Jump to content
  TPR Home | Parks | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram 

Photo TR: Adam's Malaysian 2024 Adventure

P. 4: Times Square Berjaya & Supersonic Odyssey!

Recommended Posts

I never thought I'd have a chance to go to Malaysia but when life throws you an opportunity that is so unexpected, you lean into it and live in the moment. I knew virtually nothing about Kuala Lumpur before I found out I would be traveling there, but once I dug in, I found a variety of unique and personally appealing experiences... I even had the chance to visit two theme parks that I was always interested in, but had long resigned myself to the notion of never being able to see firsthand. 

001.thumb.jpg.4a08806567677cb0871b6df788d4ba29.jpg

The Kuala Lumpur International Airport was large and airy, which was welcoming after being in transit for a full day.

002.thumb.jpg.0c35506e6acf480e6c6804eb839d36f1.jpg

In transit to my hotel I found a nice looking water park that I unfortunately wouldn't have time to visit on this trip.

003.thumb.jpg.ab9fa67c882cd89314f93acb57674565.jpg

This looks familiar, rail style and all.

004.thumb.jpg.446f38aaed0325266d809faedc3eef2a.jpg

First stop, Din Tai Fung!

005.thumb.jpg.30b82c282baa032c3ed17d18a372e8e9.jpg

It was my first time eating at a location in person and it was well worth the hype!

006.thumb.jpg.4dac603a857ca31cc27aba95528df79b.jpg

Fortunately enough, this one was in a shopping mall connected to my hotel so I'd end up visiting multiple times during this trip.

007.thumb.jpg.0723c76bffe34add3269b6aaa89e6f18.jpg

Sadly, the Nando's in the same mall had closed for refurbishment just days before my arrival... But hope on that front was not all lost.

008.thumb.jpg.52007e0210b0cbe8795860b5dea43922.jpg

Don Don Donki looked and felt familiar... It was only once I was back home in the States that I realized that it was a part of the Don Quixote company in Japan. We rode the Don Quixote ferris wheel at their store location in Dotonbori, Osaka back in 2019 so it was neat to find an outlet from the company here. They also have an infectious theme song playing on loop in the store...

 

 009.thumb.jpg.bf99a76580fecf74dd88177ee1acf3c0.jpg

So excited to be here!

010.thumb.jpg.3c71c401e1248aaf6a07c38c7d9135e6.jpg

I passed out early on my arrival day and it took me several days for the jet lag to wear off. My hotel had an awesome buffet restaurant included in our stay which included a variety of Malaysian and Southeast Asia options (along with some more traditional Western offerings). When in Kuala Lumpur, curry laksa for breakfast was my entree of choice.

011.thumb.jpg.48df77a4339898ed039acd0617cf08b8.jpg

The restaurant also had an incredible "prawn bisque omelette" that they claimed was their speciality. I'd have several throughout the trip.

012.thumb.jpg.a8f2279de52788399c7061825ab00cde.jpg

Some of the freshest fruits I've had anywhere were consumed on this trip.

013.thumb.jpg.2bbd9f5ee4b5170aa9a9f84bd4f12a38.jpg

Our hosts brought us to Restoran Siu Siu Sungai Besi, a local chinese restaurant known for indulgent meals, a variety of choices and a lazy Susan turntable for ease of sharing.

014.thumb.jpg.8bd098616f3998b231d0dba5206ede04.jpg

Some of the best pork belly I've ever consumed.

015.thumb.jpg.4c03cb49a9c70d4e980aacbfa86881a0.jpg

Coca Cola Rasa Asli (Original Taste) was, as expected, both delicious and refreshing.

016.thumb.jpg.0bbe30ac021bf825b897da0b384a1d59.jpg

I could have eaten here every meal for the rest of the trip and been in heaven.

017.thumb.jpg.16d47615b2f3451f9995090187e41607.jpg

The next morning on my way to work I found Spider-Man serenading the travelers at KL Sentral station.

018.thumb.jpg.109bdba8db97137a87f03cdb5f5a1257.jpg

Dolly Dim Sum nearby offered some different flavors compared to Din Tai Fung, though I'd still choose the latter as my favorite of the two.

019.thumb.jpg.f25bed54b5d125e23ffe92c8c37aaddd.jpg

Entirely coincidental, my interest in all things "tiki" was stoked when I discovered that the hotel I was staying at had an entire bar dedicated to the Jungle Bird drink, which I had no idea was first developed at its predecessor property nearby. 

020.thumb.jpg.f9b13365965bbc334ff40397e97f9316.jpg

Subtle in its vibes, it matched the decor of the hotel...

021.thumb.jpg.8683fff9e5db3220db0773122bcc70c7.jpg

But the drink was pure tiki bliss in a cup.

022.thumb.jpg.43854bd4b5f3761649c8493bc0e312be.jpg

On one of my few days off, I ventured around Kuala Lumpur to see some famous sights, check off a bucket list experience and more, starting with a visit to the famous Batu Caves. 

023.thumb.jpg.ad0868f7eb954c1d908c6757edcf3265.jpg

The artistry is distinctly unique to this region and feels very different than what I've seen in Japan or China.

024.thumb.jpg.009433953665c2ade2aee4dc80d0435d.jpg

Most people have seen the rainbow steps of Batu Caves before (I had) but never realized where it was or what it led to...

025.thumb.jpg.9618675957a6572dac648eab6468e16a.jpg

The level of detail on these shrines is incredible.

026.thumb.jpg.dadad00454eb3b1c17f9686ab2699fb4.jpg

What an incredible setting!

027.thumb.jpg.87f8642899889c8a67f87134ea74bcf3.jpg

Up we climb!

