Hong Kong - Ocean Park

Ocean Park. One of the largest amusement parks I have seen - apart from Disney World, of course. We did go to Disney World Hong Kong our first day here, but I forgot my camera, so you are spared the photos of what you already know! Disney World, or Land, on a smaller, very manageable scale. We had a great day and Paige even went on Space Mountain with me. It was so scaled down, though, that it spun around a little too quickly to make it down the mountain. Prefer the original!

The girls and I took a day to Ocean Park while Ridley stayed back to work. Ocean Park, as you would imagine, is on the ocean, and is on a mountain top as well at the base. You can come and go from either area. We were given the tip by our concierge to begin at the top and make our way down, as most people start at the bottom. We got there right when they opened and did avoid many lines.Flamingoes, not getting enough shrimp! They weren't pink enough!
Dragon dance. Everywhere this time of year.
Some festive merry making.
Even though we started at the top, we had to go up yet further to get to the first rides. Another famous HK escalator up the mountain to save our precious energy for the rides.
The first escalator stop brought us these incredible views. I begged the girls to go on this roller coaster with me, but they did not budge. Not their cup of tea.
Our first ride was a log ride called Raging Rivers. We laughed so hard and got soaked! A silly way to start a cold day! Next we were lucky enough to get into the dolphin show. (I heard so many people say they couldn't make it in because it sold out every show - 40 minutes in advance). It was the first show of the day. We sat there 1/2 hour ahead of the start and got to look at the incredible view and decide which ride would be our next. The girls opted out of the roller coaster, but Storey really wanted to go on the Eagle, which is the tall ride in front of the taller drop. More of that later. As we sat there we were entertained by a Brazilian band dressed in Chinese garb playing English songs. Quite the international spectacle!
Another dragon dance!

The dolphin show was wonderful and full of amazing tricks. I could never capture the height these amazing creatures made it to, but you get the idea.
The Sea Jelly Spectacular was next. Great reviews to see this place, so we waited in an ever growing line for about 1/2 hour to walk through an aquarium space with every kind of imaginable sea jelly under every imaginable kind of light. It was spectacular.
An awful lunch that we couldn't eat, and then down to the real action packed area where we saw hotdogs, hamburgers, KFC available. The lines for the food were unbelievably long, though. It was like a carnival area with all sorts of games to play: toss the ring; throw the bean bag; basketball; toss the coin. I think Storey used up half of her money from Grandma Lu playing every game she could find! They were having a ball. The park was beginning to be intolerable.

Storey really wanted to do this ride. I thought it was something I could handle. Paige backed out and was contented to take photos - about 50 - of me and Storey on the ride. The line was only about 15 minutes long before it was our turn to board the pirate ship.

I was handling the ride pretty well until it kept going! It wouldn't stop. I had to look out to the ocean and the horizon to keep it together, but I kept fantasizing that the ride was broken and they would never be able to stop it!
We made it off and Storey was ready to go back on!
Me, a little less so!
Storey checking out the next ride she wanted to go on. The Eagle.
Small cars spinning on their own arm as the entire arm spins and moves up the pole.
Dismounting.
Storey is now our official advenure/thrill seeker. She was willing to go even on her own. Her eye was on the drop ride, but I was still recovering from the pirate ship, and Paige is not the thrill ride seeker. She did not want to go on this one alone, so we moved on.
Happy thrill seeker.
We made our way through the crowded lanes to find the cable car down. The line was only about 20 minutes long compared to the hour wait at the bottom to go to the top.
It was about a 20 minute ride across hills and down the mountain. It was beautiful.

Madagascar 2 ended up being the hokeyist walk through exhibit. Very funny.
We were nearing the end of the day. Getting late and dark, but the bungee jumping was a must. Both girls got quite a bit of height.



A few more carnival games for Storey, winning some more stuffed animals, and we were off. Another day in HK!