to go before my DM was and decided to head down to check out the resort grounds.


There was a savannah themed playground to one side of the hotel.  I’d been wanting to check it out for a couple of days now.







Speaking of checking things out…..I know there are some Dis-sers out there that have a Disney trash can fetish.  This was the design at the Resort.







The Hakuna Matata Oasis was just so cute.







It’s designed for the under 7 age group.  Aside from the water jets and some not-so-hidden details, there really isn’t any real ‘playground’ equipment here.







For me…….there was lots to look at.







I had to meander along the paths to find the various displays.  The plants bordering the paths were just a little too tall to cut across.







It’s definitely a very peaceful and zen sort of garden.....without kids!








Here Comes the Sun!








(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*When You Ferry across Wishing Star Lake*




My DM caught up with me whilst I was outside in the Hakuna Matata Oasis and we made our way out the resort back entrance.








From this side of the Shanghai Disneyland Resort, you can either walk to the park or catch a ferry across Wishing Star Lake.








My DM had been keen to get on the ferry and we had decided that this was going to be our transportation across this morning.  The ferry was incredibly shiny and clean!








I believe the ferry service starts at 8 am in the morning.  It will take roughly 7 – 10 minutes to cross the lake.  For anyone that has been on any of the ferry services at WDW, the Shanghai service travels at the same rate of knots.  Slow.



 




Nevertheless, it’s a great view all the way across the lake.







 At park-side, you’ll disembark near the Shanghai Metro train station.










(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*It’s Such a Different Park in the Sun (Down Mickey Avenue)*



Our 3rd day at Shanghai Disneyland and this is the first time I’ve paid attention to any snack cart or souvenir booth!  I liked the Mickey design on the snack cart.







In the bright sunshine, there was a feeling of spring in the air.  If nothing else, the rain had washed everything away and I'm guessing that the air quality in Shanghai on this day was fresh and good.  It's amazing what a bit of sunshine does to your mood.








I think we got to the gates at about 8.30 am.  Judging by the size of the non-crowd, we might be in for a cracker of a day today!  At least I hoped so.







As was the trend for the 3 days we were there, the gates opened at least 20 minutes before the 9 am schedule park opening hour.  

Given the weather, I definitely made time to stay around the entrance.  







Afterall, on this trip, it was very rare for us to see blue skies at the Mickey Topiary.  The park looked completely different!








I also took my time walking under the faux railway station.







Because………









…….the view was breathtaking!








You better believe that I was completely celebrating about the blue sky weather we had been blessed with today!








The walk down Mickey Avenue was very pleasant this morning.  Very pleasant indeed.







First time in 3 mornings!  







I don’t believe that there had been an opening ceremony on the other 2 mornings.







Duffy is very popular in the Asian parks.








We got to the end of Mickey Avenue.  It's a short avenue; and the early birds had already grabbed spots in line for the various meet and greet locations.  We just kept going.








There were a few people around Storytellers; and I noticed that the PP photographers here were looking a little under-appreciated.








They might as well be put to work, right?


For anyone who wants a picture at Storytellers and the castle in the background.  I would HIGHLY recommend you get the PP togs to do a bit of hooman-hounding.  The two togs that were there were YELLING and marshalling everyone else out of the frame.  They really worked to get a clear shot of us.







I nearly felt sorry for the other people around.  Nearly.  But I’m so glad to have gotten this shot out of the PP collection.









With our pictures taken, it was time to take the right fork into the park today.










(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Are You Chinese or What????? (Garden of Twelve Friends Part 1)*




Okay.  Time to fess up and rat myself out.







At times, I am a very unobservant soul.  You could even go as far as to say that I could be very dense…….sometimes.


The Garden of the Twelve Friends was one of the attractions of Shanghai Disneyland we were yet to explore due to the rain.  







I have to admit it was pig-headed of me…..








…because I know I should have been galloping….er…..walking very fast…..







……towards one of the headline magic carpet rides.   







But I do like seeing pretty mosaics.  So, we headed to the 12 Friends section in the Gardens of Imagination.







There I was.....springing along the wall. 







Enjoying the mosaics but not being particularly observant about what I was seeing or capturing with my mind or camera.







Although….for the life of me, I couldn’t work out why there were such obscure characters depicted in the mosaics!








Sure….there were some more famous ones.







But there were quite a few minor and obscure characters.








I made a remark of the sort to my DM.....and she had to THUMP me round a little.








“Are You Chinese or what?????”







This IS the Garden of TWELVE friends.










*Twelve CHINESE friends. *



I did eventually catch on to her meaning.  D'oh!


And that meant……I had to head back and re-do all my shots!!!!







(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*The Chinese Zodiac – The Race to the Finish (Garden of Twelve Friends Part 2)*



The Chinese zodiac consists of twelve animals that first appeared in the Zhan Guo period [5th century B.C.]. No one knows the exact date as of when the zodiac was essentially created, but they were officially identified during the Han Dynasty [206 B.C.–9 A.D.], which was over 2000 years ago.  Myths say that Emperor Huangdi, the first Chinese emperor, in 2637 B.C. invented the Chinese lunar calendar, which follows the cycles of the moon.  

The lunar calendar paved the sequence of the Chinese zodiac animals. This calendar can be traced back to the 14th century B.C.   The zodiac is calculated by a cycle of sixty years in which each animal signifies a different year.


But what of the animals?


There are many varieties of this story. Some say that the Jade Emperor called a race of animals on his birthday to create the Chinese zodiac. Others say that it was in fact, the Buddha who did.   According to my DM, it was Buddha.

Nevertheless, both stories are essentially the same, excluding some minor details.  According to myths, the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac were selected through a race. This race is meant to create a time measurement for the people. There could only be twelve winners and in order to win, the animals had to cross a rapid current river and reach the finish line on the shore.

Originally, there was a cat and a rat, who hated each other with a passion. It’s hard to believe that they were once friends. These two were the worst swimmers in the animal kingdom, but they were both smart. They discovered that the fastest way to the river is to hop on top of the ox. The generous ox agreed to carry them across the river. However, the rat was so eager to win that he pushed the cat into the water; thus the cat never forgave the rat, and wasn't included in the race. Other variations of the story say that the rat just never told the cat about the race and did not even compete at all.

Afterwards the ox and the rat made it to shore. The rat jumped in front of the ox and came first in the race. 







The ox came in second……







……and the tiger finished in third.







All of a sudden, a loud thumping sound came: it was the rabbit. It jumped from one stone to another and was doing well until it slipped. Fortunately, there was a log floating by and it grabbed onto that log and floated to the finish line earning the fourth place in the race. 







In fifth place was the dragon, but everyone thought that it would come in first because it could fly. It told Jade Emperor that it had to stop a couple of times to help some villagers. And on its way to the finish line, it saw a little rabbit on a log and decided to give a little puff of air to help it get to shore. 







After the dragon, the horse came galloping towards the finish line.   The sneaky snake was hidden behind the horse’s foot. It suddenly appeared and the horse was scared. The snake took advantage of this and landed itself in sixth place…….








…….and the horse landed in seventh.







Soon after, the monkey, the rooster, and the sheep landed onto shore. Unlike some of the previous animals, these three actually helped each other to get to the finish line. The rooster found a raft, and the monkey and sheep hopped on. Working hard together through the water currents and the weeds, they reached shore.

 The sheep came in eighth place……








……the monkey in ninth place……







…….and the rooster in tenth place. 








In eleventh place was the dog. Even though it was a great swimmer, it was late. It told the emperor that it needed a bath, and the fresh water from the river was too tempting. 







Right when the emperor was going to close the race, an “oink” sound was heard: it was the pig. “Lazy little pig” originated from this story. The pig felt hungry in the middle of the race, so it stopped, ate something, and then fell asleep. After it awoke, it finished the race in twelfth place and became the last animal to arrive.








The order of the Chinese Zodiac and lunar calendar follows the outcome of the race, where the rat is the first animal to start the sequence, and the pig is the last.  After the pig, the sequence starts over again.


In any case, after I went back to re-shoot the 12 Friends, this time with a bit more respect for the subject, I think I redeemed myself where my DM is concerned!


Disney has done an AMAZING job with the mosaics and making them fit in with Chinese mythology.  This spot is most definitely Disney but distinctively Chinese.


----------



## tiggrbaby

Yay for sunny skies!

The baked goods looked yummy!  How nice to be able to take the ferry and get some good shots.

The pics in front of the castle are adorable!

Oh my goodness!! Those mosaics are incredible!


----------



## darrenf67

I spent quite a while in  the gardens - such a lovely area


----------



## PrincessInOz

tiggrbaby said:


> Yay for sunny skies!





It really put the whole group in a much better frame of mind.





tiggrbaby said:


> The baked goods looked yummy!



We have a bakery chain in Australia called Bread Top.  It's filled with Asian style bread goodies very similar to Bread Talk.  Although.....they don't have the cute animal products.  At least I can't remember if I've seen them or not.  
I understand that Bread Talk is a Singapore based chain.   Do you have something similar where you are?  






tiggrbaby said:


> How nice to be able to take the ferry and get some good shots.
> 
> The pics in front of the castle are adorable!
> 
> Oh my goodness!! Those mosaics are incredible!



Oh gosh, yes!!!  I think the reason I was so whiny by the end of the second day of rain was because my camera and fingers were super twitchy at not being able to get the outdoor pictures of Shanghai DL.  

I was just so happy to see the sunshine!









darrenf67 said:


> I spent quite a while in  the gardens - such a lovely area



Next time I head back, I hope for less rain so that I can spend more time in the gardens area.  It does look pretty and we really didn't have enough non-rain periods to do it any justice.


----------



## franandaj

That's odd that the bakery didn't allow photography, the things you ordered looked cute.  I need more protein in the morning, but Fran would like that sort of stuff.

You're right, the park looks totally different in the sunshine than in the rain.

You got some very nice pictures with the castle and on Mickey Avenue.

After you said 12 Chinese Friends, I had to Google.  Then I went on to your last post only to find you explained it all for us!  I would have had no idea as well.  Nice redeeming yourself in your mother's eyes!


----------



## zanzibar138

Lovely sunrise shots despite the lack of colour.

I never really made it to Disney Town again this time around. Sounds like I missed out - those pastries sound so cute!

I can't believe you didn't realise what the Garden of the 12 Friends was about! I would have given you a heads up if I'd known! Thanks for the history lesson, and you got some great shots 

I'm so glad this day turned out to be beautiful and sunny for us  Looks like you've done a great job of catching up on picture taking so far!


----------



## mvf-m11c

Finally caught up with all your updates. I just got back a few days from the DLR and rode the new Guardians of the Galaxy Mission: Breakout ride. 

As always, you got great pictures of the rides and walking around the park when it was raining. The Pirate ride looks fun to go on.

Your time at Disneytown looked fun to go to those shops and have dinner.

You got a very nice spot for Ignite the Dream fireworks. Sorry to hear about not to be able to use the trash can that night for the firework trails. I thought you would use the green pod on a railing but I might not put my camera on the railing with the green pod since it can tip over. You did got a lot of nice pictures that night.

Nice to see that the third day at the park was clear of the rain. Very nice picture with the castle in the background. 

The Garden of Twelve Friends was very interesting and to see what characters they had of the Chinese zodiac.


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> That's odd that the bakery didn't allow photography, the things you ordered looked cute. I need more protein in the morning, but Fran would like that sort of stuff.



For the US, it's practically unheard of.  For Asia and to some extents...Australia, it's not that odd.  A lot of the stall owners at local markets where there are 'homemade' stuff don't like having pictures taken of their wares.  I think they are concerned someone else might steal their idea.






franandaj said:


> You're right, the park looks totally different in the sunshine than in the rain.
> You got some very nice pictures with the castle and on Mickey Avenue.



Thanks.

I'm glad I got to see the park in both rain and sunshine.  I would have just preferred to have 1 day rain and 2 days sunshine.  





franandaj said:


> After you said 12 Chinese Friends, I had to Google. Then I went on to your last post only to find you explained it all for us! I would have had no idea as well. Nice redeeming yourself in your mother's eyes!



Like I said.  I was particularly dense this morning.    









zanzibar138 said:


> Lovely sunrise shots despite the lack of colour.



Thanks.  Yes, I was pleased with them as well.  That room with a view was definitely the right room for me and my DM.







zanzibar138 said:


> I never really made it to Disney Town again this time around. Sounds like I missed out - those pastries sound so cute!



The pastries at Bread Talk were very cute.  Maybe next trip.







zanzibar138 said:


> I can't believe you didn't realise what the Garden of the 12 Friends was about! I would have given you a heads up if I'd known! Thanks for the history lesson, and you got some great shots



I didn't do any research on Gardens of Imagination before I left.  And if I had drunk more caffeine, I might have twigged about the Chinese Zodiac.  But I was really feeling dense that morning.






zanzibar138 said:


> I'm so glad this day turned out to be beautiful and sunny for us  Looks like you've done a great job of catching up on picture taking so far!