028.thumb.jpg.1e034731e2b803c916f5f9ab70252749.jpg

Almost there!

029.thumb.jpg.6ad3433d79d3e614f2d6182324ece735.jpg

Batu Caves is home to several shrines built within the cavernous mountains of the area. 

030.thumb.jpg.9285eaaa41e412a333681e7be9bfb67b.jpg

It astounds me that someone found this place centuries ago and had the vision to leverage it as a place of worship. There's something incredible about the natural architecture that makes this space seem so much more sacred.

031.thumb.jpg.5ef710827e1bd7410bdfc8699aaa1cee.jpg

I made some friends during my visit.

032.thumb.jpg.c41d34fbcf2623f3c176df268c0a18e5.jpg

Just don't feed them.

033.thumb.jpg.780e56ea6cac42c917a3b72e440f9101.jpg

"Sponsored by Pepsi." And I was having such a good time too...

034.thumb.jpg.035750d436345f33935d8566bc193679.jpg

Time to move on to our next adventure...

035.thumb.jpg.1e92f0c64e81fe1768f6bc5351db2d36.jpg

We took a Grab (the Uber/Lyft equivalent in Malaysia) to the Awana Skyway station at Genting Highlands...

036.thumb.jpg.e2f74566e79cb021a304907eb24ea0d3.jpg

It's like Sprite... Plus lemon!

037.thumb.jpg.47c0d01e5876ee9caf98f9688a5a2e9e.jpg

Why take the cable car you ask?

038.thumb.jpg.94d8b1cef53d2d14e008b03030d111ae.jpg

Because not only would we be treated to a picturesque journey into the foggy mountains of Genting Highlands but...

039.thumb.jpg.681ce4c4a43931dc9b0c2eada8eac7ef.jpg

It would give us our first look into our next destination, Genting SkyWorlds Theme Park.

040.thumb.jpg.40168ae9d2a8b903c99e54ea31502bf1.jpg

Just a few months prior to our visit, the park's Central Park-themed area experienced a fire that tore through the facade and impacted at least one restaurant and several backstage facilities. The adjacent Night at the Museum interactive dark ride was not damaged (aside from the facade), but given the extent of the damage to the land, this section of the park has remained closed for reconstruction.

041.thumb.jpg.8947c4a24826f8b12d0c4c8a0e62dbfb.jpg

I was a little disappointed we wouldn't have a chance to ride this attraction as I do like the franchise, but considering how I never thought I'd have a chance to visit this park at all, it was a loss I was willing to accept. 

042.thumb.jpg.8c4baba598f6a69fb9dc22cea13711a9.jpg

The cable car drops you off directly into the Resorts World Genting complex, a massive combination of casinos, a shopping mall, dining, entertainment, the Skytropolis Indoor Theme Park, Genting SkyWorlds, a Ripley's attraction and much more.

043.thumb.jpg.03d52a1949e1a6a4e3451915ec046c2d.jpg

In addition to Night at the Museum being down, Rivet Town Roller (a unicoaster) and Independence Day: Defiance (a flying theater attraction) would both be closed during our visit.

044.thumb.jpg.4a8471771b9cf92613faad2b2b399a01.jpg

In our next update, we head into the park!

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • jedimaster1227 changed the title to Photo TR: Adam's Malaysian 2024 Adventure

Looking forward to your report on Skyworlds. That park has fascinated me from it's inception and through construction with the Disney/FOX IP issues and all of the changes. Feels like the park has been open for a few years now but I don't think I've seen very many reports or videos about the park itself so curious to see what you thought of the place.

As always, great pictures, you always do a great job with these, and all of that food looks incredible!

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We used Grab in Vietnam. One thing we noticed though was almost every driver constantly wanting to swap details and make cheap deals under the table outside the app, was it similar in Malaysia? However, after a few drivers, we settled on one since he had a big chunky car (in a country with v low road safety) and he was fantastic. He ended up almost doubling as our tour guide: great restaurant recommendations and really helped optimize our itinerary with his knowledge of when to visit places and beat the crowds.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

^We had a few that offered to serve as private drivers but given the nature of our trip and timing not being something to plan around, it made more sense to just keep ordering new Grabs. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Genting SkyWorlds is a park with an incredibly unique history, a very unique setting and in a lot of ways, it is a really solid park. It sits atop Mount Ulu Kali in the Titiwangsa Mountains in central Peninsular Malaysia, not far from Kuala Lumpur. The park sits on a plot of land occupied by the previous Genting Outdoor Theme Park as part of the Resorts World Genting complex. It was originally intended to open in 2016 as 20th Century Fox World, the first theme park themed to Fox-owned IP. Plagued by project and construction challenges and only compounded by the acquisition of much of Fox by The Walt Disney Company in 2018, the project was subject to countless delays. With a planned opening in 2019, Fox (in progress of being acquired by Disney) invoked the right to pull much of their branding and license rights out of the park, which resulted in a lawsuit and settlement, enabling the park to operate with some of previously agreed upon IP (Ice Age, Robots, Independence Day, Night at the Museum, Epic, Rio, Blue Sky Animation and Planet of the Apes while losing the rights to other key properties such as Alien, Predator, Alien vs. Predator and Sons of Anarchy. The loss of these properties required that many of the nearly-finished or under construction attractions and areas would have to be stripped of their theming and reworked to operate without their original intent. COVID-19 only worsened the situation, further delaying the park's opening to early 2022. Two of the park's major attractions never opened with the park and have yet to operate, one of which hasn't even completed construction--both of which developed by the now-bankrupt and recently-acquired Dynamic Attractions. 

