Familiar places for families and children have now reopened. We list down some of the changes they’ve implemented and the new attractions they now offer.
Amusement park
Star City (starcity.com.ph) has been a staple venue for special occasions and holidays in Metro Manila since 1991. The 30-year-old amusement park was closed because of a fire and the pandemic. But it’s now open to welcome back guests.
The changes show consideration to the needs of parents. They no longer cater to just bigger kids, but to toddlers as well. It’s no longer limited to kiddie bumper cars either.
There’s a play area dedicated for kids 6 years and younger on the second floor. Height requirements are strictly implemented, so the smaller children do not have to compete for rides and attractions created especially for them. Hence, they are the only ones who can use the Playland, Frosty Train, Quack Quack, Mini Pirate Ship and the Rocking Tug.
Bigger kids have plenty of rides to choose from within the park. Rides for families are also available, such as Wacky Worm, Fun Swing, Antique Cars, Super Telecombat and Grand Carousel.
Our family skipped Snow World even though it is open. We were not comfortable entering small enclosed spaces, yet.
Food and drinks kiosks are everywhere. But there is also a food court near the Grand Carousel. It is accessible to non-park goers so make sure you get your hands stamped before going inside.
Not all rides are available, but there are enough to keep the young ones entertained for the entire day. The park has indoor and outdoor areas, but they replaced the air conditioning with open doors and windows. The entire space is well-ventilated. The only indoor congestion that guests should look for is the ticket selling area. They can avoid it by purchasing tickets online.
A day with sea creatures
Just like Star City, not all areas in Manila Ocean Park (manilaoceanpark.com) are open for guests. Some aquariums are closed off. These include the fish spa and the swim-with-sharks experience. But the crowd favorites are still in the Oceanarium, such as the sea horses, clownfishes, star fishes, stingrays and sharks.
How long you’ll stay in the aquariums depends on the speed your kids go through them. But an hour-and-a-half will suffice. This includes a stop in the Trails to Antarctica to see Humboldt penguins.
Just like before the pandemic, attractions are sectioned off, with tickets sometimes sold separately. There were different tiers in ticketing in the past. But nowadays, guests can choose from two options with a price difference of P100. The P100 is the fee to watch the 30-minute All Star Bird Show and Sea Lion show. Senior-citizen discounts are not honored because the park, apparently, is selling tickets at discounted prices.
Be mindful of the timing of the live shows if you want to get good seats. Disposable raincoats are provided if it rains.
The Jellies exhibit is always a fun stop, but the Creepy Crawlies area is very underrated. They have insects and reptiles in this area, and kids can sometimes be heard screaming in surprise when a snake moves behind a glass.
Most of the congestion is in the tunnel where you get to see the stingrays swim above you. A lot of people like to take pictures in this area. There is also a line in Creepy Crawlies because children like to stare at tarantulas, snakes and scorpions, either in disgust or in wonder.
Manila Ocean Park is good for a half-day exploration. They try to teach children about sea creatures and ocean conservation.
Day for science
Mind Museum (themindmuseum.org) is only open on weekends, but they try to control the crowd by allowing visitors inside at different batches every three hours. Because of this, even though it is indoors, it doesn’t feel crowded.
They have shows in different sections of the museum, including the Planetarium in the Space area, and conservation shows in the Life area. Mind Museum is a good spot to let your children roam around on their own, have fun and learn something new without them realizing it.
Of course, they can do it deliberately by reading the signs, or you just let them explore by allowing them to touch, smell and experience the exhibits.
The museum also created a play area exclusively for children six years and younger. This play area teaches them about food. It’s a spot where kids can harvest and fish. There’s a big book where they can come up with their own stories.
Mind Museum has an ongoing promo for birthday celebrators, where kids can enter for free on their birth month, as long as they are accompanied by two paying guests. Teachers and public school students also get hefty discounts, making the museum accessible to everyone. They are also offering an annual pass which is a good investment for young scientists.