Opened on 10 January 1977,Ocean Park became popular,but 28 years later,it was unprofitable and widely expected to close due to the new Hong Kong Disneyland.[3][4][5] However,the Park responded with a HK$5.5 billion development plan that saw it expand to over 80 attractions and rides,and steadily grow visitor numbers to 7.6 million in 2014,making it the world's 13th most visited theme park,and one of the largest theme parks in Asia.[6][7] Half of all visitors now come from mainland China,in growth that parallels rising mainland tourist visitor levels to Hong Kong over the same period.[8]
Covering an area of 91.5 hectares (226 acres),the park is separated by a large mountain into two areas,The Summit (Headland) and The Waterfront (Lowland). These areas can be reached by a 1.5 kilometres (0.93mi)cable car system,or the Ocean Expressfunicular railway. To ascend the Headland,which comprises several hills,visitors can use Hong Kong's second longest outdoor escalator.[9] The theme park has various attractions and rides,including four roller coasters,and also animal exhibits with different themes,such as a giant panda habitat,rainforest and polar displays,as well as an aquarium featuring the world's largest aquarium dome. Between 1979 and 1997,Ocean Park was most famous for its signature killer whale,Miss Hoi Wai/Susie Wong.
As well as being an amusement park,Ocean Park Hong Kong aims to merge entertainment and education,including conservation advocacy. However,it has been criticised by wildlife advocates for practices including the wild capture of large sea animals,such as dolphins and orca,and the presentation of shows featuring such animals performing.[10][11]
Ocean Park is also renowned for holding the largest Halloween events in Asia.[12][13]
History and development
Opened on 10 January 1977 by the Governor of Hong Kong,Sir Murray MacLehose,Ocean Park was constructed as a subsidiary of the Hong Kong Jockey Club,with HK$150 million of funding. The land was provided free by the Hong Kong Government. Between 1982 and 1984,the Jockey Club put a further HK$240 million into developing facilities at Tai Shue Wan and thrill rides at the Summit.
Ocean Park ceased to be a Jockey Club subsidiary on 1 July 1987,becoming its own statutory body,with a Government-appointed Board. The Jockey Club established a HK$200 million trust to ensure the Park's continued development. At present,Ocean Park is managed by the Ocean Park Corporation,a financially independent,non-profit organisation.
In 2003,Allan Zeman,known for leading the creation of the popular Lan Kwai Fong entertainment district of Hong Kong,was appointed Chairman of Ocean Park Corporation,a position he held for 11 years.[7]
In 2005,the same year that the park's rival Hong Kong Disneyland opened,Ocean Park unveiled a HK$5.5 billion redevelopment plan,under which older features at the park were rejuvenated and new areas developed. The number of attractions more than doubled,from 35 to over 80. The Lowland was redeveloped as a new area called the Waterfront,while the old 'Headland' became 'The Summit',with polar and rainforest exhibits. A dedicated thrill ride area,Thrill Mountain,opened,and the children's area was refurbished as Whisker's Harbour.
The first of the new developments,Amazing Asian Animals,showcasing some of the Asia's endangered creatures,including giant pandas,red pandas,Chinese giant salamanders,Asian small-clawed otters and the Chinese alligators,and Ocean Express,a funicular train system capable of transporting 5,000 visitors per hour between the Summit and the Waterfront,were launched in 2009.
In January 2011,Aqua City was opened. The zone features the Grand Aquarium,designed by St. Louis-based PGAV Destinations,displaying some 5,000 fish from over 400 species,and the world's first and only 360°water screen show Symbio.[14]
In June of the same year,the Rainforest,an integrated theme zone featuring over 70 exotic animal species,was opened.
In March 2012,the new attraction zone Old Hong Kong opened,evoking the streetscapes and spirit of Hong Kong between the 1950s and the 1970s from various perspectives. In April,the newly refurbished Hong Kong Jockey Club Sichuan Treasures opened. In July,the final element of the redevelopment,Polar Adventure,opened,featuring animals such as penguins,Pacific walruses,spotted seals,northern sea lions,snowy owls and Arctic foxes,aiming to highlight some of the conservation issues they face.
A 20,000 sq ft shark aquarium opened in July 2014 at the former Atoll Reef site called Shark Mystique.[15]
On 19 February 2019,Ocean Park officially opened its first hotel:The Hong Kong Ocean Park Marriott Hotel.[16]
In January 2020,the park sought HK$10 billion from the government for a major upgrade,following a 14 percent decline in visitor numbers and a cash-flow crisis. The government was ready to support the move,but legislators from both sides had concerns.[17][18]
Visitor growth
The park's expansion steadily grew visitor numbers to 7.6 million in 2014,making it the world's 13th most visited theme park,and one of the largest theme parks in Asia.[6][7] From this high,visitor numbers declined to around six million in 2016 against the background of declining tourist arrivals in Hong Kong and competition from Chimelong International Ocean Tourist Resort in Zhuhai.[19] In January 2017,the Ocean Park saw a 30% surge in visitors,credited to a new rapid transit line,big discounts and an early Lunar New Year holiday,[20] but in 2019,lower numbers of mainland tourist arrivals,due to social unrest and continued competition from Chimelong,sunk attendance to 5.7 million.[18]
Ocean Park now comprises two main attraction areas:the Waterfront and the Summit,subdivided into seven attraction zones:Amazing Asian Animals,Aqua City,Whiskers Harbour,Marine World,Polar Adventure,Thrill Mountain and the Rainforest.
