coastin Posted January 28, 2013 Posted January 28, 2013 Very nice update! Hair Raiser looks like an excellent coaster. I really like how B&M packed so much thrill in such a little tight layout! The theming for the ride looks very nice as well. The same for Dragon as well. Looks like Ocean Park took a once average looking coaster, and turned it into a fantastic eye catching coaster, especially with its location in the park, very nice.
rctneil Posted January 28, 2013 Posted January 28, 2013 Excellent report of Ocean Park, Chuck! It's a really amazing looking park and was a great day apart from the million percent humidity! Â By the way, you may want to tweak the caption on the photo of the seal giving directions. I would say it is Larry in the photo! Mainly because I too have that photo from a slightly different angle.
cfc Posted January 28, 2013 Author Posted January 28, 2013 (edited) By the way, you may want to tweak the caption on the photo of the seal giving directions. I would say it is Larry in the photo! Mainly because I too have that photo from a slightly different angle. Â Thank you--fixed. Â Steer clear of Psycho Valley! Edited January 28, 2013 by cfc
SuperShawn Posted January 28, 2013 Posted January 28, 2013 Wonderful update Chuck. Ocean Park seems like a well rounded and put together park, and the setting is just breathtaking.
cfc Posted January 28, 2013 Author Posted January 28, 2013 Looks like Ocean Park took a once average looking coaster, and turned it into a fantastic eye catching coaster, especially with its location in the park, very nice. Â I think the same is true for Wild West Mine Train--divorced from its setting, it wouldn't be nearly as much fun.
larrygator Posted January 28, 2013 Posted January 28, 2013 Excellent report of Ocean Park, Chuck! It's a really amazing looking park and was a great day apart from the million percent humidity! By the way, you may want to tweak the caption on the photo of the seal giving directions. I would say it is Larry in the photo! Mainly because I too have that photo from a slightly different angle.  And the fact that I developed a penchant for talking to statues in China and the person in the photo is also wearing my Florida Gator hat.
cfc Posted January 28, 2013 Author Posted January 28, 2013 ^At least you haven't started arguing with statues yet.
rctneil Posted January 28, 2013 Posted January 28, 2013 I didn't see the Psycho Valley photo earlier. haha. I entirely forgot about that one being taken! Thanks for posting it.
RoCo Posted January 28, 2013 Posted January 28, 2013 More awesome stuff; the photos are incredible. I'll bet the views off the S&S towers must be completely insane. Â I'm looking at this report using the Firefox browser and until a few moments ago, had no idea that was the name of a real animal. Cool!
SharkTums Posted January 28, 2013 Posted January 28, 2013 I can't believe none of you bought me that satanic red raccoon fake panda statue!!!
cfc Posted January 28, 2013 Author Posted January 28, 2013 (edited) *I'm kicking myself for not buying one of those--along with a "hopping vampire" plush. Â http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-uYKAaT3kI Edited January 28, 2013 by cfc
ernierocker Posted January 28, 2013 Posted January 28, 2013 What an awesome setting for a theme park. Hopefully, the positive reviews of Hair Raiser will convince B&M to stop making cookie-cutter coasters and get back to their earlier designs.
cfc Posted January 29, 2013 Author Posted January 29, 2013 ^Hair Raiser is unique among recent B&M coasters. They can still build a forceful ride, if that's what a park wants.
Movieguy Posted January 29, 2013 Posted January 29, 2013 "You have our gratitude." Ha! I loved the Kentucky Fried Movie reference for The Dragon.
cfc Posted January 29, 2013 Author Posted January 29, 2013 (edited) ^I'm just glad somebody got it. Â Edited January 29, 2013 by cfc
David H Posted January 31, 2013 Posted January 31, 2013 Ocean Park was really an awesome park, easily one of my very favorites of the whole trip! They had some great rides and really well done animal exhibits in an incredibly spectacular setting. Seriously, I don't think any other park can match its setting (although Tibidabo and Parque de Atracciones Monte Igueldo come close.) Â I even went back two nights later for their Halloween event (which was why one section was called Psycho Valley), and it was amazing. Totally world class and nearly on the level of Knotts and Universal, I thought! What I particularly liked about it was the unique theming they used in the mazes, including a lot of uniquely Chinese and Hong Kong themes. More on that when I get to that point in my own Asia trip report.
cfc Posted February 2, 2013 Author Posted February 2, 2013 ^I'm very interested is seeing more of the Halloween event at Ocean Park. Hong Kong Disneyland's looked pretty promising, too.
Jew Posted February 3, 2013 Posted February 3, 2013 No photos of the McDonald's there? How un-American!
larrygator Posted February 3, 2013 Posted February 3, 2013 No photos of the McDonald's there? How un-American! Â Don't worry Joey, we ate there.
cfc Posted February 3, 2013 Author Posted February 3, 2013 (edited) The Shaka Shaka Fries with "seaweed" seasoning were surprisingly good. Edited February 3, 2013 by cfc
cfc Posted February 5, 2013 Author Posted February 5, 2013 ^Thank you, Martin.  Chapter 21: A Bus, a Boat, and a Tram--Hong Kong Sightseeing  There was an optional sightseeing tour after we finished up at Ocean Park, and being as I'd always wanted to see Hong Kong, I went for it. This is the most "western" of the Chinese cities, which isn't surprising considering it was once under British control. People drive on the left-hand side here, and although you will hear the occasional honk of a car horn, the traffic, although busy, was much more civilized that what you see on the mainland. (Well, they have had more experience with cars in Hong Kong.) Another difference, which our guide took great pains to point out, is that it is illegal to eat dog or cat in Hong Kong. This was a relief as we were having a group dinner that evening.  We started our tour with a sampan ride in Hong Kong Harbor, rode the bus up to the top of Victoria Peak to check out the view, then rode a tram back down before dinner and the big laser "spectacular" (well, not quite) that evening.  Here's a glimpse or two of Hong Kong--a great city. We never saw these people again, but rumor has it that they are now slaves on a rice paddy somewhere near Chendu. This be our sampan captain--Captain Skull! And this be some of her scurvy crew. Wild West Mine Train dead ahead, cap'n! Heave to and prepare to be boarded, dogs! Arr, we best put our rudder to that barge in a hurry! Avast! Grappling hooks and cutlasses, mates--and step lively! Aye, this be a treacherous channel, full of skullduggery, sez I! Brace yerselves! They be runnin' out their guns! Arr, that's it, me hearties! We be scuttled! Andthenwetouredajewelfactory. Next. Welcome to Victoria Peak. As you can see, Hong Kong is spread out over a number of islands. That is, you could see this, were I not blocking the view. A glorious day, indeed, far away from the mainland smog. Time to head down. Dog-and-cat free--guaranteed by Hong Kong law! This bizarre soup was actually pretty good and tasted like a bit like blueberries. Cookies good.  Blue blocks bad. And now, a spectacular laser show! Well, sort of spectacular. I guess. Nice boat, though. Lasers aside, Hong Kong is a beautiful city--especially after dark. Who needs lasers?  That's all for now--next up will be Hong Kong Disneyland!
clippers6 Posted February 5, 2013 Posted February 5, 2013 Makes me wish I had taken the time to see more of Hong Kong the last time I was there. We never left Lantau island.
eBen Posted February 5, 2013 Posted February 5, 2013 Given the amount of effort that must have gone into the skyline laser show, im surprised it was a mediocre end result. It was still special and made a great city even better.
cfc Posted February 5, 2013 Author Posted February 5, 2013 From what I recall, the show is better on the weekends, and we were there on a week night (weak, indeed). But the nighttime views of Hong Kong reflected in the water were spectacular enough.
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