As Shanghai Disney Resort’s 10th Birthday Celebration swings into full gear, the resort will officially launch Disney Earth Month on April 1, inspired by the resort’s anniversary theme – “With You, It’s Magic+”. The month-long celebration invites every one of “you” – from guests, cast to nature enthusiasts and community members – to experience a range of activities which will inspire conservation awareness and sustainable actions that extend into daily life and well beyond Earth Month.
Earth Month
As a highlight of this year’s Earth Month, the resort will launch a 10-year Wishing Star Park bird monitoring report, co-developed by Shanghai Disney Resort and Disney Conservation based on the development and preservation of Wishing Star Park, the beautiful wetland park adjacent to Shanghai Disneyland, and its diverse ecological environment.
“Every April, we reinforce our commitment to protecting our shared planet and inspiring the next generation of environmental stewards by organizing an exciting array of themed events and experiences for our guests, cast members and community,” said Murray King, Vice President of Public Affairs and Communications at Shanghai Disney Resort. “In this, our tenth anniversary year, we reflect on past achievements, celebrate partnerships and explore even more opportunities to protect the environment and promote wildlife conservation.”
A 10-Year Wishing Star Park Bird Monitoring Report Launch
Shanghai Disney Resort’s design and construction rest on a foundation of sustainability and conservation. A prime example is Wishing Star Park, a 500,000-square-meter urban wetland located inside Shanghai Disney Resort. Even as construction continued in July 2015, the first monthly bird survey began, monitoring the emerging wildlife community.
In celebration of Earth Month and in leading up to the resort’s 10th anniversary, Shanghai Disney Resort and Disney Conservation will jointly release Creating an Urban Wetland Ecosystem: A Case Study of Shanghai Disney Resort Wishing Star Park in mid-April, right ahead of Earth Day. Building on a decade of monthly bird surveys and learnings from the urban biodiversity development at Wishing Star Park, the Report provides a case study of how an urban wetland project can be designed and managed to enrich the lives of both wildlife and people.
Designed as an urban recreational area that can support a diverse ecosystem of plants and animals, Wishing Star Park has become an ideal habitat for wild birds and a flyway stop for migrating birds. The passion and enthusiasm of cast members and experts from the Shanghai Wild Bird Society over the past 11 years have carried the bird monitoring program forward and created a significant impact on nature and wildlife. As of today, over 61,500 birds across 133 different species, including five bird species of international conservation concern and 14 bird species of China’s national second-class protected animals, have been recorded in the park, making it an ideal place to see birdlife in Shanghai.
An Array of Signature Earth Month Experiences Designed for Everyone
Shanghai Disney Resort’s signature Nature Conservation Forum is returning on Earth Day, April 22, with a new theme to “Step into Wonder” this year. In collaboration with National Geographic, the forum will bring together inspiring keynote speakers from local and international backgrounds, plus a fun, engaging panel to advance environmental awareness and solidarity. These speakers will guide audiences from all walks of life through captivating stories of marine biology and wildlife conservation.
The Celebrate Earth Month Fair, featuring different organizations, the resort’s Corporate Alliance partners, as well as National Geographic and its Explorers, will take place at Disneytown from April 17 to April 22. Shanghai Disneyland’s JAMMitors band will entertain guests with waste sorting and recycling tips through engaging live performances.
Following Shanghai Disney Resort’s one-million-yuan donation to the China Environmental Protection Foundation, the “My Hometown Animals and Me” program launched a series of three educational books. These books will feature stories of wild animals from Sichuan, Shanghai, and Yunnan, and will be delivered to some elementary and middle schools across these regions, promoting biodiversity awareness among young generations. The series of books will also be showcased at the Celebrate Earth Month Fair. In addition, the top 10 student teams from the second “Youth Environmental Inspiration Program,” which is also supported by the resort, will host booths at the Fair, showcasing their creative projects that help address environmental concerns.
Shanghai Disney Resort’s 10+ Years’ Nature and Wildlife Conservation Highlights
Even before the grand opening of Shanghai Disney Resort, the resort’s actions have supported a healthier planet for people and wildlife. Over the past decade, with the dedication and support of cast members, NGO and community partners, as well as guests, the on-going commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship has brought positive changes and impact on the nature and wildlife.
- Wildlife conservation: Shanghai Disney Resort is committed to preserving nature and biodiversity. With the joint efforts from Shanghai Disney Resort, Shanghai Wild Bird Society and Disney Conservation team, 133 different bird species have been monitored at Wishing Star Park as of today. In 2024, Wishing Star Park was the only corporate park selected as an exemplary case of China’s potential other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs), a recognition of the park’s biodiversity. Since 2018, Shanghai Disney Resort has supported the Amur tiger conservation efforts, most notably the annual Tiger Habitat Ranger Competition initiated by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). On Global Tiger Day, the resort hosts themed activities to promote conservation of wild Amur tigers. Since 2015, the Disney Conservation Fund (DCF) has sponsored the International Crane Foundation (ICF) and its China collaborators. Team efforts have nearly doubled the Siberian crane population in the eastern flyway over the past decade.
- Emission reduction: As of mid-March 2026, the resort has installed solar panels on all suitable backstage rooftops and vertical walls, generating a total of 5.2 million kilowatt hours of green electricity and reducing carbon emissions by approximately 2,517 tons. At the resort, LED lightings are widely used for landscape lighting in every corner, with about 99% of lighting utilizing LEDs, a sustainable and eco-friendly light source.
- Water conservation: The resort uses treated lake water from a comprehensive water treatment plant for irrigation, ground cleaning, toilet flushing, and landscape hydration. About 40% of the resort’s municipal water usage is replaced by treated water from Wishing Star Lake. Between the grand opening in 2016 and the end of 2025, the resort has cumulatively utilized over 11.5 million cubic meters of Wishing Star Lake water, saving the equivalent of 4,600 Olympic-size swimming pools worth of municipal water.
- Waste performance: Shanghai Disney Resort keeps reducing single-use plastics by replacing plastic straws and shopping bags with eco-friendly alternatives and using reusable cutlery in resort restaurants. Meticulous operations drive waste sorting and recycling, steadily improving sorting accuracy and utilization rates.
- Material innovation: Since 2023, more than two tons of paper cups have been upcycled annually to produce various paper prints. This spring, more paper products have been developed using upcycled paper made from park restaurants’ disposed paper cups, including printed Wishing Star Park Bird Watching Map, tags for rental strollers and guest luggage, as well as backstage office supplies.
- Disney’s storytelling and creativity are at the core of what we do. The resort has innovatively infused the idea of sustainability into its signature entertainment experiences, including the magical recycling bin “Xiaotui” and the fun interactive show “JAMMITORS,” which uses tools such as plastic trash cans, brushes, and brooms as “musical instruments” to convey the concept of waste sorting and recycling through rhythm.
Over the past 10 years, through measurable actions and continuous efforts in daily operations and annual Earth Month initiatives, Shanghai Disney Resort has earned recognition for carbon reduction, sustainability, and wildlife conservation in these areas. In 2020, Shanghai Disney Resort earned designation as a Shanghai Natural Education Destination. In 2022, Shanghai Disney Resort earned LEED Platinum certification under LEED v4.1 for Communities: Existing rating system, becoming the world’s first resort to achieve this highest level of LEED certification.
For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