Me too.  Thanks.






mvf-m11c said:


> Finally caught up with all your updates. I just got back a few days from the DLR and rode the new Guardians of the Galaxy Mission: Breakout ride.



Welcome back!  I've been reading your update on the GotG.  I don't like drop rides but for Guardians, I may well have to make an exception next time I'm in DLR.







mvf-m11c said:


> As always, you got great pictures of the rides and walking around the park when it was raining. The Pirate ride looks fun to go on.



Thanks!  We can't control the weather.....we can only just not let bad weather get in the way.  
Pirates and Tron are really great at Shanghai.






mvf-m11c said:


> You got a very nice spot for Ignite the Dream fireworks. Sorry to hear about not to be able to use the trash can that night for the firework trails. I thought you would use the green pod on a railing but I might not put my camera on the railing with the green pod since it can tip over. You did got a lot of nice pictures that night.



It's a round/circular railing at that spot.  With the rain, I was afraid that the green pod would slip off.
I did see some flat surfaces but there was usually a pole in the way and didn't bother.






mvf-m11c said:


> Nice to see that the third day at the park was clear of the rain. Very nice picture with the castle in the background.
> 
> The Garden of Twelve Friends was very interesting and to see what characters they had of the Chinese zodiac.



Thanks. 

Hope you've been well!  Regards to your family.


----------



## PrincessInOz

*I Owe!  I Owe!  So It’s off to Work I Go (Seven Dwarfs Mine Train)*



My last trip to WDW was in 2013.  Then……the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train was still under construction and I didn’t have the chance to experience it.  

I’ve spent the last 4 years enviously lurking and looking at other people’s Trip Reports and pictures taken of the dwarves and the mine and the ride.


4 years is a long time to be sitting on the sidelines.  It’s left me with the feeling that I owe a debt to quite a few people for letting me vicariously enjoy this ride from their pictures.


So…..today, it was my turn to head off to work and payback some of what I owe.  The standby time was not even posted when got to the work site. 









It did eventually come up as 10 minute but there was the single worker…er…..rider side that I could enter by.  This side was walk-on.







You’ll appreciate that catching the train to work can be a bit tedious…..







….especially when you have to cram in the compartment with other people.







But…..I am really conscious of the debt I owe.







So, I sat through the twists and turns of that work train.








Afterall, life is all about ups…… 








….. and downs, right?







I hope you’ll appreciate how diligent I was on this work day.  I had to get on that work train 4 times in a row to repay that debt.  

I was really working hard.  Really I was.


















There was no sleeping on the job for me.




















And I wasn’t even being dopey on the job either.



















Believe it or not.  I wasn’t even feeling grumpy about having to go round 4 times to repay my debt.







Yeah.  I really might need to see a doctor about my “I owe, I owe.  It’s off the work I go” condition.




















The 4th time?  

Okay.  I admit that I slacked off a lot.  I figured that my debt was just about repaid so I put the camera away.  It was a sweet feeling of pure pleasure at being debt-free!  Especially on a sunny day.









(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*In the Maze of Underland (Alice in Wonderland Maze)*




One of the attractions in Fantasyland is a wonderful maze.  It's modelled after the Tim Burton Alice in Wonderland/Underland movie.







Down the rabbit warren I go!







Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Mo.  One of these doors will open.








And we’re in the Wonderland Garden!  I had bumped into Aussie Wendy and her DD on one of my 7DMT rounds.  I think I was supposed to catch up with them in here but given how many times I rode 7D, they had moved on.  My DM waited for me here.  I think she had been waiting a while!!!







There was growling coming from this direction.








Sadly for me, the Bandersnatch didn’t lick my finger.  Guess he didn’t like me.








I could feel eyes on me.







There were eyes everywhere!







You might say I was stalking the eyes.







Or is that …… they were stalking me?







It’s a wonderful section of the garden.  I really loved the creatures in here.








There was a flower in here I didn’t recognise.   If anyone knows what species this is, please let me know!







I would have liked to have spent more time in here.  But as the sun was rising higher in the sky, I had to keep going.








We walked through a ‘tunnel’ area.  In my rush to keep going, I gather I missed the Cheshire cat in here.  D’oh! 

Guess I need to be on my guard a bit more.








The tunnel opens up into the Red Queen’s Garden.







There are Hearts everywhere!













What else would you expect?  







She IS the Queen of Hearts, afterall.







There is a real hedge maze in here.







I took the left fork each time.







All roads lead to the Tea Party.








I know this area is modelled after the Tim Burton 2010 movie version of Alice.  But with this colour palette, all I could think about was Mary Blair.







I did eventually find that Cheshire cat.







My DM really liked this section of the Maze.







I liked the quirkiness.







For an area without thrill rides, I was surprised at how much fun I had in here.  

I gather that there is a similar garden in the Paris Disneyland.  If I ever make it there, it will be on my to-do list.



(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*I Don’t Know How I Got to Neverland (Peter Pan's Flight)*





When we left the Wonderland Maze, my DM put in a request.   I was happy to comply and we headed in that general direction.



This wasn't her request and I really don’t know how we ended up in the Darling nursery.








Actually……I do know how we got in here.  Standby was 5 minutes and we couldn't resist.  So, we walked right up to the boarding area.  

Yes.  You read that right.  We walked all the way in to the boarding area and got on the ride vehicle without stopping.








It didn’t take us long to be flying over London.







It was another turn and we were in Neverland.







I seem to be running in Mary Blair colour palettes today.








In any case, I’m always happy to add to my photo collection.







Without having to queue to get on this ride, we were in and out within 5 minutes.








Yes, I know.  I’ve just made some of you turn green with envy!










(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*The Longest Wait of the Morning (Voyage of the Crystal Grotto)*




Now.....where were we again before we got diverted to Neverland?   


Oh that's right.   My DM put in a request and we were heading in that direction.


This morning, my DM requested a re-do of the Crystal Grotto and I was happy to go with the flow.  She rarely asked for anything on this trip so when she put in that one request, I was happy to comply.


It turned out that this was where the Shanghai crowd were this morning.







The stand-by times indicated that we would be waiting 15 minutes to board.  It lied.  We waited 30 minutes.  We even saw them putting on 3 extra boats to cope with the crowd.







I did contemplate ditching the queue and heading towards the Castle a few times.  But I knew my DM really wanted to get on this again, so we stayed in line.  

Besides, it gave me the chance to re-shoot the fountains.







Second time round, I found the displays to be even more charming.








And if I looked past the water fountains, the views were spectacular.







With the blue skies, this was downright colourful!







More of the displays.













I even found the Magical Golden Flower.  It was gleaming and glowing in the sunshine.







I still think the Mulan section is my favourite.







This has ended up being my favourite picture from this attraction.







Although….this Little Mermaid snap comes a close second.







This time, I knew what to expect when we headed under the castle into the grotto section.







More water fountains…...








…..and Mushu projections on the wall.













It’s not called the Voyage of the Crystal Grotto for nothing.  There really are crystals in the grotto.








I would have liked to have stayed to take more pictures in this area.  But the longer than expected wait time had made us a little late for an important date.


----------



## shushh

Took a while to go through 10 pages...but I did it. Never going to let myself get behind ever again!!! My excuse is that our 180 day mark is coming AKA crazy dining planning time. I have to admit I somewhat cheated as I've seen most of the photos on facebook...

2 comments - you ran out of space on your memory card!!!
You should always be blessed with good weather so we can benefit... Absolutely love the creative shots on the last day!


----------



## mvf-m11c

Nice to see that you were able to ride the 7DMT at Shanghai. The mine scene shots were very nice. 

There are quite a lot of interesting pictures at Alice in Wonderland Maze.

The Voyage of the Crystal Grotto was something that I wanted to try if I go to Shanghai Disneyland.


----------



## franandaj

Your pictures in the 7DMT were the best I've seen of anyone's pictures.  Crystal clear and full of fun!  I wish mine would come out that well.

The Alice in Wonderland Gardens look interesting.  I must admit I wasn't a huge fan of the Tim Burton version, but it does make for some interesting lawn ornaments.

The Crystal Grotto looks much nicer in sunny skies than the gloomy weather.


----------



## PrincessInOz

shushh said:


> Took a while to go through 10 pages...but I did it. Never going to let myself get behind ever again!!! My excuse is that our 180 day mark is coming AKA crazy dining planning time. I have to admit I somewhat cheated as I've seen most of the photos on facebook...



Oh wow!  That's a labour of love right there!  Thanks so much for catching up.

I hope you got your ADRs for the places and times you wanted.  180 days is an exciting milestone.





shushh said:


> 2 comments - you ran out of space on your memory card!!!



I know, right?  I couldn't have timed or planned that any worse!








shushh said:


> You should always be blessed with good weather so we can benefit... Absolutely love the creative shots on the last day!



Awww.  

Thank you.


----------



## PrincessInOz

mvf-m11c said:


> Nice to see that you were able to ride the 7DMT at Shanghai. The mine scene shots were very nice.



Thanks!  Yes.  I was very pleased to be able to ride that many times without having to wait.





mvf-m11c said:


> There are quite a lot of interesting pictures at Alice in Wonderland Maze.



It's a really lovely area.  The ornaments and stat





mvf-m11c said:


> The Voyage of the Crystal Grotto was something that I wanted to try if I go to Shanghai Disneyland.



I sure hope you make it out to Shanghai at some stage, Bret.


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> Your pictures in the 7DMT were the best I've seen of anyone's pictures. Crystal clear and full of fun! I wish mine would come out that well.



Thank you!  







franandaj said:


> The Alice in Wonderland Gardens look interesting. I must admit I wasn't a huge fan of the Tim Burton version, but it does make for some interesting lawn ornaments.



That maze is fantastic.  I think you would enjoy walking through it.
I came home with a new appreciation of the Tim Burton version.  And Alice Through the Looking Glass has been playing on our PayTV here; so I've been giving that a second lookover as well.





franandaj said:


> The Crystal Grotto looks much nicer in sunny skies than the gloomy weather.



Everything looks much nicer in sunny skies!


----------



## PrincessInOz

*I’m Late!  I’m Late!  For an Important Date!*




As the mother of a Disney BOY, my chances of being able to convince him to go see a bunch of girl princesses at Cinderella’s Royal Table has been Buckley’s and none.  Zilch.  Zippo!  


So, when the others suggested that we book in a character meal at Shanghai and in the park, I eagerly said yes.  Afterall, this was going to be my first opportunity to be able to dine inside a royal Disney structure.  







Between the longer than expected queue at Voyage of the Crystal Grotto, I was running late for our reservation booking time.  Yes, Zanzibar will probably comment that she was late for her ressie on Opening Day and that she still got her table.    But I was aware that the booking was under my name and I really should have been there by now.  


I was making my way to the castle when I noticed a colourful flutter of balloons.







It kinda felt like circumstances today were putting barriers – distractions – in my way.







I had planned to take a leisurely stroll through the castle to catch the amazing mosaics and ceiling there.  Somehow…..I got waylaid down the outside instead.







I was a little late but not by much.  I was probably about 5 - 10 minutes later than when our booking window had opened and still within our booking window.   

All the others were there, waiting for me.  Sorry to have been late! 




(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Inside The Castle (Royal Banquet Table)*




The Royal Banquet Table is about the only table service establishment inside the park at Shanghai Disneyland.







They do recommend you make a reservation if you want to dine at RBT.  I called up about 4 months prior to our travel and made our booking.  I think I was asked for my hotel reservation details before the CM took my booking; so it may be a pre-requisite of being able to book that far in advance.  The CM asked for my reservation number and name at check-in, so make sure you bring it with you.

Reports say that it is rather popular and that check-in can be busy.  I guess with the rain and being mid-week, we just got lucky. 







As an aside.  There is another table service establishment inside the park.  It's Club 33 and you'll find it near Il Paperino.  But you either will need to know a member, or have special arrangements with Disney in order to make a booking there.  I believe Adventures By Disney may have one of those ‘special arrangements’ and they might well have a meal booked as part of their China tours. 


Not having been to Cinderella’s version, I don’t know if they have similar wallpaper or not.  But I found it charming.







I really liked the Disney characters on the wall.








Sidekicks really don’t get enough attention.








There was another reason for us to stick around the foyer entrance.  We got to meet Royalty here.  She was rather gracious and rather happy to meet the Aussie princesses.    







There was a photopass photographer here so we all got individual or couple shots with Aurora.  That photopass package really worked out for us here.







The minder was also happy to take pictures using our cameras.  This particular one seemed to be rather good at it too!  I was happy to see this one in my set.








And at the end…..I remembered to ask for a shot of just Aurora.







