New Dalian Wanda cultural theme park opens in southern China

The Dalian Wanda Group has opened its latest theme park in southern China, the US$5.2 billion Hefei Wanda City.

Described as the “first Huizhou culture theme park in the world”, the attraction pays tribute to the culture of the Anhui province, which dates back more than 2,200 years.

Sitting on , the park sits on 38 hectare of land next to China’s fifth-largest freshwater lake, the park offers thrill rides, stage shows, children’s attractions an indoor/outdoor waterpark and a movie park with a 3D motion theatre.

Telling the story of the Anhui, the first area celebrates ancient Anhui architecture.

In the second area, visitors learn about the Battle of the Fei River – a fierce naval battle considered a major turning point in the history of China.

The third area – Butterfly Dreamland – comprises a garden “filled with human-like animals and insects.”

“The fourth zone takes visitors to the remnants of the sunken city of Chaozhou and the fifth is dominated by a lake and special waterfront village, which is also the stage of the park’s acousto-optic fireworks show.

The final area, known as Opera Garden, focuses on Anhui’s famous Opera and theatrical stories, with the section home to the park’s performing arts show.

Introducing the new attraction, Dalian Wanda Chairman Wang Jianlin stated “each of Wanda’s cultural tourism cities has its own unique characteristics.

"The Hefei Wanda Cultural Tourism City fuses world class design and technology with a blend of local cultural and historical elements that fully embody Anhui's culture."

Hefei Wanda City is located 500 kilometres west of the recently opened Shanghai Disney Resort, with whom Wang has announced his company is aiming to overtake as the world’s largest entertainment company.

The Chinese billionaire’s company is at the heart of China’s current theme park boom, with the 15 Wanda Cities being developed across the country expected to be open by the end of the decade.

In addition to domestic developments, Wanda is also planning a multi-billion dollar theme park on the Gold Coast with some media outlets suggesting this attraction will be based on the Jurassic Park/World movie franchise.

Among a range of sport and entertainment acquisitions, Wanda also purchased Legendary Entertainment earlier this year, with the Hollywood movie studio’s IPs including Jurassic World, The Dark Knight and Godzilla, now available to Wanda’s theme park and attractions division. 

Images: Hefei Wanda City (below) and Wang Jianlin (below).

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