All of that said, the park has some interestingly bright spots. In ways, it almost teeters on greatness at a standard that you'd find at Universal, maybe even Disney in some rare cases. But in a lot ways, that shine is surface-level. Once you get into it, you find that this is comparable to a Merlin-level park with a slightly higher opening budget that has since been operated poorly. The park itself is smaller than it appears, but has a decent amount of offerings packed into the compressed space. But for this reason, the lands and attractions butt up against each other without the natural transitions you come to expect from other parks of this caliber (or the caliber at which this park aspires to be). It doesn't help that a portion of the park is closed following the fire that took place in June 2024... Or the fact that several of the attractions inexplicably are not operating "just because." 

But as someone who has watched this park's evolution from afar, getting the chance to see it up close, and to observe what I saw firsthand, knowing in many places what the lands and attractions were meant to be with the 20th Century Fox IP still attached, it is a really unique experience to visit Genting SkyWorlds. 

001.thumb.jpg.a5b355935456e34f519e0cecef43d938.jpg

Not unlike other parks in Asia, park maps make it a point to highlight every element in the park, right down to the restrooms, to speak to the volume of things covered by your price of admission.

002.thumb.jpg.30d2681932471585077811fb1675bce2.jpg

The entrance of the park (seen in my previous update) feeds directly from the Resorts World Genting complex into the park's covered entryway. 

003.thumb.jpg.eec3586a48ffbb0903c5f09ee457f7c7.jpg

It's a decently sized set of entrance corridors leading to the two ways of getting around the park, but there isn't a lot found within this space besides shops, quick service options and games. 

004.thumb.jpg.85c1d0632521f9a073c67410593e2040.jpg

Indepedence Day Defiance is a flying theater attraction inspired by the film franchise (more specifically, Independence Day: Resurgence). Sadly it was closed, "just because." 

005.thumb.jpg.08da5a17fdc86fb80a55c662676ae763.jpg

Invasion of the Planet of the Apes might be the best example of how this park teeters on greatness...

006.thumb.jpg.e90ab9d63b8cab6b1152bb7dff1d9af1.jpg

The queue design is absolutely wonderful from the moment you step in. The tone is set that you're entering the post-Simian Flu-riddled world of the modern Planet of the Apes films.

007.thumb.jpg.d494b3d4c66e65c59a107f2048cc27bc.jpg

I was blown away by how much detail was put into this worn down queue.

008.thumb.jpg.33436e6e9f0ddfba3a45346df68e5643.jpg

Brilliant.

009.thumb.jpg.e6008771906858cf6a98d87a8b5edb98.jpg

You head into a pre-show grouping room where a pre-show sets the stage for where you are in the story.

010.thumb.jpg.78ef30121cb2e2b6f84b3e80d4d0329f.jpg

Set in the aftermath of the Dawn of the Planet of the Apes film (with a plot oddly similar to the start of War for the Planet of the Apes), you meet Malcolm (the protagonist from Dawn, recast here for the ride) who explains that the General and his army are coming to try to restore power to the humans using a generator that is home to Caesar and his ape brethren. Malcolm needs your help to warn Caesar of their impending attack in the hopes of staving off war between the two species...

011.thumb.jpg.f13c887d7122690059903e1cf06bbede.jpg

Clips from the films are used in the pre-show...

012.thumb.jpg.b1bc9893007deb1aa8e4c8f2624c914d.jpg

You board trackless hovercraft vehicles and go along your journey wearing 3-D glasses. Not unlike similar rides of this sort, you are moved through scenes of water, fire, bullets, explosions and jostling motions. The animation in the ride looks like something out of Time Crisis 2, which takes away much of the positive momentum from the queue and the pre-show, but graphics aside, it is a really solid attempt at translating such a well known franchise into a ride. 

013.thumb.jpg.47cd592cb6ee79235e42e6d3d90aba5a.jpg

Robots Rivet Town is based on the hit, one-film franchise Robots, starring Ewan McGregor, Halle Berry, Robin Williams and Amanda Bynes. The movie came out in 2005.

014.thumb.jpg.165e13cecf03a8221f3d882708f3cc44.jpg

This is the whole of Rivet Town. Two stacked flat rides and a quick service kiosk behind me.

015.thumb.jpg.b9e41f75756eb0b85b1fefe3ffea27c9.jpg

 Big Weld's Zeppelins (a Dumbo-like ride) and Rivet Town Roller (a Unicoaster) were both not operational today ("just because").

017.thumb.jpg.34feb484cb223e837e11cc4447ab7522.jpg

Not sure why they even let people into the land, considering there wasn't a single thing open in it during our visit. 

016.thumb.jpg.e8b73afce455be1f5c8a1509143522f1.jpg

A land with nothing open is kind of fitting for such an obscure property...

018.thumb.jpg.4e37627a3f9c486e552b9d4b14955eaf.jpg

Due to its mountaintop location, Genting SkyWorlds experiences rolling bouts of intense fog that give the park the eeriest of feels. 

019.thumb.jpg.d3c64bdb303ea0b173757cfe289f525c.jpg

Walking through Andromeda Base, you pass by "Descent into Darkness," one of the park's two incomplete Dynamic Attractions coasters. This one was supposed to be themed to Alien vs. Predator (as the rest of the land was themed to Alien vs. Predator and the franchise's Weyland-Yutani corporation. Ride vehicles, animatronics and a complex series of show elements were all designed but never installed in the massive show building. The coaster's outside track was put in place but the interior layout was never completed. The inside of the show building continues to be a massive, dark and empty box. And there is no real expectation that the coaster will ever be finished. To read more about what was meant to be, I highly recommend visiting this site for a full look at the land's original design, ride details, art and more.