The first and only roller coaster to be manufactured by Bolliger &Mabillard in the park,and known for its views of the South China Sea. Some say the smiley face in the Entrance is based on Luna Park Sydney in Australia. The coaster features one vertical loop,one dive loop,one zero-g roll,and finally an immelmann.
The Rapids opened in the Rainforest in 2010 as part of the park's expansion. Riders are able to interact with visitors in the Emerald Trail,as they may get wet by the water guns by the Trail. During the queue line,various bird species are also shown.
Top scan ride. This flat ride is the first ride introduced in over 9 years,with the latest one being Arctic Blast. It's also the last ride to be built in the park in a long period of time as the park no longer invest on rides and closes down a large amount of old rides.
The Flying Swing opened at 'Headlands Thrills',the former name of the area 'Marine World'. This ride will be closed down soon due to increasing maintenance cost and will be transformed into a yoga activities space.
A Chance Rides Ferris Wheel. This ride will be closed down soon due to increasing maintenance cost and will be transformed into a yoga activities space.
The oldest flat ride still standing in the park (excluding other attractions). This ride will be closed down soon due to increasing maintenance cost and will be transformed into a yoga activities space.
An Ocean themed train ride that transports guests to the other side of the park within just 4 minutes. Screens and special effects are in place during the ride.
Chinese Sturgeon Aquarium –Yangtze River Exploration –The 3,500 square-metre freshwater aquarium houses Chinese sturgeons along with other native species of the Yangtze River,closed in 2019.
Ocean Park Tower,Closing soon
Sea Jelly Spectacular –Opened in 2006. Southeast Asia's first standalone sea jelly exhibit.
The Dragon –Arrow Dynamics Custom Looper,first rollercoaster to feature a Sidewinder. Closed in February 2021,not reopening soon.
The Abyss –A turbo drop ride,closed since 31/8/2021,not reopening soon.
Flying Swing,closing soon.
Wild Twister –A Mondial Ventura
Crazy Galleon –A Huss Pirate ship,closing soon.
Ferris Wheel,closing soon.
Marine World Games Zone
Garden of Joy
180 Laboratory - A haunted attraction set in a hidden laboratory where players have to shoot designated targets to eliminate as much mutated creatures and pathogens as possible. Similar to laser tag. Opened on 15/9/2023.
Demon Grove - Another haunted attraction that is basically an abandoned Japanese courtyard filled with yōkai. Opened on 15/9/2023.
Thrill Mountain
Thrill Mountain and Polar Adventure areas.Thrill Mountain –Hair Raiser
Thrill Mountain was opened in December 2011. It is a carnival-themed area of 222,800 square feet. It offers five rides,eight booth games,as well as food,beverages,and merchandise.
Hair Raiser –A floorless rollercoaster built by B&M with four inversions.
Whirly Bird –A chair swing ride that soars 30 meters into the air
Bumper Blaster –Bumper cars that can carry two in each car
Rev Booster - A spinner ride
The Flash - A swing ride that goes upside down,with its top speed being 60km/h,at a height of 22m up into the air
Polar Adventure
South Pole Spectacular –Penguin
Polar Adventure was opened on 13 July 2012,featuring the North Pole Encounter,South Pole Spectacular and Arctic Fox Den,as well as the Arctic Blast roller coaster.
The attraction's carbon footprint is reduced through environmental technology including a ventilation system that recycles residual cool air to cool down the Life Support System (LSS) and plant room area before being discharged,which it is claimed cut electricity consumption by a third.
Arctic Blast –A steel "roller coaster" located in the Polar Adventure with various dips and side turns. It is suitable for the whole family.[22]
South Pole Spectacular –It is home to three penguin species:king penguins,southern rockhopper penguins and gentoo penguins. The viewing chamber,glass-panelled floors,walkways and balconies overlooking the water allow visitors to see the penguins from different angles.
Arctic Fox Den –visitors can see Arctic foxes here to learn about their behaviour and the impact of humans on their habitat.
The Rainforest
Rainforest –The Rapids
The Rainforest was opened on 14 June 2011. Dozens of avian,terrestrial and aquatic animals living inside buttress roots accompany visitors on their immersive exploration of biodiversity. Prepare to be soaked on The Rapids,as water guns and sudden drops will get you wet from head to toe.
The Rapids –A family river rapids ride along a rushing river that surrounds the themed zone.
Rainforest Why Zone –Trainers explain about rainforest animals in the wild and in captivity.
