Shanghai Disney Resort currently has two official hotels open to guests: Shanghai Disneyland Hotel and Toy Story Hotel. Shanghai Disneyland Hotel is the more upscale option, while Toy Story Hotel is generally the more affordable and family-focused choice.
You do not have to stay at either one to visit Shanghai Disneyland. There are also hotels outside the resort that can cost considerably less, although you give up some of the convenience and Disney hotel benefits.
If this is your first visit, the choice comes down to three things: how much you want to spend, how much you value easy park access, and whether staying inside the Disney resort experience matters to you.
| Hotel option | Best for | Park access | Disney theming |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shanghai Disneyland Hotel | Comfort, amenities and a more premium stay | Walk, complimentary water taxi or hotel transportation | Strong, elegant Disney theming |
| Toy Story Hotel | Families and lower-cost official Disney stays | Hotel shuttle to Disneytown priority entrance | Heavy Toy Story theming |
| Nearby non-Disney hotels | Lower room prices and more hotel choice | Depends on hotel, shuttle, Metro or taxi | None or minimal |
How many Shanghai Disneyland hotels are there?
There are currently two open Disney-themed hotels at Shanghai Disney Resort:
- Shanghai Disneyland Hotel
- Toy Story Hotel
Disney is expanding the resort’s hotel inventory. A third themed hotel is under construction near Wishing Star Lake, and Disney has also announced plans for a fourth hotel.
Until those properties open for reservations, Shanghai Disneyland Hotel and Toy Story Hotel are the two official choices you can currently book through Shanghai Disney Resort.
For the bigger picture, see our complete Shanghai Disneyland guide.
Shanghai Disneyland Hotel vs. Toy Story Hotel
The two official hotels serve very different types of trips.
| Shanghai Disneyland Hotel | Toy Story Hotel | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall style | Upscale and quieter | Colorful and playful |
| Target traveler | Couples, adults and families wanting more amenities | Families, Toy Story fans and travelers trying to spend less |
| Pool | Yes | More limited recreation |
| Character dining | Available at Lumière’s Kitchen | More casual dining |
| Park transportation | Water taxi, walking and hotel transportation options | Hotel shuttle |
| Priority park entrance | Yes | Yes |
| Typical pricing | Higher | Lower |
If you mainly want a convenient place to sleep before spending all day in Shanghai Disneyland, Toy Story Hotel is usually the more logical official hotel to price first.
If the hotel itself is part of the vacation, Shanghai Disneyland Hotel offers considerably more in terms of atmosphere, dining and recreation.
Shanghai Disneyland Hotel
Shanghai Disneyland Hotel is the premium hotel at the resort. It sits beside Wishing Star Lake and has a more polished, relaxed atmosphere than Toy Story Hotel.
I did not stay overnight here, but I visited the hotel for breakfast and explored the property. It feels much more like a destination resort than simply somewhere to sleep after a park day.
Disney currently highlights several hotel features, including:
- priority entry to Shanghai Disneyland;
- complimentary water-taxi transportation;
- character dining;
- King Triton Pool;
- children’s recreation areas;
- Magic Kingdom Club accommodations; and
- the ability to reserve certain attraction access in advance.
Disney also advertises up to one hour of priority park entry as a benefit of Shanghai Disneyland Hotel. Operating procedures can change, so confirm the exact entry time during your stay.
For a deeper look at the property itself, read our Shanghai Disneyland Hotel guide.
Getting from Shanghai Disneyland Hotel to the park
Shanghai Disneyland Hotel has several ways to reach the Disneytown side of the park.
- walk;
- take the complimentary ferry; or
- use hotel shuttle transportation.
Official hotel guests can use the priority park entrance located in Disneytown. You need the hotel credential, valid park admission and the identification or travel document associated with the ticket.
Our Shanghai Disneyland Hotel early-entry guide explains how that advantage works.
Dining and breakfast
Lumière’s Kitchen is one of the major reasons to spend time at the hotel even if you are not simply using the room as a place to sleep.
I ate breakfast here and found a mix of Chinese and Western options in a themed setting that felt calmer than starting the morning inside the park.
Breakfast is not something I would assume is automatically included with every room rate. Shanghai Disney sells multiple room and package configurations, so check exactly what your reservation includes.
See our Shanghai Disneyland Hotel breakfast guide for more details.
Pool and recreation
Shanghai Disneyland Hotel also has recreation that makes it a better choice for travelers planning downtime away from the park.
Disney currently lists King Triton Pool along with children’s activity areas and other hotel recreation.
If you expect to use the hotel for more than sleeping, read our guide to the Shanghai Disneyland Hotel pool.
Toy Story Hotel
Toy Story Hotel is where I stayed, and the experience is much more playful than Shanghai Disneyland Hotel.
The property leans heavily into Toy Story, with bright colors, Woody and Buzz characters around the grounds and a hotel design clearly aimed at families.
The rooms are simpler than Shanghai Disneyland Hotel. I found mine clean and practical rather than luxurious. Amenities included the basics I needed after a long park day, and the hotel worked well because I was spending most of my waking hours inside Shanghai Disneyland.
That is the main reason I would choose Toy Story Hotel: you still stay inside the Disney Resort environment and get official-hotel benefits without automatically paying for the more elaborate Shanghai Disneyland Hotel experience.
Read our complete Toy Story Hotel review for a closer look at the rooms and property.
How Toy Story Hotel guests get to Shanghai Disneyland
Do not book Toy Story Hotel expecting the same transportation setup as Shanghai Disneyland Hotel.
Disney’s current instructions direct Toy Story Hotel guests to use the hotel shuttle to Disneytown during the morning period. Cast Members then guide hotel guests toward the priority entrance.
