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Ocean Park Discussion Thread


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  • 9 months later...

I know it's been a while since the TPR trip but I'm wondering how was Hair Raiser on anyone's last visit? It wasn't what I'd call rough or uncomfortable on my last visit 5 years ago but some friends went a couple years ago and considered it a 'one and done' and someone else I know who went recently really didn't enjoy their ride.

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  • 1 year later...

Ocean Park is struggling and will make changes to survive. This beautiful park is getting triple whammied due to: The growth of Hong Kong Disney, attacks from PETA and the current political climate in Hong Hong. The park is hoping a cash infusion from the government can turn the park into a more adventure themed destination. An immediate change will be removing dolphin and sea lion shows. But US $1.4 Billion is all expeted to bring in 26 new rides over the next few years.

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https://www.nst.com.my/world/world/2020/01/556543/struggling-hong-kong-theme-park-end-dolphin-shows

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Struggling Hong Kong theme park to end dolphin shows

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Hong Kong: A struggling Hong Kong theme park has said it will end its controversial dolphin and sea lion shows but will continue to allow visitors to hug a dolphin, drawing criticism from animal rights groups.

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Ocean Park said on Monday it would replace the daily shows at its flagship enclosure with ā€œunderwater viewing opportunitiesā€ for visitors.

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ā€œUnder the new plan, the Ocean Wonder show will cease,ā€ said Leo Kung, chairman of Ocean Park.

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However, the park said it would continue to allow visitors to pay to feed and pose with the dolphins in the water.

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Ocean Parkā€™s captive animal shows and dolphin-petting activities have long been criticised by the animal rights community.

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Dolphins suffer physically and mentally from life in captivity, according to the Born Free Foundation which also says on its website that physical interactions with the public are ā€œhighly stressfulā€ for the animals.

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ā€œOcean Parkā€™s decision to end its dolphin shows but to keep the animals as a tourist gimmick is a missed ethical and financial opportunity,ā€ said Jason Baker, vice president of PETA.

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Hong Kong non-profit organisation Animal Rights Education said in a Facebook statement the move was an important step, but urged the park to gradually end marine animal captivity.

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According to the parkā€™s annual report, it had 7,600 animals including 63 marine mammals, 59 terrestrial mammals, 454 birds and others.

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The amusement park has suffered an ā€œunprecedented steep declineā€ in visitors of more than 30 percent since pro-democracy protests broke out in the financial hub last summer, the South China Morning Post recently reported.

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Hong Kongā€™s government is planning to help the park with a HK$10.6 billion (US$1.4 billion) cash injection.

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Aside from replacing the Ocean Theatre, the park also aims to add 26 new rides as part of a plan to transform it into an adventure-themed attraction.

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I hope they're successful this time but I think this is the second time now the government has had to bail out the park, and it recently got removed from the stock exchange too.

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Edit: Apparently Ocean Park added a Top Scan recently. Judging by location I think it must have replaced the parks enterprise ride: https://www.oceanpark.com.hk/en/experience/attractions/attractions/wild-twister

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Seems to be a 6 seater version as opposed to the usual 5 seater ones.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Ocean Park is closed due to the virus. Considering how much the park has been struggling and that Lunar New Year is one of their busiest times, this is really going to hit hard for them this year.

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In response to the Governmentā€™s enactment of Emergency Response Level for the severe respiratory disease associated with a novel infectious agent (Wuhan pneumonia), putting the safety of our guests and staff first, Ocean Park will be temporarily closed from today (26 January) until further notice. Holders of the Parkā€™s general admission tickets, night-time admission tickets/packages, student tickets or animal encounter bookings purchased at the Parkā€™s Ticketing Office or official website, valid for use on the dates affected, can keep their admission tickets for direct ticket exchange or refund by the Park. For guests who purchased tickets through the Parkā€™s authorised agents or channels, the Park will assist in ticket exchange/refund information. We apologise for any inconvenience caused. Please visit the Parkā€™s official website at www.oceanpark.com.hk for Park re-opening schedule, and updates on ticket exchange/refund arrangements. The Park will closely monitor the situation, and cooperate with the Government on epidemic prevention and control measures for the prevention of community outbreaks.
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  • 2 months later...