The Waterfront
The Grand Aquarium in Ocean ParkOld Hong Kong
Aqua City
Aqua City was opened on 26 January 2011 and occupies around 200.000 square feet. It features:
Grand Aquarium –Inside the Grand Aquarium,visitors can get up close to some 5,000 fish from over 400 species,such as the scalloped hammerhead and reef manta ray. Strolling through the Reef Tunnel and Panoramic Ocean Gallery,visitors can see the world's largest viewing dome in an aquarium,at 5.5 metres in diameter,and a 13-metre acrylic viewing panel,one of the largest in the world. It also features the world's first and only 360°water screen show Symbio! and Hong Kong's only restaurant inside an aquarium.
Sea Life Carousel –Hong Kong's largest carousel,15.1 metres across,with 61 carriers in 13 different designs inspired by endangered sea animals,holding up to 81 passengers.
Old Hong Kong –Offers an immersive experience of culture,history,and delicacies of Hong Kong between the 1950s and the 1970s. It features a replica of Edinburgh Place Ferry Pier's clock tower and its signature toll,a manually retrofitted heritage tramcar and rows of tong lau-style apartment buildings. Visitors can also try more than 70 types of local street food and beverage that evoke the flavour of old Hong Kong. The area also provides a wide array of classic booth games.
Waterfront Plaza –Features a lively carnival setting with a rotating mix of shows,magic and other acts performed by clowns,acrobats and jugglers. This area sets the backdrop for many of Ocean Park's festive events.
Amazing Asian Animals
Giant Panda Adventure –A purpose-built habitat that houses 2 rare giant pandas - Ying Ying,and Le Le as well as red pandas. It also houses the critically endangered Chinese giant salamander.
Panda Village –displays Asian small-clawed otters and a variety of Asian bird life in a woodland setting.
Goldfish Treasures –A goldfish pavilion featuring the latest and rarest varieties such as the Black Oranda and Blue Phoenix Eggfish. Explains the history and importance of the goldfish in Chinese culture.
Hong Kong Jockey Club Sichuan Treasures –home to two golden snub-nosed monkeys,Le Le and Qi Qi,from Sichuan. Le Le and Qi Qi's offspring,Lokie (born 2017),is the first golden monkey born in Hong Kong and also resides there. The exhibit also acts as a resource centre on the care and conservation of this species. Pandas Jia Jia and An An also once lived there until their deaths.
Emerald Trail –A verdant garden featuring natural settings with flowers,tall trees,stone bridges and gentle pools.
Whiskers Harbour
Whiskers Harbour,previously called Kid's World,features attractions for younger children,over an area 14,200 square metres.
Balloon Up-up-and-away –A hot air balloon-themed Ferris wheel for very young visitors.
Clown a Round –This merry-go-round has clown cars for younger kids to whirl around in.
Frog Hopper –A kid's version of a thrill ride. Young visitors strap into the mechanised 'frog',hop high into the air and land back on their feet.
Merry-go-round –A classic children's merry-go-round with gilded fairytale horses.
Bouncer House –An inflatable,fully padded,covered house for children to bounce around in.
Whiskers Harbour Playground –A safe,child- (and parent)-friendly haven for kids to run around and explore slides,see-saws,tunnels and jungle gyms.
Interactive Shadow Play –Kids get to play simple spelling and skill games on interactive multimedia screens. Correct answers are rewarded with audiovisual presentations.
Animal Story Corner –Children can explore interactive educational displays about different land,air and sea animals,and what makes each of them distinct.
Whiskers Harbour Games Zone –The area offers over twenty classic arcade games.
Toto the Loco –A small train that takes young visitors through a mini forest to meet clowns playing accordions,cellos and violins.
Little Meerkat and Giant Tortoise Adventure - A newly opened display that shows meerkats and Aldabra giant tortoises in a theme of the African Savannah
Former attractions
Former attractions of Ocean Park include:
Atoll Reef. It was located in Marine Land (now Marine World). Closed in early 2011 after 34 years of operation,many of the animals were transferred to the new Grand Aquarium.[23] It was converted into Shark Mystique,which houses several species of sharks.
Middle Kingdom. Opened in 1990,this area featured traditional Chinese culture and heritage along with buildings resembling traditional Chinese buildings. It closed in 2001,[24][25] but the Middle Kingdom Restaurant was in operation until 2007.
The Bird Paradise area,located in Tai Sue Wan near Adventure Land,closed down in 2013. It contained The Aviaries and Flamingo Pond. Plans are underway to redevelop this area into Water World.[26]
Space Wheel:A HUSS Enterprise. Formerly located in the Adventure Land section of the park.
Bungee Trampoline –A trampoline that allows visitors to jump really high while strapped in bungee harnesses. Formerly located in the Thrill Mountain section of the park.
Mine Train (越礦飛車) –A steel "mine train" roller coaster perched on the edge of a cliff overlooking Aberdeen Harbour.
