It has been almost a year since we pitted Fundazzle against Family Box to see who had the best indoor play zone. Since then, Wangjing has seen the introduction of Mitty Jump to the indoor play zone scene. To get a better handle on how it stacks up against the competition, I’ve added it to the breakdown list.
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Fundazzle
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Mitty Jump
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Family Box
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Free Wireless
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No
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Yes
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Yes
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Food and Beverages
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Processed snacks and bottled drinks
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One vending machine inside, but Costa Coffee is on the ground floor of the mall along with other options.
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Fresh-baked goods from Tous les Jour bakery, brewed tea and coffee, fresh squeezed juice, fresh fruit, free water
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Multi-Level Climbing Area
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Yes
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Sort of. There’s a series of suspension bridges encased in safety netting.
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Yes, seems better thought-out and safer
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Toddler Area
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Yes (largest of the three)
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Yes
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Yes
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Ball Pit
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Yes, Beijing’s biggest, but no adults allowed
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Yes, series of small pools and rivers in a volcano
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Yes, two small ones for different ages
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Sandbox
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Yes, but costs RMB 15 extra
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No
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Yes
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Slides
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Yes
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Yes, small
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Yes, massive
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Pretend Grocery Store
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No
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Yes, small
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Yes
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Water Play Zone
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No
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No
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Yes, but half the features were not functioning properly and the center was very stingy with bubble soap.
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Swimming Pool
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No
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No
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Yes, but must be a member to use
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Bouncy Castle
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No
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Yes
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No
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Train Ride
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No
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Yes
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No
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Mini Soccer Pitch
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No
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Yes
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No
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Toys for Sale
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Yes
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One – Mitty doll
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No
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Coin-Operated Games
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Yes
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No
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No
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Dining Area
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No
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No
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Yes
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Comfortable Seats
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None, some pads on ground, some bar stools on second floor
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Bench seating along the wall
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Yes, even Ikea chairs (though people tend to sleep in them)
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Cribs for Little Ones
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No
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No
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Yes
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Kid-Friendly Bathrooms
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No
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Yes, little sinks and toilets, changing tables, and training potties, also a room for nursing mothers
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Yes, little sinks and toilets
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Sit-Down Toilets
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No
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Yes
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Yes
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Attentive Staff
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Only if adults are in ball pit or kids are playing on rides without paying, or big kids are in the toddler area
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Yes
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Very. Staff will play with children and learn their names
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Slippers/Socks
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Disposable socks on sale for RMB 1
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Yes
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Yes, slipper socks
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Cost
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RMB 50 per child for 3 hours + RMB 15 per adult on the weekend
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RMB 160 per child for all day admission. Can buy multiple entry card to reduce rate to under RMB 100 per visit. Add RMB 50 per adult on weekends
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RMB 480 per child for all day admission
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If cost is the main factor, Fundazzle is still the winner hands down. It is centrally located and big enough for older children and toddlers alike. Fundazzle is the clear choice for hosting a play date or to let kids burn off some energy for a couple of hours on a smoggy or rainy day.
The downside is that the facilities are OK, but not great. The staff acts more like referees and everything besides the main area costs a little bit more money. Fundazzle does offer packaged snacks and beverages, but they also have lots of toys and games that can cause children to plead for something you didn’t plan on paying for.
Mitty Jump fills the price void between Fundazzle and Family Box. Facilities are very clean and well thought-out; it even has a train that kids can ride. For those bad air days, it is also nice to know they have the IQ Air filters onsite. Although Mitty Jump has the least number of snacks and beverages on sale, it’s located in a shopping mall actually with a wide variety of food and drink options, including Costa Coffee. Its facilities won’t elicit quite the same excitement as Family Box’s, but the place is worth repeat visits. Plus, you can take your child four times to Mitty Jump for the cost of one Family Box day visit.
Overall, Family Box is still our top choice because of the variety of available activities and creature comforts for parents. But at RMB 480 for a day visit, this is clearly not the kind of place you want to run off to for a couple of hours with a bunch of kids.
However, it is worth it for a special occasion – as long as you and your child are prepared to hang out for an entire day to get your money’s worth. That said, the staff were a bit confused about how to handle the payment for a day visit (we had to pay at the cafe). Reina also appeared to be the only expat kid in the place. Most of the members are Chinese and only pop in for a couple of hours in the morning or in late afternoon after school.
Fundazzle is located on Gongti Nanlu in Sanlitun near the Worker’s Stadium. It is open Mon-Fri 9am-5.30pm, Sat-Sun and holidays 9am-7pm. Visit www.fundazzle-nc.com or call 6593 6208 for more info.
Mitty Jump is located on the 4th floor of the Lotus Shopping Mall and Poly Wanhe Cinema on Futong West Street in Wangjing. For directions, pricing, and other info, visit www.mittyjump.com or call 8421-0908.
Family Box, also located in Wangjing, is at Bldg 4, 51 Wangjing Beilu and is open Sat-Thu 9am-8pm, Fri 10am-8pm. To find out more call 6478 6163 or visit www.familyboxes.com.cn.
Photo by Christopher Lay