cfc Posted January 13, 2013 Author Share Posted January 13, 2013 (edited) After making a brief credit stop at Zhongshan Park in Shenzen (the Spinning Mouse and Sliding Dragon strike again), we spent a few hours at Window of the World. Like Beijing World Park, this place features re-creations of famous world landmarks, such at Mt. Rushmore and the Eiffel Tower, in addition to some shows and a few rides. I thought it was a bit nicer than the park in Beijing: the landscaping was quite pretty, the replica buildings were in pretty good shape, and there was a very engaging Chinese goofiness about the place. The coaster there was the odd Greenland Underground Exploration ride, which was themed to time of the Vikings. At least I think it was. The ride vehicle looked like a Viking ship, but the ride itself was do dark you couldn't see a damn thing as it rumbled and slammed and bumped around the course. WOTW also had a very wet flume ride, some nonfunctional Bob Karts, and anatomically correct sculptures. But, first, I have a few more pictures from Knight Valley. Look! I've found the new Mayan Calendar! Turns out the world wasn't going to end on December 21, 2012, and we have a few million years to go. Oh, well. Piers? What are you doing at Knight Valley? I thought you hung out at Happy Valley parks. This is one of the most interesting flume rides I've ever seen. Somehow, I don't think it'll be opening today. On the left is the best theme-park 4D flick ever. On the right is Pandaf*****gvision. To each his or her own. Not being able to "exist" during the show could be a bit of a challenge. We skipped both shows to make sure we could ride the funicular before the group had to leave. It was a lot of fun. Hi there, Wood Coaster. It was very nice at the top. Now that's a a helluva setting for one of these rides. This is another good reason for visiting Knight Valley . . . . . . if some chunky American doesn't block the view. Time to move on. Our latest guide, Jack, did pretty well his first day. But when we reached Shenzen, his entire world collapsed. Here we see him asking some random woman on the street for directions to Zhongshan Park--even though Robb had the place pinpointed on Google Maps. "Dude! The woman in the hat already told you which way to go!" Thanks to Robb, and despite Jack, we found the park. And there was much rejoicing. If I didn't know this was China, I'd swear I was in Reno, Nevada, back in the 1980s. Why, thank you! Damn glad to be here. Time to explore--or at least "Walk Like an Egyptian." When comic book franchises collide. This sculpture depicts the upbringing of Romulus and Remus, founders of the Roman Empire. Or was that of the Romulan Empire. Or maybe it's just some random babies suckling a wolf. At any rate, it's culture. That must be one dangerous grate. Hi George, Tom, Teddy, Abe. "From the Rainbow Bridge of Asgard . . ." It's a boat. It's a roller coaster. One thing it isn't, is good--but it is "interesting." Torture! Torture! It pleasures me! I'm shocked that no one drowned. "Look! Art!" And, as we all know, Robb is an art lover. This is Egypt, not Vegas--even though the sign out front reminds one of Reno. They did do a pretty good job with some of their replicas. The giant fruit is just what you'd find in the real "Land of Dutch." Remember--this is "culture." The Japanese garden was very pretty--even though the Japanese are not too popular in China. Hello, Angus! So, you finally caught up with me. We missed the "Epic Romance," . . . . . . which apparently starred Tobey McGuire as a Chinese soldier. There is an attraction called "Splendid China" in China. How silly is that? Next, you'll tell me there's a "California Adventure" in California. That's all for now. Edited January 14, 2013 by cfc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gisco Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 Love the setting of the wood coaster in the mountains following the terrain. very nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrygator Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 Window of the World, where the women in the gift shops try to molest you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfc Posted January 14, 2013 Author Share Posted January 14, 2013 ^The shopkeepers in that park were even more aggressive than the peddlers in Shanghai. They would literally drag you to their stores! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kailisun98 Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 The wood coaster does seem awesome but "Wood Coaster" Seems like a lame name for an awesome ride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfc Posted January 14, 2013 Author Share Posted January 14, 2013 The wood coaster does seem awesome but "Wood Coaster" Seems like a lame name for an awesome ride. Welcome to China. GCI has a different (and better) name for this coaster on their Web site: "Mountain Flyer" (didn't see this name on any signage at the park, though). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moose Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 ^We also do not know what the Chinese name was. It could be something awesome. Then again it could be yet another sliding dragon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrygator Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 The wood coaster does seem awesome but "Wood Coaster" Seems like a lame name for an awesome ride. I'm pretty sure that native Chinese speakers think "Beef with Broccoli" is a lame name also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfc Posted January 14, 2013 Author Share Posted January 14, 2013 Yes, who among us knows what the Chinese name of Wood Coaster is? It could be "Mountain Flyer," "Pretty Sexy lady Coaster," "Chairman Mao's Joy," or even "General Tso's Chicken Coaster with Orange Peel." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernierocker Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 I was looking forward to the first report featuring Mountain Flyer, err Wood Coaster. Shame the log flume was down as it did sound very interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoCo Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 I sure do hope Knight Valley has plans to get that flume ride running again; looks very odd and incredible. And the shots of Wood Coaster... damn, just beautiful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kailisun98 Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/673104417/4D_Roller_Coaster.html Check that out. China is already making knock-off 4-d coasters. HA! Wonder how long it'll take for a B/M diving coaster to be copied. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kailisun98 Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 http://sbl.en.alibaba.com/product/535208798-209695339/Magic_Loop_Roller_Coaster_Rides_Amusement_Park_Equipment.html THey even copied MAurer-Sohne's Sky loop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfc Posted January 15, 2013 Author Share Posted January 15, 2013 I recall hearing about the Skyloop knock off earlier, but not the 4D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon8899 Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Prejudice can be bad sometimes: At the first pic of the mountain slide I thought "Very well copied from the Wiegand system!" - only to see in the second picture that it IS an actual Wiegand ride... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfc Posted January 15, 2013 Author Share Posted January 15, 2013 ^It's often hard to tell at the Chinese parks. The Golden Horse version of an SLC looks very much the Vekoma original (as do the Mine Trains). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evan1127 Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Regarding the name of the our ride at Knight Valley: Before we left the site, they had the ride listed on their park maps as 飞跃巅峰, which our translators helped us translate to Mountain Flyer (the raw form is a bit less graceful). We confirmed with the park later that they would use "Mountain Flyer" as the English translation of the ride name. After we left the site, they put a sign up at the ride reading 木质过山车, which is just "wood coaster". The best I can figure is that they wanted to make a more descriptive sign since wood coasters are so new to the country. Whether or not they removed all references to the original 飞跃巅峰 we don't know, but it's still Mountain Flyer to us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfc Posted January 15, 2013 Author Share Posted January 15, 2013 ^Thanks for sharing that Evan. I much prefer "Mountain Flyer" to just plain "Wood Coaster," and I don't blame GCI for going with the fomer over the latter. But, by any other name, it's still a great ride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msep003 Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 i was wondering if OCT Management had this stupid rule on Wood Coaster . The '' 2 clicks '' rule on this wooden coaster . When i went it was 2 clicks or you couldn't ride it . I wonder why becaue GCI allow the first click to be safe enough but still i found that rule so stupid . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfc Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 ^I don't recall being "stapled" on any of the wooden coasters at the Chinese parks, and have no idea about the "two clicks" rule. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kailisun98 Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Thats a weird thing.. I had a fat friend who had only a click on the Diving coaster in Happy valley shanghai and they let him ride Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfc Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 ^I was denied on two rides in China--the knock-off SLC at Shijingshan and the "looping toboggan" at Fisherman Warf (or was that "Wharf"?). And, come to think of it, they did tend to "staple" people into the SLCs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kailisun98 Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 ^I was denied on two rides in China--the knock-off SLC at Shijingshan and the "looping toboggan" at Fisherman Warf (or was that "Wharf"?). And, come to think of it, they did tend to "staple" people into the SLCs. Wow! I guess it would be wise for the knock-off SLC as I have ridden it and it was a bit rough and some times felt like it was going unussually slow. I had that experience on a rainy day which sucked. Where is the Fisherman Wharf? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrygator Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Where is the Fisherman Wharf? Fisherman Wharf can be found in TPR's Park Index. or an hour south of Shanghai near Fengxian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jray21 Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 Another great update. I'm really amazed at all the unique things in the parks. Lots of really random theming, but I think it's really cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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