Raging River (滑浪飛船) –A log flume-type water ride that took passengers through "tropical waterfalls",narrow ravines and finished by shooting them down a slide at almost 60km/h.
Shows and Performances
Current Shows
Star Explorers Club
Located at Bamboo Zone near Giant Panda Adventure,Star Explorers Club showcases various animals and their abilities. Visitors may be able to meet and take photos with the animals after the show. The show is on selected dates (depending on weather conditions) at 11:30am,2:30pm and 4:00pm.
All Star Jam
Located in Whiskers Theatre at Whiskers Harbour,the current mascots compete against one another in order to become the next superstar. Show times:11:30am,2:30pm,4:00pm,5:30pm
Dazzling Starlit Street
A performance at 5:00pm featuring noslalgic Hong Kong songs. Located in Old Hong Kong.
Ocean Park Star Match
Located at Bamboo Zone,this is a performance where mascots and performers face against each other in a friendly competition of showcasing talents while spreading awareness about conservation. Performance at 10:30am is located at Aqua City Lagoon Platform. Show times at Bamboo Zone:12:00pm,2:00pm,3:30pm,5:00pm
Dance Jam
Located near the Lodge at Polar Adventure,visitors will be hyped up by upbeat dances and pop hits. Show times:11:00am,1:30pm,3:45pm,5:00pm
Whiskers and Friends Meet
Located near the Rainforest gift shop or the Lodge at Polar Adventure,visitors can meet and interact with the current animal mascots. Rainforest show times:10:30am,11:30am,12:30pm / Polar Adventure show times:2:10pm,3:10pm,4:10pm
Whiskers Village Ocean Guardians
Located in Dolphin Explorations (formerly the Ocean Theatre),the interactive show introduces visitors to dolphins and sea lions as well as simple habits that visitors can take to help with the protection of these animals. Show Times:11:30am,2pm,3:30pm,5:30pm
Soul of the Ocean / Visions of Hong Kong
A light and water show at the lagoon at Aqua City featuring stunning projections and special effects. Show starts at 7:00pm.
Former Shows
Shows at Whiskers Theatre
Before Whiskers Theatre was refurbished,there were many different shows hosted in there which were mainly themed after conservation. Such shows included a play called "The Sea Heroes" as well as a sea lion show.
Marine Mammal Caretaking Workshop
Located in the Ocean Theatre,the show provides visitors with more opportunities to close encounter dolphins and sea lions,get to know their daily lives and conservation tips.
Animals
Ocean Park holds over 12,000 animals and highlights its educational and scientific research programmes,alongside the animal displays and entertainment.[27]
Amazing Asian Animals –panda Ying YingGiant Panda at Ocean ParkRed Panda at Ocean Park
A pair of giant pandas,a male named An An (安安) and a female called Jia Jia (佳佳),were given to Ocean Park by China in 1999. The pair were given permanent homes in the 'Hong Kong Jockey Club Sichuan Treasures' area. In 2007,two more pandas were given to Hong Kong to mark the 10th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to Chinese sovereignty. The pair of two-year-old pandas,a male called Le Le (樂樂) and a female named Ying Ying (盈盈),arrived at Ocean Park from the China Conservation and Research Centre in Wolong in Sichuan province. After quarantine,they made their first public appearance in Giant Panda Adventure on 1 July 2007.[28] A new compound was prepared at the park to house them on their arrival. In 2019,Ocean Park said that they were thinking if 14-year-old panda pair Le Le and Ying Ying didn't give birth to a cub some time later,Ocean Park will send them back to the Wolong National Nature Reserve or back into the wild of Sichuan. In August 2015,Jia Jia became the oldest breeding panda in the world at the age of 37. Sadly,Jia Jia began to suffer the effects of advanced aging in October 2016,refusing most food and fluids and rapidly losing weight. On 16 October,after having been found unable to walk,her vets decided to euthanize her. Then age 38 (114 in panda years),she was sometimes billed as the oldest panda in the world. She was definitely known to be the oldest panda in captivity. Although there is no such certain data regarding pandas in the wild,their life expectancy in the wild is 15 to 20 years,giving the claim a good likelihood of being correct.[29]
Dolphins
The Park's Marine Mammal Breeding and Research Centre houses nine Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins. In July 2009,Domino and Dumisa,two dolphins from Bayworld in Port Elizabeth,South Africa,arrived at Ocean Park. The dolphins,a father and daughter pair,were separated to ensure that they do not mate with each other. They formed part of Ocean Park's breeding programme.[30] In May 2001,two of Ocean Park's female dolphins,Ada and Gina,each delivered a healthy calf,a female and male respectively,the world's first two bottlenose dolphin calves as a result of artificial insemination. This marked an important development in reproductive physiology and controlled breeding of marine mammals.