After the photo opportunity, we were directed to go upstairs.







We were seated in the Tiana room.







The table service-ware.







I did take some time to look around the room before I sat down.







There were a couple of images from the bayou that added to the ambience of this space.







The view from the Tiana room overlooking the park.







Our waiters were rather attentive.   They even volunteered to take a picture of the group …. And ended up clicking a similar image from at least 4 or 5 different cameras.






I know there have been mixed reports about the degree of CM helpfulness from the Opening week reports but I couldn’t fault any of the CM that waited on us this day.



(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*This is What Being a Photopass Photographer Must Feel Like (RBT Characters)*




We had barely sat down when we realised we had Royal visitors.







The visitors arrived with their minders; but there didn’t seem to be any official Photopass photographer with them.  


Not that we minded.  With our party of 8, that just meant that we passed the camera round someone else to take our picture.







But….. I’ve always wondered what being a Disney Photopass photographer would be like.  








Would it be cool to be taking pictures of people at the Happiest Place on Earth?







Would it be satisfying knowing you were helping people capture memories that they would look back on for years to come?








The answer?


Absolutely!








For the initial couple of characters, I ended up snapping pictures of our group.







Click-click-click.







Click-click-click.







Click-click-click.







This MUST be what being a Disney photopass photographer feels like.  Pure delight!







It was about half-way through that we realised that the minders were capable photographers.  One of the waiters clued us in on this fact.  Judging by some of the picture in my camera, I would say this was probably about correct.    







So, the others relinquished their cameras to the minders and I just took it easy enjoying the moment and concentrated on taking pictures of my DM.  







I will admit…..my trigger finger went through withdrawal symptoms.  So, I snuck a few more in.








And as was my custom to do so on this trip, I made sure I got individual shots of the Royals.



























I've always fantasised that if I lived closer to a Disney park and if they were hiring, I would work as a photopass photographer.  I could quite easily spend a day or two a week doing this.  But as I don’t live near a park, I guess I’ll just have to hang on to my day job and work on a different retirement option.



(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Food Porn from Royal Banquet Table*



It wasn’t just about the character interactions at Royal Banquet Table.  There was also food involved with this experience.  For the fixed price (or prix fixe) of 369 Yuan (or $75 in my money), we were to be treated to a 3-course meal.  

Naturally, we had come prepared to eat!  And we were definitely after more than bread and butter for this meal.  







Appetizers first.  

Some on our table ordered the pumpkin soup.  At least….I think it was pumpkin soup.







There was also an order of the Goat Cheese and Leek tart.







I chose the Crab Cake with Mango Salsa.







The crab filling was delicate and nicely seasoned.  The mango salsa was not overly sweet and a perfect accompaniment for the crab.








Entrée next.

Some on our table ordered the Beef Steak.  It came with a medley of vegetables…..








….and a Mickey shaped potato cake.







There was also an order of the Beef Ragout with Penne.







We had also a couple of orders for the Grilled Salmon.







That looks like a fun serving of fried rice!







I ordered the Confit Duck.  The duck was melt-off-the-bone and delicious.







And closing out the entrée selection.  This was Cinderella’s pumpkin with Chicken stew.







Judging from the empty plates, all the entrees were tasty.




My favourite course of any meal. Dessert!


A couple on the table ordered the Sticky Date Pudding.







We also had orders for Elsa’s White Chocolate Dome.







There was also an Olaf’s Mango and Chocolate dessert option.







Without a doubt, the most spectacular looking dessert was Cinderella’s Slipper.







A few of us ordered this option, including me.







I really liked this dessert very much.  It was such a visual feast for the eyes and there was enough of a portion size on the dish for me to satisfy that sweet tooth of mine.







As you would expect, there were mixed reviews about the food served at RBT from the Opening Week reports.  Good, bad, indifferent…..it all comes down to personal taste and how one might be feeling on that particular day.  

For me, on this particular day, the food was good.   The serving sizes were also perfect for us Aussies.  

$75 may be a little pricey to pay for a meal in China but when you factor in the castle location and the character interaction, it looks like fair value for money.  In my money terms, $75 is about par with paying for a character lunch at Akerhaus.  It’s certainly cheaper than lunch at Cinderella’s Royal Table.  

And without the overload Princess factor, I suspect that I may be able to convince my Disney boy to come and enjoy a meal here!



(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Closing out the Royal Banquet Table Edition*




After lunch, we mostly parted company.  Zanzibar and I wanted to spend time capturing some of the details in the other room at RBT so we spent some time just wandering through.


There was another smaller dining room and it was relatively quiet in there.







This room was Cinderella themed.







I really liked the wallpaper here.







The biggest room seemed to be Snow White themed.   It was also the room with quite a few diners sitting there and I didn’t want to disturb their dining experience too much.







There were a few opulent touches in this room.













I don’t remember if this owl detail was in the Snow White room or not.  Zanzibar can correct me if I’ve gotten it in the wrong spot.






I actually found the Snow White room to be a little too big for my liking.







The tables were rather spread out and there was a lot of empty space.  I expect that’s because we need the space for the characters to come out and for people to stand up to take pictures.







Although…..there were a couple of smaller quiet corners that were more to my taste.












The room that Zanzibar and I liked the best was the Mulan room.







There were people in the room and we tried to be discreet.  







But they did notice us loitering around the door to grab some pictures.







So, they generously told us to come on in and take our shots.   I don’t think they are on the Dis but whoever you are….thank you so much for letting me take your picture as well!







By this stage, it was definitely time for us to go.  







And…if you are dining at RBT, make sure you check out the facilities.  They are really worth visiting!


----------



## tiggrbaby

What a beautiful venue and marvelous meal!  I really like that they had the characters as royalty better than the movie royalty.


----------



## dolphingirl47

I am all caught up again.



PrincessInOz said:


>



The room looks very nice.



PrincessInOz said:


> The Cast Members will check your passports to make sure that there is a China Visa in your passport. Apparently, it is Government policy that they do that at every hotel you check into.



That is a little strange considering you would need a visa to even get there.



PrincessInOz said:


> We were told that the first time we used each card we would need to show our passport to the Cast Member on entry duty.



That is good to know.



PrincessInOz said:


>



This is a really nice touch.



PrincessInOz said:


> The buttons? They were in the cardboard folder!



I really like those celebration buttons.



PrincessInOz said:


> Did you spot the water bottles? We got 4 bottles in the room.



That kind of surprises me. It is not like Disney to provide free water/



PrincessInOz said:


> This is the Reception Desk.



This is very pretty.



PrincessInOz said:


>



I love all the stained glass.



PrincessInOz said:


> There was a pianist in the corner playing Disney tunes. Actually, there were two of them and they were both amazing. They just kept playing a set each and changed over. It was non-stop music from about 5 – 7 pm.



Oh, I would love this. This is one of the things I really enjoy at the Grand Californian.



PrincessInOz said:


> Afterall, this was my view.



That is quite a view.



PrincessInOz said:


> I thought the décor was functional. It was almost the same as the Ballet Café only the upholstery is a little different.



I actually quite like it.



PrincessInOz said:


> Perhaps this might give you a better idea of the view.



That is definitely a nice view.



PrincessInOz said:


> It was a little prettier at night.



This is just stunning.



PrincessInOz said:


> Ignite the Dream is billed as a Nighttime Spectacular of Magic and Light at the Storybook Castle, Shanghai Disneyland. Like most other displays at Disneys around the world, this attraction combines building projections, fire, lasers and fireworks; and throws in water fountains as well.



This sounds very much like Disney Dreams that used to be at Disneyland Paris.

[/QUOTE]

I really enjoyed the fireworks photos.



PrincessInOz said:


> The downside of viewing Ignite the Dream from this location is that there are a LOT of seemingly dark gaps between the firework bursts. I gather from Zanzibar that the relatively smaller amount of fireworks could be due to the strict pollution standards that Shanghai is under. I think there are only about 15 or so firework bursts in the whole show. Those gaps are where you would be viewing the building projections, laser, fire and water fountain displays if you were right in the park.



Again, that sounds very similar to Disneyland Paris.



PrincessInOz said:


> From this vantage point and with the telezoom lens, I just had to take a picture of the Tron building.



That looks very impressive.



PrincessInOz said:


> I had hoped for sunrise colour in the sky. Sadly, the sky was not awake. Sunrise was just not going to happen.



I love the colours in this photo.



PrincessInOz said:


> At Disneytown, it’s opened from 7 am. It’s about the only establishment opened at this time of morning at Disneytown.



This is the same as at Disneyland Paris.



PrincessInOz said:


> This is one of my regrets. I had decided that this set of mugs needed to come home with me on this first morning. It had the name of a number of Chinese cities, including Suzhou on them. I just forgot to buy a set!



What a shame. They are very nice.



PrincessInOz said:


> I will say that we did see a few instances of queue cutting during our time here. By and large, they were in the minority. The majority of queues were quite orderly.



This is also a problem at Disneyland Paris. Continental Europe does not really do standing in line.



PrincessInOz said:


> Err…….I think I figured out why the scammers were wanting your phone number and why it would take an hour to collect the FP. I guess that’s the time it would take for them to custom print your fast pass with your ticket number and deliver them to the park.



Talk about attention to detail/



PrincessInOz said:


> Since our return, I gather that Disney have now introduced Countermeasure Mark 2. They are now selling Premium Access passes. And they aren’t exactly cheap! A single land-specific FP sells for 120/150 Yuan for peak/off peak (about $24/30 in my money) or a set of 7 FPs for all the FP rides sells for 480/600 Yuan (about $96/$120 in my money).



That is very expensive.



PrincessInOz said:


> And no! We didn’t plan it. We’re all such Disney-philes that Rope Drop is the only option! Plus, if you tarry a little at the entrance, you’re bound to bump into each other!



That is nice how this worked out.



PrincessInOz said:


> We (FireflyFi and her DF went off to do their own thing. The rest of us hung about as a group.) wandered slowly down the only Disneyland park without a Main Street, USA and ran into a group of Cast Members.



I thought Tokyo Disneyland did not have a Main Street either. I think there the entrance area is called World Bazaar.



PrincessInOz said:


> At the end of Mickey Avenue was a major drawcard for me. The Storyteller’s Statue is the same as the one found at DCA. I was just lucky to get there with no one around.



Oh, it is nice to see something familiar.



PrincessInOz said:


> My glasses? I kept them on. I had specially purchased a sports strap from my local optometrist before I left because I knew that they did check and ask people to put all loose items away. And yes, the CM did indicate that I should put my glasses away until I showed him the safety strap. He let me keep them on after that.



That is good to know. I don't see too well without my glasses.



PrincessInOz said:


> We were heading back towards Treasure Cove after our returning from the I/O Portal when we realised that there was a 10-minute stand-by wait for Peter Pan.



That is what I call a result.



PrincessInOz said:


> There is a seating area in here that overlooks the Pirates of the Caribbean ride much like Blue Bayou does in Disneyland.
> This area is very popular with the diners. Sadly, we didn’t get a table by the water.



That is a really neat touch.



PrincessInOz said:


> I missed the orange smell.



I am worried that I will really miss this.



PrincessInOz said:


>



I absolutely adore this.



PrincessInOz said:


> Dining here for the character breakfast will set you back 248 Yuan; or about $50 in my money.



This looked really expensive, but when I converted this in Pounds, it looked very fair.



PrincessInOz said:


> That’s because Shanghai Disneyland does have PhotoPass photographers located around the park. I found them mostly down Mickey Avenue (the prime spots!) and in the character meet and greet locations.



That is good to know. In Paris, they only have Photopass photographers with the characters.



PrincessInOz said:


> The PP+ option at SDL will set you back 369 Yuan.



This is fair.



PrincessInOz said:


> After the transaction was completed, I got given the card at the top of the picture below.



It is almost worth it for just that.



PrincessInOz said:


> We were the first table the characters came to visit and the characters all came to visit complete with their handlers as well as PhotoPass photographers.



That is nice. I always have said that they should have Photopass photographers at the character meals.



PrincessInOz said:


> My favourite station was the Dim Sum selection.



Oh, I would like this.



PrincessInOz said:


> Compared to US pricing….it IS expensive.



I suppose it depends on what currency you compare it with. From my perspective, they are about the same.



PrincessInOz said:


> You’ll find the Meet Mickey attraction on the Tomorrowland side of the Gardens of Imagination. We powerwalked from the transportation hub here as quickly as possible. The wait time was 5 minutes.



Wow, that is amazing.



PrincessInOz said:


> …..everyone else walked PAST Mickey in his official Shanghai Disneyland jacket. I guess the Chinese haven’t yet worked out who he is!



I am shaking my head in disbelief. How can anybody enter a line to meet Mickey and then walk straight past him.



PrincessInOz said:


>



I really like this costume.



