Everland Discussion Thread

I've been told before that a lot of the rocks in the safari area for the tigers, lions etc are electronically heated with the cold temperatures about, both to keep the animals warm and to ensure they are in places so guests can take pictures easily and helps keep them from sitting in the path in the way of the buses.

Makes sense. Coax the animals into being in positions where guests can see them in the open.

A Korean blogger posted a great video of Everland's current winter fireworks show, Romance in the Sky, running until 1st March when the usual show will return.

[youtu_be]

A pair of giant pandas born in China will fly to South Korea as early as next month to live at an amusement park owned by Samsung Everland, company officials said Thursday.

 

South Korea and China designated Samsung Everland as the host for the bears after Beijing decided to send them to Seoul following Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to South Korea in 2014.

 

Dubbed "panda diplomacy," China has a tradition of sending pandas to foreign countries as a gesture of friendship.

 

Samsung Everland held a contest to name the pandas through its social networking sites in both South Korea and China for two weeks from Dec. 22 last year.

 

About 8,500 names were received and the winners will soon be decided after discussions with Chinese authorities, company officials said.

 

"We are pleased that we have joined a joint research project for pandas," said Kim Bong-yeong, head of Samsung's resort business division.

 

China sent a pair of pandas to South Korea in 1994, but they were returned in 1998, when South Korea was hit by a severe liquidity crisis.

 

The pandas will be open to the public in April this year, company officials said.

Source

Interesting that the 1st set of pandas before were sent back. According to this article they were also kept at Everland. It's interesting because the last time panda diplomacy came up in 2013, South Korea turned down the offer due to cost.

According to the source, China, through the Chinese Embassy in Seoul, asked if Korea has facilities to raise a giant panda if provided. The inquiry was also sent to the Blue House, the source said.

 

After a review, the government concluded that keeping a panda in Korea would cost at least 15 billion won ($13 million), including the construction of the special facility and payroll for the keeper. The Blue House, therefore, did not push forward with it.

Source

I mentioned in my TR how surprised I was that you got wet on Thunder Falls when a lot of the Korean water rides I've ridden have covers (like Amazon Express) or just don't really splash (like Lotte World's rapids and flume). It could be temporary until the temperature warms up, but they've added shields to the ride over its closed period.

All the pictures are one boat so it's hard to tell but it seems the rubber ring decoration has been removed from the back as well. Since it sticks out from the boat, it was rubbing against the channels last year and most of them looked chipped so that may have been a reason.

Source

Compared to a photo from my TR:

Pandas arrive in South Korea

SEOUL, March 3 (Yonhap) -- A pair of Chinese panda bears arrived in South Korea Thursday as part of a research project on the endangered species conducted by the two countries.

 

The pandas named Ai Bao and Le Bao arrived at the country's main gateway, Incheon International Airport, on a specially-chartered flight from the Chinese southwestern province of Sichuan.

 

Dubbed "panda diplomacy," China has a tradition of sending pandas to foreign countries as a gesture of friendship. It is often a time-honored goodwill gesture by Beijing for fostering bilateral relations.

 

Seoul previously rented a pair of pandas in 1994, but they were returned back to their home country in 1998 following the financial crisis previous year. A total of 14 countries currently own the rare animals.

 

President Park Geun-hye and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed during his state visit here in 2014 to lease the giant bears for the joint-research purpose.

 

Since then, the two nations have designated Samsung Everland, which operates the country's largest amusement park south of Seoul, as the host for the bears.

 

The research will delve into conservation efforts and breeding programs, according to the amusement park that also has a large zoo.

 

The animals are one of the most endangered species on the planet with only about 2,000 giant pandas alive today.

 

The two will be unveiled to the public starting in April, the amusement park said, adding that the bears will spend one month getting acclimated to their new environment under the care of veterinarians from both countries.

Source

Image source and more pictures

I continue to be jealous that parks like Everland are able to acquire pandas while Disney's Animal Kingdom Park is unable to do so... What I wouldn't give to see pandas in a quality Florida park that I could revisit frequently...

The new area will be called Panda World according to the new mini-site that went live: http://www.everland.com/pandaworld/ The area will feature Pandas, Red Pandas and Golden Monkeys. Also a cafe and gift shop filled with panda themed gifts and food.

