TRIP REPORT: Shanghai Disney Resort (Part 6 – Adventure Isle)

In the summer of 2018 my partner and I visited the Shanghai Disney Resort as part of a two-week trip to the Chinese city Shanghai. In seven articles, appearing every weekend here at wdwnt.com, I will share our adventure through this newest Disney Resort that opened in 2016. I am writing about the park and its theming, Disneytown, and the hotels. In this sixth trip report, I will discuss Adventure Isle.

An Upgraded Adventureland

Adventureland has always been a place that guaranteed adventures for the young and young at heart. Exploring caves, treehouses or even a real jungle: it is possible at Disney Parks. Shanghai Disneyland has an ‘Adventureland’ with a new story: Adventure Isle.

In this land, the League of Adventurers arrived to do research. They met the Arbori tribe, the true inhabitants of Adventure Isle. The League is very interested in the Arbori and the Arbori want to learn about the League, too. Adventure Isle is filled with research stations of the League and art by the Arbori.

Adventures in Adventure Isle

Two attractions in Adventure Isle are two of the most popular rides in the park. Soaring over the Horizon and Roaring Rapids can get lines that last for almost three hours. These places ask for a tactical FastPass game. Another option is arriving in lines at the end of the day.

Soaring over the Horizon is the same version as in California and Florida. However, here you are invited to join one of the shamans of the Arbori. She gives you the sight of a bird and that allows you to soar over the world. The introduction video is again in Mandarin, but the safety instructions have subtitles.

In the Roaring Rapids, the League of Adventurers invites you to explore the rivers around the Roaring Mountain. The Arbori warned them you for Q’arác, but the League decided to ignore this warning of the impressive monster that hides in the mountain, according to legend.

The wild boat ride starts and when traveling over the river, it all seems a little tame. When you come at great height (and you have a beautiful view over the park), you enter the wilder waters. In the cave you encounter Q’aráq, an impressive Audio-Animatronic that comes very close to your boat. You flee from the cave and head back to the station (with a wet outfit!). The whole lasts for about seven minutes.

At the Happy Circle, you can have a character encounter. When we were around, we saw Baloo and Judy Hopps.

Climbing Roaring Mountain at Camp Discovery

Next to the Explorer Canoes in Treasure Cove, there is another 100% human-powered ride in Shanghai Disneyland. In Camp Discovery, you can find the Challenge Trails. Those are three rope courses in and around Roaring Mountain, where guests can choose their own path and challenge. There are three levels to choose from at each challenge, which makes the attraction accessible to anyone without fear of heights.

It is nice to see that this adventurous walkthrough also contains really challenging paths. Perhaps it was just me, but climbing next to the waterfall, on wet stones, was an unique experience for a Disney Park.

Camp Discovery is the Chinese equivalent to Tarzan’s Treehouse at Disneyland or the Swiss Family Treehouse at Magic Kingdom. Without doing the Challenge Trails, you can roam around and find some hidden details in the caves. For example, there was this drawing of Q’aráq:

Tarzan – Call of the Jungle

At the Storyhouse Stage, we can find a show that displays the story of Tarzan. With a lot of special acrobatic stunts, actors depicting monkeys run and fly over the stage, while the well-known music of the movie fills the theater. It is hard to capture these stunts in photos, but you can see some below.