PrincessInOz said:


> Poor Spiderman was spinning webs waiting for someone – anyone – to hang with him.



I wish I would encounter Spiderman with nobody around.



PrincessInOz said:


> Repeat Rides as much as Possible (Buzz Lightyear Planet Rescue)



I like the look of this.



PrincessInOz said:


> Thankfully, the gun is based on the DLR version so you get to remove it from the holster for better aim.



I am glad to read this.



PrincessInOz said:


> Heading to infinity and beyond was mostly just 2-dimensional.



That seems kind of strange.



PrincessInOz said:


>



Oh, I am glad that Stitch is at Shanghai Disneyland.



PrincessInOz said:


> Yet again, we were the only ones seeking out the Meet and Greet. Stitch was just happy to spend extra time posing for me as well.



I would have been in my element there.



PrincessInOz said:


> I did eventually realise that the view from the deck was stunning.



That is a beautiful photo.



PrincessInOz said:


>



Oh, the boats have the same scrollwork as the DCL ships.



PrincessInOz said:


> They really worked to get a clear shot of us.



That is an amazing photo.



PrincessInOz said:


> I gather that there is a similar garden in the Paris Disneyland. If I ever make it there, it will be on my to-do list.



There is a similar one, but that is based on the animated version.

I loved the characters in the royal outfits at lunch.

Corinna


----------



## franandaj

Ugh, I finally made time to come look at your latest update and now my internet is acting up and none of the pictures are downloading!


----------



## zanzibar138

franandaj said:


> Ugh, I finally made time to come look at your latest update and now my internet is acting up and none of the pictures are downloading!



I hate when that happens!


----------



## franandaj

zanzibar138 said:


> I hate when that happens!



Yay!  They're there!  Time to go back and read!


----------



## franandaj

That is definitely on the list if we make it to Shanghai.  I would imagine the menu would change so I won't get my hopes up for any specific offerings, but most everything looked good.  I would have been right there with you on dessert!  None of the others really appealed to me until I saw yours and thought that was just perfect.

And if I do ever get a Shanghai trip in the works, I'm going to do my best to see about getting into that Club 33.  I've seen posts of people who have been in there, and I'd love to say that I got in there!


----------



## shushh

There are some great shots of the team with the Royals! We must have similar tastes, I ordered the same items except for dessert only because the children were already ordering the slippers and I wanted to try something different! I thought the duck was very well prepared. As you said coming off the bone but moist and tasty.

After 4 late nights and early mornings booking Disney dining, I'm glad to report it is mostly done and we mostly got what we wanted. I'm just so shattered! The things we do for Disney!!!


----------



## PrincessInOz

tiggrbaby said:


> What a beautiful venue and marvelous meal!  I really like that they had the characters as royalty better than the movie royalty.



It was a lovely venue and the characters were fantastic in those costumes.  The food was the icing on the cake!


----------



## PrincessInOz

dolphingirl47 said:


> I am all caught up again.



Welcome back!  Looking forward to your TR.  And no rush.  I know you're busy this month (good luck!!!)





dolphingirl47 said:


> That is a little strange considering you would need a visa to even get there.



I know, right?  But when in China.....





dolphingirl47 said:


> That kind of surprises me. It is not like Disney to provide free water/



All the hotels in that part of the world provide free water.  We got 2 bottles a day at the other hotels we stayed at.  Getting 4 bottles was an absolute bonus!






dolphingirl47 said:


> Oh, I would love this. This is one of the things I really enjoy at the Grand Californian.



My mother made it a point to head back to the hotel to listen to the pianist for 2 out of 3 days.  She really liked just sitting there after a big day's walking and when it got a little too cold for her at night.






dolphingirl47 said:


> That is quite a view.



Well worth the money for me!





dolphingirl47 said:


> I actually quite like it.



It's nice.  I just wished they had done a bit more.  





dolphingirl47 said:


> This sounds very much like Disney Dreams that used to be at Disneyland Paris.



Yes.  And if I understand correctly,  I think the new show at Paris is a slight modification of this one at Shanghai.





dolphingirl47 said:


> This is also a problem at Disneyland Paris. Continental Europe does not really do standing in line.



Good to know.  I hope to make it to Paris Disneyland someday.






dolphingirl47 said:


> I am worried that I will really miss this.



If you're anything like me, you probably will.  







dolphingirl47 said:


> This looked really expensive, but when I converted this in Pounds, it looked very fair.



It probably looks fair in Pounds.  But it is a much more expensive character breakfast buffet than the similar offerings in WDW.








dolphingirl47 said:


> I am shaking my head in disbelief. How can anybody enter a line to meet Mickey and then walk straight past him.



I'm still shaking my head in disbelief!


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> Ugh, I finally made time to come look at your latest update and now my internet is acting up and none of the pictures are downloading!



Glad it finally worked out for you.

I think it might have been Photobucket itself; rather than your internet.  I know there are times of the day where I have issues with uploading pictures or even seeing my pictures in PB.






franandaj said:


> That is definitely on the list if we make it to Shanghai. I would imagine the menu would change so I won't get my hopes up for any specific offerings, but most everything looked good. I would have been right there with you on dessert! None of the others really appealed to me until I saw yours and thought that was just perfect.



I hope you make it to Shanghai.  If you want extra company, let me know!  Happy to meet your there.  And yes, RBT will be a great place for lunch.  







franandaj said:


> And if I do ever get a Shanghai trip in the works, I'm going to do my best to see about getting into that Club 33. I've seen posts of people who have been in there, and I'd love to say that I got in there!



I sure hope you get to go see Club 33 there!


----------



## PrincessInOz

shushh said:


> There are some great shots of the team with the Royals! We must have similar tastes, I ordered the same items except for dessert only because the children were already ordering the slippers and I wanted to try something different! I thought the duck was very well prepared. As you said coming off the bone but moist and tasty.



That duck was pretty good, wasn't it?

I hope you got to taste the slipper from one of your kid's plates.  It was such a visual feast for the eyes!






shushh said:


> After 4 late nights and early mornings booking Disney dining, I'm glad to report it is mostly done and we mostly got what we wanted. I'm just so shattered! The things we do for Disney!!!



YAY for getting mostly everything you want.  

Now.......next will be your FP+ booking!........only 4 months to go to another round of sleepless nights.


----------



## dolphingirl47

PrincessInOz said:


> All the hotels in that part of the world provide free water. We got 2 bottles a day at the other hotels we stayed at. Getting 4 bottles was an absolute bonus!



That is good to know. Not wanting to jinx anything at the moment, but there is a good chance that I will get to experience this sooner rather than later.



PrincessInOz said:


> It probably looks fair in Pounds. But it is a much more expensive character breakfast buffet than the similar offerings in WDW.



I think what makes it seem fair and about the same as the prices in the US parks is that the Pound is still fairly strong against the Yuan, but much less so against the Dollar.

Corinna


----------



## PrincessInOz

dolphingirl47 said:


> That is good to know. Not wanting to jinx anything at the moment, but there is a good chance that I will get to experience this sooner rather than later.



Oooh!  Awesome news.  I hope to be reading all about it soon, when it's all confirmed.  Such exciting news!!!






dolphingirl47 said:


> I think what makes it seem fair and about the same as the prices in the US parks is that the Pound is still fairly strong against the Yuan, but much less so against the Dollar.



The Aussie dollar has dropped!


----------



## dolphingirl47

PrincessInOz said:


> The Aussie dollar has dropped!



Oh, that is not good. I have to say, even when we were in Sydney, we got a pretty good exchange rate.

Corinna


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Back to the Pirate’s Lair*



After lunch, Zanzibar, my DM and I wanted to do another ride on Pirates.  It was a 10-minute standby wait. 







We requested a front row seat and the CM was happy to comply.  She told us to wait by the side until the next vehicle came along and loaded us on the front row.


I have to say that by the time I finished with this pass through and what I’d shot for the other 2 days, I’ve come back with a full collection of pictures.  So, for those of you that don’t want to see any spoilers, keep heading along.  I’m just going to put up the pictures I shot on this day here.







*The Skeleton Collection*





































*The Animatronics* from this ride were totally amazing.  I guess you’d expect that of Disney.






































*Inside the Sunken Treasure area*

























(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


*The Imax Images*


































*Playing Battleships.*  Being in the middle of a make-believe life-sized Battleships game is totally awesome too.

























*The final scene.*









After we finished, Zanzibar and I decided that we needed to head back in a second time.  It really is that good! 








Afterall, it was still showing a 10-minute standby wait.







I think the only rooms I hadn’t yet captured were in the queueing area.





















I will admit that I put away the camera for this fourth (in 3 days) and final ride through the Pirate’s Lair.  It’s such an amazing ride that it was deserving of my full attention and enjoyment.  I sure hope to experience this ride again some day.








Awesome, awesome ride!






(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Fashions in the Sun (Mickey’s Storybook Express Parade)*



After being washed out for 2 days, it was time to enjoy some of that live entertainment that Shanghai prides itself on.


It was nice to see some traditions translate across into this park.







Mickey’s Storybook Express is the daytime parade at Shanghai Disneyland.   







It's billed as the parade with the longest route of all Disney parks.  In truth, how long a parade route is doesn’t really matter.  Afterall, most people would stay to watch the parade go past them once.  And when it's done, they just move on.








For me, I’d prefer to see a parade get a good wrap for the floats and colour.  







More importantly, I actually like to see the Cast Members, their costumes and dance steps.








It was interesting to see some of the Disney characters W-A-L-K-I-N-G along the parade route.  I wonder how they cope in the hot summer sun?  







How do you tell a Chip from a Dale?  The Black nose is Chocolate Chip.








Maybe they take turns to ride the minor vehicles.







The first major float of the parade was the headline Mickey’s Storybook Express vehicle, complete with lucky number 8.  







It was rather familiar looking.  We did see this on the rainy-day parade.








No one tell Mickey….but I do have a soft spot for Donald.







Did I mention that I like checking out the costumes in a parade??


I liked the bright yellow and green costumes of the CMs that accompanied this vehicle.  Yellow and green are very familiar colours for the Aussies.








But I liked the characters that followed this vehicle even more!







Their attire was just perfect.  Casual and comfortable!








Maybe it’s me, but in the American parks, I rarely see all the Dwarfs together.  They seem to only come out on special parades.







For Hong Kong and Shanghai, I seem to have better luck in seeing them.







The second group is all about Toy Story.







I liked the pogo jumpers!  Such fun bubblegum colours!








I like this picture. It’s the shadow selfie you take when you’re not really taking a selfie.








And there’s always gotta be the Green Toy Soldiers.  
My brothers used to have toy soldiers.  In those days, I used my teeth a lot.  I seem to recall chewing off some of their toy soldier heads when I was younger.  I suspect that will be TMI and may be more appropriate for the Queen of Hearts.







It’s definitely not easy being green or wearing green.  I’ll pass on this outfit.  







The main Toy Story float.







Woody was riding on Dino.  I wonder what Bullseye thinks of it?







I took the opportunity to grab some close-ups of the supporting cast here. 








At one time, there was a conspiracy theory floating the web that Wheezy was actually a de-facto baddie out to get Woody.  Just look at him!  It couldn't possibly be true!











(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


The 3rd group comprised of one of my more favourite Disney movies of the last 10 years.







I like the music of the Tangled movie very much.  



 




I tried hard to grab a picture of Flynn.







But with that blonde next to him, he never glanced my way!







If Flynn wasn’t playing, at least the costumes were flirty.







Another one of the support characters from a movie.  Ulf the Mime.  I don’t know why they chose him to include in this group.  Afterall, there were any number of Thug sidekicks to choose from.  Maybe he got the nod because he was the silent type.







And let’s not forget Maximus.  He was bringing up the rear.







The Finding Nemo group.







I am a fan of both the Nemo and Dory movies.







But I really wasn’t sure about the seagulls costumes.  I’ll just say they are NOT moine, NOT moine, NOT moine.







I definitely won't be running into Tren-D to pick these outfits up.














It’s all a little too frilly for my tastes.








Just keep swimming.  Just keep swimming right along.








It's the Frozen group.







The design of these costumes was more to my liking.







Even the male costumes were nice.







I think I liked the boots the best.








The main float was impressive.







I totally loved the Frozen sidekicks in the movie.







Afterall, who doesn't like warm hugs?









Anna and Elsa were wearing their normal costumes.







This group also included an additional element.  Loved it!









(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)



Without a doubt, the most impressive group was Mulan.







LOVED the costumes here.







The flags added a nice flourish too.







And then there was the float!







Khan was larger than life.







Mulan was dressed in her Ping costume.







Very functional.







There was obviously no expenses spared for this group.







I loved this float.







I was really sad to see the back of it.








The final group.







We’ve seen this float before.  It’s the second float that came out on rainy-day.







