YEARS in the making, tourist hotspot Genting Highlands this week finally saw the launch of a new theme park in Genting SkyWorlds. A soft launch for now, with the park opening for good at the end of March – there is a lot of potential for what the park could ultimately be, but as of right now, it is a work in progress.
Built across 26 acres right by Resorts World Genting and the SkyAvenue mall, Genting SkyWorlds is very walkable and easy to navigate. You can basically walk in a big circle around the park and come across most of the major attractions. There are also other walking paths and plenty of shortcuts, but you will never be lost.
The park’s launch has been delayed for a few years, part of which has been a result of the big money merger between Fox and Disney, which allowed it to use some intellectual property that once belonged to Fox.
That can be seen in the array of ‘worlds’ on offer at the park, which includes Robots Rivet Town, Andromeda Base, Ice Age, Independence Day, Epic and Rio. Each area has at least a couple rides, and though most skew towards all-ages or family friendly, there are a few more adrenaline pumping rides for the more ‘extreme’ minded.
Unfortunately, because of the nature of the launch, not all the rides are available right away. The glaring lack of a roller coaster is the most obvious omission. Most of the attractions that are being worked on skew towards the more intense experiences (at least they seem to be). That being said, there is enough to be enjoyed by families.
The Rides
There are two rides based on the Independence Day franchise (though they are oddly based on the poor sequel, instead of the original classic), namely the ESD Global Defender and Independence Day: Defiance.
The former is an outdoor spinning contraption (don’t eat beforehand) where passengers are in seats that rotate while spinning for the added vertigo, while the latter is an indoor virtual experience that will have you and your fellow riders flying on a dangerous mission. With narration and video performance by comedian Douglas Lim and a futuristic KL, there’s a lot of excitement in this short but sweet ride.
Though its availability was spotty on the day of the soft opening, those that did get to ride the Terraform Tower Challenge were nothing but positive about it. Passengers got shot up and down the tower at high speeds.
Next to it is Alpha Fighter Pilots, another high-speed spinning experience. For those who want to be more active, there is also Boot Camp Training nearby, which is more of an obstacle course.
If you’re a big fan of the Ice Age series of animated movies (footnote: the first movie came out 20 years ago), you’re in luck as there are four attractions based on the franchise – including a live performance that invites audience members to dance along.
Sid’s Rock ‘N’ Slide is exciting enough as you sit in an oversized log that doesn’t just go back and forth but spins around over and over again.
Beware the two rides based on the animated film Epic mainly because they are the only water rides in the park, so expect to get wet. Epic Voyage to Moonhaven is more of a family friendly ride with its colourful storytelling, but the amount of water splashing around was a surprise. Have a change of clothes handy.
Everything else
In addition to the rides there are performance spaces throughout the park such as the Central Park area and in Rio. There are also plenty of places to eat with typical fare food on offer. Stuff like burgers, hot dogs, corn, fish and chips, and pizza. The prices are fairly typical for theme parks and the portions are big enough.
Just like seemingly everything else these days, an app (namely the Genting SkyWorlds Theme Park app) is required to fully experience the park. It is quite convenient in that you and your party can book rides before even stepping foot in the park. It’s very easy to set an itinerary before so you hit all the rides you want to. In fact Genting SkyWorlds is the first theme park in the region to use this Virtual Queue technology.
As part of the theme park’s soft opening period (February 8 to March 31), they are offering a 20% discount for tickets for adults and children.
Final thoughts
Launching a theme park during a pandemic – with it’s related restrictions – is not an easy situation, and in light of that Genting SkyWorlds has a lot going for it. However, it can’t be ignored that some major rides are not yet ready for prime time. Those looking for something more intense will have to wait for more rides to be available. However, if you’re more interested in a family outing with the young ones, there is a lot of fun to be had. – The Vibes, February 12, 2022