Speaking of Pandas, looks like either a new night show with the fireworks or a new musical in Madagascars empty stage is coming:

The tulip festival started up a few days ago along with the warm weather. After Christmas until mid-March, the park doesn't have any theme and the park can be really empty, everything was walk-on last Sunday. This weekend being the first real weekend of warm weather and festivals for 2016, lines were 40-60 for dark/flats/water rides and 90-120mins for T Express and the safari ride.

In other news, the K-Pop hologram show has been closed for quite a while, since some rides can stay closed during the dead time of year it didn't seem worth reporting but it's still closed and listed as closed into the future on the calendar while everything else has reopoend (except Helicycles) so I wonder if it will leave or perhaps the license with the bands/singers have expired? Still compared to the Helicycle's, which have been on the attraction list for over a year now being closed, the hologram show hasn't been closed that long.

Pandaworld will open April 21st but soft opening will begin late next week. Here's something cool that I wish more parks would try out. They are letting people know the times when soft open will be in effect so it won't be a case of showing up and hoping it is open, I hope more parks try this for their soft openings and tech rehearsals.

Very cool, thanks for sharing.

Now if only this park could replace Eagle's Fortress with something of similar scale and quality we would be back immediately!

^ Yea for a country where nearly all the additions have been aimed at all the family, there's a surprising lack of mid-range roller coasters, last roller-coasters for Lotte World was Atlantis in 2003 (and they have 0 kiddie roller-coasters, the lowest would be Comet Express and French Revolution at 120cm) and T Express for Everland in 2008 but with the removal of Eagle's Fortress, it's a big jump from the Vekoma roller-skater and a powered double helix to the Arrow looper in terms of what kids might be comfortable with.

Soft opening starts Friday but there's pictures of people inside here (probably for publicity stills since quite often normal pictures have peoples faces blurred): http://witheverland.tistory.com/1310

It looks quite open in design which is nice, the last one in Hong Kong I did was behind glass.

Edit: Looking at the newly released English map, the Panda musical I mentioned on the last page is taking up Madagascar's spot in the stage arena and is called: Lebao's Adventure, not a new fireworks show, although I wouldn't be surprised if the 2 new panda mascots get included with the others for the night show and parade. Like Madagascar, it's also ticket entry only with first come first serve from the ticket boxes around the park (which is also where you can pick up a T Express ticket if it is running reservation only and save yourself a line at T Expresses' booth) the other reservation rides: K-Pop, Pride in Korea, Kidscovery are still only available outside their attractions like the queue jumps (and T Express if it's standby and fast pass just to confuse you even more)

Edit 2: While I'm updating my previous post, K Pop hologram is to reopen April 15th after being closed for a few months. The previous singers they used have been replaced either to keep it current or maybe because the license ran out for the previous ones. If the map is any indication the name will now be Live Hologram Theater.

No mention of the Global Village replacement/refurbishment yet, wondering if it will become the 2017 new addition since it's completely missing on the map.

I continue to be jealous that parks like Everland are able to acquire pandas while Disney's Animal Kingdom Park is unable to do so... What I wouldn't give to see pandas in a quality Florida park that I could revisit frequently...

There are several zoos in the United States with Pandas. I'd suggest trips outside of Florida, like to Memphis. Oh, if one of the hippos looks familiar, she just came from Animal Kingdom to her new home in the new Zambezi River Hippo Camp.

The news coverage on Pandas is slowly reaching Anchorman style levels of reporting as we get closer to opening day:

A panda couple will promote the city of Yongin, Gyeonggi Province.

 

This is Korea's first time appointing animals as honorary ambassadors, a role previously filled by entertainers and sports stars.

 

The city government said Thursday that the panda couple, moved from China's Sichuan Province to Everland Resort in Yongin, will promote tourism to the city.

 

The couple ― male Le Bao and female Ai Bao ― came to Korea following an agreement during a 2014 summit between Korea and China.

 

"Some 8 million people visit Everland every year, and we expect the new animals in the theme park will draw more tourists both from Korea and abroad," a city official said.

 

The city did not set a period for their ambassadorial term, so they are likely to hold the role for the next 15 years of their stay at Everland according to the agreement.

 

"Le Bao and Ai Bao will get special meals instead of the usual bamboo as incentives if the number of visitors grows," the official said.

 

The pandas, a present from Chinese President Xi Jinping, arrived in Korea on March 3 for the purpose of a joint study. They are the first pandas in Korea in 22 years since another couple returned to China in 1994.

