2022 Spring Festival – A Day at the Smurf Village – Enjoyed Despite the Crowds

Duration: 1 day Time: January Cost per person: 150 yuan With whom: Parent-child Method of travel: Se[...]

Duration: 1 day
Time: January
Cost per person: 150 yuan
With whom: Parent-child
Method of travel: Self-guided tour
Published on 2023-08-22 at 21:46.

On the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, I took my child to the Smurf Village. We purchased a parent-child ticket. It turned out to be a wise decision not to buy a combined ticket with the Deep Pit attraction as we couldn’t be sure if we’d have time for both places. Spending a whole day enjoying the Smurf Village was quite pleasant; otherwise, we would have had to rush to the Deep Pit in the afternoon (via the round-trip mini train). Initially, I thought the visitor flow during the Spring Festival would be a few hundred at most, assuming it wouldn’t be too crowded. I was wrong again. Each popular attraction had at least 50 people, both adults and children, waiting in line, and the entire park had between 700 to 800 visitors. Therefore, during holidays, don’t underestimate the popularity of such places. Of course, crowds aren’t entirely a bad thing. Imagine visiting on a weekday when it’s desolate with few people around; businesses would struggle, and the dining options would be limited. It’s not fun to have an entire ride to yourself, and it’s quite eerie to go through the mine train into the dark, subterranean world alone. I’ve been to Jinjiang Amusement Park and Happy Valley during off-peak times, where some rides were even closed due to lack of visitors, making the experience less lively and rather lonely.

I believe there’s no need to compare the Smurf Village with Disney.Visiting Children’s Amusement Parks: A Day at the Smurf Village

Children’s amusement parks are designed to offer a diverse range of experiences, each with its own unique features. The Smurf Village, which complements Disney, is a must-visit destination for families with children. My child thoroughly enjoyed their time at the park.

Arrival and Initial Impressions

The park opens its gates at 10 a.m., and we made our way there by metro, disembarking at Dongjing and then taking a taxi to arrive by 10:30 a.m. Even at this early hour, there was already a queue of cars waiting to enter the parking lot. We managed to quickly scan the code to gain entry to the park.

Rides and Queues

The Star Soaring ride, which features small planes, already had a one-hour wait time, but the Wonder Soaring (Fly Over the Horizon) ride had a more manageable queue. After waiting our turn, we went in and watched the show. Although the images were not particularly clear, the scenes were visually appealing nonetheless. Later in the day, the queue for this attraction extended outside.

Exploring the Park

Afterward, we noticed that almost every ride had a long queue. To get a sense of the park’s layout, we decided to walk around first. We started with the Deer Train at the entrance, which was charged but had no queue, and it circled the park once. This gave us a good overview of what was available.

Next, we discovered Candy World, a small children’s playground with climbing structures and ocean balls. We were able to enter without waiting, and my child played there until he was ready to leave. Given the long queues elsewhere, I decided to let him enjoy this area where he was happy.

Lunchtime

By noon, it was time for lunch. The park offered several formal restaurants, but with the crowd, it was challenging to decide where to eat. We opted for a pasta set, pizza, teddy bear cake, and coffee at the restaurant inside the park. After a short wait, we found a seat and enjoyed our meal at a leisurely pace, not in a hurry since there were queues outside.

In conclusion, our visit to the Smurf Village was a delightful experience, filled with fun rides, engaging attractions, and a relaxing lunch. Despite the long queues, we managed to make the most of our day and create memorable moments with our child.Upon arrival, we noticed that the Berry Swing had a shorter queue. Likely due to its specific height requirements, it suited our child perfectly as they are 1.25 meters tall, allowing them to enjoy all the attractions.

The Smurf Village is not only about the rides but also offers rich details with many interactive experiences that don’t require queuing. Such as stepping on platforms to see the illusions of sea creatures, dam water blocking, small seesaws, and mazes. As well as coloring and assembling activities, miniature cars with telescopes, and other scenic spots. Our child spent a considerable amount of time on each, and we didn’t rush them. As queuing was inevitable and these were the only activities available.

Next, we found the Dark Lab with few visitors and entered directly. But it was like a dark haunted house with nothing much inside. Just a passage to walk through and a slide to descend.

We then observed that the 6D Exploration World had a manageable queue, so we joined. It turned out to be a 3D movie with no additional special effects.

We also noticed that the Smurfette’s Garden had a reasonable queue, so we went for a ride.

Observing that the Azrael Cat Jump Tower had a short queue, we took our child for a ride since the drop tower has a height requirement of 1 – 1.3 meters. They are very strict about it, so it wasn’t crowded.

The Swamp Crossing, which involved trampolines, was not attempted. And we completed other attractions after 5 or 6 PM when most people had left.We had a fulfilling, wonderful, and unforgettable day at the park, which was extended to 8 PM for the holiday. Here’s a recap of our experiences:

1. Earthquake Bureau: We enjoyed the small room that vibrates for a few minutes.
2. Journey to the Center of the Earth: This was a mild mine train ride, not a roller coaster.
3. Bumper Cars: A classic amusement park ride.
4. Star Soaring: The small plane’s base is quite large.
5. Swamp Adventure: A ride with video laser gun shooting scoring.
6. Jam Cup: A spinning cup ride.
7. Potion Mixer: A mini Ferris wheel with small seats, not suitable for larger individuals.
8. Career Experience Hall: Our child was fortunate to participate in the final session at 7:30 PM.

Unfortunately, the Berry Coaster remained crowded until the end, and they stopped the queue early, leaving us unable to ride it. The service details here were well-executed, with staff carrying portable measuring sticks to pre-measure the children’s heights. Overall, it was a fantastic day filled with fun and memorable moments.