Shanghai Smurfs Park and Sunken Pit Hotel

Duration: 2 days. Time: May. Per capita cost: 2500 yuan. With whom: Friends. Play style: Petite bourgeoisie, luxurious, weekend trip. The author visited these places: Shanghai. Published on May 28, 2020 at 20:24. Words before the article: ‘Beyond the mountains, beyond the seas, there is a group of Smurfs. They are lively and clever, they are naughty and smart.’ Everyone must be familiar with this song. It is the theme song of the cartoon ‘The Smurfs’ that accompanied our growth. Although the Smurfs are already 62 years old, these cute little ones with white hats are still the sentiment of us post-80s. Now many post-90s and post-00s also know the story of the Smurfs. But~ Do you know? The Smurfs have come to Shanghai! A few days ago, when I went shopping on Nanjing East Road in Shanghai, I encountered my childhood blue friend, a group of lovely Smurfs. Seeing many Smurfs dolls in front of Shimao Plaza, I was curious and approached to find out. It turned out to be the touring exhibition activity of the Shanghai Smurfs Park’s Fantastic Carnival. For our post-80s generation, we have sentiment for the Smurfs! But when we were young, there were not such developed network and media resources as today. It was quite difficult to watch the complete set of Smurfs cartoons. So there is more or less some regret. This time when I saw the Smurfs coming to Shanghai and learned that there is such a magical Smurfs park in Songjiang. I decided to make up for the regret of my childhood on the weekend. Shanghai Shimao Fantasy City Theme Park. When the Shanghai Sheshan Shimao InterContinental Hotel opened in 2018, it was quite a sensation. Many people wanted to explore this architectural wonder. This time, because of childhood sentiment, we came to this internet-famous sunken pit hotel because the super cute Smurfs family is here – Shanghai Shimao Fantasy City Theme Park. Shanghai Shimao Fantasy City Theme Park is based on the classic work created by Belgian cartoonist Peyo – ‘The Smurfs’. It is divided into two parts: Deep Pit Secret Realm and Smurfs Park. The entertainment projects here, such as the 100-meter glass plank road, leaping over the deep pit, and cliff hurricane, are really exciting. Coupled with the addition of the Smurfs this time, we had a great time playing and taking pictures. Although it is more suitable for parent-child tourism, there are also many amusement facilities here that are super suitable for us big kids. Especially in the Smurfs Park, when those scenes from the cartoons appear in front of us, wow, this feeling is extremely cool. Tour route. Since Shanghai Shimao Fantasy City Theme Park is located in Songjiang District, Shanghai, it is relatively far from the urban area. The round trip time is relatively tight and it is not enjoyable to play. So we simply chose to stay at the sunken pit hotel for one night and have a two-day and one-night short trip in Songjiang, Shanghai.
Day 1: Arriving at the InterContinental Shanghai Shenkeng for check-in at noon on Saturday, we immediately checked out the Smurfs inflatable model at the hotel. In the afternoon, we visited the Smurfs Park to embrace these adorable little creatures. Day 2: Waking up naturally on Sunday morning, we then headed to the Shenkeng Secret Realm and concluded our visit in the afternoon before heading home. The hotel we recommend, the InterContinental Shanghai Shenkeng, is known for its architectural design. The hotel descends 88 meters below the ground to create architectural space, built against the cliff walls of the pit, and has been acclaimed by National Geographic as one of the ‘Top Ten Architectural Wonders of the World’. Our stay was in the rock view room of the Shenkeng Hotel, which was simply furnished yet full of design sense. Stepping onto the balcony provided a breathtaking view of the pit, a truly refreshing experience. At night, the hotel arranged a light show where spotlights turned the hotel into a high-tech stage, full of colorful lights. The room amenities were also very comprehensive, including a Dyson hairdryer, JBL speaker, and Xiaodu voice-controlled electric curtains. Before going to bed, we played music and took a relaxing bath in the bathtub, which was very comfortable. During our stay, the hotel also prepared disinfectant, showing great consideration! Bored, we visited the bottom of the hotel to experience the grandeur of the pit from the bottom up. Interestingly, we encountered a giant Smurfs inflatable model at the hotel, which made us stop and take numerous photos. We spent a lot of time here, trying various angles to take photos with the Smurfs, touching their little feet, looking into their eyes, shaking their hands, poking them, and kissing them. The fun of taking out-of-focus photos was unbearably exciting. The magic of the Smurfs Park lies in the fact that the scenic area has recreated the scenes from the Smurfs animation, making it the first Smurfs Park in the Asia-Pacific region. Classic characters such as Papa Smurf, Smurfette, Brainy Smurf, Clumsy Smurf, and the evil Gargamel have broken through the limitations of two dimensions and become characters in the ‘City of Elves’, presented to everyone. Upon entering the Smurfs Park, we were surrounded by a strong Smurf theme, with four areas: the forest area, the village area, Gargamel’s house, and the outdoor area. We couldn’t help but take a walk around and take photos before fully experiencing the various entertainment projects. As advertised, the entire venue is designed based on the scenes from the Smurfs animation. The names, experiences, and interactive methods of the amusement facilities in the park are closely combined with the Smurfs. Walking in the venue, one might accidentally think they are part of the Smurfs family.