020.thumb.jpg.a9ca6d8c5fb3e3ec33b4bcd0faae048a.jpg

Alpha Fighter Pilots was originally meant to be Colonel Fighter Pilots, themed to the Colonel Marines from Aliens. 

021.thumb.jpg.455f83ebb21a09e6329e0c1d2cc65073.jpg

While the fog was still rolling through we moved on to the Ice Age land, by far the largest and most spread out section of the park.

022.thumb.jpg.b01e409969dcb4e79e0c9f75b48df96e.jpg

Ice Age: Expedition Thin Ice has a massive indoor queue, not because it is that popular, but because it is so low capacity.

023.thumb.jpg.61011b4f8fbec2008e4765a364385293.jpg

Even with only 50 people ahead of us in line, we waited almost an hour for this Oceaneering trackless dark ride to load.

024.thumb.jpg.ed3fb2b172b18b2cab7a3be46e580e51.jpg

The ride features the characters from the popular Ice Age franchise (probably the park's most valuable IP they were allowed to retain), both on screens and in the form of a few animatronics.

025.thumb.jpg.586e5fe87b338cb59255aa2818b37d3f.jpg

The ride was very short and only had a handful of vehicles in operation... It's obvious why this reminded me so much of Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin at SeaWorld Orlando.

026.thumb.jpg.e4bd7288ddb5aa165b567d8fc75ab4d6.jpg

Acorn Adventure is the land's signature rollercoaster. 

027.thumb.jpg.863eed5ec9bc003be06914548b4fe9f5.jpg

The queue is basic but winding with a few neat elements along the way.

028.thumb.jpg.f82d8175ed0831568872e716b595d8b0.jpg

The park went with Beijing Shibaolai as the manufacturer. The coaster, while fun, was exceptionally rough, to the point that I was convinced it was a re-themed remnant of the former Genting Outdoor Theme Park, but alas, it was just poorly designed.

029.thumb.jpg.43f0e8cc01c8d1ca33267829105c8a6c.jpg

The park could benefit from some sprucing, despite only opening a few years ago...

030.thumb.jpg.879edf1769058b47770b6fd4d204b0bd.jpg

Samba Gliders from the Rio section of the park soars over portions of the Ice Age land.

030b.thumb.jpg.df023d36c511cef3d583f797fdd1ba23.jpg

Acorn Adventure's mountain is the largest structure in the park and can be seen from most lands in some way or another.

030c.thumb.jpg.f7ec92efffdb4a77dd581096faef6488.jpg

Ice Age also has a pretty large child's play area... With not a lot to do inside.

031.thumb.jpg.d2d5a0d9b29c28e594406bf44e75d057.jpg

We moved back towards Andromeda Base as the fog rolled out to take a closer look.

032.thumb.jpg.e31301fb81cf74f5646c55a1bed84b70.jpg

It's not hard to see how this land was meant to feel like something out of the Alien films.

033.thumb.jpg.cafda78e3fae66b0ab95944372afcb40.jpg

The story behind this coaster is such a shame.

034.thumb.jpg.33c731e92ac3aa1b833e197fbb24f675.jpg

It looks like it had such potential.

035.thumb.jpg.1811f8275876805e6035cff7d2f70d60.jpg

Andromeda Canteen is the land's quick service eatery. It has yet to open at the park to date.

036.thumb.jpg.bbb18961c57fe9d2a9640a127c9eb298.jpg

Terraform Tower Challenge was originally going to be Alien: Terrorforma. It is a unique S&S combo tower with a pre-drop sequence that lowers riders beneath the loading area for a show scene (that was originally going to involve Alien eggs, facehuggers and the xenomorphs attacking) before shooting you up the tower to drop back down.

038.thumb.jpg.dc849cb7812b3cb75d6d187cad300f68.jpg

Boot Camp Training was meant to be Marine Boot Camp Challenge. The traditional ropes course (with a zip line coaster at the finale) had a strict, no-camera policy so this was as close as I could get to taking a photo before being turned away. After loading our items in lockers, we waited in line to harness up, only to find that, with Guests in the structure, almost all employees left the complex for 30 minutes, preventing the zipline from operating (or enabling guests to enter or exit the structure). Seeing this, we gave up before we started for fear of becoming stuck inside.

039.thumb.jpg.0f3f4db35b992e38364cf4cd2539cbe4.jpg

The exit portal between Andromeda Base and the Eagle Mountain section of the park is easily the best transition between lands that the park has.

040.thumb.jpg.7a17fc5112195f750ca08502a0c1e55e.jpg

The scale of the portal is huge.

041.thumb.jpg.742a02dbbdef2767772d27bade1b90ca.jpg

And the pathway through the tunnel is quite fun for lighting junkies like myself.

042.thumb.jpg.52169b60129d527ce46327dd414e0f9e.jpg

You emerge from the tunnel in the more modern-era Eagle Mountain side of the park.

043.thumb.jpg.0e7a3f3d9d3af588a274b5f90383f279.jpg

Sadly Eagle Mountain is, in essence a mini land with one non-functional attraction, a few shops and dining options.

044.thumb.jpg.24c0e65a32107a918cda0dd774996d23.jpg

Due to the park's tight footprint, it is nearly impossible not to see the attractions from several other lands from within view.

045.thumb.jpg.c19782e006f90e54c3f981ee510bc01e.jpg

This is really nice rock work though.

046.thumb.jpg.0ed1ab926c628366bc0736d0eff390b7.jpg

Eagle Mountain is home to Mad Ramp Peak - Full Throttle Racing, a duel powered high speed motorcycle coaster that has never operated, also produced by Dynamic Attractions.