 

"They have been acclimating to their new environment well," said the official. "To prevent them from becoming stressed from the sudden surge of crowds, we will increase the number of visitors to the panda viewing area gradually until the official public opening on April 21."

 

In Japan, Kishi Station in Wakayama Prefecture appointed a cat as its station master, and Kumamoto Prefecture named three sheep as public servants in charge of weeding.

Source

Edit: Bonus adorable Panda footage

[fbvideonew]

I mentioned it before when the map was released but here isthe official announcement for the upgrade to the K-Pop Hologram attraction, now called Live Hologram Theater:

With the baby on the way, I'm not sure when I'll get a chance to go out and do a TR for Panda World but this Korean blogger did one already and his photos are always fantastic, it would put my TR to shame anyway: http://szsup.tistory.com/705

I try not to spam up this thread too much but I thought this was kind of funny not to share, and it is a new addition in the park and I like to keep this thread up to date. There is now a mini-simulator with VR headsets, in the building right next to T Express where you can experience.......T Express. I love the lady to the left who has her VR above her eyes.

Source

I joke but depending on if there's a height to this it'd probably be a) a nice thing for kids to try out who aren't tall enough but want to see what siblings and parents will do or b) good for kids who are tall enough but a bit unsure about riding.

They will be alternating the movie to include the Safari Ride (the next attraction down the road from T Express ) but the expensive special tour version as opposed to the free buses and Horror Maze (next door to this building but closed until nearer Halloween)

EDIT: Checked the Everland app and it's on the attractions page listed at 120cm, so only 10cm lower than T Express and ironically making the virtual safari a lot higher than the actual Safari Ride which has no restrictions (even Lost Valley is 100cm unaccompanied)

This is either going to be amazing or result in a lot of ride delays due to vomit clean-up:

Source

Heading to the park on Monday w/ some work colleagues and the family. First time visiting the park, and I'm eager to see the new panda exhibit.

The beer fest sounds amazing. I can't make it to the park on the Friday, but I should be there for the Saturday or Sunday to enjoy some of those tasty adult beverages...even it it'll probably be crowded, oh well...lol

^This may be useful for you then, they will pick up near military gates in Seoul and Osan.

Information for Everland Beer Fest Ticket Purchase

 

1) Ticket Information

The original ticket price : KRW 52,000

For any day from the June 10th - 12th of June : KRW 35,000 + 1 Free Drink

Saturday the 11th ONLY (BUS Included) : KRW 50,000 + 1 Free DrinK

NOTE : Everyone that purchase a ticket MUST be at the park by 10 am to receive their tickets.

 

2) How to purchase the tickets

 

Bank Information :

Shinhan Bank : #110-380-498304

Bank Holder : 임경희(미디어파란) Lim Kyounghee (Media Paran)

 

Please make sure send the following information below to dk@mediaparan.com when you deposit into the account.

 

Name of sender

Time and date you deposited

What bank you deposited from

What day you would like to attend

If you purchase for round trip bus (SAT ONLY) then please send departure in the email

 

*Departures

 

Seoul : 7:30 am Noksapyeong station exit 2(Line 6.)

Osan : 8:00 am Songtan Shopping mall (In front of 7eleven)

All Buses depart back home at 9:00 pm.

Seoul arrival time : 10:30-11:00 pm

Osan arrival time : 10:30 pm

For being the 'Great' Korean Beer Fest, it was tiny...lol. It was still a good time at the park, but coming just for the beer def. wouldn't have been worth it. 5,000 Won/beer, only about 10ish stands. There were some unique flavors, but overall nothing spectacular.

Just a reminder, Summer Splash Season will start from June 16!

Prepare your water pistols and raincoats and get soaked!!

Cool the heat with Thunder Falls and Amazon Express and have fun!

Also, in end of July, Horror Maze 1 will be open.

Don't forget!!

Summer Splash Season is near! Are you Ready to Get Soaked??

I'm trying really hard not to clutter this thread but I thought this one should really be posted for future visitors:

Everland very recently got an online ticket site for foreigners, the main difference between buying here and not at the park is you get a free queue pass letting you skip the line for T Express or Lost Valley. Lost Valley has the biggest wait times of the park so you could always single rider T Express and use it for Lost Valley. The average wait time for T Express seems a little high on that website if i'm being honest, I haven't seen a line over an hour on weekends for T Express for a long time ever since they finally stopped splitting the rides in each area in half a year or 2 ago (so only 1 would run in morning then the other afternoon etc.) and more rides became available that way.

