The main reason for choosing the Park Inn by Radisson Beijing is bcos we wanted to go Universal Studio the next day and the hotel is near to the Park. Choosing which day to go to the Park is an art. It would be crazily crowded from Friday to Sunday and also increasingly crowded as we near Christmas and New Year. Thus, we opted to go to the Park the next day we arrived, even if it meant that we would be tired.
I had been contemplating getting the set of 3 express passes given how crowded these Parks usually are but was told by the same contact B (who arranged the car for us) that it is winter, off peak period and express passes are not needed. There are private services of 小管家 at RMB150 per pax, who would guide us in the Park, bringing us via the shortest route and planned the day for us, ensuring that we spend the least time queuing. I didn’t pay for that service too after checking 小红书 again and again, to see prediction that it wouldn’t be too crowded. Now, I wondered if I can trust what the contact had advised. Zzzz.
In the morning, B finally replied to my WeChat. He said that the driver “was” there, holding a placard with my name. I don’t know how the 4 of us would “miss” the card. B said that the driver left at 2am and sent me screenshot of the driver and my name card taken at 2am. Well, it proved that he was there at 2am but not when we exited the gate at 12ish. At least B apologised for falling asleep and not responding to our calls/ wechats.
The hotel provides free shuttle service at 8am, 8.40am and 9.20am. The park opens from 9.30am to 7.30pm. We opted for the 8.30am shuttle and planned to wake up at 7am.
Did we wake up on time? Yes! Even though we were very tired. The hotel room came with 2 free bfast and we had to pay RMB67 for additional pax. Just nice, Nana was too tired and asked to skip bfast for another 30 mins of sleep. Look at how blur Zaky looked. Lol.
The bfast spread is decent and the food looks good but actually looked better than it tasted.
When we went back to the room, Nana was still sleeping. We were rushing to dress up - I had the foresight to put out the heat tech and winter gears for the different people in respective pile, so that nobody keep calling for me.
We were on time for the bus and it was full of park goers like us. The bus ride took about 20 mins. On the way, the tour guide gave very good advices on which ride to try, which one to go 1st, etc. She said that it would be a 30k steps’ day. I thought she was joking. She also shared that they provide the 小管家 service at RMB220 per pax. I was tempted but decided that we would risk it and save some money.
The bus dropped us at the carpark and it was a long way to the park entrance.
The must take picture at the globe. The tour guide reminded us not to spend too much time taking pictures bcos queue would have formed at the entrance. We took her advice and had 1 picture. Hoho.
Ok, go, go!
December is considered as the off peak period. During the peak months, people would queue at least 1 hour before the park opens. There was already a big Q when we arrived at 9am. While it was cold, the thousands of people huddling together did help to retain some warmth.
While waiting for the gate to be opened, we discussed about the “strategy”. The original plan was to attack the Harry Porter ride 1st. Then we realised that the ride already has a 35 mins waiting time, probably from those who had early park access. We changed our strategy and decided to head to Transformer land for the rollercoaster.
The park opened right on time. Gaining entry into the park was very efficient. We simply followed the crowded, that was then split into smaller groups by barricades that winds this and that. At one point, I told Daddy Lim that I felt like a cow to the slaughter house. Our entry tickets are tagged to our passport. In China, we have to bring our passports everywhere. I was worried that maybe I had keyed the passport no wrongly when buying tickets or whatever that can screw up. Nothing of such happened. Yay! Into the park!
We ran and we jogged and we did fast walking, all bcos we wanted to be the 1st to reach the ride. It was damn tiring and breathless to do this in the cold morning. It paid off. We were the among the 1sts to take the ride. Daddy Lim wasn’t keen on a loopy loop roller coaster and was our bag man. He said that he would wait for us in the toilet and we were done the moment he had just.finished with his toilet.
The ride was so good. It is like the human/ cylon ride back home.
Our 2nd ride was the Transformer 3D show. It is exactly what we have back home and the ride was glitched midway. We were offered a re-ride but skipped bcos we had enough Transformer rides in Singapore.
We then headed over to the Kungfu Panda zone. Along the way, Nana, who skipped bfast, had a chicken leg. It was gone so quickly that I didn’t even have a picture.
Kungfu panda zone was totally indoor and a perfect hideout from the cold.
We took a boat ride that is similar to the Madagascar ride and then some kiddish flying parachute ride. It is ok, bcos there was almost no wait to both rides.
Next, it was to Harry Potter, despite the ride being 70 mins long. We were there to do sightseeing bcos the castle was beckoning us from afar. Butter beer, we must have. It was very sweet and good for sharing. The tour guide was telling us that for people who only wanted pictures, there will be plenty of “leftover cups” at the rubbish bin for poisoning. Lol.
I actually borrowed a “ward” from my colleague, who said that there are something interactive to do with the ward. The ward came with us to Beijing and then to Universal Studio but we didn’t find a use for it, other than to pose for pictures with it, like many other hundreds who were doing so. Lol. We got the Elderward some more ok.
The tummies were starting to rimble. We went back to Transformer land for chicken burger and beef skewers. The combi is so weird.
Yum, yum, chump, chomp.
Mummy Lim
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