After the morning transportation period, service back toward Toy Story Hotel operates from the West Public Transportation Hub.
This is more useful information than simply measuring straight-line distance on a map. The important question is how you actually move between your room and the park entrance.
Both official hotels get priority entrance to Shanghai Disneyland
One of the strongest reasons to stay at either Disney hotel is the hotel-guest priority entrance in Disneytown.
Disney currently says guests of both themed hotels can use this entrance before the park’s main entrance opens.
To use it, guests need:
- the credential provided by the hotel;
- valid Shanghai Disneyland admission; and
- the government-issued ID or travel document associated with the tickets.
Disney says one hotel credential is issued per room and all registered guests using that credential need to enter together.
This benefit can be especially useful if your goal is getting to popular attractions before the main entrance begins admitting the day’s larger crowd.
Do Shanghai Disney hotel rooms include park tickets?
A standard hotel room should not be assumed to include Shanghai Disneyland admission.
Shanghai Disney Resort currently sells both hotel-only reservations and hotel packages that combine accommodations with park tickets and other benefits.
Always read the product description before paying because a room rate, a breakfast package and a ticket-and-hotel package are different products.
If you want everything bundled, see our guide to the Shanghai Disneyland hotel and ticket packages.
For ticket-only planning, use our main Shanghai Disneyland ticket guide.
How much are Shanghai Disneyland hotels?
Shanghai Disney hotel prices vary by date, room type, view and whether the reservation includes breakfast or other package components.
I would avoid budgeting from a fixed U.S. dollar range because exchange rates change and Disney prices the rooms in Chinese yuan.
Toy Story Hotel is generally positioned as the less expensive of the two current Disney hotels, while Shanghai Disneyland Hotel commands the premium rate.
When comparing prices, make sure you check whether the displayed rate includes service charges and whether breakfast or park admission is included.
For a more detailed look at the premium hotel’s rates, see our Shanghai Disneyland Hotel price guide.
Should you stay at an official Shanghai Disney hotel?
The official hotels make the most sense when convenience and park access matter more than finding the lowest possible room price.
Reasons to stay on property include:
- priority park entrance through Disneytown;
- hotel transportation to the resort area;
- Disney theming that continues after you leave the park;
- easy access to Disneytown;
- official Shanghai Disney hotel service; and
- hotel-and-ticket package options.
The benefit is strongest on a short trip when reducing morning logistics helps you use more of your limited park time.
Our guide to how many days you need at Shanghai Disneyland can help determine whether paying more for the location makes sense.
When a nearby hotel makes more sense
Staying off property can make much more sense if your main goal is lowering the total trip cost.
A nearby hotel can be particularly attractive when:
- you only need a clean room for sleeping;
- you are staying several nights and the Disney premium adds up;
- you have hotel loyalty points;
- you need a larger family room;
- you are comfortable using a shuttle, taxi or Metro; or
- Disney hotel availability is poor for your dates.
But do not assume a hotel described online as “near Shanghai Disneyland” is genuinely walkable. Check the actual entrance route, transportation schedule and recent guest reviews rather than judging the location from straight-line distance.
Start with our guide to hotels within walking distance of Shanghai Disneyland if staying outside the resort is part of your plan.
Official hotel vs. nearby hotel: what are you paying extra for?
| Official Disney hotel | Nearby hotel | |
|---|---|---|
| Disney theming | Yes | Usually no |
| Priority Disneytown entrance | Yes | No |
| Official resort transportation | Yes | Depends on hotel |
| Hotel + ticket packages | Available | Depends on provider |
| Lowest room price | Usually not | Often stronger |
| Hotel loyalty programs | Limited relevance | Possible with chain hotels |
For a one-night stay before a full park day, the official hotel premium may be easier to justify. Over several nights, the savings from a nearby hotel can become much more significant.
How to book a Shanghai Disneyland hotel
Shanghai Disney Resort currently recommends booking hotel reservations through official or authorized channels.
Official direct channels include:
- the Shanghai Disney Resort website;
- Shanghai Disney Resort official app;
- official WeChat account;
- Disney Reservation Center;
- official Jingdong store;
- official Fliggy store; and
- authorized Shanghai Disney travel partners.
Foreign visitors should make sure the name and identification information used for reservations and park tickets match the passport or other accepted travel document they will actually carry.
For ticket purchasing specifically, read our guide to where to buy Shanghai Disneyland tickets.
A third Shanghai Disney hotel is coming
Shanghai Disney Resort is already expanding beyond its two current hotels.
The resort’s third themed hotel is under construction on the south side of Wishing Star Lake near Shanghai Disneyland Hotel. Disney has described it as a nine-story deluxe hotel inspired by Shanghai’s Art Nouveau architectural heritage.
Disney has also announced a future fourth themed hotel as part of another resort expansion.
Neither project changes the immediate booking decision today: the two currently open official hotels remain Shanghai Disneyland Hotel and Toy Story Hotel.
Which Shanghai Disneyland hotel should you choose?
If you want the more complete resort experience and are comfortable paying more, Shanghai Disneyland Hotel is the stronger fit. It has better recreation, character dining, water-taxi access and a quieter setting.
If you want to stay with Disney but expect to spend most of the day inside the park, Toy Story Hotel gives you the official-hotel advantages in a simpler package.
If price is the overriding priority, compare nearby hotels before paying the Disney premium.
Whatever you choose, compare the final room price, transportation to the park and whether admission is actually included. The cheapest nightly rate is not necessarily the cheapest or easiest overall Shanghai Disneyland stay.
You can check current room availability and official packages directly through the Shanghai Disney Resort website.