The other advantage is it gains you automatic entrance to the water park if you have a combo ticket or water park ticket. That sounds silly but from previous experience, the water park can hit capacity quite often in the summer and you have to wait it out in Everland until you can go in letting your more expensive water park ticket waste away (especially since most summers they run a promotion where your water park ticket will let you into Everland free anyway when you're done to help try and get people to spend money in the other park when the sun goes down)

http://eticket.placem.co.kr/order/index/en

Edit: Playing around with the site there are actually two more q pass options: Safari World and Amazon Express, although tickets are full price. I've seen other online sites with discounted tickets linked on the Everland website but some of them charge quite a lot for q passes $20 for just 1 ride!

I have yet to use Q-Pass and have not waited more than 70 minutes for T-Express and never waited more than 20 min for Lost Valley. Granted I havent been back since peak season started this week, but cant be that much more extreme can it?

Question though, have you been to Caribbean Bay this time of year while ita raining? How busy is it? We went to Lotte Gimhae this past Sunday and it wasnt that crowded, longest wait was 45 min for one of boomerang, aqua loops were walk on, and water coaster was only 25 min. Is Caribbean Bay extremely crowded or can we expect about the same on a rainy weekend day in July/Aug?

I have yet to use Q-Pass and have not waited more than 70 minutes for T-Express and never waited more than 20 min for Lost Valley. Granted I havent been back since peak season started this week, but cant be that much more extreme can it?

I think they overstated the average wait by about 30 minutes for both rides to be honest on that site based on my visits, I always tell people to go Sundays because it seems a lot more families go then as opposed to it seems younger couples and school trips on week days so the thrill rides tend to be busier on weekdays however, T Express always seems to hover from 40-70 on any rainless day. I remember way back during opening month, Lost Valley had almost 5 hour lines when it first opened and 2-3 hour lines for almost a year after that. These days I find people do dash to it in the mornings since it's the signature attraction (I even photographed that line in a TR) so it does get a busy line of around an hour on weekends (the only time I can visit) but if you hit it during lunch or when it's really hot people tend to avoid it since the animals just doze and we usually wait 15-30 mins even on a Sunday. I honestly find the old safari ride has a busier queue constantly but I think that's more due to capacity with the gates they have to go through than popularity.

Question though, have you been to Caribbean Bay this time of year while ita raining? How busy is it? We went to Lotte Gimhae this past Sunday and it wasnt that crowded, longest wait was 45 min for one of boomerang, aqua loops were walk on, and water coaster was only 25 min. Is Caribbean Bay extremely crowded or can we expect about the same on a rainy weekend day in July/Aug?

No, we went during a very late season on a free ticket day for Samsung accidentally and it was packed. I think the Caribbean Bay app will give you a good idea of wait times if you watch it for a few days but it's probably about the same as what you said. Last year when the Lotte park you were talking about wasn't fully open and Mega Storm was brand new the lines were up to 240 mins for Mega Storm and a knock-on effect for the other slides with multi hour waits but this year it's been similar to what you experienced in Gimhae. Walk on for aqua-loops and 20-40 for boomerang, big raft and master blasters and maybe 60 for Mega Storm. One thing is that the Korean waterparks tend to have very similar slides so keep that in mind.

Honestly both parks have been really quiet so far this year compared to previous years. There was so much hype in newspapers and online before the panda exhibit opened with a arrival ceremony at the airport and soft openings and then once it did fully open, the hype seemed to drop off quite quickly. There's a big queue area for the panda's area but so far apart from a public holiday or two I've never heard of them actually having to use it, it's always been walk in or a 1-2 preshow wait.

Since I'm already posting in this thread, minor update, Pride In Korea (the interactive exhibit and 4D film ) is no longer a reservation only attraction now it's in its 2nd year or operation. I didn't check out the replacement in the Hologram Theater since the kids character didn't interest me but I heard it's an upcharge now, as opposed to the old one) didn't look personally to confirm.

Not a photoshop, one of the pandas got an ice cake got his 4th birthday.

Source

Edit: and so did the other panda

Source and more pictures