Fortune smiled upon us as we entered the Smurf area just in time for a float parade. Characters from the Smurf animations were approaching us, and many children couldn’t resist asking for photos. However, us grown-ups were more attracted to the mushroom houses, which came in various colors, shapes, and with different functions, all meticulously designed based on their appearance in the animations, offering strong interactivity. Inside the mushroom houses, there are two exciting spots: the Berry Coaster and the Magic Drawing Brush. The Berry Coaster is an actual roller coaster, with a very cute design and a pink color that appeals to the girlish heart. This roller coaster is suitable for children, and parents can accompany them. Don’t be deceived by its size; it’s quite thrilling as the car speeds along the track, eliciting numerous screams. The Magic Drawing Brush is a quieter spot where children can draw, doodle, and build blocks. We also noticed several children playing with a projection wall, which turned out to be an interactive mini-game projected onto the wall. How we wish we had such fun when we were young. After passing by the mushroom houses, we arrived at the Dark Laboratory, the domain of Gargamel. We initially thought it might be scary, akin to a haunted house, but the staff reassured us, so we lined up and entered, finding it not scary at all. The design of the scenes and sound effects recreated the territory of the main antagonists from the Smurf animations, which was quite interesting. Finally, we slid down a slide, which was fun. In front of the Dark Laboratory is the Swamp Adventure, a slightly intense game. Have you all played Plants vs. Zombies? The weapon in this game is a cute, pink pea. Four people form a group and enter the battle mode, and we can see your performance and rankings outside, which is quite impressive. There is also an adventure area in the Smurf Village where we specifically experienced the Journey to the Center of the Earth. Entering the Earth’s core, there is a lot of scientific content about the Earth’s geology presented to us through light projection, which was particularly fun. The most interesting part was the mine car entering the Earth’s core, which can rotate 360 degrees, making the journey back and forth quite interesting. In addition to these fun activities, the Smurf Village is a massive indoor playground where both adults and children can enjoy themselves with attractions like Star Soaring and Candy World. It feels like if you bring your kids here, they would definitely have a great time. On the second day, we visited the Secret Pit, although we came for the Smurfs, we still wanted to complete our journey. The Secret Pit is the first phase of the Shanghai Shimao Elf City Theme Park, built around the Pit Hotel with a viewing platform and playground.
Connecting the Secret Pit and the Smurf Village is a tranquil pathway, along which the scenic train passes by. However, in my opinion, it’s quite comfortable to walk when the weather is not hot, enjoying the plateau-like sky of the metropolis, which is blue, as are the Smurfs and myself. The Secret Pit is located next to the hotel, and upon entering the gate, everyone is eager to head to the glass plank road, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Pit Hotel’s beauty. But seeing the crowd, we first enjoyed the Cliff Hurricane at the entrance of the glass plank road, which is the legendary pendulum ride. There were not many people, and the scenic area has restrictions on the flow of people, so we were able to play without queuing, which was very exciting. We also wanted to try flying over the pit, but unfortunately, it was under maintenance on the day we went, so we ended up queuing for the glass plank road. Upon entering the glass plank road, the Pit Hotel and a huge pit appeared before us. Walking on this glass plank road is the best and most direct place to view the hotel and the pit. On one side is the sound of the waterfall rushing down, and on the other side is the noise of people on the glass plank road. Only our little Smurf is quietly sitting on the hotel terrace waving to us. We played on the glass plank road for a long time, mainly because it’s very suitable for taking photos, and several children were here, enjoying themselves immensely. The Secret Pit has many other amusement projects, but we spent too much time on the glass plank road, and time was limited, so we will wait until next time to invite a group of friends to play together. Practical information: Address: 5088 Chenhua Road, Songjiang District, Shanghai. Public transportation: Take the subway line 9 to Dongjing Station, then transfer to Songjiang Line 96 bus to the West Gate of Nano Magic City. Ticket: The joint ticket for the Secret Pit and Smurf Village, adult 189 yuan/person, parent-child ticket (1 adult 1 child) 249 yuan, family ticket (2 adults 1 child) 399 yuan. Epidemic control: Due to the epidemic, the scenic area has also implemented epidemic control measures. Be sure to make an appointment before going, and follow the scenic area’s regulations when participating in each amusement project. The amusement facilities in the scenic area have been disinfected, so you can play with confidence.

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