In the middle of a heatwave that has brought one park to a near boil, hundreds of Disney fans braved the blistering temperatures for a line that lasted longer than a transcontinental flight.
The prize? Merchandise.
By early morning on July 8, the queue snaked through Shanghai Disneyland’s entrance and beyond, a spectacle of umbrellas, folding chairs, and drenched shirts. Some had arrived the night before. Others skipped work, booked nearby hotels, or came armed with portable fans and frozen towels. The sun hadn’t risen, but the hype had.
For many, it’s all part of a familiar rhythm. Disney parks around the world have seen lines swell into the absurd, especially when exclusive merchandise is on the line. Figment’s meet-and-greet at EPCOT drew a five-hour wait in 2023. At Disneyland Paris, guests once waited four hours to meet Santa Stitch. But Shanghai may now hold the unofficial record.
The line that formed for Shanghai Disneyland’s Summer Ocean Party merchandise wasn’t just long—it was historic. According to Sina, guests lined up for 14 hours in hopes of scoring keychains shaped like characters from the Duffy and Friends line. Originally priced at 179 yuan ($28), these toys have since popped up on resale platforms for nearly triple the price.
“On the afternoon of July 7, I skipped work and rushed to Disneyland an hour early,” one guest told Sina. “When I arrived at the nearby subway station at 5:30, there were already more than 50 people queuing along the railings. Among them were uncles and aunts with gray hair.”
Many guests, the source noted, arrived with one goal in mind: enter early, secure a lottery draw, and walk out with a coveted plush. “Everyone came for the new product release on July 8,” the guest added. “You need to draw lots to obtain the purchase qualification of the new dolls. The earlier you enter the park, the greater the probability of winning.”
The Reseller Effect and Disney’s Pushback
Long lines are one thing. But Disney’s ongoing battle with resellers has added a new layer of urgency—and frustration—to high-demand releases. Guests have grown accustomed to merchandise vanishing minutes after launch, often only to reappear online at heavily inflated prices. Many of the fans who lined up at Shanghai Disneyland admitted they wouldn’t normally endure such conditions, but feared everything would be snatched up by scalpers.
Shanghai Disneyland has attempted to tackle this head-on. In the past, it introduced an ID requirement for ticket holders, a move designed to deter resellers from bulk-buying and flipping items. Yet as this week’s scenes show, the demand—and the resale economy surrounding it—remains firmly in place.
This isn’t the first time things have reached a boiling point, both literally and figuratively. Earlier this year, lines for Duffy and CookieAnn backpacks stretched to eight hours, prompting security intervention and reports of fainting spells. This week’s 14-hour wait unfolded amid excessive heat warnings, with temperatures surpassing 100 degrees Fahrenheit and local authorities urging residents to seek shelter during the hottest parts of the day.
Heat Protocols Meet Peak Season Crowds
To its credit, Shanghai Disneyland has not ignored the heat. In June, the park confirmed a series of measures aimed at protecting guests and cast members during the sweltering summer months. These include real-time monitoring of temperature and heat index data to adjust daily operations.
Entertainment offerings have already been modified. Parades may feature fewer performers and abbreviated routes. Fire effects are subject to removal, and outdoor shows are being rescheduled or canceled during peak heat hours, particularly between noon and 2 p.m.
Cast members are also receiving added support. The park has installed water stations, shaded rest areas, and 50 air-conditioned lounges backstage. Performers are outfitted with sun hats, portable fans, ice stickers, and ice collars. Cooling infrastructure—spray fans, overhead units, and mobile coolers—has been expanded across guest zones, and over 80% of the park’s attractions remain fully or partially shaded.
Whether these measures will be enough as fan demand and summer temperatures both rise remains to be seen. But the image of devoted fans lining up in triple-digit heat for a chance to grab a $28 keychain speaks volumes about the fervor surrounding Disney’s limited-edition drops—and the lengths to which people will go to get them.
Would you wait in a 14-hour line for Disney merchandise?
