Chimelong Ocean Kingdom Explained
Zhuhai Chimelong Ocean Kingdom
|
| Resort: | Chimelong International Ocean Resort |
| Location: | Fuxiang Bay, Hengqin |
| Location2: | Zhuhai |
| Location3: | People's Republic of China |
| Theme: | Marine |
| Owner: | Chimelong Group |
| General Manager: | Paul Yuen |
| Operator: | Chimelong Group |
| Season: | Year round |
| Visitors: | 12.52 million (2023)[1] |
| Area: | 8 |
| Rides: | 15 |
| Coasters: | 3 |
| Water Rides: | 2 |
| Slogan: | Chinese: 全球领先的海洋主题乐园
World Leading Ocean Theme Park |
Chimelong Ocean Kingdom is a theme park situated in Hengqin, Zhuhai, People's Republic of China. It was designed by PGAV Destinations. [2] The park broke ground on November 28, 2010[3] and soft-opened on January 28, 2014.[4] 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". In 2023 the park hosted 12.52 million visitors, making it the sixth-most visited theme park in the world and the most visited theme park in the world that is not a Disney or Universal park.[5]
Among its attractions are a wide range of amusement rides and animal shows, as well as one of the world's largest oceanariums with a total of 48.75e6L of water. The theme park has achieved five Guinness World Records.[6]
Rides and shows
Rides
| Name | Type | Manufacturer | Area | Opened | Image |
|---|
| Parrot Coaster | Wing Coaster | Bolliger & Mabillard | Amazing Amazon | 2014 | |
| Polar Explorer | Water Coaster | Mack Rides | Polar Horizon | 2014 | |
| Walrus Splash | SuperSplash | Mack Rides | Walrus Mountain | 2014 | |
| Penguin Coaster | Force Coaster | Zierer | Hero Island | 2018 | |
| Jungle Coaster | Force Coaster | Zierer | Hero Island | 2018 | | |
Shows
| Name | Type | Venue | Area | Opened |
|---|
| Dolphin Show | Animal show | Dolphin Theater | Dolphin Cove | 2014 |
| Sea Lion Show | Animal show | Sea Lion Theater | Mount Walrus | 2014 |
| Beluga Show | Animal show | Beluga Theater | Polar Horizon | 2014 |
| Ocean Resistance | Nighttime Spectacular | Hengqin Ocean | Hengqin Ocean | 2017 |
| Musical Fountain Spectacular | Fountain show | Hengqin Ocean | Hengqin Ocean | 2015 | |
Themed areas
There are eight themed areas inside the park, each representing a part of the ocean.
Ocean Avenue
- The entrance area with shops and an LED digital canopy that showcases the sea
Dolphin Cove
Amusement rides
- Battle of the Pirates – spinning tea cups with shooting water jets
- Dolphin Round Ride – spinner ride
- 5D Castle Theatre - Opened in 2015. The castle theatre features a 13-minute animated film called "Kaka's Great Adventure". The film is produced by Prana Studios with Kraftwerk Living Technologies (KLT) providing the hardware. The theatre has a 1500m2 curved screen, a world record. The theatre took more than three years to plan and cost some ¥300 million (US$50 million) to build.[7]
Animal exhibits
Amazing Amazon
Amusement rides
Animal exhibits
- Journey to the Amazon – freshwater aquarium
Ocean Beauty
Amusement rides
- Deep Sea Odyssey – submarine ride that goes inside the aquarium
Animal exhibits
- Whale Shark Exhibit Aquarium – the tank itself contains 22.7e6L of water, making it the largest in the world,[6] and it is home to whale sharks, manta rays, and many other species at the time of its opening.[8]
Polar Horizon
Amusement rides
Animal exhibits
- Beluga Experience and Beluga Theatre – beluga habitat
- Polar bear Village – Polar bear habitat
- Penguin World – Penguin habitat
Hero Island
Amusement rides
- Bumper Smash – Bumper cars
- Games Arcade – game stalls
- Penguin Coaster
- Jungle Coaster
- Tower of Sea Monsters
Animal exhibits
Mount Walrus
Amusement rides
Animal exhibits
Hengqin Ocean
- Shows, parades, and firework shows
Entertainments
Journey of Lights - Nighttime parade designed by Miziker Entertainment[9]
Transportation
The resort has been served by the Zhuhai Changlong railway station on the Zhuhai–Zhuhai Airport intercity railway since 18 August,
Awards and records
In 2015, Chimelong Ocean Kingdom won the Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement over 169 international candidates, marking the first time the award was given to a Chinese theme park.[10]
The ocean park holds the Guinness world record for being the largest aquarium in the world, it also had the largest aquarium window in the world according to the Guinness World Records, a single acrylic panel measuring 39.6by.
The Journey of Lights parade won the 2018 Thea Award for outstanding achievement - live show.[11]
Criticism
Samuel Hung Ka-yiu, chairman of the Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society, said, "Ocean Kingdom seems to have imported everything." They are doing everything wrong. "They are doing everything you don't want them to do".[12] Examples include polar bears confined in small areas demonstrating "repetitive pacing, swaying, head-bobbing or circling"[13] and skin disorders in penguins kept in a sub-tropical environment.