047.thumb.jpg.b5b24e63fd4bbdf1ae940d15e929f3b7.jpg

Don't mind my finger, this is one of the best photos I have of one of the few areas of the coaster you can get close to.

048.thumb.jpg.174ed889fc823e17a03e5b533f09d44c.jpg

If you look closely, you can see the coaster track that sits beneath the ride's "pavement." The coaster trains would have motorcycles that rode above the pavement while a chassis was powered along the rails below.

050.thumb.jpg.a7ddef80fc61dd0ff40d35cd985d782d.jpg

The ride's initial launch segment...

051.thumb.jpg.2c051c0e73224a70ebe30c4c4535a685.jpg

You can kind of make out the coaster track-versus-pavement setup when looking at this bridge.

049.thumb.jpg.40d0bfbaac73611c44afceee603093fe.jpg

Without the coaster, Eagle Mountain is a pretty shallow land.

052.thumb.jpg.916b51851cd5822f98ed24a04acda108.jpg

The coaster's gift shop contains some interesting items...

053.thumb.jpg.68a0f2a8109752d8b046a191752cf485.jpg

It appears that the park produced a high volume of merchandise for when it was meant to operate as 20th Century Fox World...

054.thumb.jpg.e4f69d1cbfe12a334f7e67322d03c33a.jpg

How do I know, you ask?

055.thumb.jpg.bbb3954f9018df0dce9de004e00f6bc4.jpg

Logos like this are not uncommonly found on the merchandise sold (at discount) throughout the park.

056.thumb.jpg.91f1fbc545fb6427e9c1c6c523e5880e.jpg

From the side of Eagle Mountain, the path to the back half of Central Park is closed off.

057.thumb.jpg.ad9ed5f14cb20ccf9200a9bd515c1cfe.jpg

The Night at the Museum interactive dark ride was unharmed by the fire aside from damage to its facade, but the entire land has been shut down due to the extent of the rest of the damage.

058.thumb.jpg.f7e3bed49e6c353d3ef671030404da41.jpg

See what I mean?

059.thumb.jpg.798db56db690c0115cbc45260d29c614.jpg

A look at the Mad Ramp Peak station...

060.thumb.jpg.68c607834d6700fd06fa1cc120169968.jpg

Independence Day: Defiance is pat of the Central Park section of the land for some reason.

061.thumb.jpg.f3fea66b834faa6daf80b8616e96e774.jpg

The shop has everything the two fans of Independence Day: Resurgence would ever need.

062.thumb.jpg.a0bcfabddc9a3a96c17b568de2107760.jpg

ESD Global Defender here exists, for some reason.

063.thumb.jpg.24d1eee7ca4340fec75da6c9f0dac35b.jpg

Glad to see Setpoint continuing to find ways to build low capacity coasters around the world...

064.thumb.jpg.c8b3481b4087cb6f7bbc1ffaf73b3d08.jpg

Sid's Rock 'N' Slide is a Zierer Kontiki that I missed seeing during my earlier laps of the park.

065.thumb.jpg.a998114924eddb57a0a5297934ceb850.jpg

The Blue Sky Carousel is ornate and centered in its own plaza.

066.thumb.jpg.a256e6bb8340541305bf16177300cd5d.jpg

You can ride on the back of "recognizable" Blue Sky Animation characters...

067.thumb.jpg.9b2a198fa1be9c5ac68a26101d7638ef.jpg

Ah yes, the hit film "epic" is featured here too.

068.thumb.jpg.7aaa87d1dc02d21d76ac42301902e609.jpg

Epic Voyage to Moonhaven was so tucked in the back of the park, I nearly missed seeing it.

069.thumb.jpg.39e7aecd49dbbb333fcdb5f14f6aad1d.jpg

Some solid queue design to set up the ride's story.

070.thumb.jpg.d97f03d8d1c81492f392e313901568a7.jpg

This is a themed ABC Rides flume with dark ride segments. After seeing the state others were in, despite ponchos, after riding, we opted out.

071.thumb.jpg.fa2501c63bdf61f22b3f092241ab768c.jpg

Epic Hummingbird Flyers is the land's other attraction.

072.thumb.jpg.7cecec9e79c2d344ab59b7bb9689480b.jpg

The design of the land is nice, but like other parts of the park, feels more like a mini land due to its small number of offerings.

073.thumb.jpg.429984ca5d49bc32113e07187cd4dd9f.jpg

Of all of the bubble waffles I've consumed, this was certainly one of them.

074.thumb.jpg.23619a712b8d87ba0637850cb0250e5b.jpg

Oh look, a character.

075.thumb.jpg.bb7efadb5e241d0af0ce651ed39d2a7f.jpg

Samba Gliders dominates the skyline of the Rio section of the park.

076.thumb.jpg.5dfa416bec304f6c22aa419f5309312a.jpg

I will say, the Rio land was actually one of the better looking sections of the park.

077.thumb.jpg.2974fed14c166bcf56d11f10794b9059.jpg

Rio Carnaval Chaos! is a Zamperla Demolition Derby but it wasn't operating during our visit "just because."

078.thumb.jpg.fdcc59e5582ef2a13e90d8261ffba279.jpg

Artsy fartsy. 

079.thumb.jpg.ffebb0b4727dc05a8b61afdbed4f22d7.jpg

Another look at Acorn Adventure... This time from the Rio section of the park.

079b.thumb.jpg.f7142df89251e2173d2b58ba66b84a7f.jpg

Very nice.

079c.thumb.jpg.3352df2bec25ca534c945a287de07553.jpg

They even had the Rio characters in a show!

