In Ulaanbaatar City, it is widely acknowledged that there are few places where children can celebrate holidays and spend their free time in a pleasant and refined manner. One of the most frequented destinations for children to play and enjoy their free time is the National Amusement Park, commonly known as the Children’s Park, located in the heart of the capital city. The Children’s Park offers a variety of amenities for its visitors, ranging from playground equipment to rest areas with seating. Despite these offerings, there are numerous aspects that still require improvement. As it is the warm season, more parents are eager to take their children out for recreational activities. Unfortunately, the park’s amusement rides and games, which are almost the only entertainment in Ulaanbaatar, have faced criticism for being outdated and lacking safety standards. Therefore, we have sought to clarify the current condition of the park and address the issues raised.
2 new carnival rides planned to be erected each year
The National Amusement Park, now in its 59th year, has undergone a transformation. Trees have become lush, and the water of the lake and pond sparkle under the sun. Although the Children’s Park boasts a green environment, its accessibility remains inadequate. Several rides, such as the roller coaster, chain swing, air balloon, and the ferris wheel, which were installed years ago, are still in operation. Last year, the park introduced new carnival rides including a robot, a horse carousel, and a wish train.
Recent updates have included refurbishing the ferris wheel and roller coaster cabins, and replacing the park’s boats. This update was prompted by an incident last year where one of the park’s boats broke down and resulted in an accident. According to B.Uyanga, the Director of Marketing and Sales at the National Amusement Park, “This year, we have upgraded several of our rides. We’ve renewed the cabins of the roller coaster and the ferris wheel. Roller coasters need to be replaced every 10-15 years, and ferris wheels every 20 years. The replacement is scheduled for next year, so we’ve undertaken these improvements ahead of time. In addition, we’ve built a 3x3 basketball court that meets global standards.”
Then she further said, “We regularly hold tournaments on weekends and bring in popular artists for performances on our main stage, which are free for the public to attend. Our company covers all related costs. We also have a plan to add two new rides every year. Purchasing new rides is extremely costly, so initially, we focus on refurbishing old ones. For example, replacing the ferris wheel cabins cost 2 billion MNT. Generally, our expenses exceed our revenue. We are always attentive to the safety of our visitors. For instance, before the park opens in the morning, between 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., safety operators, organizers, and electricians inspect all rides.”
Currently, the Children's Park features a total of 24 rides, all of which are operational. On the other hand, the accessibility of these rides is poor, leading to long queues of children waiting throughout the day. Even with a ticket, visitors often have to wait 10-30 minutes for each ride. Moreover, many of the rides are outdated, covered in dust, and on the verge of falling apart. The safety belts are worn and grimy, raising concerns about whether they adequately protect the children who are using them.
Among the most popular rides with the children are the Pirate Ship ride and the Roller Coaster. However, the Pirate Ship has not been repaired in recent years. The ride’s old, rusty metal parts create a loud, unpleasant noise when moving up and down, and the safety harnesses are corroded and deteriorated. Parents who place their children on this ride are left with no choice but to endure the clattering noise for a minute and 30 seconds, creating an uncomfortable experience for both guardians and children.
Unlimited tickets are valid for only the day of purchase and only 1 child
Upon entering through the main gate, visitors are greeted by small white booths where tickets are sold. Outside these booths, children waiting with their families and friends stand in line, closely examining the price information posted nearby. The National Amusement Park has long provided bundled tickets to its visitors. These bundles include five options; “Happy”, “Cool”, “Super”, “Crazy”, and “Unlimited” with prices ranging from 20,000 to 50,000 MNT. The bundled tickets are valid for three months, whereas the Unlimited ticket is only valid for the day of purchase.
A significant drawback is that an Unlimited ticket cannot be used multiple times on the same ride. In other words, a family with a single bundled ticket cannot allow all three of their children to ride the same attraction simultaneously. To let all three children ride, they must purchase three separate tickets. This means that for a ride costing 8,000 MNT per child, the total for three children would be approximately 24,000 MNT. If they opt for bundled tickets, this amount could be multiplied by two to three times. Such inflexible arrangements are particularly inconvenient for parents with children, making the park’s pricing structure seem less accommodating.
Furthermore, visitors have reported that the park staff does not provide clear instructions on how to use the bundled tickets. Although price information is posted next to the ticket sales booths, there are no warnings about the inability to use a single ticket for multiple rides consecutively. Such details are only noted in a small print in the corner of the ticket, which is rarely read. Additionally, many people have suggested that the park should consider selling tickets online to save time and improve convenience. The park attracts approximately two million visitors annually, indicating that an online ticketing system could significantly enhance the overall visitor experience.
People prefer free green spaces with high quality
The park is predominantly owned by Bodi International LLC, which controls 74 percent of the shares, while the remaining 26 percent is held by the Ulaanbaatar City Administration. On July 5, 2005, the Governor of the Capital City and the Mayor of Ulaanbaatar City issued decree No. 263, granting a 15-year lease of 358,714 square meters of land to the National Amusement Park. At the time, Bodi International company planned a major redevelopment in partnership with Japan’s Itochu Corporation. However, due to persistent land disputes, investment efforts were stalled, preventing the park’s planned development. The fragmentation of land allocation to various businesses significantly obstructed the flow of investment, halting progress.
After enduring prolonged disputes, the capital city administration decided three years ago to reclaim 10.2 hectares of the Children’s Park and convert it into a public garden. This ambitious project was carried out in collaboration with Rio Tinto Mongolia. Following three years of dedicated work, the first visible results of the redevelopment have emerged this summer, with the western section of the Children’s Park now boasting facilities that meet international standards. The enhancements include an open-air green theater, a modern children’s playground, comfortable seating areas, shaded rest zones, a fully integrated self-sustaining irrigation system, and a scenic pond. In addition, over 40,000 trees and shrubs have been planted, and 80 percent of the park’s area has been transformed into lush, green grass. This development has introduced a valuable, accessible, and free green space to the capital city.
As a result, many visitors are now flocking to the park’s newly developed western section to experience the improvements made by Rio Tinto Mongolia. It is evident that people prefer the opportunity to enjoy new, high-quality amenities at no cost, rather than making do with the outdated and deteriorated rides of the old park. Despite Bodi International’s assertions of prioritizing the well-being of children, there remains a significant concern that their focus on safety is lacking. The ongoing issue of the park operating with expenses consistently exceeding revenue, while the influx of visitors continues to grow, raises questions about the park's financial and operational management.
