Date of submission: 13th March 2006
The changing of Ocean Park
With 28 years of history, Ocean Park has been undergoing a lot of changes physically and psychologically. After observation in Ocean Park and interview with friends, we will focus on describing the changes in six aspects including attractions, special events and visitors’ involvement.
Attractions
On 12th March 2006, some attractions like “Conservation Square”, “Ocean Park Grand Prix” and “Ocean Theatre” were closed for renovation.
According to the official website of Ocean Park, it shows “Timelines for New Attraction” which is from 1994 to 2001. In 1994, Ocean Park had a new attraction called “Dinosaur – Now and Then”. In 1996, “Whiskers’ Wild Ride” was opened. In 1997, “Flying Swing” and “Amazing Amazon” were ready to serve the visitors. In 1999, An An and Jia Jia, two Giant pandas were a special gift from the Central Government to the Hong Kong S.A.R., came and lived in “The Hong Kong Jockey Club Giant Panda Habitat”. In 2000, a new roller coaster “Mine Train” was opened to serve people excitement. In 2001, visitors could enjoy the educational and conservational aspects of Ocean Park – “Pacific Pier” and the entertaining and breathtaking aspects – “The Abyss Turbo Drop”. In 2002, “Raging River” was re-themed and a new Ocean Park movie was broadcasted in “Whiskers’ Wild Ride”.
According to information from friends, the must-remember-but-no-longer-here attraction is “Water Park”. “Water Park” was closed on 3rd October 1999. There are news reported that the former location would be used for “Marine Spectacle” and the construction would be completed in the mid of 2002 . However, the original site is abandoned now. “Ocean Park Square” and McDonald’s Restaurant are on it right- and left-hand sides respectively.
Although I have never been to “Water Park” before it closed, one of my friends said the “Rainbow slides” was thrilling and breathless as well as the news reported . According to the news about the closure of “Water Park”, the comments of people reported were mainly positive. For example, Mr. Lam one of the Hong Kong citizens who had been to “Water Park”, said it was a regrettable thing because Hong Kong would have lessen a place like that .
In the annual financial report 2004-05, an event called Ocean Park Redevelopment Master Plan was held on 18th March 2005. It claimed that “Ocean Park will be transformed into the world’s leading marine-based theme park, doubling the number of attractions by 2010. Offering two major areas – The waterfront and the Summit – as well as seven themed zone – Aqua City, Birds of Paradise, Whiskers Harbor, Marine World, The Rainforest, Thrill Mountain and Polar Adventure, the Park will become a must-see must-visit destination that will further strengthen Hong Kong’s position as a premier tourist destination.” (XXX, p.58)
Special events
According to the Ocean Park’s annual financial report of 2004-05, there were quite a number of events held in the Park. For example, Big Splash Summer, Ocean Park Halloween Bash 2004, Ocean Park Christmas Sensation, Ocean Park Pandas and Friends Fun Fest 2005 and so on. In addition to the entertainment, some events had its educational and social value. For instant, Big Splash Summer – Raising Funds for Children in Need, Physics in Motion – A new Educational Program, Ocean Park Academy offers educational programs, International Day for Disabled Persons, Ocean Park Conservation Day and etc.
Changes in visitors’ involvement:
Before visiting to the Ocean Park this time, we have a basic knowledge that it is a mixing of entertainment, education and conservation facilities which we haven’t noticed it in the past. Therefore, this time for the visit, we would like to pay attention on its conservation facilities and education activities.
Ocean Park is a mixture of entertainment and education, we did agree with them. From different shows to exhibition places, this is interesting to notice that they are educational besides entertaining which we neglected it in the past.
There are many shows and narrations in all the attraction points. In Marine Land, for example, when you go to visit the Pacific Pier, 20 sea lions and seals live there. And there are narrations by the trainers regularly each day for visitors. In each narration, they tell you the biography of marines’ life, the body structure and their life. It’s a kind of direct teaching. Also, there are sea lions feeding sessions, visitors can get touch with the marines’ life to understand more.
Far away from the Pacific Pier, there is another show which can bring you more ideas on the sea lions’ life. In Whiskers Theatre, you can meet sea lions on the stage. It is called a “day in the life”, which to show you the preparation for their shows and tell you the biography of marines’ life through entertainment and in a funny way to make you pay attention on.
Beside these kinds of shows, we were seldom visit some features exhibition places and stay for a long time, we just played the headland rides crazily. Even though we had visited, we just had a quick look. You would not discover that there are many introduction and information about the marines’ life. In Atoll Reef, we went into the deep sea, there are 2000 fishes from 250 species and in Shark Aquarium, and there are 70 sharks from 35 species. In the past, we just had a quick look on these marines’ life just like many visitors there that day. But when you observe carefully, you can see there are many descriptions about each marine’s life, there are boards to show you like teaching you bioscience. It doesn’t only provides you visual enjoyment, but also educational. However, I will think how many people really pay attention on?