081.thumb.jpg.dc4426f100db97c2a0c1dbea85a3f544.jpg

A look back at the Awana Skyway passing over the park.

082.thumb.jpg.6e466caf967ecebddbc2c47afb9b5228.jpg

The park has a pretty nice exit plaza...

083.thumb.jpg.e3c0881d86e91a88e51ff90810f4a384.jpg

I spy a retired logo...

084.thumb.jpg.3d7ea20d1196c1ae42bafe6036052e62.jpg

Time to head out and do some more exploring of Genting Highlands!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

When you really lay out the timeline of what happened to this park, it's amazing they even opened at all!  Such an ongoing disaster.  I really hope they can finish some of those signature attractions.  It's crazy how I don't recognize a thing from when we visited way back when!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's a shame that Night at the Museum ride was closed, I feel like I saw some videos of that one and it looked pretty good. It's really a shame that they were never able to get those two dynamic attractions rides operating, even if they had to retheme Alien vs Predator to whatever. After the SFX coaster at Ferrari World opened I thought this one had a chance but I guess not.

That park as whole is a pretty interesting place, amazing it ever opened at all honestly. Not exactly somewhere I'm looking to go out of my way to visit but I guess if I was ever in the region I'd check it out. Great report as always. Interested to see what the rest of Genting Highlands was like.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Amazing report! Thanks a lot for sharing. It really got me thinking about all the places I want to travel once things settle down. I can’t wait to get back out there and explore new destinations. But first things first—right now, I’m swamped with college work. I’ve been spending a lot of time chatting with the team at https://ukwritings.com/write-my-essay to figure out what kind of help I can get for my assignments. They’ve been a huge help, and once I get all my tasks sorted, I’ll be much more flexible to focus on other things, like planning my next trip. I’m definitely looking forward to that moment when I can just relax and enjoy traveling without the weight of assignments hanging over me

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Glad you got to take one of those unexpected trips that life throws your way, I've had two of them and even if everything doesn't work out perfectly they are the most memorable trips.  Hopefully, you can make it back in 15 more years when the park is more fulfilling. 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

After our time at Genting SkyWorlds, we decided to roam the rest of the Resorts World complex, grabbing a bite and checking out the Skytropolis Indoor Theme Park. 

001.thumb.jpg.017d97103602239d40e1ceda0bc9c91f.jpg

Madam Kwan's called to us as we were in the mood from some Malaysian cuisine.

002.thumb.jpg.2dde1ebe81dfa3775cc750480e30d1ce.jpg

We did not regret our choice!

003.thumb.jpg.84be570a245eb82109736da14cd9527a.jpg

Some amazing satay served here.

004.thumb.jpg.3897df9f7d3cd09fd9c04f19fe042d18.jpg

Skytropolis Indoor Theme Park is, as the title suggests, the complex's indoor theme park. Several of the attractions found within used to operate in the outdoor theme park that preceded Genting SkyWorlds. 

005.thumb.jpg.07162993cd1820ee32929d414be1c3db.jpg

Many of these attractions are covered in lighting so help the attractions glow in the dimmer building that houses the park.

006.thumb.jpg.41d91785ac755d2dac0c42756e7f0282.jpg

The surprisingly high ceilings enable the park's rides to reach impressive heights.

007.thumb.jpg.c8afe82c067fcd4b61b71d0570845e08.jpg

There's a lot going on in this park... It can almost be overwhelming at times.

008.thumb.jpg.2be0f313f93c6bbf18e5a52aeaf3eba6.jpg

They have a Disk'o here.

009.thumb.jpg.9aa03576eae56df1e8e14c3e544c21d8.jpg

Super Glider, a Zamperla Volare that previously operated in the outdoor park, is one of the largest attractions in Skytropolis. It was closed during our visit, which was not disappointing at all.

009b.thumb.jpg.442551ff3b5e28a6a0b5ef428b9a8616.jpg

Designed by the company behind Top Thrill 2.

010.thumb.jpg.3144694c5c79c1c665603e2abf4e69e0.jpg

Skytropolis also features a light canopy, clearly inspired by the Fremont Street Experience in Las Vegas, right down to the zipline running down its length.

011.thumb.jpg.ccd66016981c1ad76870a760a3c2519d.jpg

The blue coaster with red supports is set to open later this year. 

012.thumb.jpg.c978dafd4a72979e0ec3fec42597eb1f.jpg

Back down the Awana Skyway we go!

013.thumb.jpg.2154da422509edbe1ea9ac83e9cfe6f8.jpg

Next up on our agenda was to check out the Petronas Twin Towers.

014.thumb.jpg.d6cbb4c633391a82224254d6d7282c87.jpg

While we couldn't get a reservation to go up to the incredibly popular observation deck, the towers and surrounding complex offer lots to see and do.

015.thumb.jpg.d2622e4c34382ffc559f2b5a222fce64.jpg

The Suria KLCC mall beneath the towers offered a variety of shopping and dining options. One of my favorite things to note while traveling is the unique offerings that local Starbucks have. 

016.thumb.jpg.3e587b547654912aa4aed8146539fdac.jpg

These are definitely different flavors than those you'd find at home.

017.thumb.jpg.729a53bcca744078704967f655c5513b.jpg

The towers look gorgeous at night!

018.thumb.jpg.37191be25ee0c971a80975535fc7f605.jpg

"The world is a carousel of color..."

019.thumb.jpg.3557c60c2e229fccd3dc18c63ab1716e.jpg

Another successful day ended with a Jungle Bird.

020.thumb.jpg.4d3cc172c2b6427f43065744aafd5f2c.jpg

Breakfast of champions!

