SHANGHAI DISNEYLAND
Shanghai, China
Walt Disney Company
Opened June 16, 2016
---- THE LATEST BUZZ ----
(4/27/2024) Huge New Roller Coaster Planned for Shanghai Disneyland
(3/31/2024) How and Why Zootopia Was Created For Shanghai Disneyland
(1/17/2024) New Hotel Concept Art
(12/25/2023) Zootopia Ride Reopens Following Incident
 Dec. 2023 - Zootopia: Hot Pursuit / New Land - (3/31/2024) A fascinating read about the creation of the new Zootopia land at Shanghai Disneyland has been posted by Blooloop this week. It wasn’t enough to just make a new immersive dark ride experience, but Disney Imagineers had to create what felt like a living and breathing city that guests could walk through and explore on their way to the new attraction. Making things even more difficult, it had to feel authentic and true to the themed metropolis as seen in the film.
One other interesting fact is that while this Disney’s first attempt at building a Zootopia themed land or attraction, one of the main reasons it was selected for Shanghai Disneyland is that the film was a huge hit with Chinese audiences when it was released into theaters. The fact that the film was released the same year that the new theme park itself opened was not lost on Disney, where Zootopia still remains as the top imported animated film of all time in China.
(12/25/2023) According to the word on social media and on the official park website, the Zootopia: Hot Pursuit attraction has reopened to guests today. According to the official statement, the park warns that “All guests are required to comply with the resort’s operational guidelines as they experience the attraction.” I’d imagine that the cast members working the attraction may also be issuing extra warnings to remain in your seat during the entire ride experience as well.
Warning… there are a couple of images posted to Twitter showing the girl on the ground next to the ride vehicle, where her leg(s) appears to be trapped under it. Cast Members and what may possibly be a parent are hovering over her to keep her calm. Don’t click on this link if you might find this to be disturbing. Hopefully any injury sustained will be minor, but we are unlikely to find out any further information about the incident going forward.
It is also worth mentioning that since there is only one actual “ride” within the new Zootopia land, it seems guests must wait in a line just to enter the land itself to help reduce crowding. One pathway is being used as a queue for quests to wait in to enter the land, with a wait time posted on the official app, while the other pathway to the land is being used exclusively as an exit only pathway. If I’m not mistaken, when Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge first opened at Disneyland with only the Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run attraction, I believe reading that Disneyland also did the same time for a time to prevent over-crowding within the land, in addition to requiring guests to use the first example of a Virtual Queue only boarding system for the attraction itself. (Note: if your boarding group was loading, I believe you were allowed in right away. The queue was just for everyone to gain access to the land itself.)
(12/24/2023) The new Zootopia: Hot Pursuit attraction in Shanghai just opened a few days ago and would you believe that there has already been a guest incident? According to a post at WDWNT a young guest lost their mouse-ears in mid-ride and somehow managed to get free of the restraint and jumped out to get them, only to be run over by another ride vehicle.
The trackless vehicles used on Zootopia appear to be technically the same as those used on the Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Mickey and Minnie Runaway Railway dark rides in the US (just with a different theme), but the thought is that this may be the first time a guest was struck by one of these trackless vehicles. Nothing has been reported about the condition of the guest, and given that media reports are often controlled or censored by the government in China, it isn’t likely that we will get any kind of follow up report.
(12/22/2023) Previously we posted some edited footage showing off quite a bit of the ride experience on the new Zootopia; Hot Pursuit attraction at Shanghai Disneyland. Check out the new video below from Laughing Place that shows off the queue and full ride experience.
The queue itself takes you through the Zootopia Police Department, including a journey past various jail cells before you end up in the Police briefing room to get your patrol assignment. Then it’s off to the vehicle dispatch room to begin the actual ride portion of the attraction in trackless vehicles designed to look like Zootopia Police cruisers.
(12/1/2023) While the new Zootopia land and ride at Shanghai Disneyland wont officially open in December 20th, a pair of videos showing off the land in one and another showing off some extensive POV footage shot on the fantastic looking new dark ride can be found by following this link.
