Shanghai Disneyland Guide 2026: Tickets, DPA & Discounts

​

China

Shanghai Disneyland

All text & photos © NyamNyamLisa

​

An absolute must-do on your Shanghai itinerary!

Thanks to the incredible new Zootopia land,

the hype around this place is absolutely unreal right now.

Welcome to Shanghai Disneyland.

​

To be totally honest, I'm not usually a big theme park person,

but I specifically made the trip just to see Zootopia.

​

​

Chances are, before clicking on this post,

most of you probably searched for

"Shanghai Disneyland tickets"

and ended up here..!

​

​

If you're like me and typically have

zero interest in navigating theme parks,

​

You might be wondering... what on earth is DPA?

Do I really need to "rope drop" at dawn?

Do I buy tickets online and exchange them in person?

Do I just scan a QR code to get in?

​

I know exactly how overwhelming it can feel.

​

If that sounds like you,

I highly recommend reading through this guide.

I've broken everything down in detail for 2026.

​

​

While Shanghai Disneyland tickets generally

hover around a set price range,

​

If you know how to use special promos or discount coupons,

you can save a significant amount of money.

​

Today, I'm going to share those insider tips

along with exactly how to buy and use

your Shanghai Disneyland tickets.

​

In today's post, we'll cover:

Let's dive right in!

​

​

1. Shanghai Disneyland Ticket Terms Explained

​

In the past, you used to be able to buy tickets

at the gate, but nowadays,

you can consider that practically impossible.

​

Because of strict capacity limits,

days often sell out completely in advance.

Plus, the lines for the ticket kiosks are notoriously long.

​

​

So, if you're looking for last-minute or same-day tickets,

I highly recommend Trip.com tickets

which are available for instant use!

You can use them immediately without waiting in the ticket line.

​

I bought my tickets right here. 👈🏻👈🏻👈🏻

​

Bottom line: Booking in advance is

absolutely mandatory!!

​

​

I did a ton of research before my trip.

​

If this is your first time visiting an international theme park,

the purchasing options can be so confusing

that figuring out what to buy is the hardest part.

​

​

So, I've prepared a quick glossary of terms.

START!

Exactly as it sounds—a ticket where you select a specific date for your visit.

​

When buying Disneyland tickets,

you must reserve the exact date

you plan to go.

​

Keep in mind that date changes are generally not allowed,

so choose your day carefully.

​

Also, ticket prices fluctuate

depending on the day of the week and the season.

​

​

Usually, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays are the most expensive,

while Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the cheapest,

so keep that in mind when planning.

​

​

​

​

Tickets that allow you to enter for

1.5 or 2 consecutive days.

​

Note that with the 1.5-day ticket, on your first day,

you can only enter after 3:00 PM.

​

The big perk of these multi-day tickets?

You can actually change the dates!

You are allowed to change them up to 2 times.

​

However, changes must be made at least 3 days in advance,

so if you need to swap days,

do it early!

​

​

​

​

Tickets purchased at least 10 days in advance.

As the name suggests, buying early

gets you a slightly cheaper admission price.

**Usually saves you around ~$4 to ~$8.

​

Because Early Bird 1-Day tickets are so popular,

they tend to sell out quickly.

​

​

Currently, there's a 15% off promotion for standard 1-Day tickets,

bringing them down to the same price as Early Bird tickets.

So if you're booking soon,

you can just grab the standard 1-Day ticket!

​

🔻

Shanghai Disneyland 1-Day Ticket

Book Special Deals Here

​

​

What is DPA?

It stands for Disney Premier Access.

It's essentially a fast-track pass (like Lightning Lane)

that lets you skip the regular standby lines for select rides.

​

It's a total game-changer for busy days.

​

​

You can purchase it bundled with your admission ticket,

or buy it through the app after you enter the park.

However, they often sell out if you wait to buy in the park,

so check the app the second you scan in.

​

Because the new Zootopia land is drawing massive crowds,

lines are incredibly long right now.

Waiting 1 to 2 hours for a single ride

is the norm...

​

​

If you value your time and want to skip the wait,

buying a ticket bundle with DPA is a great idea.

​

Originally, there wasn't a Zootopia-specific DPA,

but they recently introduced a

Zootopia Exclusive Premier Access pass.

​

​

They are currently running a limited-time 20% discount,

making it quite affordable.

