We then hopped the shuttle bus to the park in time to line up 1/2 an hour before it opened. Opening time this morning was 8am. 
Unlike all of the other Disney parks we’ve ever visited, Shanghai Disneyland does their fastpass distribution differently. Instead of placing kiosks close to the ride entrance they have three distribution centers in various locations. You line up to enter one of the centers and choose from a list on the screen which ride you want to fastpass. Easy enough.
Our plan was to hop into the Fastpass center in Adventure Isle and get a fastpass for Roaring Rapids, then hop in line for Pirates of the Caribbean, Battle for the Sunken Treasure. 
There was hardly anyone else in line for Pirates so it only took us 5 minutes to hop on the ride. I just love Pirates of the Caribbean in Anaheim but it doesn’t hold a candle to it’s Shanghai sister. The boats are similar in look to the Anaheim ride but instead of being propelled by water they are on an ingenious track system. One track is connected to the front of the boat and one to the back. By widening or narrowing the track they can rotate the boat and decide which direction you are pointing. Due to the tracking system they can also control how fast you go, speeding up at dramatic moments and slowing down to build tension. You still are floating on water (the track system is completely submerged) but instead of floating in the same direction at the same speed you are rotating, speeding up, going backwards, etc. Ingenious. (There’s a video floating around on YouTube that shows how the boats work if your nerdy about that sort of thing like me.)
Using a combination of huge projection screens (think curved IMAX screens), incredible animatronics, digital and practical sets and scenic lighting the Imagineers take you underwater where you meet Davy Jones who raises his fleet of Ghost Ships to fight other ships in an epic sea battle. Meanwhile Jack Sparow is sword fighting with Davy Jones in the belly of one of the ships. You have a front row seat for every dramatic moment. The ride ends with your boat rushing backwards due to a flood of water. This is where they shoot the ride photo.
Mike and I are in the second row to the left. If you zoom in you’ll see a look of genuine awe on my face. This is the best Disney ride I have ever been on. There are a few nods to the original Pirates ride. For example, at the beginning of the ride you pass the prisoners trying to coax the dog with the key only they are all skeletons, including the dog.
We moved through the Pirates line so quickly that we still had 1/2 an hour or so before our Roaring Rapids ride fastpasses were valid so we hoofed it over to The Seven Dwarves Mine Train. 
Part dark ride part roller coaster this ride takes you through the jewel mines of the Seven Dwarves. Great animatronics with faces that are animated by projections from within the heads brought the Dwarves to life nicely. The coaster itself was a bit too mild for my tastes. The mine cars were on an axis centered in the front and back which allowed them to sway with the cruves of the track. Neat idea, but didn’t add a whole lot to the experience.
Time for Roaring Rapids. This ride is in Adventure Isle. 
Much like Grizzly Rapids in CDA, you sit in a round boat and careen through the rapids dropping down hills from time to time. This version added an animatronic crocodile type monster (thus the “Roaring” in the title) at one point during the ride.
Just like the CDA ride 75% of the charm of this ride is watching other people get soaked and have fun. We had this darling 6 year old Chinese kid who giggled the whole way through the ride. Especially when Mike and I got soaked.
Off to Tomorrow Land and Tron Light Cycle Power Run!
Tron is a super fast coaster that is part inside Part outside. As you may be able to see from the pictures and video, you sit in the car as if it’s a motorcycle. Instead of seatbeats or shoulder harnesses you are held in by a thing that rests on your back holding you in. (Continued in part 2)
Art’s Travel Adventures 