Three Ways Shanghai Disneyland is Different Than Every Other Disneyland Park

There are Disney Theme Parks, and then there is Shanghai Disneyland. Disney’s youngest Castle Park and only Theme Park on Mainland China stands out from among its siblings in a variety of ways, specifically in its size and unique offerings.

It is the largest Disneyland in the world and hosts the largest Disney Castle in the world. And, like all of the other Disney Theme Parks around the world, Shanghai Disneyland has its own host of rides and attractions Guests can’t find anywhere else.

But Shanghai Disneyland also distinguishes itself by making some significant omissions to its design that are found in every other Disney Castle Park.

Here are the big three:

Shanghai Disneyland Does Not Have “it’s a small world”

“It’s a world of laughter/ a world of tears,” it’s a world not found at the Shanghai Disney Resort. Nicknamed “The Happiest Cruise to Ever Sail,” “it’s a small world” is an iconic Disneyland boat ride created by Walt himself with a song written by Robert and Richard M Sherman that has become an immortal Theme Park anthem.

The original version made for the 1964 World’s Fair is still in operation at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California, and other variants with their own unique changes can be found at Magic Kingdom Park at the Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Paris, Tokyo Disneyland, and Hong Kong Disneyland.

However, when Walt Disney Imagineers got together with the Shanghai Shendi Group–who own the majority share of the Shanghai Disney Resort–they decided to make the historic omission, and it will be only one of the official and unofficial traditions broken.

Shanghai Disneyland Does Not Have Main Street, U.S.A.

Disney CEO Bob Iger pushed Imagineers to assimilate Disney into Mainland China when constructing Shanghai Disney Resort, describing the endeavor as being “authentically Disney and distinctly Chinese.” Well, in order to do that, it appears Main Street, U.S.A., had to go.

While it has a different name at Tokyo Disneyland, the appearance and nature of the American central promenade can be found at all other Disneyland Parks and the Magic Kingdom Park.

At Shanghai Disneyland, all connection to Walt’s hometown have been erased with the “distinctly Chinese” Mickey Avenue.

Shanghai Disneyland Has No Disney Mountains

Big Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain, and Splash Mountain. These are the big three Disney Mountains which have provided thrills and laughter for Disney Park Guests for decades.

Up until recently, with the transformation of Splash Mountain into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Walt Disney World Resort, all three mountains could be found at Disneyland Park, Magic Kingdom Park, and Tokyo Disneyland. Disneyland Paris features Thunder Mesa and Space Mountain: Mission II, and Hong Kong Disneyland features Space Mountain, and its variation of Big Thunder Mountain called “Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Minecars.”

But there are no such mountains found at Shanghai’s Disney Park. TRON: Lightcycle Power Run was chosen over another variant of Space Mountain, and it is unclear if a log flume or minecar ride was also pitched and struck down.

Now, these are not the only Disneyland omissions. Shanghai Disneyland has no steam train. It does not have Jungle Cruise, and it does not have a Haunted Mansion of some variety.

What other Disney Park staples have you noticed are only missing from Shanghai Disneyland?

We at Disney Fanatic will continue to update our readers on Disney Parks news and stories as more developments come to light.