If seeing Zootopia is your main goal,

I highly recommend grabbing this bundle!

​

🔻

Get the Zootopia DPA + Ticket Discount Here

2. Shanghai Disneyland Ticket Prices & Discount Coupons

​

Shanghai Disneyland ticket prices

vary slightly depending on the season and when you buy.

​

The standard 1-Day ticket price

usually ranges from ~$62 to ~$85.

​

I've created a table below based on the lowest available rates.

Currently, with Trip.com's special promotions,

you can book tickets for over ~$8 cheaper than official prices.

​

​

For reference, the child ticket age bracket

at Shanghai Disneyland is 3 to 11 years old.

Children under 3 years old enter for free!

​

​

They also offer stroller rentals

that can be used on the same day

and come with free cancellation anytime.

​

✅ Stroller Rental Price: ~$3

​

There's one more extra tip

to get an even bigger discount!!

​

​

First-time Trip.com users

can claim a 5% discount coupon for tours and tickets.

​

Since I'm already a loyal Trip.com user...

I couldn't use it haha.

But this is on a first-come, first-served basis, so new users

should definitely take advantage of it.

🔻

Claim Your Discount Coupon Here

3. How to Purchase Your Tickets

​

Based on everything I explained above,

you're ready to buy your Shanghai Disneyland tickets.

​

If you're feeling overwhelmed and just want the easiest option,

simply buy individual 1-Day tickets for everyone in your group.

​

While they do offer 3-person, 4-person,

and family bundles (adults + kids),

because single tickets are currently on sale,

buying them individually is actually the cheapest route right now.

​

When I booked my trip,

buying three individual tickets was the most cost-effective option.

​

​

​

Simply click on your desired date,

​

​

Enter your traveler information,

and proceed to payment.

​

CRITICAL STEP: You must enter your passport information

exactly as it appears on your passport.

​

They strictly check passports at the entrance gate!

​

Once you complete the purchase,

you'll receive an instant-use voucher.

The voucher arrives almost immediately.

​

​

Go to your My Bookings page,

click on your booking number, and your voucher will pop up.

​

Because your passport info is already registered in the system,

you technically don't even need to show the voucher,

but I highly recommend taking a screenshot of it

just to be safe.

​

For what it's worth, I was able to get in using just my physical passport.

​

​

Keep in mind that buying instant-use vouchers on the day of

is slightly more expensive than buying in advance,

so definitely book ahead of time.

​

4. How to Enter the Park

I didn't bother doing the crazy early morning "rope drop."

I strolled in around 11:00 AM.

​

​

If you're worried about burning out your energy too fast,

there's really no need to get there at the crack of dawn.

​

While the crowds might be slightly different depending on the day,

arriving at 11:00 AM meant the wait times at the gate

were totally manageable.

​

​

From the parking lot and taxi drop-off area,

it's about a 10-minute walk

to the main entrance.

Since you already booked your tickets in advance,

you can head straight to the security screening line.

​

​

After security,

a cast member will check your physical passport and print

your physical ticket right there.

​

​

Every single person in your party needs their physical passport,

not just the person who booked the tickets, so don't forget them!

​

​

I showed them my digital voucher just in case,

but they didn't even need to look at it.

​

The entry line at 11:00 AM

only took about 15-20 minutes

before we were inside the park.

(Most of that was just waiting for bag check).

​

It was this fast because we booked in advance.

If we hadn't, we would have had to wait in the ticket booth line first,

which would have taken much longer.

5. Final Thoughts

​

Today, I shared everything you need to know about Shanghai Disneyland tickets,

from Early Bird pricing and DPA terms,

to how to book in advance and navigate the entry gates.

​

I always compare prices across multiple sites

before booking anything,

​

And both before my trip

and looking back now,

Trip.com was consistently cheaper than anywhere else.

​

​

I think it's because Trip.com's headquarters are located right in Shanghai,

so they have the absolute lowest prices

on hotels, tickets, and flights for the area.

🔻

Check Trip.com's Shanghai Deals Here

​

If you are currently planning a 2026 trip to Shanghai,

definitely utilize Trip.com

to make your trip as budget-friendly as possible!!

​

And remember, for Disneyland,

you absolutely must book early

to snag the best discounts!

​

Apply the Shanghai Disney First-Come Discount

​

Safe travels!