Can you handle China’s 7 craziest theme parks?
Chinese theme parks are…different. In addition to the Chinese equivalent of Six Flags and Shanghai Disney, there are some unusual smaller parks that break all the rules. Of course, to those outside Western culture, a park inspired by a country singer or Charles Dickens might seem unusual too. That said, these parks are particularly unusual to Westerners—and they might even be too weird to handle.
1. China Dinosaurs Park, AKA Jurassic East
If we call this park weird, it might be out of jealousy. China Dinosaurs Park lets visitors explore the world of dinosaurs with models, themed rides, and general Jurassic-period fun. According to a handy guide, the park is divided into areas including “Lubara, Happy Street, Rain Forest Adventure, China Dinosaur Museum and Funny Dinosaur Town.” Animal shows are scattered in at random, as well as military-inspired stage shows.
2. World Chocolate Wonderland: Where Willy Wonka is real
Yes, there is a theme park that will make all your chocolate dreams come true. World Chocolate Wonderland has chocolate replicas of the Great Wall of China, the Terracotta army, and even a few chocolate waterfalls. Half art exhibit, half theme park, it also has a chocolate car.
3. See the world: China’s elaborate replicas of everything
Want to see Mount Rushmore? Don’t bother going to South Dakota: you can enjoy a replica in China.
The desire to see the world isn’t that unusual, but it is unique that China has at least three theme parks themed around the concept.
Visitors can go global at Window Of The World, Beijing World Park, or Grand World Scenic Park. In addition to elaborate United States replicas (that occasionally include the World Trade Center), the parks also have tributes to the Mayans, a common theme in many Chinese parks. If your curiosity isn’t sated, you can look at more great pictures of Window Of The World (and see some of the ubiquitous theft of Disney’s intellectual property).
4. It’s what it sounds like: Kingdom Of The Little People
Perhaps nowhere are East/West differences more clear than at Kingdom of the Little People. The comic performances at the park are centered around people with dwarfism, including mock-Swan Lake shows and other fairy tales. The park has been criticized by the Little People of America. Of course, the fact that the park exists at all shows that Easterners and Westerners may treat dwarves differently (that forms the humanitarian argument for the park’s continued existence).
5. Minsk World lets you play on an aircraft carrier
Minsk World lets visitors explore a sunk Soviet aircraft carrier, see old planes, and tour all four decks. The park is popular, pulling in five million visitors a year.
It’s closer to a museum than a theme park, but there are some theme park aspects to the attraction. For one, aircraft carriers are gigantic, and Minsk World adds a substantial land exhibit. Visitors can also take part in the fun by playing with military weapons and watching Russian reenactments, shows, and musical performances.
6. World Joyland: Ripping off Starcraft, World Of Warcraft, and more
Like World of Warcraft and Starcraft? World Joyland is for you—even though game creator Blizzard doesn’t have anything to do with it.
The giant $48 million theme park borrows characters and imagery from the Craft games for its Terrain of Magic and Universe of Starship sections. It’s entirely unlicensed and deeply gratifying to nerds. The intellectual property theft ranges from blatant to allusive (some characters are ripped from the games while others are merely inspired). That’s just the beginning of the IP theft, however. Other sections include a Disney rip-off, Spiderman copies, and even fake Dr. Seuss attractions. A vivid walkthrough of World Joyland makes it clear that even though the park steals its IP, it’s an original way to combine video games and real life.
7. Angry Birds becomes a full theme park
Before Finland and the UK got Angry Birds parks, China opened theirs. After a few unlicensed attempts, a Rovio-approved park opened in 2013. According to Rovio, activities include “racing to the finish line in pedal cars, climbing to the top of pig-built structures, and leaping from tall heights.”
