Shanghai Disney Resort has begun ringing in the Year of the Horse with a series of Lunar New Year festivities that also signal the start of a year-long celebration of its tenth anniversary. The resort in Shanghai, China, marked the first day of the Lunar New Year with traditional ceremony and colourful displays as it gears up for a milestone year.
On 17th February 2026, guests gathered at Shanghai Disneyland to take part in a lion eye-dotting ritual, an age-old Chinese custom believed to bring good fortune, energy and prosperity for the year ahead. Park leadership and beloved Disney characters helped complete the ceremony: Andrew Bolstein, President and General Manager of Shanghai Disney Resort, joined Mickey Mouse to paint the eyes of two ceremonial lions amid festive music and applause. Alongside them was Bullseye, the spirited horse from Pixar’s Toy Story, whose presence celebrated not only the Year of the Horse but the blending of cultural tradition with Disney storytelling.
This year’s Lunar New Year activities form part of an expanding slate of experiences stretching through to 3rd March. Each evening, the park’s “Spring Festival Celebration: Our Families” lights up Enchanted Storybook Castle with projections and music that highlight the character for “horse,” filling the skies with visual splendour. A host of seasonal decorations, from playful window displays in the Zootopia area to a festive New Year Wishing Garden in the Gardens of the Twelve Friends, invites guests to share hopes and dreams for the year to come.
The timing of these festivities dovetails with broader plans for Shanghai Disney Resort’s tenth anniversary, which will officially begin in March and extend throughout 2026. The Year of the Horse therefore serves as both a cultural celebration and a prelude to a major milestone for the resort, which first opened its gates in June 2016 and has since become one of Disney’s most visited destinations worldwide. In the months ahead, visitors can expect more commemorative events, special experiences, and expanded offerings as part of the anniversary year.
Shanghai Disney’s approach blends local tradition with global fanfare, using the Lunar New Year as a springboard for broader celebration. The result is a unique moment where seasonal heritage and decade-long storytelling magic come together, inviting guests from near and far to join in both renewal and reflection.