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OCT East

Theme Park Guy Rating: 3.53.53.53.5
Date Visited:
July 18, 2011

Review

This is China’s Walt Disney World, or more precisely 'Overseas Chinese Town (OCT)'s adaptation of it. OCT is the 1985-founded Chinese conglomerate that set up the ‘Happy Valley’ theme parks in Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai and Shenzhen.

Spread over a vast area of 9 km2 and stretching all the way from the coast to high up in the mountains, there are some truly astounding components to this factory smog infested wonderland.

The cashier will ask you if you want to visit both parks, ‘Knight Valley’ and ‘Tea Valley’, or just one of them. ‘Tea Valley’ is not a theme park, but merely a calm and beautiful botanic garden carved into the mountains, together with a fake Swiss town equipped with London phone booths and romantic lakeside restaurants serving chicken feet.

‘Knight Valley’ is the one with all the rides. The newly-opened wooden coaster from Pennsylvania-based ‘Great Coasters International’ is fantastic, as is the extensive funicular railway that brings you up to the vista point with its thrill rides, and if you choose, all the way up to ‘Tea Valley’. The water fall flume ride was closed on all three days I was there – OCT East shuts down 80% of the park when it’s raining.

Less amazing attractions include the Stunt Show, which is a bad copy of Universal’s Waterworld, and ‘4000 Miles to Earth Center’, which is a shameless mix of Universal’s 'Spiderman' ride (ride vehicles) and Disney’s 'Journey to the Center of the Earth' (setting).

Nevertheless, I must say that OCT East impressed me. I was expecting much less.


Shenzhen on a clear day Shenzhen on a clear day

Artifical waterfalls at the entrance of OCT East Artifical waterfalls at the entrance of OCT East

The park's newest addition: a wooden roller coaster The park's newest addition: a wooden roller coaster

Posing locals Posing locals

Pennsylvanian-made coaster Pennsylvanian-made coaster

It's a great ride! It's a great ride!

Maybe not for everybody Maybe not for everybody

My personal highlight was the funicular My personal highlight was the funicular

Massive funicular railway racing upwards through the jungle Massive funicular railway racing upwards through the jungle

At the mountain station At the mountain station

The park's highlands The park's highlands

Spectactular rides on the mountain ridge Spectactular rides on the mountain ridge

Wild and smoggy Wild and smoggy

Walk over the cliff... Walk over the cliff...

...and enjoy the 'view' ...and enjoy the 'view'

After lots of anti-smog photoshopping: OCT East from above After lots of anti-smog photoshopping: OCT East from above

Cable car Cable car

More rides More rides

Bobsled ride Bobsled ride

Accelerated start Accelerated start

Water-based ride Water-based ride

Lifthill Lifthill

Huge splash Huge splash

Splashing through the waterfall - great idea! Splashing through the waterfall - great idea!

The ride was closed on all the days I visited The ride was closed on all the days I visited

That looks like a Disney rip-off That looks like a Disney rip-off

And it is: '4000 Miles to Earth Center' And it is: '4000 Miles to Earth Center'

A bad mixture of Universal's Spiderman and Disney's Journey to the Center of the Earth A bad mixture of Universal's Spiderman and Disney's Journey to the Center of the Earth

Classic installations Classic installations

Mediocre stunt show Mediocre stunt show