No rain today.  It was all smiles!  







And I have to say that I appreciated these costume more today than on rainy day.







Another couple of characters for my photo collection.  It was nice to see Nick Wilde…..






…and Judy Hopps about.







As a parade collection, I thought the fashions were incredible.



 



This 20-something minute parade covered movies from the Disney movie collection from the 90’s, 00’s and 10’s.  It just goes to show what a diverse range of movies and characters Disney has to choose from.  

It’s a nice parade but I can’t say that it’s my favourite daytime parade.  Each group works but there really isn’t anything that connects the groups together.  If you don’t know what I mean, just think about Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle Parade at Animal Kingdom.  The costumes, floats and music just blend cohesively in that parade.   This one just seems too disjointed between the groups.


Still.....I do wish that I had another opportunity to shoot this parade.  Oh well.  Something else to add to the re-do list.


----------



## tiggrbaby

Once again, lovely pics!  So glad you were able to enjoy POTC once not behind the camera (although I am thrilled that you did take so many pics the other times!) and the full parade in the sunshine.


----------



## dolphingirl47

PrincessInOz said:


> It was interesting to see some of the Disney characters W-A-L-K-I-N-G along the parade route.



For me this is perfectly normal. I am not a huge parade person, with the exception of when I am at Disneyland Paris as their parades are something else. They also have walking characters.

I loved the photos of the parade. It looks like a parade that I would definitely enjoy and I will factor this in when I get to visit Shanghai Disneyland.

Corinna


----------



## shushh

I loved seeing Mulan being so prominent at Shanghai. It is one of the nice things about visiting the various parks worldwide, being able to see different characters because of local preferences. I absolutely ADORED the Mulan dress. Have never seen the same details elsewhere. Would have bought one if 1) there was one my size and 2) it wasn't so darn expensive!


----------



## franandaj

Ugh, same problem with the pictures. This time I'm using my phone, on the home internet. Will look again when I get dressed and go to the computer room.


----------



## franandaj

The parade pictures are great!  I have never paid attention to the actual costumes and thought about things so trivial as boots!  With your commentary I paid so much more attention to these things.  Thank you for letting me see the parade through your eyes.

I have to say that Pirates is the ride there that I will most be looking forward to ride when we eventually get there!


----------



## Aussie Wendy

PrincessInOz said:


> *Rainy Day Strategy #10 – It’s Always worth Lingering over another Meal (Crystal Jade)*
> 
> 
> But aside from the value-added head and comb, it was the pinkness of the chicken that had 2.5 of us gasping.  I suspect it was way too pink for Wendy and her DD.  I was the half.  It was barely acceptable for me…..and I do remember eating pink chicken in my youth.
> 
> My DM did her best to tell Wendy that that’s how chicken is cooked in Asia…..and I do remember eating pink chicken in my youth.
> It wasn’t until I came home and unpacked my pictures before I realised how pink that chicken was.  It looked a little different and more cooked under the tungsten lighting.  If I had taken a proper look at the colour, I suspect that Wendy and I would have insisted it go back to the kitchen for another round of cooking.
> 
> 
> (Continued in Next Post)



I didn't know the latter was an option!! Yes it was very much too pink for J and I especially with her virology and bacteriology background!! We ate very little of it! Your Mum was very kind to keep finding us the most cooked bits and giving them to us - sorry if you missed out! Still we are all well so no worries! I never knew its auspicious Michelin heritage though. I also really like funghi so enjoyed that dish.


----------



## PrincessInOz

tiggrbaby said:


> Once again, lovely pics!  So glad you were able to enjoy POTC once not behind the camera (although I am thrilled that you did take so many pics the other times!) and the full parade in the sunshine.



Thanks!  I was really pleased to have enjoyed POTC without the camera as well.    






dolphingirl47 said:


> For me this is perfectly normal. I am not a huge parade person, with the exception of when I am at Disneyland Paris as their parades are something else. They also have walking characters.



Maybe I just don't remember the parades as well as I thought!  




dolphingirl47 said:


> I loved the photos of the parade. It looks like a parade that I would definitely enjoy and I will factor this in when I get to visit Shanghai Disneyland.
> 
> Corinna



This parade at Shanghai is pretty decent.  It's a wide range of themes and well worth checking out.  I'm just sorry I only had one fine day to enjoy it.  I just wish that it was a little more cohesive from group to group.  If it was, this would have been a great parade!






shushh said:


> I loved seeing Mulan being so prominent at Shanghai. It is one of the nice things about visiting the various parks worldwide, being able to see different characters because of local preferences. I absolutely ADORED the Mulan dress. Have never seen the same details elsewhere. Would have bought one if 1) there was one my size and 2) it wasn't so darn expensive!



The Mulan dress is lovely, isn't it?  

Yes.  They don't make them my size either.






franandaj said:


> Ugh, same problem with the pictures. This time I'm using my phone, on the home internet. Will look again when I get dressed and go to the computer room.



That's a shame!  Must be a specific time of day for Photobucket!





franandaj said:


> The parade pictures are great!  I have never paid attention to the actual costumes and thought about things so trivial as boots!  With your commentary I paid so much more attention to these things.  Thank you for letting me see the parade through your eyes.
> 
> I have to say that Pirates is the ride there that I will most be looking forward to ride when we eventually get there!



Glad you liked the details in the parade.

Yes.  Pirates (and Tron) are the rides that will draw me back to Shanghai.








Aussie Wendy said:


> I didn't know the latter was an option!! Yes it was very much too pink for J and I especially with her virology and bacteriology background!! We ate very little of it! Your Mum was very kind to keep finding us the most cooked bits and giving them to us - sorry if you missed out! Still we are all well so no worries! I never knew its auspicious Michelin heritage though. I also really like funghi so enjoyed that dish.



LOL.  I think the Chinese waiters and waitresses would have taken the chicken back to the kitchen if you or J had asked them to.  

All good.  I got enough of the chicken that night.


----------



## PrincessInOz

To everyone lurking and reading this TR.  Thank you so much for your continual visits.  

I noticed that this TR has clicked over 100,000 views.  I am truly humbled and grateful that you are still reading along!

Thank you again.


----------



## pooh'smate

I just followed the link from your signature but I still have to go back and read.


----------



## PrincessInOz

pooh'smate said:


> I just followed the link from your signature but I still have to go back and read.




  Hi Michelle.  Nice to see you here!  Thanks for reading along.


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Daytime In Front of the Castle (Golden Fairytale Fanfare Show)*



We were really loving all the blue sky and sunshine today.  It meant that we could enjoy the live entertainment that Shanghai prides itself on.


Having ticked off the full parade, it was time to head in front of the Castle and check out the Golden Fairytale Fanfare show.  There was a small crowd here but we still managed to find a position along a railing to view the show.







Our host for the 17-minute daytime show was dressed in red and yellow, auspicious colours for the Chinese.  Yellow, corresponding with earth, is considered the most beautiful and prestigious color. Yellow represents neutrality and good luck; and freedom from worldly cares (as used in the Buddhist monk’s robes).  It’s the colour worn by Chinese Emperors of the past.  I wonder what that says about our affable host?







Red, corresponding with fire, symbolizes good fortune and joy.  Joyful is something that I would associate with the opening number.  






The opening number was lovely.  I didn’t understand a word of Mandarin, but it didn’t matter.







The first princess on stage was Snow White.







I know I’ve been doing Fashions in the Field for all the live entertainment this afternoon…..but really!  Snow White’s dress was beyond words!  I hope they get rid of the yellow tinsel and head back to just plain yellow fabric.







Frozen has been a mega-hit for Disney.  I have to admit that I’m a big fan of Frozen so the Anna and Elsa take-over….er….inclusion in all aspects of Disney is one that I welcome.







Generally blue has a negative connotation for the Chinese. Opera characters with blue make-up are usually ghosts or bad characters.  I doubt this applies to Elsa blue!







And it certainly couldn’t apply to any of the Aladdin CM!







Mind you….there were a number of them dressed in green.  Generally green is associated with health, prosperity, and harmony. 







There was an amazing prop in this section of the show.







The visuals were just stunning against that castle.













Water play time.







Ariel was singing Part of Your World here.  Whilst everything was in Mandarin, I did understand a few words.  For the few that I did understand, the direct translation of this song into Mandarin seemed to be pretty good.







This was a Brave move!







And another amazing stage production.  I loved that Merida’s entrance on stage was on ‘horseback’ and that she rode out from the middle!  The backstage (or is that the pit-section) of this castle must be incredible to see.



 















You have to admit.  That’s one heck of a horse prop.







The final (reprisal) number was all about yellow gold and red.







It was also all about the Disney Princesses.







And our main Disney hosts also made an appearance.







Nice to see the Golden Mickey costumes in use again.







As Castle shows go, this one was really decent.  







But then….I’ve come to expect all Castle shows to be decent from Disney.




(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

*A Quick Spin around Tomorrowland*



We had caught up with Aussie Wendy and her DD during the Castle show.   When we compared notes of what we wanted to do for the rest of the day, we worked out that we all wanted to head back to Tomorrowland.   Specifically, we all wanted to head back to the Grid for one last ride.  

At this point, my DM decided she wanted to head back to the room, so we said our goodnights to her.

The rest of us....we made our way to Tron.  Stand-by time was listed as 5 minutes and Wendy’s DD sat this one out so she took our bags.







This time, Zanzibar asked the CM if we could ride in the front.  I was the lucky one that got to ride in the front with her.  If you have the opportunity, riding Tron from the front vehicle is something that you should put on your must-do list.








Wendy sat behind us.  








When we caught up with Wendy’s DD, we all decided that was another attraction worth a spin around. This time, I put the camera away and just enjoyed the experience.







I can’t seem to win where those in-ride camera’s are concerned.  Either I’m caught with my camera in front of my face…..or I’m caught with the gun in front of my face!









(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

*A Quick Spin of a Different Kind in Fantasyland (Pooh’s Hunny Spin)*



Sometimes, things get “lost in translation” in China.  I’m guessing that the spelling mistake is probably what happened here.  Afterall, that's not the way to spell Hunny!







I’ve always liked spinning rides such as this.







I really don’t know why it had taken me 3 days to get on this attraction.  Afterall, I’ve always said that in the wet conditions, this ride is much like a spin-dry cycle.  







In the end, Zanzibar got on the ride with me.







Thanks for giving me the opportunity to practise some photography!







I still haven’t quite nailed this shot yet!







After we finished our turn, we took the opportunity to take more pictures so Zanzibar will also have shots like this to share on her TR.







And I did note…..there were some hunny pots with the correct spelling!








(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

*A Quick Spin at Twilight in Alice's Maze*




Our last evening in Shanghai Disneyland and everyone wanted to see the Alice in Wonderland Maze at twilight.







We would have preferred to head here a little later; but there was so much more we still wanted to see and do during the twilight.







This is one area that I’ll definitely need to hit next time I get back here.  Afterall, you can see how pretty those steampunk statues are now with a bit of lighting.  







I’ll bet they look even more amazing with a beautifully lit castle in the background.











I was rather happy to be able to see the maze in the early part of sunset; and thankful that we had fine weather today for this opportunity.







I even managed to grab a quick shot of the Cheshire cat in the cave section.







Wish I could have walked through again; or stayed longer for a second run through.  Oh well.  Something to add to the ‘next time’ list.







By the time we got to the Queen of Hearts section of this garden, it was starting to look very pretty.







The lights were making everything look even more magical!







The Red Queen sure looks a lot like Helena Bonham Carter!







It really is a very pretty castle.  







Especially at night.







We raced into the Mad Hatter Tea Party table.







It was a real spin through.







I could see the wonderful colour in the sky. 







It was time for me to keep going.







So much to do!  So much to see! And so little time left.


----------



## dolphingirl47

The show looks amazing.



PrincessInOz said:


> Snow White’s dress was beyond words! I hope they get rid of the yellow tinsel and head back to just plain yellow fabric.



I actually rather like this, but to me it looked like flowers rather than tinsel.



PrincessInOz said:


>



That is definitely a unique take on the flying carpet.



PrincessInOz said:


> Either I’m caught with my camera in front of my face…..or I’m caught with the gun in front of my face!



I know that feeling as well, minus the camera.

I keep looking at the photos of Tron and I wonder if I would be OK with this. I am a bit of a scaredy cat when it comes to thrill rides. I love Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Big Thunder Mountain. I am OK with Space Mountain and Matterhorn. Rock'n'Rollercoaster, Primeval Whirl and Goofy's Sky School are a categoric "no" and I have never been brave enough to try California Screamin'. Do you think I could handle Tron?

Corinna


----------



## tiggrbaby

What a lovely show!  Thanks for the info on the colors!

That Tron ride looks like such fun; I wonder if it will ever come to WDW?


