Disneyland Shanghai is one of the most visited attractions in the world, attracting over 5 million visitors annually!
Visitors looking for a unique and calm visit to the park must know all about the best timings, days, and months to explore.
In this article, we’ll discuss the least crowded hours to visit the park and other helpful tips so you can enjoy the best experience without waiting in long queues!
Klook.comKey Things to Keep in Mind When Visiting Shanghai Disneyland
Here are a few necessary details to keep in mind when booking your visit to Shanghai Disneyland, no matter the month you plan your visit:
- Avoid booking your tickets on weekends and public holidays. You’ll have to deal with larger crowds and ride queues on such days.
- Shanghai Disneyland Park is the least crowded on Wednesdays and Tuesdays. You can also enjoy a comparatively comfortable visit from Mondays to Thursdays.
- We don’t recommend booking on Fridays, as visitors might book a long weekend visit to Disneyland beginning from this day.
- Buy your tickets online in advance, as no tickets are available at the park’s entrance.
- Check the official website for daily activities, temporary closures, stage shows, and restaurants open so you can plan your itinerary accordingly.
- Shanghai Disneyland tickets are cheaper on weekdays, so you might find them equally crowded during school vacation months.
- Go for the Early Bird one-day ticket to get additional discounts on park entry!
To plan your perfect visiting day, away from all the crowding, read further to discover a few crowding and ticket pricing details to consider when choosing your visiting day, time, and month of the year.
Least Crowded Time at Disneyland Shanghai
Like most Disneyland parks, the one in Shanghai is also the least crowded when it opens at 8.30 am.
Crowds drastically increase during noon, and if you arrive early, you can avoid the ride queues and go for lunch during these hours instead!
We recommend arriving 30 minutes to an hour before the park opens to be one of the first few to enter the park.
When you enter the park, queue up for popular attractions like the TRON Lightcycle Power Run, Roaring Rapids, Pirates of the Caribbean, etc.
You’ll find shorter queues in this manner! If you want to be the first to ride the attractions in the park, read further!
Find the Shortest Queues at Disneyland with Early Entry Passes!
The Early Entry Passes are a great way to skip the crowds and extend your park visit, especially for a one-day itinerary experience.
The passes allow you to enter an hour before the park opens to the public, and you must arrive 90 minutes before to get in early.
With the pass, you can get in at 7.30 am and enjoy access to the park’s most popular rides, including Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, TRON, Buzz Lightyear Planet Rescue, and more!
Visitors can book this early entry pass, which is available for purchase on the official Disneyland App.
The early entry pass does not include a Disneyland Shanghai entry ticket.
Weekday vs Weekend: Which is the Best Day to Visit?
Disneyland Shanghai is most crowded on weekends and public holidays.
You can find the least crowding here on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and moderate crowding levels on the other weekdays.
Check out the table below to see the crowding level in terms of the average waiting time you can expect on each day of the week:
| Day | Wait time |
|---|---|
| Monday | 26 minutes |
| Tuesday | 25 minutes |
| Wednesday | 24 minutes |
| Thursday | 25 minutes |
| Friday | 28 minutes |
| Saturday | 35 minutes |
| Sunday | 30 minutes |
However, there are some weekdays when you can expect as much crowding as the weekend, as the tickets for Saturdays and Sundays are more expensive.
Read further to learn more about aligning your booking perfectly with the off-peak tourism months in Shanghai!
Best Time of the Year for a Shanghai Disneyland Visit
Shanghai received over 13 million tourists in 2024 and the annual footfall is anticipated to increase over the years.
Here is a quick guide to help you plan your trip to Shanghai, with consideration of the crowds and the weather, to enjoy the best experience every time!
January and February: Even though these months are slightly crowded because of Chinese New Year festivities, you can enjoy the best walk during the cool weather.
The Lantern Festival also attracts a bunch of tourists after New Year.
Average waiting time of the months: 27 minutes
Early Spring (March): This season is particularly less crowded, and the park comes to life with flower blossoms that only add to its magic! The weather is pleasant, and you can enjoy long exploration walks.
Average waiting time of the month: 22 minutes
April, May, and June: The park is most crowded during these months as the weather gets warmer and the summer season rolls in. You can expect to find larger crowds in the first week of May, during the Labor Day holidays.
Many tourists also travel to Shanghai to watch the Peach Blossom Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, and International Music Festival in the summer months.
Average waiting time of the month: 33 minutes for April and May and 40 minutes for June
July to September: As the chances of rain increase in July, the park crowds reduce compared to the warm summer days.
September is the peak visiting season; however, the crowds at Disneyland Shanghai had reduced in September due to climatic conditions, as per 2024 statistics.
Average waiting time for the months: 30 minutes for July and August and 21 minutes for September
October to December: The end of the year brings along fun Halloween and Christmas festivities, indicating an increase in the crowd level in the park.
However, we highly recommend you check out the park during the festive season to enjoy a one-of-a-kind magical experience!
