Shanghai Disney Resort Concept Art Released

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castle

In a close second place for “Most Squeal-Worthy Moment of the Night” during Sunday evening’s The Wonderful World of Disney: Disneyland 60 special was the announcement concerning the mind-blowing nature of what is to be Shanghai Disneyland. It’s a much closer (chronologically, not geographically.) object of anticipation than the Han-Solo-Announced Star Wars Land, with a projected opening date of June 2016. This new park is easily Disney’s most ambitious project to date and as the opening date draws nearer and nearer, more information comes out that makes even the most home bodied of Disney fans think about getting a passport.

Photo Credit: Disney Parks Blog

So let’s talk about what we know.           

  1. Shanghai Disneyland will house the largest castle in a Disney Theme park

 Disney’s construction of Enchanted Storybook Castle is well underway and is said to celebrate all of Disney’s princesses rather than just one as previous castles have. It will house not only a full service restaurant, it will also be launch point for The Voyage to the Crystal Grotto that will take guests on a boat ride past scenes from classic Disney films, much like the Storybookland Canal Boats from Disneyland. The castle will be home to a magic mirror portal into the Once Upon a Time Adventure walking tour of animated scenes from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Mickey Avenue

              Photo Credit: LA Times

  1. Main Street U.S.A. is now Mickey Avenue

Shanghai Disneyland’s entrance will be completely unique, doing away with the classic Main Street U.S.A. and instead giving propriety to the characters themselves. Each store or restaurant along the main entrance will belong to a different character, i.e. Remy’s Patisserie and Minnie Mouse’s Sweethearts Confectionary Shop.

 

pirates

                    Photo Credit: LA Times

  1. A WHOLE LAND OF PIRATES

Capitalizing on the popularity of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Shanghai Disneyland will have an entire region of the park dedicated to the famous scallywags. This land will be centered around an entirely revamped version of the classic attraction, including even a section that spins guests, possibly reminiscent of the pirate ship battle in At World’s End.

 

 tron

                  Photo Credit: LA Times

  1. Tomorrowland will be the place to be.

Tron rollercoaster. Jet pack ride. The. End.

gator

    Photo Credit: LA Times

  1. Expedition Everest + Kali River Rapids+ Jungle Cruise = Roaring Rapids

In a mythical land where the Earth connects to the sky, guests will be taken on a raft ride, much like the Grizzly River Run at Disney’s California Adventure, that leads inevitably to the clutches of a giant reptilian beast known as the Q’araq. Concept art shows what looks to be similar to the end of Expedition Everest wherein the monstrous Yeti reaches down, just barely missing guests as they zoom past. This land is said abandon the realism that is the Asian, African, and Indian designs of previous Adventurelands, and put guests into an adventure of their own creation.

So really the only question is: How soon can you get to Shanghai?

 

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