----------



## zanzibar138

I totally agree on Snow White's dress - don't know what's wrong with the traditional style skirt! You got some great shots during the show.

Ugh, some of those photos of me are awful lol! I look particularly unimpressed to be on the Astro Blasters...

Lovely shots of twilight in Alice's maze.

I really need to get back onto my TR. I'm afraid it's been left by the wayside lately with life getting in the way again.


----------



## franandaj

I'll keep in mind the front car thing. Maybe not as much for Tron, but maybe for the ride in Pandora.

The castle show looks nice, but I'm not sure how I would feel about not understanding a word they are saying!

I will not be going on those Hunny pots!

Nice photos at twilight in Alice's Garden!


----------



## PrincessInOz

dolphingirl47 said:


> The show looks amazing.



I liked the castle show a lot.





dolphingirl47 said:


> I actually rather like this, but to me it looked like flowers rather than tinsel.



LOL!  Wait till you see it for yourself!!!






dolphingirl47 said:


> That is definitely a unique take on the flying carpet.









dolphingirl47 said:


> I know that feeling as well, minus the camera.
> 
> I keep looking at the photos of Tron and I wonder if I would be OK with this. I am a bit of a scaredy cat when it comes to thrill rides. I love Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Big Thunder Mountain. I am OK with Space Mountain and Matterhorn. Rock'n'Rollercoaster, Primeval Whirl and Goofy's Sky School are a categoric "no" and I have never been brave enough to try California Screamin'. Do you think I could handle Tron?



If you're okay with Space and Matterhorn, you'll be fine with Tron.  It's much smoother to ride than Space.  Just remember to bring a strap for your glasses if you want to keep them on during the ride.  They will make you take off your glasses without something to secure it around your head.


----------



## Fairy Floss

I love, love, love the pic of you & Zanzibar on Tron


----------



## PrincessInOz

tiggrbaby said:


> What a lovely show! Thanks for the info on the colors!
> 
> That Tron ride looks like such fun; I wonder if it will ever come to WDW?



I know there is a bit of chatter about Tron getting to WDW.  It's too good a ride not to replicate in another park.  It's just a question of where and when.








zanzibar138 said:


> I totally agree on Snow White's dress - don't know what's wrong with the traditional style skirt! You got some great shots during the show.



Yes.  I think we all said the same thing at the time about that dress.

Thanks.  






zanzibar138 said:


> Ugh, some of those photos of me are awful lol! I look particularly unimpressed to be on the Astro Blasters...



We should have got back on for another shot!  But time was against us then.





zanzibar138 said:


> Lovely shots of twilight in Alice's maze.
> 
> I really need to get back onto my TR. I'm afraid it's been left by the wayside lately with life getting in the way again.




I know what you mean.  Hope life settles down soon!







franandaj said:


> I'll keep in mind the front car thing. Maybe not as much for Tron, but maybe for the ride in Pandora.



I think the front car thing might be the place to be for Pandora as well.







franandaj said:


> The castle show looks nice, but I'm not sure how I would feel about not understanding a word they are saying!



In the end, it really doesn't make much of a difference.  I was singing the songs in English whilst they were 'singing' in Mandarin.







franandaj said:


> I will not be going on those Hunny pots!



LOL.  No.  I don't expect you would.  






franandaj said:


> Nice photos at twilight in Alice's Garden!



Thanks.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Fairy Floss said:


> I love, love, love the pic of you & Zanzibar on Tron



You should have been there too!  We missed you that night.


----------



## dolphingirl47

PrincessInOz said:


> LOL! Wait till you see it for yourself!!!



Less than 6 months now. 



PrincessInOz said:


> If you're okay with Space and Matterhorn, you'll be fine with Tron. It's much smoother to ride than Space.



That sounds good. I have got into the habit to have 4 must do rides for each day in a park. Everything else is a bonus. I think for Shanghai Disneyland those will be Tron, Soarin, Pirates and Voyage to the Crystal Grotto. Everything else is a bonus. 




PrincessInOz said:


> Just remember to bring a strap for your glasses if you want to keep them on during the ride. They will make you take off your glasses without something to secure it around your head.



I have already made a note of this.

Corinna


----------



## mvf-m11c

The Royal Banquet Hall looks very nice and the details inside are amazing. I have never eaten at Cinderella's Royal Table at the MK but the RBH will be something to try if i ever go to Shanghai Disney. The food looks good. Cinderella Slipper dessert would be my favorite pic.

The Mickey’s Storybook Express Parade looks fun and glad that you got to see it. I enjoy parades at night but this one is very nice. The details of it with your camera are great. Even Golden Fairytale Fanfare Show in front of the castle are nice as well. I would easily see those shows at the park.

Nice to see that you got long exposure shots on Pooh's Hunny Spin. I still remember that you asked me to go on the Mad Hatter Tea Cups at DL and I didn't go on it.


----------



## Aussie Wendy

The maze really was pretty as the sun went down. We always pass on the teacups though we did stop to watch a while at some point! I think we were collecting coats and doing some shopping while you did that. Where did Fairyfloss get to after the parade?


----------



## zanzibar138

Aussie Wendy said:


> Where did Fairyfloss get to after the parade?



I believe she headed back to the club lounge at the hotel


----------



## PrincessInOz

mvf-m11c said:


> The Royal Banquet Hall looks very nice and the details inside are amazing. I have never eaten at Cinderella's Royal Table at the MK but the RBH will be something to try if i ever go to Shanghai Disney. The food looks good. Cinderella Slipper dessert would be my favorite pic.
> 
> The Mickey’s Storybook Express Parade looks fun and glad that you got to see it. I enjoy parades at night but this one is very nice. The details of it with your camera are great. Even Golden Fairytale Fanfare Show in front of the castle are nice as well. I would easily see those shows at the park.



I think you'd like the shows, Bret.







mvf-m11c said:


> Nice to see that you got long exposure shots on Pooh's Hunny Spin. I still remember that you asked me to go on the Mad Hatter Tea Cups at DL and I didn't go on it.



Yes.  The spinny rides are ones that I normally have to go on by myself or with DS.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Aussie Wendy said:


> The maze really was pretty as the sun went down. We always pass on the teacups though we did stop to watch a while at some point! I think we were collecting coats and doing some shopping while you did that. Where did Fairyfloss get to after the parade?



I wish we had another fine day to go through the maze again at night.





zanzibar138 said:


> I believe she headed back to the club lounge at the hotel


----------



## PrincessInOz

*A Quick Spin around Treasure Cove at Night*



We had been blessed with the most amazing blue skies today.    More importantly…..no rain.  That meant that I had one night to run around to grab some shots of the park at night.


Without a doubt.  Treasure Cove is one heck of a land.  Disney has truly done an amazing job in this area.  As amazing as it looks during the day, it is even prettier at night.







I ran around the cove in search of as many scenic opportunities as possible.







I was left feeling like I really needed more than one fine night.







There were just so many stunning areas to enjoy.






Next time, I need to see if I can find this spot again and work out what the fireworks look like from here.








Roaring Mountain was also very pretty at night.







I just wished I had more time and more dry weather!








But time was ticking down and I still had one thing left on my to-do list.




(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

*
Ignite the Dream from Front and Center*



Two nights of miserable rain and cold. There was no way I was missing out on catching the Ignite the Dream show from a front and centre position.


I used every trick I knew in the book to manoeuvre my way to this spot.







In this show, Mickey unleashes a spark of imagination allows him to journey across several Disney films. 








_A Dream is a wish your heart makes._







_When you’re fast asleep._








Mickey made an appearance in The Lion King. 







_It’s the Circle of Life_







_I just can’t wait to be king_








_Hakuna Matata_







From the forest waterfall, Mickey takes us to The Little Mermaid.







_I wanna be where the people are._








With Pirates being such a feature of this park, it came as no surprise to see a Sunken Treasure coin in the mix.








Yeah.  We all know…he’s a pirate.















Mickey then enters the Cave of Wonders.







_Who needs enemies when you have Friends like me?_







Next up.  Mickey heads into Mulan.







_When will my reflection show who I am inside?_







_I’ll make a man out of you_







Mickey just keeps coming back.







This time…we’re heading Up....







….and Into a Galaxy Far, far away







We’re definitely in Star Wars country here.







No point Resistance-ing it.







(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


Mickey shows up just as the snowfalls.







We might be in Frozen territory.







_Let it go._













_For the first time in Forever._







_There’ll be music, there’ll be light._







_The cold never bothered me anyway._







The Frozen montage seemed to go forever!







And we finally got to the reprisal.








It was an overload of Disney hit movies from here on end.


Cinderella







The Little Mermaid







The Lion King







Cars







Zootopia









The projections for Ignite the Dream definitely tug at your heart strings.  Disney definitely packed in as many movie hits as they possibly could in this show and my eyes (and camera lens) lapped up the visual feast.  This is definitely a show where the sum of the building projections, water fountains, lasers, fireworks and music enhance the entire experience.  It is also a show best viewed right in the middle and up-front.  Sadly, that does mean staking out a spot about an hour in advance; and being prepared to fight for your space. 










One last thing.  Make sure you stay in front of the castle after Ignite the Dream.  They do project the prettier backdrops from the show.





















(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


*Last Picture in the Park*



Since getting the shutter bug, I seem to have picked up the nasty habit of closing out a park.

In 2012, I definitely was the last person out of Hong Kong Disneyland.  Picked up a last shot in Tomorrowland…..






…..before getting the last shot of the Castle.  






The CM respectfully ushered me down towards Main Street.


In 2013, I was….er…..asked to leave Epcot as I was making my way round the World Showcase.  I did plead my case for this last shot of China.  It was definitely after midnight.







On that same trip in 2013, security caught up with @SunDial and myself in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom.







It was so late that they had to call for a special bus to take us back to our resorts.  Whilst we were waiting for the bus to arrive, they were kind enough to let us take some last shots.







They even let us plonk our tripods down Main Street.








…before escorting us out of the park at around 1 am in the morning.







So…..is anyone surprised to learn that I was escorted out of Shanghai Disneyland?


You will find security and cast members everywhere at the end of the night.  They will be encouraging the guests to either head out of the park as quickly as possible or corral them down Mickey Avenue into the shops.

Well….you see…..I just needed to get a last shot of Tron.  And I managed to talk my way past the security guy at the entrance.  Pleaded my case of it being the last night and how it rained and everything.  I don’t know how much he understood.  But he thought I was just heading to the area just behind him....and then had to bolt very quickly when he realised I made my way to that overpass.







I turned around after taking this shot and realised he was there….with his walkie-talkie…..and another guard was hoofing his way in our direction.







*sigh*


I definitely had a 2-man escort out to the Downtown Disney gate at the Tomorrowland side where I caught up with the others.  


We caught the bus back to the resort.  I said my goodbyes to Aussie Wendy and her DD as they were heading to a hotel nearer the airport.  It had truly been a pleasure to have been able to share this Shanghai part of the vacay with them.  

I headed back to my room where I still had some packing ahead of me.....Hong Kong beckons!


And I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that Disney might have my mug shot somewhere in their systems!


----------



## Fairy Floss

PrincessInOz said:


> You should have been there too! We missed you that night.





zanzibar138 said:


> I believe she headed back to the club lounge at the hotel



Yep! I was in the club lounge improving international relations 
But those pics of yours Pio ....
I'm thinking I should have been with you - elbowing people out of my way to get pics


----------



## dolphingirl47

PrincessInOz said:


>



I love all the night-time photos, but this is by far my favourite. It is absolutely stunning.



PrincessInOz said:


> I definitely had a 2-man escort out to the Downtown Disney gate at the Tomorrowland side where I caught up with the others.



Wow, that is what I call service 

Corinna


----------



## tiggrbaby

What an amazing last night!  

Sounds like you are testing to see what the park escort services are like at each location!


----------



## franandaj

You got some great nighttime photos, and I can't believe your nerve.  I am one to be so scared off by security that I would never even think about crossing them, much less run away to get photos.

You have taken some spectacular pictures over the years with your penchant for overstaying your welcome!  I am one on the other hand to head back to the lounge for a drink or two and then retire.


----------



## zanzibar138

PrincessInOz said:


> Next time, I need to see if I can find this spot again and work out what the fireworks look like from here.



I'm sure you would do it a lot more justice than I did PIO  but here's an idea:







PrincessInOz said:


> Roaring Mountain was also very pretty at night.



Ooh yes it is! Especially with the twinkle effect!



PrincessInOz said:


> *Ignite the Dream from Front and Center*



Well worth the effort. These shots are amazing!



PrincessInOz said:


> The Frozen montage seemed to go forever!



Yes it did. As a person who doesn't mind Frozen, but isn't a huge fan, I was waiting for it to finish lol!



PrincessInOz said:


> One last thing. Make sure you stay in front of the castle after Ignite the Dream. They do project the prettier backdrops from the show.