Average waiting time of the months: 20 minutes
Monthly Guide to Visit Disneyland Shanghai
Check out the table below to know the pros and cons of visiting in each month of the year so you can plan your next visit strategically:
| Month | Pros | Cons |
| January | Pleasant weather and New Year festivities | Increased crowding because of New Year. |
| February | Chinese New Year decorations and cooler temperatures. | Increased crowding and the possibility of a rain shower. |
| March | Pleasant and bright weather, blooming of flowers in the park. | Crowds are less are schools prepare for their midterm exams. |
| April | Clear skies and pleasant weather. | Increased crowding as exams end and Easter comes in. |
| May | Summer vacation fun with clear skies | Expensive tickets and high crowding levels. |
| June | Clear weather but increased crowd levels. | High levels of humidity and heat. |
| July | Less crowding levels | Sudden rain showers and windy weather. |
| August | Less crowding on rainy days. | High humidity, sudden rains, and extremely hot weather on some days. |
| September | Breezy and pleasant warm weather. | Least crowds at the park |
| October | Halloween festivities and not-too-warm weather. | Increased crowding and ticket prices. |
| November | Less crowded month with mild weather. | Cold at nighttime and increased weekend crowds. |
| December | Christmas festivities and cooling weather for better exploration. | Increased crowd levels and ticket pricing. |
Are you interested in the park festivities for Halloween and Christmas? Read further to know more about the magical experience of a lifetime!
Festive Celebrations at Disneyland Shanghai
Disneyland Shanghai is known for its grand Halloween, Christmas, and Chinese New Year celebrations.
This spring welcome the Year of the Snake from January 15 to February 14, 2025, during the Magical Spring Festival.
You can enjoy special celebrations, Lunar New Year parades, special edition shows, festive drum marches, new decor, and the wishing garden.
There will also be a Spring festive market in Disneytown and a Festival Lucky Calligraphy Workshop for kids.
If you plan to visit in 2025, you can still catch the Halloween festivities from 4th October to 2nd November 2025.
This Halloween, the park allows you to greet your favorite Disney villains at Fantasyland Village and an exciting theme show by them!
You will also enjoy unique character meet and greets from Zootopia, with Judy and Nick, dressed up in spooky costumes.
Visitors can also shake hands with Captain Hook at the Treasure Cove Ghost Pirates attraction and try delicious treats!
If you can’t make it for the Halloween festivities in 2025, try to catch the Christmas festivities with caroling and decorations to awaken your Christmas spirit.
Christmas at Disneyland Shanghai comes with a fun tree-lighting ceremony, dazzling castle light-up, and much more to enhance your festive visit.
We recommend booking your tickets now to grab attractive discounts!
You’ll find less crowding here during the Halloween season, compared to Disneyland in Paris or Orlando, so you don’t miss the chance to visit.
Find Affordable Tickets & Hotels in Disneyland
Disneyland Shanghai receives the least crowds in March and September, making these the best months to find affordable tickets and cheap hotel accommodations!
We don’t recommend visiting during public holidays or on weekends falling during these months.
To save more money, you can enjoy a similar magical experience if you reserve a room in a hotel close to the park.
You can use the Shuttle buses for free transport from nearby hotels like Novotel Shanghai Clover Hotel.
How to Make the Most of Your Visit?
While visitors can easily explore the popular attractions in Shanghai Disneyland in a day, a two- or three-day visit is better for enjoying a comprehensive experience.
You can get a 3-day ticket package to save money and explore the attractions at your own pace!
If you’re on a one-day time crunch visit, we recommend exploring the park early in the morning before the public arrives by getting the early entry passes up to late night.
You can enjoy popular rides, including Soaring Over the Horizon, Peter Pan’s Flight, Roaring Rapids, Hunny Pot Spin, Pirates of the Caribbean, and more.
We recommend checking the schedule for the stage shows, fireworks, and other entertainment before you book your tickets to avoid missing out.
If you want to know more about the exact opening hours to plan an excellent itinerary, check out our Shanghai Disneyland opening hours article!
Klook.comFAQs on Best Time to Visit Shanghai Disneyland
1. What is the best month to visit Shanghai Disneyland?
Disneyland Shanghai receives the least crowding in March and September, making these the best months to explore the park. You can also plan a visit on any rainy day, as the park is usually the least crowded then.
2. When is the best time to visit Shanghai Disneyland?
You will find less crowding in Shanghai Disneyland from 8.30 am till noon. Visitors can get the Early Entry Pass to ensure they can speed up their wait time because of less crowding.
3. On which days is Shanghai Disneyland least crowded?
Disneyland Shanghai is the least crowded on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
4. What is the busiest season at Shanghai Disneyland?
You’ll find the largest crowds at Shanghai Disneyland from April to June during the summer months. Crowding might also increase during the festive seasons, during Chinese New Year, Halloween, and Christmas celebrations.
5. What are the early entry pass timings for Disneyland Shanghai?
The early entry pass allows you to get into the park at 7.30 am, an hour before it opens to the public.
6. What is the cheapest month to visit Shanghai Disneyland?
As crowding is the least in March and September, you can find cheaper Shanghai Disneyland tickets to explore the park.
7. When are the festive celebrations for Shanghai Disneyland 2024?
Disneyland Shanghai has Halloween celebrations organized from 4th October to 2nd November. This will be followed by Christmas festivities, beginning from mid-November.