Hong Kong is home to a world class Disneyland since 2005, but already since 1977 a sizeable themed park with a much more unique character can be visited on Hong Kong Island.

Ocean Park is an intriguing mix of questionable beginnings, absolute glory years in performance and growing financial struggles that almost lead to foreclosure. Still, until this day, the park sits proudly on the slopes of the mountains. Multiple capital injections have transformed the park over time and big plans are again forged for the future.

The local government betted on the Disney project big time, but does this mean that Ocean Park drew the short stick? It cannot be denied that Ocean Park breathes more local culture than its counterpart from the US, but is that enough to stand the test of time?

In this episode we describe the park’s history, but we especially analyse what is on offer now.

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The UAE isn’t shy of big announcements; Universal Studios, Six Flags, 20th Century Fox and several other themed parks never saw the light of day. So what makes this time different?

There are real-world challenges not to be overlooked: the heat, the sun, and the speculation around whether a full-scale theme park can thrive year-round in the hot desert. Clearly not a place to repeat what has been done elsewhere, so the perfect occasion for innovation and progress?

We're exploring what’s possible, what should be considered and what remarkable scenario could unfold in the future.

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Big news has dropped, Disneyland is coming to Abu Dhabi’s YAS Island, enforced by an agreement between Miral and Disney. The often rumoured 7th Disney resort has finally found its place in the desert.

Why did Disney choose the Middle East now, and what do they see in the region that has convinced them to develop a new resort and continue their legacy in the United Arab Emirates? Above all, what is Miral? What is YAS Island?

Does this signal a business decision or something bigger? Could it signal a cultural shift, a new kind of storytelling frontier, or even a reimagining of how global brands engage with the Arab world?

Of course, with opportunity comes controversy. How will Disney navigate the complex social, political, and cultural landscape of the region?

In this episode, we unpack the layers behind the headline: the motivations, the implications and the questions that should be asked.

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To wrap up our series about the United Arab Emirates based parks, we have discussed a Face Off for the theme parks. For 20 categories in total, we choose our individual top 3 favourites across the 5 theme parks that compete.

We take a closer look at what IMG World of Adventure, Dubai Parks & Resorts & YAS Island have to offer as themed entertainment. Even though we are often on the same page, there are also some interesting differences between us. You’re able to see the winners for each category in images on our instagram or on www.triponpodcast.com. Hopefully this will also clear things up regarding the different theme park offerings in the Middle East. We might make it much easier for you to choose where to go if you decide to make the trip to this part of the world.

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Just over a year ago we started and we are still going strong!

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Even though modelled largely to the Anaheim original, this is not just a Disneyland-copy. There are aspect that make the Hong Kong park truly unique. Enough to go a bit into ‘nerd-mode’ and to go deeper into the analysis of this impressive place.

Masterplanning; IP’s; Mini-lands; animatronics; perspective-shift and many more industry terms will be discussed in this episode. We dive into the very details of theme park development, because there is so much to talk about.

This park has some incredible quality standouts, but there are also definitely points of criticism. Are those weighing enough to knock down our appreciation and rating? More importantly, was it still understandable or did we take it too far with industry details? Let us know!

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It opened as the smallest Disney park, using the original Anaheim park as the main inspiration. Often criticised for its modest setup, a lack of major rides and an overall lack of originality and minimised risk. How did the park evolve to surpass that reputation?

It was an attempt to seamlessly blend tradition, innovation and the Disney magic through the use of feng shui principles in its design. All uniquely set in a subtropical climate adorned by green mountains.

Hong Kong Disneyland often provides a relaxed and less crowded atmosphere, allowing visitors to enjoy a more intimate experience.

The park has come a long way with the necessary expansions, transforming it into a worthy theme park. The introduction of Frozen has boosted attendance and attention massively. Might it even be the perfect choice for a fulfilling one-day visit? You’ll hear it in the TripOn podcast.

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People have seen probably more of this city than they realise. Its reach goes much further than only the 'made in Hong Kong' export products. It was always high on our list of places to visit, but would it disappoint?

At some point during our visit we gazed upon a cloudy series of islands decorated with green mountains as far as the eye can see and down below a massive harbour that is lined with a one-of-a-kind skyline. An image that does very well on a postcard.

But besides the impressive geographical situation and the interplay of culture and nature, Hong Kong has a lot to offer on human scale too. It is a megacity that truly comes alive during the day like a giant machine where all the cogs start rotating when turned on.

Even on our short visit, we managed to get an idea of what makes the city tick. But the entire Hong Kong territory has so much more to offer. It leaves us longing for more. Find out what we managed to experience and what impact this has on our image of this impressive place.

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SeaWorld is a name that carries a lot of history, but also its fair share of controversy. There are SeaWorlds in the United States that have gone through highs and lows. This latest SeaWorld location on YAS Island was presented to be entirely different; fully indoor and keeping the wellbeing of the animals in high regard.

From all the parks we visited in the Middle East, this one was by far the hardest to form an image of beforehand. It is far from being a regular theme park or an amusement park for that matter. Maybe it is therefore that the park was such a surprise.

Where we normally praise certain aspects of theme parks like: Customisation, height differences, artificial rock work, custom soundtracks and lighting. It is actually this very park that excels in all of those aspects. The entire experience feels incredibly high-class and it's almost hard to categorise it. It feels very artificial and genuine at the same time, calming and spectacular at the same time, but also like entertainment and education at the same time. We spent a whole day here, without feeling bored at any moment.

We even consider this park 'monumental' in certain aspects. Of course that is a lot of praise, but does it also hold any negatives? You'll hear it in this episode about SeaWorld Abu Dhabi.

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Is Warner Bros. back in the theme park game? They have proven with the Wizarding World of Harry Potter lands, in Universal Studios parks all around the world, that they are capable of delivering word class themed lands. So what about an entire park full of WB's legacy on YAS Island?

When we were planning to visit Abu Dhabi, this park was always on the top of our list. I (Lee) got especially familiar with it when speaking to someone who worked on the project just before opening. He was so proud of what was achieved and he even used the words: "No expenses are being spared." Which is something you don't hear often in the theme park industry.

Other than with for example Motiongate Dubai, this entire park was designed under one creative firm and under the watchful eye of one IP holder and it shows! Everything fits seamlessly like a giant jigsaw puzzle. Not only physically, but also thematically and aesthetically everything makes sense.

Don't be fooled by the fact that it is an indoor theme park and that it doesn't have any record breaking coasters. The sense of scale is definitely present here and when visiting, you don't even feel like you're walking in a hall. How they achieved that effect? That is something that we love to analyse and discuss in this episode.

One thing is certain, Warner Bros. World leaves us incredibly curious of what awaits in the future. Because after a massive announcement for an expansion and receiving some inside information, the future looks incredibly bright!

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