Killer whale –Miss Hoi Wai
Hoi Wai was a female killer whale,captured near Iceland in 1977 and kept at Ocean Park from January 1979 to April 1997.[31][32] Miss Hoi Wai was about 5 metres (16ft) long and weighed about 1,800 kilograms (4,000lb).[33] She died from an emergency intestine infected wound in 1997. In Hong Kong,Miss Hoi Wai (海威小姐) is still considered an icon and celebrity to this day. She was kept with Prince,a male killer whale who lived at the park from April 1989 until his death in July 1991. They produced no offspring.
Chinese sturgeon
The Chinese sturgeon were introduced to the park in 2008,and as at 2013,Ocean Park houses nine Chinese sturgeons,displayed in Chinese Sturgeon Aquarium –Yangtze Exploration. To mark China's hosting the Olympic Games,the Chinese Central Government made a gift of five rare Chinese sturgeon,symbolising the five Olympic rings,with Ocean Park as the recipient. Two were bred by the Yangtze River Fisheries Research Institute and three by the Beijing Aquarium. The fish made their debut on 20 June 2008.[34] However one of them died after a few days,apparently bitten by a barracuda. On 14 July 2008,it was announced that Hong Kong would receive another five sturgeon from the Chinese National Aquatic Wildlife Conservation Association in time for 8 August opening ceremony,to complement the four fish already in site. The park's management opted to evict its sharks from their aquarium in favour of the new arrivals.[35] On 12 December 2008,a second sturgeon died from an infection. A third one died from an injury and two nine-year-old sturgeon were found to be ill in January 2009. The two sick fish,measuring 2.3m and 1.5m,were returned to the Yangtze River Fisheries Research Institute for expert care.[36] Ocean Park returned to mainland China the last batch of six Chinese sturgeon in December 2019.[37]
Animal encounter programmes
Ocean Park runs a series of programmes called "Get Closer to the Animals" which offer supervised access to its resident animals,from swimming with dolphins to learning to be a panda keeper. Holders of a diving certificate can even enter the Grand Aquarium,while an overnight camp within its dome offers a drier way to view the underwater world. There are behind-the-scenes tours of many facilities,often including the chance to get close to animals such as penguins,seals and other polar animals.
Animal mascots
Ocean Park introduced a waving sailor sea lion named Whiskers (known as Wai Wai in Chinese) as its major mascot in 2000. Subsequent members of the Ocean Park 'family' include James Fin (a shark),Jewel (a butterfly/fairy),Swift (a dolphin),Chief (a parrot),Professor (a turtle),Later Gator (a Chinese alligator),Redd (a red panda),Goldie (a goldfish),Tux (a rockhopper penguin),and four giant pandas:An An,Jia Jia,Le Le and Ying Ying.
In 2015,the older mascots were replaced by a newer set of mascots known collectively as "Whiskers &Friends". The mascots are now depicted in a more simplistic style. Some of the older mascots such as Whiskers and Redd remain mostly unchanged. However,brand new mascots (which are mostly rebooted designs of older animal mascots) are introduced as well. These new mascots include Fluffi (an Arctic fox),Mark (a shark),Justin (a dolphin),Dougie (a rockhopper penguin) and Bao Bao (a giant panda). Though the older mascots are no longer acknowledged by the park itself,traces of them can still be spotted on numerous rides,attractions and objects around the park,with a few notable examples being the Arctic Blast roller coaster,the Flying Swing and the waste containers in Marine World.
Internal transport
Ocean Park cable car
Ocean Park features a 1.5-kilometre (0.93mi) long cable car system connecting the Waterfront and the Summit in an eight-minute journey,with the views of the South China Sea. It has a capacity of 4,000 passengers per hour with 252 cable cars on two pairs of ropeways. Each car can hold six passengers.[38][39][40][41][42]
Ocean Express funicular railway
Hong Kong's second-longest outdoor escalator system,at 225metres (738feet) long provides the main link between facilities at Tai Shue Wan and the Summit.[43] (The longest system is the Central–Mid-Levels escalators).
The "Ocean Express[yue]" funicular railway system between the Summit and the Waterfront can carry 5,000 people per hour on its three-minute journey. This themed ride uses multimedia effects to simulate the feeling of travelling into the depths of the sea.
Ocean Park station on the South Island line is located adjacent the main entrance of the park. The station opened on 28 December 2016 and connects Ocean Park directly to Hong Kong's MTR system, from Admiralty station.
Bus
The Citybus Ocean Park Express (Route 629)[zh-tw] used to provide departures from Central Piers to Ocean Park only. This route has since stopped its regular service due to a decline in passenger numbers.
Passengers may use any of the Aberdeen Tunnel bus routes and walk to the park from the Aberdeen Tunnel Toll Plaza bus stop.
Car
The venue is also accessible by taxi, private hire car or personal car. The park provides some car park spaces close to the main entrance, however, the car park can be busy during peak times. Road access is via Route 1 (Aberdeen Tunnel) from central and eastern districts of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, New Territories or Pok Fu Lam Road from western districts.
