 | The article's lead section may need to be rewritten. The reason given is: it does not adequately summarise the body and focuses too much on recent history. (July 2024) |
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 Main entrance in 2018
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| Location | Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 22°14′45.1″N 114°10′33.3″E / 22.245861°N 114.175917°E |
| Status | Operating |
| Opened | 10 January 1977[1] |
| Owner | Ocean Park Corporation |
| Theme | education, conservation, entertainment |
| Slogan | Connect people with nature |
| Attendance | 2.4 million (2022–2023) |
| Area | 91.5 hectares (226 acres) |
| Attractions | |
| Total | 59 |
| Roller coasters | 2 |
| Water rides | 1 |
| Website | www |
| Ocean Park Hong Kong | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional Chinese | 香港海洋公園 | ||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 香港海洋公园 | ||||||||||||||||
| Cantonese Yale | Hēunggóng Hóiyèung Gūngyún | ||||||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | Hong Kong Ocean Park | ||||||||||||||||
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Ocean Park Hong Kong, commonly known simply as Ocean Park, is an animal theme park in Hong Kong. Covering an area of 91.5 hectares (226 acres) in Wong Chuk Hang, it is the largest theme park by area in Hong Kong, and is also the city's second oldest theme park, after the now-defunct Lai Chi Kok Amusement Park.
Opened on 10 January 1977, Ocean Park became popular, but 28 years later, it was unprofitable and widely expected to close due to the new Hong Kong Disneyland.[2][3][4] However, the park responded with a HK$5.5 billion development plan that saw it expand to over 80 attractions and rides, and steadily grow visitor numbers to 7.6 million in 2014, making it the world's 13th most visited theme park, and one of the largest theme parks in Asia.[5][6]
The park is separated by a large mountain into two areas, the Waterfront and the Summit, which are connected by a cable car system and a funicular. The Summit, which consists of several hills, has an outdoor escalator that was previously the world's longest. The theme park has various attractions and rides, including four roller coasters,[needs update] and also animal exhibits with different themes, such as a giant panda habitat, rainforest, and polar displays, as well as an aquarium featuring the world's largest aquarium dome. Between 1979 and 1997, Ocean Park was most famous for its signature orca, Hoi Wai. The park has housed giant pandas since 1999 and was previously home to the world's oldest male and female giant pandas.
As well as being an amusement park, Ocean Park Hong Kong aims to merge entertainment and education, including conservation advocacy. However, it has been criticised by wildlife advocates for practices including the wild capture of large sea animals, such as dolphins and orcas, and the presentation of shows featuring such animals performing.[7][8]
Ocean Park is also known for holding the Halloween Bash, the largest Halloween event in Asia.[9][10]
- ^ "General Facts". oceanpark.com.hk. 29 October 2015. Archived from the original on 2 August 2009.
- ^ Allan Zeman: Hong Kong's Mouse Killer Archived 11 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine, Forbes, 13 February 2007
- ^ Catching the Wave at Ocean Park Archived 22 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine, Citi International Case Competition 2008
- ^ Varsity survey shows Ocean Park Challenged Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine, Periscope, Joyce Lam, Chinese University of Hong Kong
- ^ "TEA/AECOM 2014 Global Attractions Attendance Report Report" (PDF). Themed Entertainment Association. 2015. Retrieved 4 June 2015.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Ocean Park press release Archived 10 January 2016 at the Wayback Machine, 3 December 2014
- ^ Karacs, Sarah (27 June 2015). "'Empty the tanks': Hong Kong's Ocean Park at centre of activists' battle to stop dolphin captivity". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 10 January 2016.
- ^ Wild or captivity? Archived 28 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine, HK Dolphin Watch
- ^ "海洋公園哈囉喂全日祭2016正式啟動！ 海洋公園呈獻亞洲最大型萬聖節慶典 推出嶄新、互動、滿載既驚喜又驚嚇之景點及節目". Ocean Park Hong Kong. 15 September 2016. Archived from the original on 12 September 2017.
- ^ Mander, Michael. "Ocean Park Halloween Fest line-up revealed | blooloop". blooloop. Archived from the original on 12 September 2017.