Theme parks more than play

Summer vacationers flock to Shanghai Haichang Ocean Park. (Photo provided to China Daily)

Rising appeal and popularity of resorts across age groups driving social and economic changes.

Xiao Ru accidentally discovered her parents' new soft spot when she took them with her son to the Universal Beijing Resort earlier this year.

The capital resident said her son had twisted her arm to go to the theme park in the Tongzhou district because he wanted to meet Megatron, a character who has become an internet sensation for his witty responses to visitors.

As her retired parents had never visited a large theme park before, Xiao decided to make the trip a three-generation family experience.

"They're getting older, so there will be fewer opportunities to visit places like this in the future," says the woman in her 40s.

Initially, Xiao thought her parents probably wouldn't enjoy the park much, and that they would be content taking photos and strolling around. But to her surprise, they had a wonderful time.

"They didn't miss out on much; they watched the shows, ate the food, and enjoyed a number of attractions."

When she asked her parents if they would go back again, they said yes, and even suggested visiting other theme parks with their grandson.

An increasing number of elderly Chinese, like Xiao's parents, are showing an interest in visiting theme parks, according to the 2024 theme park development report. This was presented at the 8th Development Conference of Theme Park and Resort, hosted by the State-owned Beijing Tourism Group's subsidiary, the Beijing Shouhuan Cultural Tourism Investment Co, and the newspaper Beijing Business Today, in early December.

Since theme parks offer emotional experiences, they are no longer exclusively the preserve of children and young people, especially now that Chinese theme parks are increasingly focusing on meeting the needs of different age groups, and so more elderly visitors are enjoying a variety of experiences. The report surveyed 20 major theme parks and hundreds of seasoned theme park enthusiasts.

The Universal Beijing Resort reports that two 96-year-old grandmothers are among its oldest visitors so far.

According to Shanghai Disney Resort, the number of elderly visitors purchasing one-day and two-day tickets in 2023 increased by about 75 percent over 2019, before the pandemic hit.

The resort notes that elderly guests often wear its famous headbands, sample a variety of park foods, and enjoy the daily parade with their families.

The majority of those surveyed in the report expressed a strong desire to revisit a theme park, and spending time at one has become a way of blowing off steam.