Ocean Park is hoping to gain some baby pandas in their panda exhbit

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Well, it turns out that humans arenā€™t the only ones relieving their quarantine boredom with a good romp. We figured there would be a wave of newborns coming into the world in around 9 months (what with most outdoor/social activities off the table and the looming condom shortage), but now it seems we may hear the pitter-patter of little black-and-white paws in the near future.

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Ocean Park announced that its resident giant pandas, Ying Ying and Le Le (both aged 14 ā€” we love an age-appropriate romance) succeeded in their first natural mating at 9am yesterday. The bears, who arrived in Hong Kong in 2007, have been trying and failing to get it on with each other for the last decade.

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Captive pandas are notoriously bad at procreation, with some zoos even showing their resident bears panda porn to teach them how to mate. Due to the coupleā€™s sexual incompatibility, Ocean Parkā€™s conservation team has artificially inseminated Ying Ying on multiple occasions, resulting in two phantom pregnancies and one miscarriage.

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Park officials normally close the panda attraction for a few days during mating season to encourage the bears to boink, but Ocean Park has been extra quiet this year ā€” having closed its doors in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak ā€” and the added privacy might just have done the trick. The pandas began flirting with each other in late March, with Ying Ying spending more time playing in water (#thirsttrap) and Le Le marking his scent around his habitat.

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And because Ocean Park filmed their first time together, Ying Ying and Le Le now have a sex tape that they can re-watch to get them in the mood again. Hey, maybe theyā€™ll even get to pick up a keychain of the momentous occasion from the Panda Kingdom Image Gallery.

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All jokes and souvenirs aside, this is a huge deal. ā€œThe successful natural mating process today is extremely exciting for all of us, as the chance of pregnancy via natural mating is higher than by artificial insemination,ā€ said Michael Boos, executive director in zoological operations and conservation. ā€œIf successful, signs of pregnancy, including hormonal level fluctuations and behavioral changes may be observed as early as late Juneā€.

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For now, weā€™ll just have to wait and see. The gestation period for giant pandas ranges between 72 and 324 days, and pregnancies can only be confirmed via ultrasound around 14 to 17 days before birth at the earliest.

Source....and video

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I hope they're successful this time but I think this is the second time now the government has had to bail out the park, and it recently got removed from the stock exchange too.

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Edit: Apparently Ocean Park added a Top Scan recently. Judging by location I think it must have replaced the parks enterprise ride: https://www.oceanpark.com.hk/en/experience/attractions/attractions/wild-twister

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Seems to be a 6 seater version as opposed to the usual 5 seater ones.

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Interesting (and cool) that they added a mega-Top Scan. I was curious if Mondial would sell more after making the custom one for Knott's.

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I hope they're successful this time but I think this is the second time now the government has had to bail out the park, and it recently got removed from the stock exchange too.

Ā 

Edit: Apparently Ocean Park added a Top Scan recently. Judging by location I think it must have replaced the parks enterprise ride: https://www.oceanpark.com.hk/en/experience/attractions/attractions/wild-twister

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Seems to be a 6 seater version as opposed to the usual 5 seater ones.

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Interesting (and cool) that they added a mega-Top Scan. I was curious if Mondial would sell more after making the custom one for Knott's.

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For whatever reason Mondial seem to be advertising it separate from the Top Scan and referring to the 6 seat versions as Ventura: http://www.mondialrides.com/ventura-2/

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  • 1 month later...

Ocean Park is now in dire straits with only a few weeks of cash on hand, and with a greater loan payment about come due.

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Hong Kongā€™s commerce minister has pleaded with lawmakers to save the cityā€™s Ocean Park amusement resort by approving a HK$5.4 billion (US$687 million) rescue package.

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Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Edward Yau Tang-wah, who spoke exclusively to the South China Morning Post on Thursday at its China Conference, warned of the instant demise of the park should legislators throw out the emergency plan at a Finance Committee meeting on Friday.

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ā€œWe will lose the park if lawmakers vote it down tomorrow,ā€ he said. ā€œWe do not want our own park ā€“ a home-grown, international Ocean Park ā€“ to be the first victim of Covid-19.ā€

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The economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic was the last straw for the cash-strapped resort, which is a statutory not-for-profit body owned by the Hong Kong government. It was forced to close its doors temporarily on January 26 as the city battled the contagionā€™s spread.

