Disney Sets Opening Date for New Enchanted Star Hotel

Disney revealed the opening date and details for its next new deluxe resort, Enchanted Star Hotel, which will debut three and a half years after breaking ground and will be the third themed resort at Shanghai Disneyland. Here are full details from the official announcement, followed by our commentary about other expansion plans, including the status of the unannounced second gate.

Named after the fabled Wishing Star, an enduring symbol of dreams, wishes and possibilities, Shanghai Disney Enchanted Star Hotel brings its guiding theme to life throughout the exterior, interiors and guest experience. The property will offer family appeal and experiences, with exciting new indoor and outdoor recreational amenities and programming.

Located adjacent to Shanghai Disneyland Hotel and overlooking Wishing Star Lake along with the castle park in the distance, the 400-room premium hotel enhances the resort’s multi-day resort and staycation experience. When it opens, the new hotel will join the elegant 420-room Shanghai Disneyland Hotel and the playful 795-room Toy Story Hotel; we assume it’s situated between the two in terms of status.

Enchanted Star Hotel is the first addition that’ll debut as part of the current expansion cycle underway at Shanghai Disney Resort. That also includes the development of a fourth themed hotel at the park entrance, a Spider-Man themed land, and a major expansion of the park’s iconic Soaring Over the Horizon attraction. After that wraps up, it’s been widely expected that Shanghai would turn its attention to a second gate, but those plans might be on hold (more on that in the commentary).

Influenced by Art Nouveau architecture and design, and infused with Disney storytelling and whimsy, Enchanted Star Hotel’s design is an homage to Shanghai’s unique early 20th century architectural legacy, while staying true to Shanghai Disney Resort’s overarching planning principle of being “authentically Disney and distinctly Chinese.”

Disney announced that Shanghai Disney Enchanted Star Hotel will officially open on December 16, 2026. Reservations will begin at 00:00 on November 6, 2026, through Shanghai Disney Resort Reservation Center, official resort channels and authorized travel agents.

The hotel features various types of guest rooms to suit different guest needs. Starting 00:00 on November 6, 2026, bookings for select room types, including Enchanted Star Deluxe Room, Enchanted Star Deluxe Room (Park View), Enchanted Star Dream Room, and Enchanted Star Club Room will open.

Reservations for these room types can be made starting November 6th on Shanghai Disney Resort Reservation Center, official resort channels and authorized travel partners. More room types will be available for reservation closer to Enchanted Star Hotel’s official opening date, December 16, 2026.

Guest rooms in the new hotel are designed to be both elegant and immersive, blending Disney storytelling with refined comfort. Each room features thoughtfully curated artwork, subtle Disney touches, and warm, inviting details. Together, these elements create a relaxing retreat after a day in the park.

Shanghai Disney Resort considers this a premium hotel, which translates to a Deluxe Resort by Walt Disney World standards. Based on the images, the rooms look roughly comparable to the Grand Floridian, or perhaps a cheaper version of Disneyland Hotel in Paris.

Designed as a family-friendly multi-day getaway for guests of all ages, the hotel will feature indoor swimming facilities and multiple themed play areas inspired by beloved Disney characters and stories.

Enchanted Star Hotel will also offer an outdoor swimming pool during select seasons, subject to weather and operating conditions. As the first outdoor swimming pool in Shanghai Disney Resort’s hotel portfolio, it is expected to provide guests with an additional leisure experience integrated with the surrounding landscape when in operation.

A variety of dining, shopping and entertainment will be offered throughout the new hotel. Enchanted Seasons Restaurant, one of the hotel’s multiple dining venues, will take inspiration from the changing seasons, weaving together Disney storytelling with Chinese and international cuisine.

From special entertainment and encounters with Disney characters, to tangible gifts to bring home, the hotel will offer more opportunities for families and friends to create lasting memories together.

Through a dedicated hotel connector between Shanghai Disneyland Hotel and Enchanted Star Hotel, guests staying at either hotel will enjoy access to shared recreation facilities including fitness centers, swimming pools, indoor and outdoor themed play areas, as well as shopping and dining experiences, further enhancing the lakeside getaway experience for a multi-day stay.

Adding to the lakeside scenery, three newly unveiled crane sculptures near Shanghai Disney Enchanted Star Hotel invite guests to take in the natural surroundings and discover Shanghai Disney Resort’s conservation stories, bringing an added dimension to the lakeside experience.

Enchanted Star Hotel is the next resort that’ll come online at Shanghai Disney Resort, but not the last. Following in its footsteps is what’s likely to become the new flagship hotel…

Last November, Shanghai Disney Resort announced the development of a fourth themed resort hotel, located immediately adjacent to the entrance to Shanghai Disneyland, which upon completion will be a gateway for its guests to begin their experience at the resort.

Located just a few steps away from the Shanghai Disneyland’s front gates, the brand-new hotel will become the closest Disney hotel to the park. As part of the expansion, a wide variety of brand-new shopping, dining and entertainment offerings will accompany the development of the fourth hotel, in what will essentially be Disneytown’s second phase.

As one of the highlights of the expansion, a new Disney shopping destination, similar to the World of Disney Store on the opposite side of Shanghai Disneyland’s front entrance, will offer a new and unique shopping experience, allowing guests to have access to the resort’s exclusive merchandise without entering the park.

