Questions About China

[VinTheAttendant]

Hello Robb,

 

After following your report on your recent trip to China, I was inspired to make the topic of my final Development & Globalization project be on the Chinese amusement park industry and how their parks and standards compare to America's. Considering your wide experience with both the amusement industry and their products, as well as you being my muse for this project, I was hoping that you would be willing to answer a few question to help me get a verbal feel of these foreign parks. You can answer them as in depth or as short as you like (or not at all if you're too busy/pressed for time), and you will be cited in the paper.

 

1. How do Chinese knock-off coasters compare to those of a reputable company? (I know that's a rather obvious question, but I would like a serious response).

 

2. How do the western company designed rides (B&M, Gravity Group, etc.) compare with the rides designed by those same companies in America?

 

3. How is the general feel and quality of themeing for major Chinese amusement parks in comparison with American parks?

 

4. Do you feel the Chinese are as enthusiastic about amusement parks as Americans?

 

Any amount of information would be really helpful (and anyone else who went on the trip is free to contribute as well). Thank you for taking the time to read this!

 

- Vin

[SharkTums]

I can give some quick answers, hopefully some others who were on our trip could chime in as well. This is a busy time of the year for most people so you may not get as many responses as another time.

 

1. Most of the Knock-off's have very obvious problems with them. Whether it's ride experience, restraints, boarding procedures, etc. They are easy to tell apart to an enthusiast and I can't think of any Knock-off's that are better than the originals.

 

2. The Western designed rides for the most part seem better in China! It's crazy, but maybe they have more freedom of design or can push the envelope a bit more because they're usually better rides and some even have better theming.

 

3. The theming looks amazing, but up close you can tell it's only an inch or two deep as opposed to parks like IOA or Disney where it's much more immersive.

 

4. No, they have a very small enthusiast population and most people go to the parks, walk around, maybe ride everything once at the most and that's it.

[robbalvey]

3. The theming looks amazing, but up close you can tell it's only an inch or two deep as opposed to parks like IOA or Disney where it's much more immersive.

This is very true. Most of the major parks actually *look* very nice, but you can tell it's a knock-off of something they've seen other places. Thankfully, they've chosen to do knock-offs of GOOD parks (Disney, Universal, Busch, Alton Towers, Europa, Etc), and not knock-offs of bad American Amusement parks. I can only imagine what a "Chinese Knock-Off Six Flags" would look like....oh, what I can, it's called Shijingshan Park! lol

[VinTheAttendant]

Thank you both!

 

This is turning out to be a project where good resources are limited, so I very much appreciate the responses.

[cfc]

^^I recall Chimelong Paradise being described as a good version of Six Flags park during the TPR trip, but I don't remember who said it.

 

Golden Horse does a pretty fair version of Vekoma Mine Train coaster (a little "clunkier," but pretty much the same). Operations in most Chinese parks leave a lot to be desired, since some of their policies (such as staggered opening times for rides) actually seem to encourage long lines.

 

You might find some interesting information in my ongoing China Trip Report (in-between my usual nonsense).