A Starry Wish at the Disney Park: A 3-Day Shanghai Itinerary (14)

Duration: 3 days Time: July Companions: Family Activities: Photography, Self-driving, Freestyle Trav[...]

Duration: 3 days
Time: July
Companions: Family
Activities: Photography, Self-driving, Freestyle Travel, Hiking, Budget Travel, Weekend Trip

The author visited these places: Shanghai Starry Wish Park, Disney Town.
Travel location: Shanghai Pudong Starry Wish Park, adjacent to the metro station, is a large lakeside park covering approximately 11 hectares and is the green space along the lakeside of the central lake, Wish Lake, next to the Disney Resort Hotel and close to both Disney Park and Disney Town. Three bridges connect a pedestrian path that is about 2.5 kilometers long, with lawns of varying sizes.

Unfortunately, when we arrived at the park entrance, it was already late in the day, and the staff informed us that the park would close in half an hour, asking if we still wanted to enter. Having come this far, there was no reason not to check in. We swiped our ID cards to enter and were greeted by Wish Lake.

The name Wish Lake is derived from the classic line in the Disney animated film ‘Pinocchio’: ‘When you wish upon a star, your dreams come true,’ a line that is very imaginative and aspirational. The English name ‘Wishing Star’ translates to Wish Lake in Chinese. Isn’t this also the Chinese cultural wish for ‘dreams coming true’? Regardless of race or national boundaries, people around the world have the same beautiful wishes.

Starry Wish Park is an important part of the Disney Resort, the most famous of which is the Disney Park, along with its supporting Disney Town, and across the lake is the Disney Resort Hotel.

Published on December 24, 2020, at 17:06.When we passed by the hotel, we were greatly impressed because the hotel’s architecture is so unified with the style of Disney Park and looks very high-end. Of course, the price must also be very high-end. As poor people, we can only sigh with envy and admire it briefly. The lake water is very clear and is the location of the highest quality ecological resources in the entire resort area. It is said that the water quality of the lake can almost reach the standard of tap water. In fact, it is more like a huge reservoir providing irrigation water for the entire park. I don’t know if it’s because we came too late, but when we entered the park, we only saw a few tourists walking leisurely. After witnessing the crowds at Disney, it seemed as if we suddenly returned from the hustle and bustle to a tranquil and leisurely atmosphere, giving a strong illusion of time shifting. Because of the tight schedule, we couldn’t maintain a leisurely pace. Although we walked a lot during the day’s tour, we still had to rush, afraid of not being able to get back to the entrance before closing time. Walking around the lake should be the most classic way to play, but it’s not suitable for us who are short on time. We can only estimate the time and go as far as we can. Along the lake, there are numerous pavilions available for visitors to rest, as well as several connected sun loungers, reminiscent of beach chairs by the seaside! Such amenities are quite impressive. Of course, rest and leisure are not suitable for us who lack the mood for idleness, so we can only cast a glance and then swiftly move on.The open-air theater, quite large in scale, would typically be bustling with performances on a fine, holiday weather day. However, today is not one of those days, as the pandemic has put a damper on such events. By the lake, there’s a pier that’s exclusively for guests of the Disney Resort Hotel—a VIP treatment indeed. Naturally, this exclusivity comes with a VIP price tag; room rates start at over 2500 yuan, and they double on weekends. But there’s a perk that guests absolutely love: early entry to the Disney Park by one hour, which means no waiting in line for popular attractions. Aside from the high accommodation fees, there’s really nothing to complain about.

Although our visit to Wishing Star Park was quick and not a full tour, we still came away with a good impression of this tranquil park, nestled in the midst of the bustling city. It’s a shame that Disney is a bit too far from downtown Shanghai, making the chances of visiting again not very high, which is somewhat regrettable.