021.thumb.jpg.25549034b6281dffd0c9926cdb2fc49a.jpg

And dessert for good measure!

022.thumb.jpg.845ed51be4e8751d9514661fdd9d229b.jpg

After a full day of work, I stopped by Pavilion Kuala Lumpur to roam... And to satisfy a craving that I had since I arrived in town.

023.thumb.jpg.8276373e926f3e411383854ace64cbd0.jpg

Pavilion is an absolutely massive mall with shops, dining and entertainment across every floor.

024.thumb.jpg.e8c5a383ec3c81e639efdbc84d493c0b.jpg

They even have an entire section dedicated to Japanese shops (including Daiso)!

026.thumb.jpg.79aa60eb18c37e8a0b95b93a1501080d.jpg

I wasn't going to pass up a chance to indulge myself in a melon custard bread and melon pan.

027.thumb.jpg.470eb6869db0c304bea28203c404036b.jpg

Yes, they have Pizza Hut here.

028.thumb.jpg.8ad5cd43db42990cf98a479c8e3ee6b6.jpg

But this is why I was really here.

029.thumb.jpg.234737e9f14ffcc64e6375102ad0f1fa.jpg

And it was absolutely worth the trip!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Later in the second week of my trip, I planned another bucket list stop for after work. This one, in many ways is more recognizable and even more rare than Genting SkyWorlds... Times Square Berjaya Theme Park, and most notably, Supersonic Odyssey was within reach. I had watched Robb & Elissa's POVs of this coaster and I had long since ruled out the possibility of ever getting a chance to ride it myself. But when I found out that I would be working in Malaysia for a few weeks, this concept was instantly revisited and I started to plan...

031.thumb.jpg.da8bc1dbec21059b3ca7cce2a3a5d07d.jpg

While not nearly as grand as Pavilion or Suria KLCC, Times Square Berjaya is a pretty nice mall... That just happened to be hosting a half court basketball tournament in the main atrium.

032.thumb.jpg.e043345929a8a88a1ecabc5bd4d92a68.jpg

Getting ready to be enveloped in a fever dream. 

033.thumb.jpg.4b4e930309e288c721e67a7c566c633f.jpg

Times Square Berjaya Theme Park is the stuff of theme park game fantasy (pick your poison, RCT, NoLimits or Planet Coaster).

034.thumb.jpg.5383451dc48182176b261abc178910fd.jpg

Paths intertwined with rides. A coaster weaving in around around other attractions and structures. Over the top theming. A totally indoor theme park with the scale of an outside amusement park. This place has it all.

035.thumb.jpg.dcb6bfe730d49497f4094a9f2adc3a9f.jpg

Supersonic Odyssey is the park's Intamin looper, which sports an incredibly unique layout that spans the entirety of the indoor park. 

036.thumb.jpg.f2801eecb976922326ad9c30e337c6a6.jpg

Every angle (and there are many to be found) yields a very different perspective of the coaster's layout. I spent much of my time just walking around, staring at it in awe.

037.thumb.jpg.c2010c2cfd96e6fe112ac24174e6feab.jpg

They have a cute, mini Top Spin nestled underneath one section of Supersonic Odyssey. 

038.thumb.jpg.37808685f6ebf91a353b1a403e8c0bd9.jpg

Not a single net underneath any of the track.

039.thumb.jpg.378e17204ba427373a7763b8df61c0d2.jpg

Oh there's more... Lot's more.

040.thumb.jpg.231af71157ef9fe84bb859e6885337d4.jpg

The theming is cartoon-like and otherworldly. It's almost overwhelming. 

041.thumb.jpg.9168de014a0577843c0d22b937ad098e.jpg

Where my initial photos were on the ground floor, there's an entire section of the park dedicated to rides for younger guests, that Supersonic Odyssey weaves through. 

042.thumb.jpg.3617e3d320de0681bedad9236de04681.jpg

One of my favorite elements of this unique coaster.

043.thumb.jpg.06dcdb5ba3d4409defd03d2564aa935b.jpg

The trains look and feel similar to California Screamin'/Incredicoaster with traditional over-the-shoulder restraints. Rider's in the front row have the option to pay for a GoPro-recorded ridercam (which, of course I bought). 

044.thumb.jpg.66de42b32920d22d29ba293e74955f50.jpg

Absolutely incredible.

045.thumb.jpg.6db19cf885cd2f4797ce2c03e54a7037.jpg

So few words are adequate to describe how over-the-top this park is.

046.thumb.jpg.b0962145bc007fcb0ef8a52ff68c5032.jpg

Somewhere amidst all of this theming is a small carousel.

047.thumb.jpg.bd6ba2c83a68cfaf9310a805649811ab.jpg

The lighting and the shine on almost everything in sight makes this feel even more unreal.

048.thumb.jpg.4c4e5f96402f559d9113cc3fde0c4a8f.jpg

It's pretty impressive just how much there is to do at Times Square Berjaya.

049.thumb.jpg.d3d886816b46a8438e99304d8c372b7d.jpg

Getting photos of Supersonic Odyssey in motion was difficult given the park operating one train every ten minutes or so, but I tried to grab as many as I could.

050.thumb.jpg.e8e9008006711ca2638732459c13514a.jpg

Another angle found.

051.thumb.jpg.ac06060fff0ebaab68ce20e1bdb9bcca.jpg

The park features a giant panaromic window view out into the city...

052.thumb.jpg.ed292983eede1ab3030ce286da4fa440.jpg

Intamin knows how to design an element.

053.thumb.jpg.b1489eb5585405f5f9e0213d34aa46f7.jpg

Just take it all in.

