Bryan Fish previously worked at Yas Waterworld, Abu Dhabi / waterworldoceanparkhk
Ocean Park’s Water World in Hong Kong opened to the public in September 2021 with 27 new indoor and outdoor attractions. Featuring five zones – Splendid Reef, Torrential River, Thrill Valley, Adventure Coast, and Hidden Village – the attraction is billed as: ‘Asia’s first and only year-round, all-weather seaside waterpark.’
The experiences range from extreme white-knuckle water slides, such as Cyclone Spins and Daredevil Drop, to the Adventure Coast, where visitors can relax in the seafront cabanas.
The park’s executive director, Bryan Fish, tells Attractions Management how the opening has gone, and what the park has planned for the coming months.
How have the opening months gone at Ocean Park Water World? During the pre-opening period, the park’s operation and preparation went much more smoothly than many of those I’d experienced before. That was really down to the hard work and support that our team put in; for that I’m really grateful.
Since the opening of Water World, it’s been really exciting for us to start seeing familiar faces again. People returning to the park for repeat visits is really inspiring for us. It shows that they enjoyed the facilities and were engaged. When I share the shuttle bus ride with the guests, I always hear them recapping their day. I also see people on the MTR checking on our website. This is very satisfying especially when someone looks back at their memories and recalls the exciting moments they experienced with their family in the park, it proves our effort paid off and motivates us to keep up the good work to make sure our guests enjoy every visit.
What makes this park so different? Well, there’s a lot, but I think the most significant ones are the design and location. I don’t think another park can compare with Water World’s beauty, from the moment you arrive to when you wander through and marvel at the design.
The design of Water World amazes me; It’s one of the main points that drove me to come to Hong Kong and work with the team.
Being located in such a wondrous natural area aa Tai Shue Wan makes you feel as though you’re in a secret oasis, yet it’s just minutes from one of the busiest cities in the world. Set among lush green mountains, the park is a wonderful vantage point from where you can take in all the splendours of the South China Sea.
If you look at other waterparks, especially those with indoor areas, they usually have an industrial look, whereas Water World buildings don’t have hard angles. They were designed to merge into the landscape, along the contours of the natural environment.
Another cool design element is that we have built unique conveyor systems for our attractions that require ride vehicles, even just transporting light mats at our signature Rainbow Rush. Conveying equipment from the endpoint back to the starting point means guests don’t need to collect or carry anything around the attractions.
Do you have a personal favourite part of the park? Vortex! is definitely my top ride. I like it not only because I’m an intense person, but also because it’s an exciting attraction that you can enjoy with other people. We get to see each other’s reactions and scream together while hurtling along the ride.
Because of the shape of the vehicle, we also have different experiences every time we ride, so it makes a great time for everyone.
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2021 issue 4
Editor's letter: Eco drivers
Therme Group and The Eden Project are going global, on an environmental mission says Magali Robathan
AM People: Julia Baird
On why her brother John Lennon would have loved the Strawberry Field attraction and the work it’s doing for the local community
AM People: Åsa Caap
The thrill of opening the Space Stockholm digital culture centre
Interview: David Harland & Sir Tim Smit
With projects underway around the world, the Eden Project is going global with its call to arms for the future of the planet
Museums: Getting creative
How the Young V&A will aim to provide children with the creative tools stripped out by the pandemic
Interview: Richard Land
Mixing waterslides with wellbeing, the Therme Group is creating a category all of its own while taking on the world, says the group’s chief development officer
Museums: Kunsthaus Zurich completes
A David Chipperfield extension has more than doubled the museum’s exhibition space, making Zurich a major destination for the arts
Interview: Julien Kauffmann
As Farah Experiences prepares to open SeaWorld Abu Dubai, its CEO talks COVID-19, branding and branching with David Camp
Research: Making pre-booking work
Attractions are benefiting from the switch to pre-booking, but must cater for spontaneous, disorganised visitors too, says Jon Young
Research: All creatures great and small
Zoo enrichment and research can’t just be focused on the large animals most popular with visitors, argues Dr Paul Rose. All must be represented
Research: Popularity game
Research on zoo animals focuses more on ‘familiar’ species such as gorillas and chimpanzees, rather than less well known ones such as the waxy monkey frog, scientists say
Analysis: Light in the dark
A successful winter light show can see margins upwards of 30 per cent. Kathleen LaClair and
Yael Coifman look at some of the operators getting it right
Museums: Munch Museum opens in Norway
The iconic new attraction has opened on Oslo’s waterfront with the world’s largest collection of works by Edvard Munch
Mystery Shopper: Galleries & Gourds
It has transformed the sleepy town of Bruton, UK, but does Hauser & Wirth Somerset live up to the hype? Magali Robathan mystery shops to find out
Bryan Fish previously worked at Yas Waterworld, Abu Dhabi / waterworldoceanparkhk
Ocean Park’s Water World in Hong Kong opened to the public in September 2021 with 27 new indoor and outdoor attractions. Featuring five zones – Splendid Reef, Torrential River, Thrill Valley, Adventure Coast, and Hidden Village – the attraction is billed as: ‘Asia’s first and only year-round, all-weather seaside waterpark.’
The experiences range from extreme white-knuckle water slides, such as Cyclone Spins and Daredevil Drop, to the Adventure Coast, where visitors can relax in the seafront cabanas.
The park’s executive director, Bryan Fish, tells Attractions Management how the opening has gone, and what the park has planned for the coming months.
How have the opening months gone at Ocean Park Water World? During the pre-opening period, the park’s operation and preparation went much more smoothly than many of those I’d experienced before. That was really down to the hard work and support that our team put in; for that I’m really grateful.
