Mines Wonderland

The other day, DH came home and told me that his organization’s Family Day would be held at Mines Wonderland. Upon hearing this, I went “Hah? But there’s nothing there”. Actually I was the ignorant one; apparently there is a theme park at Mines Wonderland afterall.

The park is open from 5 pm until 11 pm. Yes that’s right, they’re open at night, so if you have aversion to sunlight, this might be the place for you.

We parked our car at the building which houses the Giant Hypermarket. I’m not sure if there’s a different parking lot dedicated for the theme park, but where we parked our car was close enough to the theme park. The three of us got free tickets from DH’s organization. We decided to bring our maid along, so we had to buy a ticket for her. The price? It didn’t cost an arm and a leg, but it almost felt like it. We had to pay RM35 for 1 adult ticket. Talk about a rip off!

The theme park is smaller than Sunway Lagoon, perhaps half its size. First we went to see the animals: deers, goats (the ones with extra strong smell), rabbits, birds, and monkeys. Then we took a water ride then went around the compound where those animals were encaged. Initially DD didn’t want to try the ride because she said “malu”, but once we were inside the ride, she was all giggles and excitement.

Next we followed a trail on a hanging wooden bridge nestled among huge trees. Underneath the trail, we saw tigers that looked like they were too tired to move even one inch. Then we saw a lone bear in the last enclosure, circling the enclosure ferociously as if it was ready to charge at anyone who dared to say “hello”. That was a scary sight, so I urged my family to move on.

Right next to the jungle trail, there’s a field with structures shaped like mushrooms. DD had a fun time here playing hide and seek with the maid. At another section of the field, two huge inflatable slides were set up for kids below 12 years of age. My DD played there for a very short while, giving us the same old reason, “malu”.

We then proceeded to the Ice World. Each of us was given a jacket to wear. It was freezing inside, but the structures carved out of ice were magnificent. There’s the KLCC, Putrajaya mosque, and many other monuments made of ice. There’s also a living room with sofas and chairs carved from ice. We sat there for some photo-takings, but my, I believe I had just frozen all my rear fats solid! The final section was an attribute to the Olympics. We didn’t stay there for long because by then DD couldn’t tolerate the cold temperature anymore.

To me, the Ice World was the best feature of the theme park. The carvings are lovely and there’s a magical feeling to it.

We then took a tram that went around one section of the theme park. My DD was excited. The park looked beautiful with many structures glittering with lights. I suppose that’s another attractive feature about the park. They have structures that were shrouded with ‘lampu liplap’ (glittering lights), it’s a beautiful sight to behold.

We then stopped at a restaurant to watch a tribal dance show. Some guests were invited to participate in the game involving stepping between bamboo poles which were moved by the dancers. That was an interesting sight, seeing how first they moved slowly under the guidance of the dancers, and then gradually the beats became faster and before you know it, they were moving swiftly without the dancers guiding them.

Next was maghrib prayers in a small surau behind the restaurant.

We then took a ride in a vintage car. DD became the ‘driver’, the maid her ‘navigator’, and DH and I just relaxed at the back.

We then went to the mini golf section but we didn’t play the game because the equipment was held at the Ice World, which was just behind the mini golf field but down a steep slope. We were already tired by then so we decided to give the game a pass.

Our final activity was taking a train ride which went around the theme park. This was at DD’s request. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have gone on the rides. Honestly, how many rides can one take in a night?

I saw a small roller coaster near the restaurant but it was closed for maintenance work. You may also take boat cruises in the lake nearby but that comes at an additional cost. I think there are a few other attractions that we didn’t see or try.

My verdict:
My DD liked the place. The park isn’t that big and it’s open at night, so it’s not too tiring and it gives a different kind of atmosphere. I think it’s suitable for kids of DD’s age, but older kids may be disappointed.

My view: the place is so-so. I like the Ice World and the overall atmosphere, but cost-benefit wise, I think it’s not value for money. For a few ringgit more, you can visit Sunway Lagoon which is much bigger and has many more attractions. For much less, you can visit nice places such as the Bird Park and the National Zoo. I wouldn’t have gone there if not for the free tickets given by DH’s employer. However, I may change my mind if the ticket prices are slashed by 80%!