4 April 2015

First thing first let me wipe some of the cobwebs on this blog *sweeps-sweeps*. There, much better.

For once I won't apologize for not writing so long here. Why should I? If I'm absent from here it either I'm too pre-occupied with life. Besides, I do blog over at afifplc sometimes (like once a month). But I digress.

This weekend I brought my family for a weekend getaway in Genting. The last time we went there was last year when I brought the kids to play at the Genting Outdoor theme park. This time around there's no more Outdoor theme park because they're replacing it with Fox 20th Century theme park due to open next year. So we went to the Indoor theme park instead this time. After about an hour ride from home, we reached First World Plaza where the theme park is located. Today, much of Genting Highland (the top part) is one big construction site. You see building being built everywhere, construction workers, lorries, muddy roads, the usual stuff. Also this time I parked right under the First World Plaza unlike the last time where I parked a long way from the theme park thinking they would charge a bomb for the parking fees. Actually parking under the hotels there is absolutely free. I should have asked the first time around.

I was expecting a lot of rides and things to play in the indoor theme park but I was mildly disappointed. There were only 9 rides and 6 of them are off limits for children above 126cm so my eldest (Adam, 11) could only ride 3. That said, my two younger daughters enjoyed themselves thoroughly riding the rides over and over again. Adam and I were less enthusiastic about the rides and we were quite bored waiting for them to finish. RM30.20 for just 9 rides is rather expensive in my opinion. So they threw in free entrance to the Ripley's Believe it or Not exhibit. I've watched Ripley's on TV before but unlike the TV show, this mini exhibit was far from interesting. There were too little to see and the place is just too small. No wonder they gave people free entrance with the theme park ticket. RM30.20 for children is for walk-in tickets. If you buy online (minimum 2 days in advance) the price is just RM22.30 per child and RM23.70 per adult. Overall, I think the theme park price does not correlate to the number of rides we get to ride. It's obviously quite expensive, just like everything else in Genting. You'd be better off bringing your kids somewhere else.

This time around we checked into the First World Hotel next door. Last time we didn't and I had to drive home late at night after a tiring (but fulfilling) day at the outdoor theme park. Fortunately I can get a good night sleep and rest at the hotel first before leaving tomorrow. The normal rate for the cheapest room at First World Hotel is just RM50 on weekdays but for weekends and public holiday they cost RM283 per night. Yep, big difference. The only way I can enjoy that ridiculously cheap room is by either leaving our kids home or let them skip school and come with us on a weekday. The hotel room is quite small anyway. Two single beds, shower bathroom, no fridge or balcony. It's quite cold up there so you don't really need any air-cond. To save money we brought a little bit of supply and ration and made our own dinner and breakfast in the hotel room. Our little camping stove came quite handy in time like these. Our choice of menu is limited only by what we brought along.

Will we come again? I don't know. Maybe after the new theme park finishes and only if the price is not too steep. I have a feeling that the hotel prices are gonna go up once that new park finishes. Guess we'll have to wait and see.