MYSTERY SHOPPER
The fi reworks and light shows are truly world class and if guests stay long enough to see them, they’ll leave with great memories
person at one of the 32 ticket booths at the front gate. Packages include single- day tickets, season passes and bundled tickets that include entry to Chimelong’s International Circus City. Most tickets are only valid for the day. Family tickets cover two adults and a child – typical for China, but not enough for many foreign families.
ATTRACTIONS Guangdong Chimelong Group takes the “hybrid” park to the next level at Ocean Kingdom, locating rides alongside animal exhibits. The best example is the Polar Explorer fl ume ride, which weaves through the bear enclosure for an up-close view of the animals. The 10 major rides include coasters by Bollinger & Mabillard and Mack. Smaller rides include dodgems and a carousel. This mix is commensurate with other world-class attractions and complements the aquariums and exhibits without dominating the park.
EXHIBITS The aquariums and marine exhibits have all been built on a grand scale. The behemoth-sized whale shark aquarium
that presides over the main lagoon is testament to this: it’s the fi rst and last thing you see as you enter and leave the park and creates an impressive background for the fi reworks and light shows. Both shows are truly world class and if the guests stay long enough to see them, they’ll leave with great memories. However, the quality of the exhibits
is not world-class. Water quality in the aquariums is poor and fl oating debris from fi sh and animal waste is clearly visible. Underwater viewing is also negatively impacted by the level of algae growth on the rock and reef formations. This points to an incorrect balance in the life support systems within the park – an aspect that is critical to long-term animal health and welfare, as well as visitor experience. Animal husbandry also appears to fall
below industry standards. The brown bear exhibit is no more than a series of narrow ledges and didn’t include any enrichment for the animals, other than guests throwing food at the bears at feeding times. The pool in the polar bear enclosure was fenced off to them by a heavy duty wire fence (no explanation
was offered to guests) and the remainder of the enclosure did not contain any entertainment for the animals, all of which seemed extremely lethargic on display. Marine exhibits and shows are a big hit
at Ocean Kingdom. Live animal shows are popular with Chinese and when I visited, each show was packed. In Chimelong’s literature, it says the park is “committed to inspire public awareness on animal care and conservation” yet the sea lion, beluga and dolphin shows are acrobatic performances with little or no information on the animals’ habits, habitat, status or conservation challenges. Similarly, the exhibits’ interpretive and educational signage does not touch on conservation.
FOOD AND BEVERAGE For Asian visitors, F&B options at Ocean Kingdom are plentiful, appetising and suitably priced by theme park standards. The park offers a good mix of buffet-style restaurants, fast-food kiosks and carts throughout the park. Western options are limited and as more international operators enter the market, the variety and quality of F&B will need to improve.
Mack Rides’ Polar Explorer combines a variety of elements
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