Manual on elective ii - theme parks and attractions

Theme Parks and Attractions
2.3 Development of attractions and theme parks
II – Scale
Scale of development
The scale (ie level and size) of attraction development varies dramatically from a small
ride in a theme park to large constructions such as a ski resort. In the Hong Kong SAR,
we have a variety of attractions at different levels or scales. For instance, the
small-scale Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb Museum was modified from a historical tomb
dating back to the Han Dynasty which can only accommodate a handful of visitors at a
time. On the other hand, large-scale developments like Ocean Park can accommodate
up to 35,000 visitors per day with numerous activities available in the park (Chiu,
2005).
In the same vein, the scale of events also varies depending on the nature of the event
and its location. Some local events in Hong Kong like the Bun Festival are organised
within Cheung Chau Island, whereas the Dragon Boat Festival is a city-wide event.
The equestrian events held in Hong Kong as part of the 2008 Olympic Games
represent an example of an international event.
Time-scale of development
Closely related to the scale of development is the time-scale of developing an
attraction which may vary from months to years. Annual festivals like the Chinese
New Year Parade in the Hong Kong SAR require a few months to a year of preparation,
while mega events like the Olympic Games require several years of detailed planning
and development of massive buildings, facilities and infrastructure.
Building a new ride in an amusement or theme park may take one to two years while
building a new theme park may take several years from idea conception, feasibility
study, site selection, design and planning, and construction through to the opening.
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