Away from the Marine land, we went to Lowland Garden where An An and Jia Jia, the Giant Pandas live there and you can also find the extinct animals, dinosaurs. Though real dinosaurs cannot be found in the Dinosaurs Now and Then, by presenting to you their life in the past and the reason of extinction, also by showing you some others Chinese alligator and giant salamander in Yangtze River of China, it tells you the importance of preserving the natural environment.
An An and Jia Jia has moved from China in 1999 and live in the Giant Pandas Habitat. Most of the people were just appreciating the cuteness of the Giant Pandas, but I guess only few of them know there is a “Panda Conservation Centre” which supporting the research projects and public awareness of wildlife conservation in Asia by donate some entrance fees and souvenirs’ profits.
Moreover, it is interesting to find that when we were waiting to enter the 3D world in Amazing Amazon, there is a carved sculpture outside the entrance, at first we just thought it is just a decoration; however, it speaks when you press on the button. It tells you the facts of Amazon Basin and to protect the natural environment. It sounds marvelous.
Visiting Ocean Park this time makes us thinking more, when we buy the toy panda happily, how much do we know the profits go to under the scheme? Or do we just self-satisfied? When we are just appreciating the cuteness of pandas and marines’ life, how much do we know about them? Knowing that pandas are endangering, dinosaurs were already extinct, and how well we know about the reasons and act on this?
It is true that Ocean Park is not only for entertainment, more likely, it is an educational institution for preserving the marines’ life and educating people through entertainment. We did change our perspectives of Ocean Park.
Observation of visitors:
I remember when I was a kid, my parents took me to the Ocean Park once. Though I was little, I still recalled that there were many foreigners visiting in it. Many years later, I visited there again, it was totally different. Place remains, but faces changed. Nowadays, you can see many familiar faces since there were many mainland visitors, most of them were joining the local tours, since I could see many travel flags and the identity representation stickers in their shirts.
Thousands of visitors including us were in everywhere from Marine Land to Giant Panda Habitat, it was crowded because of weekend. You had to line up for a long time to play the Headland rides, you could not stay long when you visited the exhibition places, and people could only get a superficial understanding through quick and casual observation, may be they were willing to. We had an experiences when we were in the Atoll Reef, mainland visitors were prefer to walk quickly, they were just having a quick look and left, they did not read the description of the fishes. Whereas, some oversea visitors, few in numbers, they chose to stay in a place for a long time, concentrated on watching the movement and the species of the fishes.
Moreover, by observing most of the visitors were not young. There were only 30% of teenagers, 20% were kids and the others were adults and parents. Most of the teenagers were in the Headland rides, kids and parents were in the kid’s world and not many teenagers visited the exhibition places and watched the shows.
Appendix:
Panda Conservation Centre
It is under the scheme of Ocean Park Conservation Foundation, Hong Kong which was established by the Hong Kong Society fort Panda Conservation and the Ocean Park Conservation Foundation.
Their vision aim to advocate, facilitate and take part in the conservation of wildlife and habitats in Asia through education and research projects. In order to ensure the sustainability of wildlife and biodiversity, they do a lot on this.
Ocean Park has contributed administrative and financial support to HKSPC when the two pandas were bestowed by China Government in 1999.
Reference: Ocean Park Conservation Foundation, Hong Kong http://www.opcf.org.hk/eng/about.asp
1.Original text：“海洋公園已向港府借款五億元，將三萬平方米地皮改建成為主題公園‘海洋奇觀’，並預計於二零零二年中完工。” （明報，1999-10-03，港聞A03 ）
2. “Rainbow slides” （五彩天梯）
3. Original text：“全場最高﹐兼且緊張刺激度最高水上設施就係呢條五彩天梯。自從佢開放以來，一直都深受愛好高速同刺激人士歡迎。由梯頂滑落梯腳﹐快到唔駛兩秒。” （新報， 1999-08-07，新焦點C13）
4.Original text：“不少曾經到過水上樂園的市民，昨日亦珍惜這次僅餘可供日後回味的機會。林先生更形容：「香港少呢個地方，係好可惜事！」” （蘋果日報，1999-10-04，本港新聞A11）
Sorry for my late comment.
You may be right that mainland and local visitors ignore or neglect the education things of the park. But you'd better focus on how various institutions shape their experience. For example, how the tourist agency organize the trip. It's related to how they shape the "tourist gaze". This is a very important topic in cultural studies and tourism studies. I suggest you read John Urry's book or article (The Tourist Gaze).
Regarding representation, you may study the TV commercial and news coverage about the theme park. Are they already shifting to "pure" entertainment and getting rid of educational thing.
Grade: B+