Hosehead
Executive Member
Went there today after a year since last visit, and the place, while full of people, has deteroriated into such a sorry state. It's sad.
First, Prices. Entrance R120 adult and R60 kid then thin cheesegrillers in a bun are R17. Photos after the rides are R40. Not a cheap place.
When it first opened it was excellent, now the restuarants are vanished ghosts, some rides are gone, the park needs watering and landscaping service, a brush of paint is sorely needed, the train is out of service until further notice and the cruise boat has to navigate a weed filled waterway. The food and drink choices are pathetic. (There isn't much choice) and all the rides look tired, dated and dirty. The amphitheatre where they did hollywood style stunts and shows is abandoned and there's some kind of construction or demolition, I can't tell which, going on, and all the cages containing the show birds are empty except for a Macaw and a Falcon. There was a sign on the crows cage stating he had moved on to film work elsewhere.
There was a Virgin Active desk in the main building empty of reps touting for members (maybe they gave up) and on the Virgin Active stage was some Russian or other - 3 times comrades marathon winner pounding the treadmill. He was still pounding the treadmill four hours later to a bored audience consisting of a couple of kids sucking nestle ice lollies.
In the main auditorium, last year was a breakdancing group. Today the breakdancing group was still, well breakdancing.I don't think they ever went home.
The paint has faded on the Moorish buildings and the styrofoam is exploding from bits and pieces of staged props - no doubt torn open by bored people waiting for 40 mins in a queue for a rubber duck ride down a falls (not monkey falls) where even water seems to be in short supply.
Wherever the money gathered from entrance fees goes- it doesn't go to maintenence or refurbishment.
How ironic the designers tried to make the park look old. They shouldn't have bothered. Like so many things in Africa, just leave it to management to make the place authentically derelict.
First, Prices. Entrance R120 adult and R60 kid then thin cheesegrillers in a bun are R17. Photos after the rides are R40. Not a cheap place.
When it first opened it was excellent, now the restuarants are vanished ghosts, some rides are gone, the park needs watering and landscaping service, a brush of paint is sorely needed, the train is out of service until further notice and the cruise boat has to navigate a weed filled waterway. The food and drink choices are pathetic. (There isn't much choice) and all the rides look tired, dated and dirty. The amphitheatre where they did hollywood style stunts and shows is abandoned and there's some kind of construction or demolition, I can't tell which, going on, and all the cages containing the show birds are empty except for a Macaw and a Falcon. There was a sign on the crows cage stating he had moved on to film work elsewhere.
There was a Virgin Active desk in the main building empty of reps touting for members (maybe they gave up) and on the Virgin Active stage was some Russian or other - 3 times comrades marathon winner pounding the treadmill. He was still pounding the treadmill four hours later to a bored audience consisting of a couple of kids sucking nestle ice lollies.
In the main auditorium, last year was a breakdancing group. Today the breakdancing group was still, well breakdancing.I don't think they ever went home.
The paint has faded on the Moorish buildings and the styrofoam is exploding from bits and pieces of staged props - no doubt torn open by bored people waiting for 40 mins in a queue for a rubber duck ride down a falls (not monkey falls) where even water seems to be in short supply.
Wherever the money gathered from entrance fees goes- it doesn't go to maintenence or refurbishment.
How ironic the designers tried to make the park look old. They shouldn't have bothered. Like so many things in Africa, just leave it to management to make the place authentically derelict.
