• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechFortune 500

5 Must-See Attractions at Disney’s Shanghai Park

Michal Lev-Ram
By
Michal Lev-Ram
Michal Lev-Ram
Special Correspondent
Down Arrow Button Icon
Michal Lev-Ram
By
Michal Lev-Ram
Michal Lev-Ram
Special Correspondent
Down Arrow Button Icon
June 15, 2016, 11:56 AM ET

On Thursday, June 16, the Walt Disney Co. will officially open its Shanghai Disney Resort, a $5.5 billion undertaking that’s more than a decade in the making. The park is the company’s first in mainland China, and could become a big part of CEO Bob Iger’s legacy (the long-time Mouse House exec is supposed to step down in 2018). Disney went all out for the soon-to-be-opened park, which sits on nearly 1,000 acres in Shanghai’s Pudong district. Here, in no particular order, are the top five larger-than-life things to see in the new park. (Larger-than-life cost of airfare to get to Shanghai not included.)

1. An extravagant three-day opening celebration

The opening ceremonies include the premiere of the first Mandarin production of the Broadway hit The Lion King. Ever wondered how Elton John’s “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?” sounds in Chinese? Here’s your chance. Also on hand: Yao Ming. The former basketball star is one of the Shanghai park’s “Honorary Ambassadors.” He makes Mickey Mouse look very, very short.

2. Tomorrowland in Tomorrowland

Imagineering exec Scot Drake led the vision and build-out of this futuristic city, located within one of the most modern metropolises in the world. The most whiz-bang ride? Tron Lightcycle Power Run, the fastest coaster Disney has ever built. (For those unfamiliar with the Tron franchise, “lightcycles” are two-wheeled, motorcycle-like vehicles that create trails of colored light.) The track for the Tomorrowland ride is 966 meters long, and the cable and wiring required to run it could circle Shanghai 37 times. But all you need to know is that it’s fast, really fast.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

3. The biggest, baddest Enchanted Storybook Castle

This iconic Disney landmark has been redone, Shanghai-style. When the park opens it will be the tallest and largest Enchanted Storybook Castle at any Disney theme park. And it will be the first castle that houses all the Disney princesses. (Those of you with young children who prefer Jasmine over Cinderella will appreciate the royal inclusiveness.) There’s also a Royal Banquet Hall for “storybook-style feasts” and the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, just in case you haven’t spent enough money yet. More importantly, there’s an underground “Crystal Grotto” ride, mermaids included.

4. Garden of the Twelve Friends, Wandering Moon Teahouse (and other “Chinese” touches)

Disney has said that the new theme park incorporates China’s “incredibly rich heritage.” To that end, the Shanghai location has many unique experiences that the company hopes will resonate with Chinese customers—and we’re not just talking dim sum for breakfast. There’s the Garden of Twelve Friends, which Disney describes as “an oasis where the 12 signs of the Chinese zodiac are depicted by popular Disney characters.” (It’s basically a walkway with illustrations of each zodiac sign in Disney form—think Tigger for Year of the Tiger, Pluto for Year of the Dog and my personal favorite, Abu for Year of the Monkey.) The park also features a teahouse with rooms that represent different regions of China, a giant glass peony sculpture and, yes, dim sum in Disneytown.

5. Wishing Star Park

Need to get away from the lines and noise? Near Disneytown, the company has built a park and “glittering” lake the size of 56 football fields. There’s a walking path and gardens with views of nature. Don’t worry, you’ll still feel like you’re in Disneyland: The insanely tall Enchanted Storybook Castle can be seen from pretty much everywhere in the park.

About the Author
Michal Lev-Ram
By Michal Lev-RamSpecial Correspondent
Twitter icon

Michal Lev-Ram is a special correspondent covering the technology and entertainment sectors for Fortune, writing analysis and longform reporting.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.


Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Success
In 2026, many employers are ditching merit-based pay bumps in favor of ‘peanut butter raises’
By Emma BurleighFebruary 2, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
'I just don't have a good feeling about this': Top economist Claudia Sahm says the economy quietly shifted and everyone's now looking at the wrong alarm
By Eleanor PringleJanuary 31, 2026
3 days ago
placeholder alt text
Future of Work
Ford CEO has 5,000 open mechanic jobs with up to 6-figure salaries from the shortage of manually skilled workers: 'We are in trouble in our country'
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJanuary 31, 2026
3 days ago
placeholder alt text
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Monday, February 2, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerFebruary 2, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Big Tech
The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative cut 70 jobs as the Meta CEO’s philanthropy goes all in on mission to 'cure or prevent all disease'
By Sydney LakeFebruary 1, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Cybersecurity
Top AI leaders are begging people not to use Moltbook, a social media platform for AI agents: It’s a ‘disaster waiting to happen’
By Eva RoytburgFebruary 2, 2026
1 day ago

Latest in Tech

Aerial image of the first offshore wind farm in the U.S., off the coast of Rhode Island.
EnergyRenewables
Trump hates the way wind farms look. Too bad, America’s court system says
By Tristan BoveFebruary 3, 2026
45 minutes ago
Moltbook image.
AIChatbots
In Moltbook hysteria, former top Facebook researcher sees echoes of 2017 panic over bots building a ‘secret language’
By Jeremy KahnFebruary 3, 2026
2 hours ago
two men smile in front of the camera
CryptoCryptocurrency
Kairos, which is building a cross-platform tool for prediction markets traders, raises $2.5 million from a16z crypto
By Carlos GarciaFebruary 3, 2026
5 hours ago
Cryptostablecoins
Famed startup incubator Y Combinator will let founders receive funds in stablecoins
By Ben WeissFebruary 3, 2026
5 hours ago
davos
CommentaryCareers
While elites debate geopolitics, Americans are rethinking college in the search for economic mobility
By Ed MitzenFebruary 3, 2026
6 hours ago
d'amaro
C-SuiteDisney
Disney names parks chief Josh D’Amaro as next CEO
By Nick LichtenbergFebruary 3, 2026
6 hours ago