054.thumb.jpg.7e88c50ffc0d703d016dfb61b162afa1.jpg

This robot stairwell design had me floored.

055.thumb.jpg.470371d2a57c5e368d6d2ce3cfb27e50.jpg

Even the floor design continuing in the ride area's flooring is a level of detail that I wouldn't expect.

056.thumb.jpg.0b98aae2e4e42978b885d97791d28b86.jpg

Gorgeous.

057.thumb.jpg.9326560e8c182d808db8a1ab561b5414.jpg

I really didn't want to leave but the park closed as I was finishing my photo lap. I was able to ride Supersonic Odyssey six times (and nothing else) during my visit. I still can't believe that I made it to this park after years of watching the TPR POVs. 059.thumb.jpg.81c28d3a3f4ad636f4c0bf92c7deabe9.jpg

I had to commemorate the visit with a ride photo (and video) as proof that it actually happened.

060.thumb.jpg.a868652144372d0f4feb1f9dfb2efebb.jpg

I celebrated the evening's milestone with a variety of fresh sushi. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

In my final days in Kuala Lumpur, our hosts took time to bring us to the city's most storied shopping locations, while giving us actual tastes of Malaysia...

001.thumb.jpg.31f59949393aaa3ed11579f14c6b6bd7.jpg

Eel spaghetti is probably not a native dish but I'm so ridiculously glad I consumed this.

002.thumb.jpg.33cf584bc20daddd57387c629e78bcdb.jpg

Our hosts insisted that we try durian during our visit. Durian, also known as the "King of Fruits" is both an acquired taste as well as an acquired smell kind of thing. If you've grown up around it, you're probably not bothered by it--you're likely a fan. If you're like me that had no exposure to it before this trip, it wasn't my thing. That said, when it comes to food and drinks, I'm almost always willing to try something once. Our hosts recommended easing into the experience with a durian frappe. It was a thing...

003.thumb.jpg.2334514efb692f94e2c7345f8f673399.jpg

It was interesting to see durian sold in its full form along the way... The different types of the fruit come in at a range of costs--what distinguishes each type, I couldn't easily describe, but it was interesting nonetheless. 

004.thumb.jpg.7eaa8f8b0b955e4ea20c322345ed36fb.jpg

Central Market is one of Kuala Lumpur's oldest shopping areas but it has been enhanced over the years...

005.thumb.jpg.5b82604c747eb5e0cd8170371e9d5eac.jpg

The market has evolved to become an indoor, nearly-modern mall-style venue with shops, kiosks and vendors across two floors.

006.thumb.jpg.40bcfa632911ce0488e347b5b25dfd7f.jpg

I was exhausted by the end of my day, so I picked up some fresh Indian food on the way back to the hotel. Gobi manchurian here is unparalleled. 

007.thumb.jpg.d179b577e42665850e7eada3a06e3849.jpg

As was this butter chicken.

008.thumb.jpg.c85b05e382229be4743cfbf1659042f8.jpg

The Sri Maha Mariamman Temple is the oldest Hindu temple in Kuala Lumpur. On the holy day of Thaipusam, Hindu followers undergo a slow processional from this temple all the way to the Batu Caves, completed entirely on foot.

009.thumb.jpg.b8f4207daf783410c5c6eca9f4c4ca05.jpg

The interior of the temple is vibrant and beautiful.

010.thumb.jpg.163ac834829e4000a958ce16977a334b.jpg

After our visit to the temple, we were treated to a culinary journey across Petaling Street. We started with some authentic Chinese cuisine and it was some of the best I've ever had.

011.thumb.jpg.46b46e004cd97323c65a7fd4e103a5bf.jpg

I didn't know I needed Salted Egg Yolk Shrimp in my life before this trip, but now that I've had it, I can't not crave it.

012.thumb.jpg.6bcb2ea0ecc20279ae8f03f8a7b8833a.jpg

Petaling Street is a unique open air, covered market a few steps away from the Central Market.

013.thumb.jpg.11e1a86df7d540966bd4be88bf6b4953.jpg

Lots of street vendors offering items of all types for all desires.

014.thumb.jpg.5235274e426fe86e0b28aec9f8ede015.jpg

I couldn't leave without having street food on Petaling Street. These satay skewers were among the best bites I consumed on the entire trip.

015.thumb.jpg.4c8ce5ae933b9d9756d7a0e86d877264.jpg

The final stop on our tour of Petaling Street was Concubine, a trendy, hidden bar at the back of the street. 

016.thumb.jpg.134bbfd28f9be4cbfb2b813a55262d0f.jpg

I have no shame over how the drink looks--this drink with Baijiu was incredible.

017.thumb.jpg.417181369ebdc4451c65c95f90b3db25.jpg

The next day it was back to the airport to kick off my long journey home...

018.thumb.jpg.27476d31c0f978deceb6d0d35f346129.jpgI was seriously tempted to have one more meal at Din Tai Fung while in the airport at Kuala Lumpur, but I had had a full breakfast at the hotel that left me absolutely stuffed. 

019.thumb.jpg.a4bc04edf88a2882f74b5dfe6fcf4a1e.jpg

During my brief layover in Dubai, I had a chance to make one extra stop...

020.thumb.jpg.7242a1d2b975bb4b709bc2c42a26a19e.jpg

One day I'll hopefully get a chance to see more of Dubai than just the airport.

021.thumb.jpg.202478134066534b8dc0e3c8cf626dbb.jpg

And just like that, but two week adventure in Malaysia had come to a close.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use https://themeparkreview.com/forum/topic/116-terms-of-service-please-read/