New Chimelong Henquin Ocean Kingdom in Zuhai Shows off BIG Attractions
With its official inauguration ceremony on March 29, Chimelong Ocean Kingdom was awarded five Guinness World Records:
1. World’s Largest Aquarium
2. World’s Largest Aquarium Tank
3. World’s Largest Underwater Viewing Dome
4. World’s Largest Aquarium Window
5. World’s Largest Acrylic Panel
St. Louis-based consulting and design firm PGAV Destinations served as the product strategist, master planner, lead design consultant, and lead designer of the 125-acre (50 ha.) attraction on Henquin Island near Macao. Ocean Kingdom took three years to construct, and features seven unique areas, each themed around a different part of the world’s waterways.
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“[Ocean Kingdom] is world-class, delivering well-planned guest experience, focusing on comfort and the quality of the experience, ” says Al Cross, PGAV Destinations VP and project lead. “It has a really unique approach that blurs the lines between thrilling rides, great shows, and amazing animals – in fact, it’s one of the best efforts in Asia to create viewing interactions between people and animals.”
Ocean Kingdom is home to thousands of animals and boasts numerous rides, attractions, retail, and dining. More projects will come online at the park throughout 2014.
“Breaking any world record is amazing, but to become the world’s largest aquarium requires phenomenal creative vision and immense engineering efforts, ” says Rowan Simons, president of Guinness World Records Greater China. “The result is an incredible attraction experience and Guinness World Records is delighted to recognize the five specific world-beating achievements that make it so special.”
The brand new theme park boasts Asia’s first winged coaster, Flying over the Rainforest, and numerous other incredible attractions such as the massive and immersive digital manta ray entry tunnel; the towering whale shark sculpture at the center of Ocean Park; and a wholly unique attraction which combines a roller coaster and a live polar bear exhibit.
Chimelong Ocean Kingdom serves as PGAV Destination’s first full theme park design in Asia, having previously master-planned and designed the Grand Aquarium at Hong Kong’s Ocean Park and an attraction at the Museum of Qin Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses in Xi’an, China. PGAV Destinations is also the master planner and designer of the world’s third-largest aquarium, The Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, GA.