Our Commentary

Disney Enchanted Star Hotel seems nice enough. The bland exterior is consistent with every hotel Disney has done in the last decade, but at least it’s not just a big box. There’s some depth and personality, although not a tremendous amount.

The interior images have some areas that look lovely, whereas others seem like they might be a bit thematically underbaked. The above image, for example, reminds me of the lobby of Helios Grand Hotel crossed with the Disney Wish atrium. That should not be construed as praise.

In general, the common areas remind me of Ambassador Hotel in Tokyo or Hollywood Hotel in Hong Kong. My first impression is that Enchanted Star Hotel won’t rise to the level of the Ambassador, and will probably be more akin to Hollywood Hotel. That might actually be the best-case scenario; Hollywood Hotel is great for what it is.

Also consistent with all new hotels, the rooms look fantastic. Disney has really done a great job at threading the needle on form and function with newer rooms, and this appears to be a continuation of that. The rooms with the archway and alcove look especially nice. I assume those are a higher-tier option, as opposed to being standard rooms.

Beyond Enchanted Star Hotel, the bigger question is what’s next for Shanghai Disney Resort. As we reported in Layoffs Hit Walt Disney Imagineering with Parks Projects Impacted, future developments at Shanghai Disney Resort are among those most likely to have been put on hold, cancelled, or cut back.

The most obvious project put on hold is Shanghai Disneyland’s second gate. It seemed like a done deal that this was going to be announced during the gala 10th Anniversary celebration, but that didn’t happen.

It’s possible that the China’s economic woes and cautious consumer behavior, with households saving as opposed to spending, have put those plans on ice. In the last couple of earnings calls, Disney has mentioned softness at the Asia parks (Shanghai Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland) dragging down the international numbers.

Given the comparative strength of Disneyland Paris, it’s possible these two parks are experiencing a double-digit decline. That alone would give Disney and its partner, Shanghai Shendi Group, reason to hit pause on a second gate–or all projects in the pipeline for Shanghai Disneyland that aren’t already under construction.

Regardless of near-term macroeconomic softness, Shanghai Disneyland is hugely popular and there’s a compelling case for investing even more than Disney already is in its newest resort complex. Shanghai Disneyland #5 in global attendance in the most recent annual report, behind only Magic Kingdom, Disneyland, Universal Studios Japan, and Tokyo Disneyland. Those are three other high-capacity castle parks–the newest of which is over 40 years old–plus Universal’s most crowded park on the planet.

Shanghai Disneyland is punching above its weight for a park that is only just celebrating its 10th anniversary, and was up 2% year-over-year before the anniversary even started. The initial investment in the park now looks brilliant, and I say that as someone who openly questioned whether Disney would make the same decision to build Shanghai Disney Resort were the decision made in 2020 (perhaps even more recently).

Even if China’s near term economic picture isn’t great, investing more money in SDR/SDL absolutely makes sense. It’s not as if a park announced in 2027 is going to open in the current climate. It’ll debut sometime in the early 2030s, during a totally different and hopefully better economic environment. If there’s one thing the COVID comeback should’ve taught Disney, it’s that you don’t do medium and long-term planning based on short-term circumstances.

Of course, it’s not Disney’s decision to make unilaterally. The state-owned Shanghai Shendi Group has the final say, and the government might have been the party to pump the brakes on the park. The optics of investing $3-4 billion on a theme park while the economy and consumers are struggling might be undesirable.

Building the park looks like a brilliant decision a decade later, but it was a rocky road to get Shanghai Disneyland to this point. Or even just to opening day. Getting a deal done with the Chinese government was no easy process–it took roughly two decades (and two CEOs) after the initial idea of entering the mainland to sign a deal to build Shanghai Disneyland, with partner Shendi owning a majority stake in the project.

That agreement was approved by the Chinese government in November 2009, with the park announced a year later by Disney in November 2010. Construction began with a groundbreaking ceremony on April 7, 2011.

Originally scheduled to open in 2015, an additional $800 million investment was made due to cost overruns, delays, and/or to add capacity and entertainment. Reports of various problems, from the health of the workers on the construction project to talk of rebuilding certain elements due to shoddy construction, were tied to the project. As a result of these issues or others, the opening date of Shanghai Disneyland was delayed by roughly a year.

As longtime readers might recall, we attended opening day of Shanghai Disneyland, assuming it would be the last new castle park in our lifetimes. Perhaps that will end up being wrong if/when Abu Dhabi Disneyland is completed. We’ve called Shanghai Disneyland the most complete opening day park in decades, and a return to form for Disney in that regard.

Shanghai Disneyland has been such a success story that it helps explain not only Disney’s bullishness in investing in other theme parks around the globe, but also Universal building out Epic Universe as a more complete park from day one.

For comprehensive Shanghai Disneyland trip planning–covering everything from culture to hotels to transportation from the airport and more–read our Shanghai Disneyland Trip Planning Guide!

Your Thoughts

What do you think of Enchanted Star Hotel at Shanghai Disney Resort? Will you stay in this new hotel, or do you prefer the existing options? If you’ve been to Shanghai Disneyland, what are your thoughts on the park or resort complex as a whole? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback—even when you disagree with us—is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!