Ocean Park Hong Kong - Development Plans

Development Plans

Ocean Park unveiled a Master Redevelopment Plan (MRP) in March 2005, which aims to rejuvenate older features at the park, develop significant new areas and double the current amount of attractions from 35 to over 70. The Lowland will be completely redeveloped as a new area called the Waterfront, while the Headland will be transformed into a new section called the Summit, with separate areas where visitors can experience the chill of the North and South Poles or journey through a tropical Rainforest. A dedicated thrill ride area, Thrill Mountain, will be opened for enthusiasts of fast, action-packed attractions, and Ocean Park’s current children’s area, Kids’ World, is now refurbished as Whiskers’ Harbour.

The Waterfront will feature a brand new area, Aqua City, due to open in late 2010. At its heart is the Grand Aquarium, Southeast Asia’s largest and newest aquarium, a massive 3-storey attraction that will house 5,000 fish from 400 species, and contain the world’s biggest aquarium viewing dome. Also at the Waterfront will be Symbio!, the world’s first 360° water screen augmented by water, fire and intelligent lighting effects. The new aquarium is designed by the Pritzker Prize-winning architect Frank Gehry with nightly water shows composed by Academy award-winning Peter Lehman.

Groundbreaking for the MRP took place in November 2006, signalling the start of this HK$5.5 billion project, which will be completed in six years over eight phases while the Park remains open throughout.

The first of these new developments, the Amazing Asian Animals, showcasing some of the Asian region’s most precious endangered creatures, and Ocean Express, a funicular train system capable of transporting 5,000 visitors per hour between the Summit and the Waterfront, were launched in 2009.