I actually really love this part 



PrincessInOz said:


> I definitely had a 2-man escort out to the Downtown Disney gate at the Tomorrowland side where I caught up with the others.



And I thought I was late out lol! You were probably another half an hour


----------



## Montanabel

PrincessInOz said:


> And I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that Disney might have my mug shot somewhere in their systems!



Lol!!  That story is gold!


----------



## Mom2m&k

Love your trip report! Your pictures are amazing and I love your sense of humor! Your mom is adorable. Can't wait to read about Hong Kong!


----------



## Ms. Shuttergirl

Well PIO - I have spent the best part of 3 days reading your Trip Report and have thoroughly enjoyed it.  Loved all of the incredible photography and the witty commentary.  I feel like I have a great grasp on Shanghai Disney now and hope to get there very soon.  You dedication to getting the best shots is amazing and I especially enjoyed you and your DMs additional info regarding Chinese culture and history.  Awesome read - thanks!!!!


----------



## pinksand

Just read through this whole thread and it's wonderful! We are going to Shanghai DL and Hong Kong DL in November, so I'm eagerly awaiting the HKDL portion.
And your pictures are breathtaking! Thanks for sharing!


----------



## PrincessInOz

Sorry for being MIA, everyone.

It's been a bad flu season for me and life's a little frantic right now.  But I hope to get back to this TR next week and move this along to the Hong Kong part.


----------



## tiggrbaby

Feel better!


----------



## dolphingirl47

PrincessInOz said:


> Sorry for being MIA, everyone.
> 
> It's been a bad flu season for me and life's a little frantic right now.  But I hope to get back to this TR next week and move this along to the Hong Kong part.



I am sorry that you have been feeling unwell.

Corinna


----------



## PrincessInOz

Montanabel said:


> Lol!!  That story is gold!



I only have Japan and Paris to tick off now.  





Mom2m&k said:


> Love your trip report! Your pictures are amazing and I love your sense of humor! Your mom is adorable. Can't wait to read about Hong Kong!



Thank you.  I'm sorry it's taken me this long to get back to this TR.  I do plan to finish it!!!






pinksand said:


> Just read through this whole thread and it's wonderful! We are going to Shanghai DL and Hong Kong DL in November, so I'm eagerly awaiting the HKDL portion.
> And your pictures are breathtaking! Thanks for sharing!



Thanks for reading!


----------



## PrincessInOz

Ms. Shuttergirl said:


> Well PIO - I have spent the best part of 3 days reading your Trip Report and have thoroughly enjoyed it.  Loved all of the incredible photography and the witty commentary.  I feel like I have a great grasp on Shanghai Disney now and hope to get there very soon.  You dedication to getting the best shots is amazing and I especially enjoyed you and your DMs additional info regarding Chinese culture and history.  Awesome read - thanks!!!!



Hello stranger!

Hope you and your family are doing well.  Dare I hope that you're heading to Shanghai soon?


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Day 7: Shanghai Disneyland to Hong Kong Disneyland*



*
A Final Walk to Disneytown*


Final moments at Disney.....any Disney.....are always bitter for me.  It’s when I know that the time is coming up fast where I have to suspend the fairy tale and resume real life.   It’s not that my real life is bad or anything….but….real life is impossible to measure up to the fairy tale.  Perhaps that’s why Disney is so successful.  It knows how to keep raising that fairy tale bar higher and higher as the quality of our real lives raises higher and higher.  And on the cycle goes, making real life comparatively bitter to the taste of a fairy tale.  







I think you know what I mean.








But….before the return, there is always the last look-around.








I took the back exit out….







…and walked towards the park.







It was a very cold morning.  







There was frost on the ground.







With hardly anyone around, it was very easy to reflect on what a great time we had had at Shanghai Disneyland.







You know…..It’s taken 4 mornings before I finally took note of the walk around Wishing Star Lake.








There were lots of pretty elements to admire here.













It was also rather early in the morning.  And you know what they say about the early bird.  In this case, the early bird was a long tailed shrike.







There were also some ducks flying about on Wishing Star Lake.







I kept walking towards Disney.














I don’t recall how long it took me to meander across.  I did spend more time than most taking pictures and as I was in no rush this morning, I have the feeling I may have taken 20 - 30 minutes to cover the short distance.







(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


*Lakeshore, Disneytown*



From the Shanghai Disneyland Hotel and walking round Wishing Star Lake, you end up in the Lakeshore section of Disneytown.  As it’s name suggests, it’s the section that is closest to the Lake.







There was definitely a nautical theme this side.














It’s not a very big section and seems to comprise mostly of eating places.







It was nice and quiet for photo-taking…..













….but I was definitely attracting the attention of the locals.







I was so early that there was no one else around!  Makes me hard to miss where security was concerned.  But they left me alone.







Oh…in case anyone is curious. It’s definitely just Pepsi here.









(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


*Disneytown Proper*



Everything is pretty close in Shanghai so it took me less than a minute to walk towards the main part of Disneytown.







It wasn’t opened.  So I amused myself by taking yet more pictures.







The Disney touches are exactly what you would expect.







But there are distinctively oriental elements here as well.







I did a little window drooling.







Aside from Starbucks, these were the other two establishments that opened at 7.30 am.  The bread rolls that my DM bought for breakfast came from the Bread Talk place. For the Aussies reading, it’s pretty much like Bread Top.







I never made it inside the Lego Store here.







Next time.







I kept meandering around Downtown Disney.  I was just enjoying the quietness of Disneytown.



















Next time I’m here, I’m going to have to schedule some shopping time in.







At the end of Disneytown closest to the Tomorrowland entrance, there are a couple of well known American chain restaurants.  Wolfgang Puck and the Cheesecake Factory are both chains that I like eating at when in the US.  However, with the plethora of Asian options here, I never made it to either.








Our restaurant with the nearly cooked chicken was at this end of Disneytown.







I liked the little references to the theatre end.  This is where you’ll find the Lion King Theatre.








Another part of Disneytown is Spice Alley.













It’s actually just the second laneway of Disneytown.








I loved the touches of artwork here.






























Despite the lovely mosaics, I have to say that my favourite artwork here was this one.  So cute with the Asian costumes.






(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

For anyone heading to the Far East, if you find one of these stores, it might be worth checking out if you’re after gold jewellery.  They are doing a range of Disney jewellery right now.









As with the other laneway, there are heaps of eating establishments here.

























It wasn’t all only food.  There were retail shops here as well.






















By the time I’d done the loop, there was a queue waiting to get in the Park entrance.






Lucky them!  They get to spend the day at Disneyland.







I was definitely shipping out today.


----------



## mvf-m11c

I haven't read your TR since July which seems like forever. But I was able to read all of your latest.

You had a nice night and Ignite the Dream looks like a very nice nighttime show that I would enjoy a lot. I would enjoy taking pictures with you at night at that park but I don't know if I can last that long.

Nice morning even though it was cold. The Disneytown pictures look very nice.


----------



## TLPL

Is there anything worth buying in Shanghai Disney? Or they have the same thing you can find in US parks? We have been to WDW so many times I rarely buy anything any more, unless its very unique. Anything caught your eyes?


----------



## tiggrbaby

How lovely that you were able to get so many pics in an empty DTD!


----------



## jedijill

Your pics are gorgeous!  Shanghai looks amazing.  It's moving up my short term travel list!

Jill in CO


----------



## dolphingirl47

Disney Town looks absolutely amazing. What a treat that you essentially had it all to yourself. I think I may need to squeeze in some time to at least have a quick look around.

Corinna


----------



## Ms. Shuttergirl

PrincessInOz said:


> Hello stranger!
> 
> Hope you and your family are doing well.  Dare I hope that you're heading to Shanghai soon?



Hello to you too.  Yes we are heading to China for 3 weeks in April and will be spending 2 full days and 3 nights at Shanghai Disneyland.  Very excited to check another castle out and thoroughly enjoyed reading your TR.

Re:- Tron....I've ridden Space Mountain at WDW twice.  I absolutely didn't like it but Liv wanted to ride and I didn't die so there's that.  How much scarier or similar is Tron?


----------



## franandaj

What great pictures you got of the area while it was so empty.  I have no idea if or when we will ever get to Shanghai, so I'll just have to live vicariously through other's Trip Reports!


----------



## PrincessInOz

mvf-m11c said:


> I haven't read your TR since July which seems like forever. But I was able to read all of your latest.
> 
> You had a nice night and Ignite the Dream looks like a very nice nighttime show that I would enjoy a lot. I would enjoy taking pictures with you at night at that park but I don't know if I can last that long.
> 
> Nice morning even though it was cold. The Disneytown pictures look very nice.





Shanghai DL security will kick you out of the park bang on closing, but I think you can do some shopping down Mickey Avenue like in the other parks.  There is definitely no late nights there.

Disneytown is pretty nice.  I wish I had spent more time there.







TLPL said:


> Is there anything worth buying in Shanghai Disney? Or they have the same thing you can find in US parks? We have been to WDW so many times I rarely buy anything any more, unless its very unique. Anything caught your eyes?



A lot of things are similar to the US parks.  I was after things that were different and there are a few items that have an Asian feel to it.  I really wished I had bought the Chinese town coffee cups at Starbucks.  
I also bought some Pandora charms, park specific ones.

And I came home with a Mickey ears that had a Chinese feel to it, as did everyone else!





tiggrbaby said:


> How lovely that you were able to get so many pics in an empty DTD!




Yes.  I was really glad I got up early to get those shots.


----------



## PrincessInOz

jedijill said:


> Your pics are gorgeous!  Shanghai looks amazing.  It's moving up my short term travel list!
> 
> Jill in CO



YAY!  Any firm plans for Shanghai yet?







dolphingirl47 said:


> Disney Town looks absolutely amazing. What a treat that you essentially had it all to yourself. I think I may need to squeeze in some time to at least have a quick look around.
> 
> Corinna



It's worth a visit, Corinna.  Hope you get some time in.






Ms. Shuttergirl said:


> Hello to you too.  Yes we are heading to China for 3 weeks in April and will be spending 2 full days and 3 nights at Shanghai Disneyland.  Very excited to check another castle out and thoroughly enjoyed reading your TR.
> 
> Re:- Tron....I've ridden Space Mountain at WDW twice.  I absolutely didn't like it but Liv wanted to ride and I didn't die so there's that.  How much scarier or similar is Tron?



Awesome news!  I hope you enjoy being in China.  

Tron is actually very different to Space Mountain.  Think riding a motorbike.  It also takes you from inside to outside and back inside again.  It's probably faster than Space Mountain.  Hope you get on it and I'll be curious to find out if you liked it or not.






franandaj said:


> What great pictures you got of the area while it was so empty.  I have no idea if or when we will ever get to Shanghai, so I'll just have to live vicariously through other's Trip Reports!



Thanks.  I sure hope you get to Shanghai sometime!


----------



## dolphingirl47

PrincessInOz said:


> I also bought some Pandora charms, park specific ones.
> 
> And I came home with a Mickey ears that had a Chinese feel to it, as did everyone else!



 The availability of both of those things is music to my ears.

Corinna


----------



## Aussie Wendy

Hello Ms Shuttergirl. I don't like Space Mountain either but Tron was different. Tron was smoother, not quite the same "wild mouse" style and you are not thrown about from side to side, but it is heaps faster and yes, like sitting on a motorbike. First time round I got a bit dizzy (was near the back), another time right near the front was actually much better, I think because I could focus straight ahead but also maybe because I knew what to expect. I loved it. Have an amazing time in China. I can't wait to go back (to the whole country as well as SDL).


----------



## Ms. Shuttergirl

Aussie Wendy said:


> Hello Ms Shuttergirl. I don't like Space Mountain either but Tron was different. Tron was smoother, not quite the same "wild mouse" style and you are not thrown about from side to side, but it is heaps faster and yes, like sitting on a motorbike. First time round I got a bit dizzy (was near the back), another time right near the front was actually much better, I think because I could focus straight ahead but also maybe because I knew what to expect. I loved it. Have an amazing time in China. I can't wait to go back (to the whole country as well as SDL).



Thanks Wendy for giving me your opinion on the two rides.  The "wild mouse style" you mention was probably the bit I didn't like so perhaps I will find Tron a more enjoyable ride.  I think I'll just have to bite the bullet and do it.  My son would probably hesitate about going on it without me so I'll just have to suck it up I guess hahaha.

I'm very much look forward to China as well.  We have nearly 3 weeks there and other than a few nerves about drop toilets I think the rest will be incredible.


----------



## Ms. Shuttergirl

PrincessInOz said:


> Awesome news! I hope you enjoy being in China.
> 
> Tron is actually very different to Space Mountain. Think riding a motorbike. It also takes you from inside to outside and back inside again. It's probably faster than Space Mountain. Hope you get on it and I'll be curious to find out if you liked it or not.