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Full Article at SCMP

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OH SCMP. You must hate when you have to post a straight forward article on Ocean Park just reporting the news. We've already discussed SCMP, in the HKDL thread, and their views to the parks but as usual 4 days after they put out this article they put out an opinion piece titled this:

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Ocean Park is not too big to fail. If anything, it has failed Hong Kong and we should shut it down

Source

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That on top of this article from May 11:

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Coronavirus: Hong Kongā€™s Ocean Park needs HK$5 billion lifeline but are taxpayers being taken for a ride?

Source

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and all the ones I posted in the HKDL thread.

SCMP.jpg.64fe01b084be7e65d6cca5664f95e607.jpg

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  • 1 month later...

Ocean Park to close for a week.

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CRITICAL NOTICE

Ocean Park Closes Temporarily Starting Tomorrow

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In response to the Governmentā€™s requirement for all scheduled premises under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirements and Directions) (Business and Premises) Regulation (Cap. 599F) to cease operation from 15 Jul to 21 Jul in the wake of the resurgence of COVID-19 infections, and with the scheduled Park closure every Tuesday, Ocean Park will be temporarily closed from 14 to 21 July to help curb the COVID-19 epidemic while all reservations between 14 July 2020 and 21 July 2020 will be cancelled automatically.

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Holders of the Parkā€™s general admission tickets purchased at the Parkā€™s Ticketing Office or official website, valid for use on the dates affected, can keep their admission tickets for direct ticket exchange or refund by the Park. For guests who purchased tickets through the Parkā€™s authorised agents or channels, the Park will assist in providing ticket exchange/refund information. The Parkā€™s online reservation for admission will also be suspended immediately. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

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Updates on ticket exchange/refund arrangements will be posted on the Parkā€™s official website later.

Source

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^ The government mandate that shut them down stated only a week.

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The Hong Kong government is tightening disease control measures from Wednesday following recent spike in local transmissions.

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Public gatherings of more than four people will be forbidden, Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on Monday. The limit had previously been 50.

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All restaurants will only be able to serve takeaway orders from 6pm to 5am. Outside of these hours, there will be a maximum of four people per table.

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The new rules also see masks being made mandatory for all passengers on public transport.

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Some establishments, such as gyms and gaming centres, will have to shut down for a week.

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Flexible working arrangement will be implemented for civil servants, while the government also urges companies to allow employees to work from home.

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Also, 400,000 people belonging to high-risk groups, including workers at elderly homes, taxi drivers and estate management workers, will be given priority to get tested for free.

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It comes after Hong Kong recorded 52 new cases of coronavirus on Monday, including 41 that were locally transmitted, health authorities said.

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Hong Kong has reported 1,522 cases since late January. Local media reported an eighth death on Monday.

Source

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Ocean Park extends its temporary closure until further notice

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To tie in with the Government's latest anti-epidemic measures, Ocean Park will extend its temporary closure period until further notice. The Park will closely monitor the epidemic's development and align with the Government's arrangements to determine the reopening date. The Parkā€™s online reservation for admission is also suspended now. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Source

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Seems with the numbers still going up the extension will carry on.

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  • 1 month later...

So I wad wrong about the 6 seater top-scan. I'd assumed it was in the old enterprise spot since it arrived when that left, but apparently they also removed the condor ride and the top scan sits on its old location. A Korean blogger posted a trip a while back and mentioned they'd photoshopped an extra row onto a picture of Everland's 5 seater ride for the park map.

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They should have just put a picture of Knott's on the map instead and skipped on the photo shop.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I missed this news but Ocean Park has already reopened.

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CRITICAL NOTICE

Ocean Park will resume operations on 18 September 2020. The Park will open from 10:00am to 6:00pm on weekdays, and 10:00am to 7:00pm on weekends and public holidays. In order to provide visitors a spacious and well-ordered environment, the Park has adjusted its park-wide capacity, and all visitors* are required to make online reservations prior to their visits. Visitors without reservation will not be able to admit the Park.

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First round online reservation for the period from 18 September to 1 October 2020 will be opened at 7:00pm on 15 September 2020. Starting from 18 September 2020, the system will release the next 14 days at 5:00pm on a daily basis for visitors to make online reservation. Upon successful registration, visitors will get instant confirmation with a reservation QR code on-screen, follow by an email notification. Visitors need to present the reservation QR code together with their tickets or SmartFun Annual Passes during entry.

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