Future Developments
Adventure Zone (2025-26)
A plan for an adventure zone to replace the Park's Adventure Land area first emerged in 2020, when the Park asked the HKSAR for HK$10.6 billion to fund its long-anticipated expansion plan, which includes replacing Adventure Land with Adventure Valley and replacing Raging River with a luge track. When this plan was suspended and replaced by the rebirth plan, the concept of Adventure Valley was retained and presented as 'Adventure Zone', but now built and operated by an external operator instead of internally. Some key attractions in the area include a 'X-Raycer', an Alpine Coaster, Ziplines and Tubing. Construction for the area is set to start in 2024 and the area will be completed in around 2025.
Tai Shue Wan Pier
Along with Adventure Zone, the construction of a pier at Tai Shue Wan was also proposed in the rebirth plan to better connectivity between the Resort and the Southern District. A temporary pier, funded by the Park opened on 8 August 2023, provided ferry service to and from the Resort during the first few months of its debut. A permanent structure is set to replace the existing temporary pier, with construction starting in 2025 and completion later in the decade.
Conservation
Ocean Park conducts education and research into animal conservation, by operating observatories, laboratories, an education department, and the Ocean Park Conservation Foundation, Hong Kong (OPCFHK), a fund that advocates, facilitates and participates in the conservation of wildlife and habitats, with an emphasis on Asia, through research and education. In 2013/2014, the foundation funded 44 conservation projects, covering 30 species in 12 countries with a total of HK$13 million (out of the Park's total turnover of HK$2 billion), a sharp increase over funding a few years earlier. The foundation was formed in 2005 from the merger of two earlier organisations, the Ocean Park Conservation Foundation (OPCF), founded 1993, and the Hong Kong Society for Panda Conservation (HKSPC), founded 1999.
Ocean Park Hong Kong was the first institution in the world to successfully artificially inseminate bottlenose dolphins, and has developed several new breeds of goldfish.
Since 2006, OPCFHK has collaborated with the Hong Kong Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department to handle cetacean stranding cases within Hong Kong waters. After the 2008 earthquake in Sichuan, OPCFHK established a Giant Panda Base Rebuilding Fund and donated equipment to the affected nature reserves.
Ocean Park has created education programmes, such as the Ocean Park Academy (OPA), begun in 2004, through which the Park runs educational tours for schoolchildren and workshops for teachers from the Hong Kong Institute of Education. Every year, the Park offers over 35 core courses for around 46,000 students on six big topics: giant pandas and red pandas, dolphins and sea lions, birds, fishes, plants, and mechanical rides.
The Marine Mammal Breeding and Research Centre set up by Ocean Park serves as a centre to house nine dolphins and conduct research on the breeding of dolphins. It is divided into 6 separate activity zones, and provides behavioural training and basic husbandry to the dolphins. It also plays a part in research work on the echolocation capabilities of dolphins. For five weeks in 2013, the centre was open for public visits.
Criticism
Ocean Park has been criticised by wildlife advocates for certain practices including the wild capture of large sea animals, such as dolphins and orca, and the presentation of shows featuring such animals performing. Opponents have highlighted their views on international "Empty the Tanks" day – a non-violent multinational demonstration that aims to end the capture and sale of wild dolphins to marine parks, where the creatures are said to die younger and breed much less. There is concern for the psychological state of the mammals alongside their physiological needs. And the advocates say it sends the wrong message, not only to visitors but also to marine parks in mainland China, which, if they copied the Park's practices, could have a significant impact on wild populations.[10][11]
Ocean Park has posted HK$31.8 million deficit in the financial year ending 30 June 2021, despite receiving HK$1.45 billion government funding.[44]
Major annual events
Ocean Park hosts six major events throughout the year: an Kidsfest, Animal in High Definition Month, the Ocean Park Summer Splash, the Halloween Bash and Christmas and Chinese New Year celebrations.
Since 2008, the Park has held a popular annual Halloween Bash through the month of October. Themes such as "Fear Formula" and "Haunted Hong Kong" provide modern twists on the traditional halloween rituals, including various attractions and activities.
Giant Panda at Ocean Park
Ocean Park Summer Splash (July–August)
The event is held each summer, with visitors partaking in various wet and wild thrills, including water games and water slides.
Christmas Sensation (December)
Christmas themed celebrations held from December to January every year.
Chinese New Year Fiesta (January/February)
Chinese New Year celebration events are held around January to February every year. The celebration usually features lantern displays, God of Fortune visits, lion and dragon dances. In 2013, the CNY Fiesta featured a 12-metre spinning lantern, as well as a traditional Chinese drum show.
Animal in High Definition Month (Discontinued)
The Animal in High Definition Months enable visitors to encounter a variety of rare animals up close, with educational experts on hand to disseminate information about these creatures. The Animal in High Definition Month for 2010 had a reptile theme called, "Mighty Dragons". In 2012, the event let visitors explore Chinese national treasures, featuring the display of two Sichuan golden monkeys.