Thanks PIO - It seems like it may be a Space Mountain/Test Track kinda combo.  I'll have to close my eyes and grit my teeeth and give it a go lol.


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Once More Across Wishing Star Lake*



Now it’s time to say goodbye.







I decided to catch the ferry back across to the hotel.  I was surprised to find that I needed to show my room key before I was allowed to board.  But then again, I guess this is China, right?


Aside from that, it was a very uneventful ride back across Wishing Star Lake.  







I took the opportunity to shoot some of the path I’d walked on this morning.








That’s one heck of a pedestrian bridge.






Some of you may wonder about buying traveller groceries at Shanghai Disneyland.  You’ll find a Family Mart at the train station near the Disneyland entrance and also this one at the dock of the hotel side.








(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


*More on Shanghai Disneyland Hotel*


I had packed up the night before, so there wasn’t much for me to do when I got back to the room.   I had a few minutes to spare whilst DM was finishing her last minute packing.







So, I took time to capture the Mickey Head touches.







It didn’t take long for DM to finish up and we decided to head down to the lobby and wait for our taxi to arrive.







It’s been a while, but I think we did arrange for a taxi at a particular time the night before.  In any event, there was time to spare so I took a walk around the hotel.

I definitely went into the shop.







Love the tiffany shades!







A number of items caught my eye.







I have to admit that I totally loved the merchandise with the Asian touches here.







But I didn’t buy anything.


Looks like I made it to the swimming pool as well.  By Western standards, this is a very small pool.







Barely enough room for any water mermaids to stretch out.







I never did spend time in the pool here so it didn’t make too much difference to me.



I also made it out to the garden.  







There was one section of the garden I hadn’t yet seen.








The Cinderella section of the garden was rather charming.







It even had a glass slipper on the top of the stairs.







I expect this is where you’d have your Disney weddings in Shanghai.







As our carriage was expected…..







….it was time to head back to the lobby.






Final pictures with that Mickey and Friends musical statue.

















(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)
*
An Hour Early is 30 Minutes Late*


I have to hang my head in shame.  

It turns out I was completely disorganised on this leg of our travels.    For some reason, my DM and I were on a flight an hour earlier than the others!
So what was supposed to be a leisurely embarkation period turned out to be a rush for DM and myself. 

I was completely clueless to the flight time when we checked in.
I remained completely clueless even when my bag was pulled out of the line by security because I had inadvertently packed a battery pack in my check-in luggage. 
I was still clueless when we got to the security check line.  



Thankfully, that was when I checked our boarding time.  YIKES!!!  That’s when I realised I had 5 minutes left to get to the gate.



I have to say that Shanghai Airport staff were exceedingly helpful at this point.  There was a person standing near us and when we pointed out the boarding time to them, they waived DM and I out of the long queue and into the VIP queue.

We were also waived to the VIP area for bag check; and we were cleared through the formal checks very quickly.


When we got to our gate, it was obvious that we were late.  There was no other passengers in the lounge and the staff quickly scanned our passes.

Still, I paused long enough to grab a shot of our plane using the mobile phone.







We were the last people to board the plane and my DM and I breathed a sigh of relief when we got in our seats!







Yeah.








All that rush……for us to sit on the tarmac!  Turns out our plane was delayed by 30 minutes.







*sigh*


I had plenty of time to contemplate what could have been.  I wonder what would have happened if I hadn’t glanced down to check our boarding pass?



Definitely an experience I do not want to repeat!



We did eventually get in the air. 







I think that’s the Qiantang River below.  This was the southern terminus of the ancient Grand Canal and opens into the East China Sea.







Aside from the misstep at the airport around the flight we were on, it was a very uneventful journey into Hong Kong!



(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

*The Hong Kong Disneyland Resort*



Welcome to Hong Kong Disneyland!







We caught a blue taxi from the airport to the Disneyland Resort and checked in without any issue.  They speak English, Cantonese and Mandarin in Hong Kong.  For me, given that I have half a chance of conversing in Cantonese, it was a relief to come back to an Asian country where I had a chance of conversing with the locals in 1.5 languages.  


The CM at the lobby was super nice to DM and me.  I have a feeling that some of the others didn’t quite have the same experience when they arrived.


In any event, we finished the formalities and headed to our room.







I had previously stayed at the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel in 2012.







Then, I had been charmed by the room and super impressed with everything.  Now, some 4 years on, the hotel was looking a little tired and in need of a makeover.  







Don’t get me wrong.  It was a perfectly fine room.  But nothing had changed in 4 years.







Still, the toiletries were a bonus and still delightful to see.











And there were some touches that were quintessentially Disney.














Whilst clean, the bathroom did look like it needed a refurb.







Maybe it just didn’t quite compare with the newness and freshness of the Shanghai resort.






For those interested, this is what you will find in your room.  We got 2 bottles of water every day that we were there.







At least the pool was getting some maintenance.







Yes.  We did get a water view from our room.  






You can even make out islands out there!







DM and I had just enough time to freshen up before heading out.  It would be our only opportunity to head out of the Disney bubble in our time in Hong Kong.



(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

*Real Life Hong Kong*



It’s a short walk from the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel to the train station.







I’ve always liked the Disneyland train station in Hong Kong.





















It didn’t take long for our train to arrive.






There’s only one station on the Disneyland line.  We would need to get off at Sunny Bay and transit to a different line to get to Hong Kong proper.







All around me, people were speaking in Cantonese.  That's definitely a language I can handle!







We were meeting up with friends for dinner.   They told us to get to Nam Cheong station.  It’s on the same line as Sunny Bay so it didn’t take us long to get here.  







Everytime I’m in Hong Kong, I’m constantly amazed by their method of construction.







Yup.  Bamboo scaffolds.








As we waited, I couldn’t help myself.  I just had to click.







(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

*Dinner Somewhere in Hong Kong*



Our friends picked us up at the designated time and we headed somewhere in the Kwun Tong area for dinner.  All I remember is the restaurant was near the APM shopping mall; and it was on Level 10 somewhere!








Our friend’s theory about picking places to eat when in Hong Kong is the higher the floor, the better the food.  I think Level 10 is about the highest I’ve been to when in Hong Kong.

We were eating Japanese tonight.  And not just any kind of Japanese.  It was a cook-our-own Hibachi style dinner.













Dinner cost AU$50 per head.  It was effectively an All-You-Can-Eat, with the only caveat being that we ordered what we could eat.  Unlike Western buffets where the food is all laid out and you go help yourself, we needed to fill in forms for the food we wanted and the waiters would bring it to our table.

So….here are the examples of what we did order.

Sushi and Sashimi





























Hot Appetizer things










































(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


All types of seafood for cooking 






































Each table had a bottle of sake.







Our first cooking round.






The crab was simply amazing!






As were the oysters.






I was rather taken with the Jackknives or Razor clams.  Simple delish.







Shrimp






Our friends also ordered the deep fried Durian.  Durian is called the King of Fruit; but it is definitely an acquired taste.  I love it….but I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.  You really do have to get past the strong smell first before you get to enjoy the most unctuous, creamy flesh. 







With our friends doing the ordering, the food just kept coming!


















We even got to make our own seafood congee on the hibachi.  The best congee I’ve ever had!







I’m pretty sure they set out to order everything on the menu….at least once.  Even the desserts.













Dinner had been a sumptuous affair tonight.  I just wished I remembered where we were exactly!!



(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

*APM Shopping Mall*




We were in the area, so why not stop at the largest mall in the Kwun Tong area?



 



7 stories worth of retail therapy, with H&M and Uniqlo in the house.  For comparison purposes, HKD79 was roughly equivalent to about AU$16.  About the same price for these items in Melbourne.







I saw much to admire but nothing convinced me to open up my wallet.  







My DM, on the other hand……was all about indulgence.  We found one of the Dessert House places and she insisted on buying us all something to enjoy.







I was definitely rolling out the building!







(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)
*
Late Night Photography in the Hotel Foyer*




Our friends dropped us back at the Disneyland Hotel and I decided to take my time in heading back to the room.  Afterall, I have seemed to have made the late night photography a habit for all my Disney trips.

When I was last here in 2012, I was completely charmed by this hotel.



 



Like my impressions of our room, I felt the same about the foyer.







This time round, it seemed to miss that something for me.







Comparisons are unfair.  But after Shanghai, this hotel was really looking tired.  It really could do with a refurb.







Nevertheless, despite looking tired to me, this hotel foyer has all the hallmarks of classic Disney.







A rather grand entryway.







A Mickey Statue stands to greet you.







Right before the accessible Check-in counter.









Beautiful floral displays in the foyer.







Little cosy spots for you to sit and chat.







A decent table service establishment on premises.













And not-so-Hidden Mickeys to be found.













Long internal corridors leading to your room.







Yup.  More Hidden Mickey’s in the carpet.







This one has the entire fab 5.














I finally hit that wall and headed up to the room to grab some sleep.  Tomorrow, we’re heading back into the Disney bubble.


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## Montanabel

Yay!!  Hong Kong!  Looking forward to this part of your trip report (not that the rest hasn't been fabulous)


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## tiggrbaby

A nice final tour of the Shanghai grounds.

Yikes to the airport run!

Wow, that was some dinner!

Since we usually stay in the values at WDW, the hotel looked lovely to me!


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## jedijill

Sad to say goodbye to Shanghai.  Close call on your flight! 

Hong Kong looks awesome...your dinner looked (mostly) delicious!  That scaffolding....eek!

Good to see your mom again!  Say hello to her for me!

Jill in CO


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## franandaj

Sad to leave Shanghai, but at least you still have HKDL.  What a feast you had with your friends!  Were these the same friends from  your last trip? Too bad the hotel was looking tired.


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## TLPL

I miss Hong Kong. If they built Disneyland when I was a kid there I wouldn't have immigrate to Canada..... Now I am stuck in the cold half of the year and have to spend tons of money to visit a Disney park!


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## dolphingirl47

Ms. Shuttergirl said:


> Thanks Wendy for giving me your opinion on the two rides. The "wild mouse style" you mention was probably the bit I didn't like so perhaps I will find Tron a more enjoyable ride. I think I'll just have to bite the bullet and do it. My son would probably hesitate about going on it without me so I'll just have to suck it up I guess hahaha.



I have just come back from our trip from China including Shanghai Disneyland. I am a total wimp when it comes to rollercoasters and thrill rides. I absolutely loved Tron.



PrincessInOz said:


> I definitely went into the shop.



I love this pattern. The tote in that design followed me home.



PrincessInOz said:


> But I didn’t buy anything.



That is quite a result. If I had some more luggage allowance to play with, I could have done some serious damage to my credit card. I loved the merchandise had Shanghai Disneyland.



PrincessInOz said:


> Thankfully, that was when I checked our boarding time. YIKES!!! That’s when I realised I had 5 minutes left to get to the gate.



Oh dear, I am glad that you noticed in time.



PrincessInOz said:


> I have to say that Shanghai Airport staff were exceedingly helpful at this point. There was a person standing near us and when we pointed out the boarding time to them, they waived DM and I out of the long queue and into the VIP queue.



That was good of them.



PrincessInOz said:


> Welcome to Hong Kong Disneyland!



I can't wait to read all about this as this is now the only Disney park missing in my collection (until June hopefully).



PrincessInOz said:


> For me, given that I have half a chance of conversing in Cantonese, it was a relief to come back to an Asian country where I had a chance of conversing with the locals in 1.5 languages.



That would definitely be an advantage.



PrincessInOz said:


> Now, some 4 years on, the hotel was looking a little tired and in need of a makeover.



What a shame.



PrincessInOz said:


> Our friend’s theory about picking places to eat when in Hong Kong is the higher the floor, the better the food. I think Level 10 is about the highest I’ve been to when in Hong Kong.



That is a useful bit of information. I will keep this in mind for next year.



PrincessInOz said:


> And not just any kind of Japanese. It was a cook-our-own Hibachi style dinner.



That sounds amazing.

Corinna


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## WanderlustNZ

I’m SO far behind with your TR, but have just caught up on the last page and am going to work my way backwards until I remember where I got up to.  

Great pics as always, but I have to ask - what are those 4 desserts?  The black one looks particularly interesting.


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## Aussie Wendy

All caught up. Scary nearly missing the flight! Maybe it was coming fresh from new Shanghai shoeed uo HKDL hotel more, nice pics of course. How on earth did you fit in a 2nd desert after such a huge meal? Your mum has hollow legs - lol!


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## mikelan6

Excellent TR ... Thank you for sharing.


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## Jasrhon

I loved your trip report. We have just booked ABD China for this summer and plan to add on a few days in Hong Kong to start and some post days in Shanghai.  You have answered many questions and I am so excited to try the Tron and Pirates rides at Shanghai Disney!


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