Since the opening of Water World, it’s been really exciting for us to start seeing familiar faces again. People returning to the park for repeat visits is really inspiring for us. It shows that they enjoyed the facilities and were engaged. When I share the shuttle bus ride with the guests, I always hear them recapping their day. I also see people on the MTR checking on our website. This is very satisfying especially when someone looks back at their memories and recalls the exciting moments they experienced with their family in the park, it proves our effort paid off and motivates us to keep up the good work to make sure our guests enjoy every visit.
What makes this park so different? Well, there’s a lot, but I think the most significant ones are the design and location. I don’t think another park can compare with Water World’s beauty, from the moment you arrive to when you wander through and marvel at the design.
The design of Water World amazes me; It’s one of the main points that drove me to come to Hong Kong and work with the team.
Being located in such a wondrous natural area aa Tai Shue Wan makes you feel as though you’re in a secret oasis, yet it’s just minutes from one of the busiest cities in the world. Set among lush green mountains, the park is a wonderful vantage point from where you can take in all the splendours of the South China Sea.
If you look at other waterparks, especially those with indoor areas, they usually have an industrial look, whereas Water World buildings don’t have hard angles. They were designed to merge into the landscape, along the contours of the natural environment.
Another cool design element is that we have built unique conveyor systems for our attractions that require ride vehicles, even just transporting light mats at our signature Rainbow Rush. Conveying equipment from the endpoint back to the starting point means guests don’t need to collect or carry anything around the attractions.
Do you have a personal favourite part of the park? Vortex! is definitely my top ride. I like it not only because I’m an intense person, but also because it’s an exciting attraction that you can enjoy with other people. We get to see each other’s reactions and scream together while hurtling along the ride.
Because of the shape of the vehicle, we also have different experiences every time we ride, so it makes a great time for everyone.
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2021 issue 4
Editor's letter: Eco drivers
Therme Group and The Eden Project are going global, on an environmental mission says Magali Robathan
AM People: Julia Baird
On why her brother John Lennon would have loved the Strawberry Field attraction and the work it’s doing for the local community
AM People: Åsa Caap
The thrill of opening the Space Stockholm digital culture centre
Interview: David Harland & Sir Tim Smit
With projects underway around the world, the Eden Project is going global with its call to arms for the future of the planet
Museums: Getting creative
How the Young V&A will aim to provide children with the creative tools stripped out by the pandemic
Interview: Richard Land
Mixing waterslides with wellbeing, the Therme Group is creating a category all of its own while taking on the world, says the group’s chief development officer
Museums: Kunsthaus Zurich completes
A David Chipperfield extension has more than doubled the museum’s exhibition space, making Zurich a major destination for the arts
Interview: Julien Kauffmann
As Farah Experiences prepares to open SeaWorld Abu Dubai, its CEO talks COVID-19, branding and branching with David Camp
Research: Making pre-booking work
Attractions are benefiting from the switch to pre-booking, but must cater for spontaneous, disorganised visitors too, says Jon Young
Research: All creatures great and small
Zoo enrichment and research can’t just be focused on the large animals most popular with visitors, argues Dr Paul Rose. All must be represented
Research: Popularity game
Research on zoo animals focuses more on ‘familiar’ species such as gorillas and chimpanzees, rather than less well known ones such as the waxy monkey frog, scientists say
Analysis: Light in the dark
A successful winter light show can see margins upwards of 30 per cent. Kathleen LaClair and
Yael Coifman look at some of the operators getting it right
Museums: Munch Museum opens in Norway
The iconic new attraction has opened on Oslo’s waterfront with the world’s largest collection of works by Edvard Munch
Mystery Shopper: Galleries & Gourds
It has transformed the sleepy town of Bruton, UK, but does Hauser & Wirth Somerset live up to the hype? Magali Robathan mystery shops to find out
The Montana Historical Society has officially celebrated the opening of its new Montana
Heritage
Center, a US$107 million (£79 million, €92 million) destination that combines immersive
storytelling with cutting-edge audiovisual technology to bring the sta
San Antonio Zoo has reported a US$283 million economic impact for 2025, following a decade-
long transformation programme that has seen almost US$200 million invested into the Texas
attraction.
Plans for the AU$180 million redevelopment of Reef HQ Aquarium in Townsville, Australia, are
progressing, with the project set to transform the attraction into a global centre for reef
education and conservation.
Abu Dhabi-based investment firm Mubadala Capital has made a binding, fully financed
€1 billion
offer to acquire Pierre and Vacances SA, the European holiday resort operator behind the
continental European Center Parcs business.
Disney has reaffirmed its commitment to investing US$30 billion in its US parks and cruise
business by 2033, using new America250 celebrations to underline the role its attractions play
in supporting jobs, tourism and economic growth.
Expo 2030 Riyadh is being planned as a permanent visitor destination, with organisers
confirming the six-million-square-metre site will become a Global Village after the event closes.
The owner of one of Australia's best-known waterparks has acquired a major competitor,
creating a new attractions business spanning two of the country's largest visitor destinations.
The Toverland theme park in the Netherlands has announced a €98m expansion programme
that will add a resort, new attractions and staff facilities as it pursues plans to become a multi-
day destination.
Hotel de France, located on the British Isle of Jersey, has created a wellness retreat package
that includes a hot yoga session that will take place in Jersey Zoo’s butterfly sanctuary.
A new immersive attraction designed to transport visitors into the final hours of ancient Pompeii
is preparing to open near the world-famous archaeological site in southern Italy.
+ More news
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