(9/9/2023) All new concept art and photos from Shanghai Disneyland reveal all new details for the park’s upcoming Zootopia attraction area opening by the end of this year. The attraction’s full name will be Zootopia: Hot Puruist, and from the look of things guests will be riding in dark ride vehicles themed as Zootopia Police Cars. Based on the photos, these appear to be the same 8-passenger trackless dark ride style vehicles Disney has successfully used on Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Minnie and Mickey’s Runaway Railway attractions.
Guests will get to experience what it is like to be a Rookie Police Officer for the ZPD, passing through the police station where you will meet animatronics of Officer Clawhauser then an a emergency briefing by Chief Bongo where you find out that Gazelle has been kidnapped while preparing to perform the Zootopia Day celebration concert. Climb into your police cruiser to backup Officer Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde in an epic chase through Tundra Town, Sahara Square, Mystic Springs Oasis and the Rainforest District in pursuit of Bellwether and her gang to rescue Gazelle.
The land will also feature a number of interaction points where guests can glimpse other popular characters from the Zootopia universe, as well as enjoy tasty themed snacks and beverages and then maybe a little shopping in the land’s Fashions by Fru Fru retail shop.
(12/13/19) While the themed construction walls have been up inside the park since the Summer, Shanghai Disneyland has now officially confirmed that work is starting on the new Zootopia land at the park. The park’s eighth theme land will be built next to Fantasyland and feature a lot of the film’s popular characters, and while no details about what will be in the land have been released yet, it is expected to feature at least one major attraction.
???? - Third Resort Hotel - Under Construction - (1/17/2024) A quick look at the concept art for a new hotel planned for Shanghai Disneyland to be built along the shore of Wishing Star Lake can be found over at ThemeParkInsider. The 400-room hotel has not been given a name yet, but has been referred to as Project Triangle so far.
(8/31/2023) Blooloop confirms that the Shanghai Disney Resort has broken ground on building a third resort hotel property. According to the description, it will be inspired by “Art Nouveau architecture” and will be both, “authentically Disney and distinctly Chinese”. Look for the new 400 room resort to rise on the shore of Wishing Star Lake.
???? - New Roller Coaster - Planning / Permits Filed - (4/27/2024) Shanghai Disneyland is apparently looking to build a rather large new roller coaster that will feature forward and backwards launch sections. A layout drawing was discovered within government permits filed it seems and has been reposted on social media.From the look of things the trains will move into some kind of scene area and stop, only to be launched right into the backwards section of the ride first, before coming to a stop within another ride building where it will then launch forward into the much longer forward facing ride portion.
All said, the attraction is said to occupy a 5 to 6 acre site and appears to be a mostly outdoor coaster with a few indoor sections, mainly to enclose the two reverse and launch points, as well as the station. The theme of the coaster is not known at this time, it will be located on a currently unused expansion plot tucked right in between the new Zootopia themed land and the backstage ride-building for the Pirates of the Carribbean attraction. The way things are laid out right now on the layout, the access point to the new coaster would be through Zootopia, which could also make this the most logical theme for the new attraction as well and give the land a second phase expansion.
Of course, this could also be some kind of stand-alone themed attraction as well, much like Big Grizzly Mountain roller coaster at Hong Kong Disneyland, which also features forward and backwards sections, and a launch. In fact, the layout of the section of the new Shanghai coaster where it rolls backwards into an enclosed area to allow for the track to switch before it launches forward once again along a parallel track is essentially a mirror-image version of how it happens on the Vekoma built Big Grizzly Mountain in Hong Kong Disneyland (photo). The basic layout of the coaster, which features a lot of spiraling turns and cross over points is also reminiscent of a Big Thunder / Big Grizzly style mine-train roller coaster, which would be considered a staple check-box experience offered by every single one of Disney’s main “Disneyland” style theme parks except for Shanghai right now. Much like Hong Kong, Shanghai Disneyland was also built without any kind of “Frontierland” style land, so a stand-alone coaster like Big Grizzly would also fit well to serve that function.
(8/29/21) An interesting post on Twitter was sent my way regarding a possible new roller coaster project in development for Shanghai Disneyland. The image posted is entirely in Chinese, so I really have no idea what it says, but according to the post it is a request to manufacturers to submit bids for a double-launched roller coaster with a track switch.
It’s worth noting that this should not be for the Zootopia attraction that is well under construction at this point, but should be something for the park’s next new attraction after that. So far, we really haven’t heard too many rumors about what may be intended, so anyone else know more?
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