Further criticism arises from a recent trade of orcas between China and Russia.[14] In 2013 Russia captured wild orcas in the Sea of Okhotsk,[15] two of which have been sold to China. "Now, a conservation group monitoring the capture of killer whales says it has discovered that Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) permits were applied for by Russia and granted for two wild-caught killer whales, also known as orcas, to be exported to China." Ocean Kingdom refuses to comment on whether they plan to display orcas in the future, but there are currently 50 aquariums in China, none of which have orcas on display.
Attendance
| Year | Attendance |
|---|
| 2014 | 5,504,000[16] |
| 2015 | 7,486,000[17] |
| 2016 | 8,474,000[18] |
| 2017 | 9,788,000[19] |
| 2018 | 10,830,000[20] | |
See also
External links
22.1001°N 113.53°W
Notes and References
- Web site: TEA/AECOM 2023 Global Attractions Attendance Report . 2024 . 16 August 2024 .
- News: Huge Chinese theme-park project aims to be the 'Orlando of China'. https://web.archive.org/web/20130816021350/http://articles.latimes.com/2013/jul/17/news/la-trb-chimelong-ocean-kingdom-china-theme-park-07201311. dead. 16 August 2013. 17 July 2013. Brady MacDonald. Los Angeles Times.
- News: Hengqin ocean resort to open in 2013 29/11/2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20101202032954/https://macaudailytimes.com.mo/macau/19666-Hengqin-ocean-resort-open-2013.html. dead. 2 December 2010. Macau Daily Times. 29 November 2010.
- News: Hengqin: Chimelong Ocean Kingdom to open before CNY. https://web.archive.org/web/20140116133639/http://www.macaudailytimes.com.mo/macau/49841-hengqin-chimelong-ocean-kingdom-to-open-before-cny.html. dead. 16 January 2014. 13 January 2014. Macau Daily Times.
- Web site: TEA/AECOM 2023 Global Attractions Attendance Report . 2024 . 16 August 2024 .
- Web site: China's Hengqin Ocean Kingdom confirmed as world's largest aquarium as attraction sets five world records . Guinness World Records. 31 March 2014. 9 November 2017.
- Web site: Chimelong Ocean Kingdom - June 2015. IAAPA. June 2015. Michael Switow. 4 January 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160305190510/http://www.iaapa.org/news/newsroom/news-articles/chimelong-ocean-kingdom---june-2015. 5 March 2016. dead.
- Web site: Largest Aquarium Window. 31 March 2014. Guinness World Records. https://web.archive.org/web/20140331100557/http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/records-1/largest-aquarium-window/. 31 March 2014. dead.
- Web site: Miziker Entertainment Brings Decades of Nighttime Parade Expertise to Chimelong Ocean Kingdom's Journey of Lights. 11 November 2016. Joe. Kleiman. InPark Magazine.
- Web site: Chimelong Ocean Kingdom wins 2014 Thea Award. Hengqin.gov.cn. 5 August 2015.
- News: Thea Awards 2018. Themed Entertainment Association.
- News: Could Zhuhai's new Ocean Kingdom create a market for imported killer whales?. Simon Parry. Post Magazine. 11 February 2014.
- Web site: Zoochosis: Abnormal and Stereotypic Behaviour in Captive Animals. Born Free Foundation. 19 June 2014. 28 July 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140728110009/http://www.bornfree.org.uk/campaigns/zoo-check/captive-wildlife-issues/abnormal-behaviours/. dead.
- Web site: Ocean Kingdom in China Could Become World Leader in Importing Killer Whales. 5 March 2014. Coaster-net. 11 March 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140311180151/http://www.coaster-net.com/news/2338-ocean-kingdom-in-china-could-become-world-leader-in-importing-killer-whales/. 11 March 2014. dead.
- Web site: Message board. Russian Orcas Homepage. 13 October 2013.
- Web site: TEA/AECOM 2014 Global Attractions Attendance Report Report . . 4 June 2015 . 2015.
- Web site: TEA/AECOM 2015 Global Attractions Attendance Report Report. Themed Entertainment Association. 3 June 2016. 2016. 18 June 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160618050155/http://www.teaconnect.org/images/files/TEA_160_611852_160525.pdf. dead.
- Web site: TEA/AECOM 2016 Theme Index and Museum Index: The Global Attractions Attendance Report. 2017. TEA (Themed Entertainment Association). 16 April 2018. 2 June 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170602201150/http://www.teaconnect.org/images/files/TEA_235_103719_170601.pdf. dead.
- Web site: TEA/AECOM 2017 Theme Index and Museum Index: The Global Attractions Attendance Report. 2018. TEA (Themed Entertainment Association). https://web.archive.org/web/20170602201150/http://www.teaconnect.org/images/files/TEA_268_653730_180517.pdf. 2 June 2017. dead.
- Web site: TEA/AECOM 2018 Global Attractions Attendance Report Report. Themed Entertainment Association. 24 May 2019. 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190523131129/http://www.teaconnect.org/images/files/328_572762_190522.pdf. 23 May 2019. dead.