Gala of Lights, Little Meerkat and Giant Tortoise Adventure
N/A
2021
1,400,000
-800,000
-36.4
Explorer R, Water World Ocean Park Hong Kong
N/A
2022
1,400,000 (Ocean Park)
200,000 (Water World) 1,600,000 (Total)
+200,000
+14.3
The Fullerton Ocean Park Hotel Hong Kong
N/A
2023
2,100,000 (Ocean Park)
300,000 (Water World) 2,400,000 (Total)
+800,000
+57.1
Sloth and Friends Studio
Awards
The park has won several awards, including The World's Seventh Most Popular Amusement Park and one of the "50 Most Visited Tourist Attractions in the world" by Forbes. In November 2012, Ocean Park became the first theme park in Asia to win the Applause Award from the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions. Also, one of their pandas, Jia Jia (giant panda) garnered a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest panda in captivity.[9][58][59]
Incidents
On 5 December 2010, seven tourists were injured when a train driver triggered the emergency braking system by mistake on the Ocean Express tunnel railway. Ocean Park was required to install caps over the emergency brake button for their trains before reopening.
On 10 April 2014, a 50-year-old man on holiday from Hubei, China, fell to his death as he was sitting on a railing. He lost balance and fell 11 metres down from the area known as The Summit.[60] Police said an initial investigation found nothing suspicious and indicated it was an accident.
On 16 September 2017, a 21-year-old man died inside Ocean Park's 2017 Halloween attraction called "Buried Alive", where guests lie in a coffin until the bottom drops out, sending them down a slide. The man had accidentally entered a staff-only area, and was hit on the head by the coffin bottom. The man was sent to Ruttonjee Hospital and certified dead. Legislators and industry experts questioned why the dangerous restricted area was not locked and marked clearly with warning signage.[61][62]
Hong Kong Disneyland is a theme park located on reclaimed land in Penny's Bay, Lantau Island, Hong Kong. It was the first Disneyland in Asia outside of Japan until Shanghai Disneyland in 2016. Hong Kong Disneyland is located inside the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and is owned and managed by Hong Kong International Theme Parks. It is the most visited theme park in Hong Kong, followed by Ocean Park Hong Kong. Hong Kong Disneyland opened to visitors on Monday, September 12, 2005, at 13:00 HKT. Disney attempted to avoid problems of cultural backlash by incorporating Chinese culture, customs, and traditions when designing and building the resort, including adherence to the rules of feng shui. Notably, a bend was put in a walkway near the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort entrance so good qi energy would not flow into the South China Sea.
Tokyo Disneyland is a 115-acre (47 ha) theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort in Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, near Tokyo. Its main gate is directly adjacent to both Maihama Station and Tokyo Disneyland Station. It was the first Disney park to be built outside the United States and it opened on April 15, 1983. The park was constructed by WED Enterprises in the same style as Disneyland in California and Magic Kingdom in Florida. It is owned by The Oriental Land Company, which licenses intellectual property from The Walt Disney Company. Tokyo Disneyland and its companion park, Tokyo DisneySea, are the only Disney parks in the world not owned or operated by The Walt Disney Company in any capacity.
Universal Islands of Adventure, originally called Universal Studios Islands of Adventure and later Universal's Islands of Adventure, is a theme park located in Orlando, Florida. It opened on May 28, 1999, along with CityWalk, as part of an expansion that converted Universal Studios Florida into the Universal Orlando Resort. The resort's slogan Vacation Like You Mean It was introduced in 2013.
Universal Studios Hollywood is a film studio and theme park in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles County, California. About 70% of the studio lies within the unincorporated county island known as Universal City while the rest lies within the city limits of Los Angeles, California. It is one of the oldest and most famous Hollywood film studios still in use. Its official marketing headline is "The Entertainment Capital of LA". It was initially created to offer tours of the real Universal Studios sets and is the first of many full-fledged Universal Studios Theme Parks located across the world.
Universal Studios Florida is a theme park located in Orlando, Florida, that opened on June 7, 1990. Owned and operated by NBCUniversal, it features numerous rides, attractions, and live shows that are primarily themed to movies, television, and other aspects of the entertainment industry. Universal Studios Florida was the first of three theme parks to open at Universal Orlando Resort, joined later by Islands of Adventure in 1999 and Volcano Bay in 2017. In 2019, it ranked eleventh in the world – sixth in North America – for overall attendance among amusement parks with approximately 10.9 million visitors. A fourth park, Epic Universe, is expected in summer 2025. It is expected to be the largest Universal park in the United States.
Everland is South Korea's largest theme park. Located at the Everland Resort in Yongin, a city in Gyeonggi Province, it receives 5.85 million visitors annually and was ranked 19th in the world for amusement park attendance in 2018. As of 2010, Everland is measured to be approximately 1,200,000 square yards. Along with its main attractions, Everland includes a zoo and water park known as Caribbean Bay. Everland is operated by Samsung C&T Corporation, which is a subsidiary of the Samsung Group.
The Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) is an international non-profit association that represents creators, developers, designers and producers of themed entertainment. It is also noted for its THEA Awards, which were founded in 1995 and are distributed annually in a range of themed entertainment categories.
The Fuwa were the mascots of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. The designs were created by Han Meilin, a famous Chinese artist. The designs were publicly announced by the National Society of Chinese Classic Literature Studies on 11 November 2005 at an event marking the 1000th day before the opening of the games.
SeaWorld Orlando is an animal theme park located in Orlando, Florida. Although separately gated, it is often promoted with neighboring parks Discovery Cove and Aquatica as well as Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, all of which are owned and operated by United Parks & Resorts. In 2022, SeaWorld Orlando hosted an estimated 4.45 million guests, ranking it the 10th most visited amusement park in the United States.
SeaWorld San Antonio is a 416-acre (168 ha) marine mammal park, oceanarium and animal theme park in the Westover Hills District of San Antonio, Texas, on the city's west side. It is the largest of the three parks in the SeaWorld chain owned and operated by United Parks & Resorts. As North America's largest marine-life theme park, and one of the world's largest marine-life theme parks, it is focused on conservation, education and animal rescue. It is a member of the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums (AMMPA) and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
SeaWorld San Diego is a theme park located in Mission Bay Park, San Diego, California, United States. Owned and operated by United Parks & Resorts, the park is an animal-focused marine mammal park, oceanarium, marine animal rehabilitation center, and aquarium.
Legoland Billund Resort, the original Legoland park, opened on 7 June 1968 in Billund, Denmark. The park is located next to the original Lego factory and Billund Airport, Denmark's second-busiest airport. Over 1.9 million guests visited the park in 2011, and 50 million guests have visited the park since it opened. This makes Legoland the largest tourist attraction in Denmark outside Copenhagen. The Legoland parks that have since been built are modelled upon Legoland Billund, most noticeably the Miniland area, which is made up of millions of plastic Lego bricks.
The Ocean Park Conservation Foundation, Hong Kong, often referred to by its initialism OPCFHK is the conglomerate of the former Ocean Park Conservation Foundation (OPCF) and The Hong Kong Society for Panda Conservation (HKSPC) established under the Ocean Park Corporation, with effect from 1 July 2005. It is a registered charitable non-governmental organisation.
Universal Studios Singapore is a theme park located within the Resorts World Sentosa integrated resort at Sentosa in Singapore. It features 28 rides, shows, and attractions in seven themed zones. It is one of the five Universal Studios theme parks around the world.
Shanghai Disneyland is a theme park located in Chuansha New Town, Pudong, Shanghai, China, that is part of the Shanghai Disney Resort. The park is operated by Disney Parks, Experiences and Products and Shanghai Shendi Group, through a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and Shendi. Construction began on April 8, 2011. The park opened on June 16, 2016. The park operated in its first half-year with a visitor attendance of 5.60 million guests.
The Marine Life Park is a part of Resorts World Sentosa, Sentosa, situated in southern Singapore. The 8-hectare (20-acre) park is home to two primary attractions—the S.E.A. Aquarium and Adventure Cove Waterpark. Upon its opening in 2012, the S.E.A. Aquarium had the distinction of being the world’s largest oceanarium and public aquarium, a title it held through 2014, until it was surpassed by Chimelong Ocean Kingdom.
River Wonders, formerly known as River Safari, is a river-themed zoo and aquarium located in Mandai, Singapore, it forms a part of the Mandai Wildlife Reserve, consisting of the Singapore Zoo, Night Safari and Bird Paradise and the upcoming Rainforest Wild Park. It is built over 12 hectares and nestled between its two counterparts, the Singapore Zoo and the Night Safari, Singapore. It is the first of its kind in Asia and features freshwater exhibits and a river boat ride as its main highlights. The safari was built at a cost of S$160m, with an expected visitor rate of 820,000 people yearly.
Chimelong Ocean Kingdom is a theme park situated in Hengqin, Zhuhai, People's Republic of China. It was designed by PGAV Destinations. The park broke ground on November 28, 2010 and soft-opened on January 28, 2014. The grand opening occurred on March 29 of that year. The first phase of the park cost RMB 10 billion to build. It is part of the Chimelong International Ocean Tourist Resort, which aims to become the "Orlando of China". According to TEA and AECOM, it was the 10th most visited theme park in the world in 2018, with 10.83 million visitors.
An An was a male giant panda residing in Ocean Park Hong Kong, a gift from the Central People's Government of China to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in 1999. He was the longest-living male giant panda in the world under human care before his death in 2022.
Adventure World(白浜アドベンチャーワールド, Shirahama Adobenchā Wārudo) is an amusement park with a zoo and a public aquarium, located in the town of Shirahama, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. It is operated by Hours Co., Ltd. (AWS), an affiliate of Marusue Co., Ltd. headquartered in Matsubara, Osaka Prefecture. The park opened on April 22, 1978, as Nanki Shirahama World Safari.
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