Beijing’s National Aquatics Center, better known as the Water Cube, was one of the venues built for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The iridescent bubble-wrapped cube structure hosted the swimming, diving, and synchronized swimming events during the Olympics. Today, the Water Cube provides a venue for hosting international and domestic swimming competitions, theatre shows, public swimming, and is home to the Water Cube Water Park.
The waterpark has some of Asia’s best waterslides, guaranteeing thrills and plenty of squeals in this fun-packed family venue. Kids will love the wacky décor, with giant jelly fish and spinning fish mobiles suspended from the ceiling. The waterpark is suitable for all ages, with plenty of rides, slides, and splash pools for everyone.
The shallow Kids’ Pool offers special slides designed for small children. Featuring a variety of water toys, including water guns, sprays, and jets. Children can control the toys’ water effects themselves, using ropes and valves, to squirt and shoot whilst splashing around.
Water valves, cannons, climbing nets, and sprays are all featured in the Ride House. Create your own fun in this big playground of water toys and slides. At the top of the Ride House is a giant water cube that is constantly filled with water. When the water level reaches its limit, the cube slowly tips and dumps the whole lot onto everyone below.
The Wave Pool allows you to bob around as if you were in the ocean, or you can sit in the shallow waters of the beach entry to the pool. Three Spa Pools offer perfectly heated temperatures for a bit of relaxation and the Lazy River is a continuous flow that allows you to meander through the water park while sitting in a big rubber ring.
For older kids and those seeking a more thrilling ride, the Tornado starts from the tallest tower in the waterpark. Riding in specially designed tubes that seat four people, you’ll speed down this fully enclosed waterslide, twisting and turning before being launched out of a big funnel into the pool below. On the AquaLoop, riders enter a capsule and place their arms across their chests before the music, lights and countdown begins. A trap door opens underneath them and the rider accelerates into a vertical free-fall drop, before speeding along a looping slide. Other big slides include Speedslide and Pipeline.
The air temperature inside the waterpark is adjusted to ensure comfortable conditions during all of Beijing’s seasons. Lifeguards are trained to international standards and the requirements of the World Waterpark Association. Locker rental fee is RMB 20, with an RMB 100 deposit for the RFID wristband. No cash is used within the water park, but cash can be downloaded onto the smart money wristband for convenience. You can’t bring in your own food and beverages, but there are food stations available serving sandwiches, salads, snacks, soft drinks, and ice-creams.
After all the fun of the water park, why not cool down at the Water Cube Frozen Show. The Frozen themed indoor ice-sculpture show, (authorized by the Walt Disney Company), runs through July and August. It features a 3,000sqm indoor ice sculpture gallery that showcases characters from the film, and plenty of other well-known Disney figures. The 2,000sqm “World of Frozen” ice-cave uses music and movie clips to bring the film fantasy to life. Kids will get the chance to mingle with many of the characters from the film such as Elsa, Anna and Kristoff. Parents can pick up some authorized merchandise from Disney, Pixar, and Marvel’s most popular franchises, including Mickey Mouse, Cars, and Big Hero 6.
Water Cube Water Park
Daily 10am–9.30pm. RMB 200 adult, RMB 160 children, free for kids below 1.2m. Olympic Park, 11 Tianchen Donglu, Chaoyang District (8437 2030/8437 2001)
www.waterpark-watercube.com/english
朝阳奥林匹克公园天辰东路11号水立方嬉水乐园
Water Cube
May-Oct 9am-8pm, Nov-April 9am-6pm. RMB 30, Free for kids below 1.2m. (8437 0112/8437 0116) www.water-cube.com/en
Water Cube Frozen Show
July-August 2015 9am-8pm. Weekdays RMB 98, RMB 78 for kids and seniors, weekends and holidays RMB 128, RMB 108. (8437 0112)
Water Cube Swimming Pool
Open Mon-Fri 12.30am-9pm; Weekends 9am-9pm. A-Card RMB 480 for 15 sessions in the pool, B-Card RMB 1,000 for 30 sessions in the pool, Annual Pass RMB 3,000 (valid for one session per day, for 365 days). A session lasts a maximum of two hours. (8437 8912/8437 8874)
This article originally appeared on page 32-33 of the beijingkids July 2015 issue. Click here to read the issue for free on Issuu.com. To find out how you can get your own copy, email distribution@truerun.com.
Photos: Ken
