Abandoned - China's Wonderland Amusement Park
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- čas přidán 16. 12. 2021
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In a small village just outside Beijing, China sits one of the most infamous abandoned theme parks ever. Often circulated around the internet as a never finished Disney theme park copycat, the amazing story of the never finished and abandoned Wonderland Amusement Park has never really been told properly. It was once a theme park poised to be the largest in Asia and beat Disney themselves to the country. The Magic Kingdom style theme park would have been enormous but after several missteps, the failure became far more known than the promise. Join me as we demystify this incredible park in China!
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BrightSunFilms 2021
Presented in 4K - Zábava
I visited this place in early 2013 while it was being demolished. There were a few walls left up of the main buildings near the front of the park, but it was nearly completely empty except for the giant castle structure. I was able to climb up part of it and see inside all of the hollow cement walls of the castle. It's somewhat close to Beijing but still quite a remote area. I took a train to the outskirts of Beijing, then a local bus that had a stop pretty close to here. I think the locals were pretty confused watching a foreigner hop out of the bus into this farmland area. I watched the sunset while standing on the castle. There were a few local farmers who seemed curious about my presence there but they didn't seem to mind. Very memorable experience and it was my only time I've done urbex. Long time fan of this channel and very cool to see Wonderland covered here.
No you did not. Simple.
@@Cryptum404 Thanks for clearing that up for me. I guess I just imagined that year I lived in Beijing.
@@Tekma you simply made that paragraph up.
@@Cryptum404 ok, I will bite, do you know him personally, very much enjoyed his story, even if he was making it up, if you're going to comment, think of a good one.
Can’t make that up
Imagine being a farmer and eventually just being handed a free castle that must be a unique thing to tell people they own a literal castle on farmland
The idea of that is admittedly hilarious
Imagine being a farmer around the vicinity, seeing construction of a theme park, demolition of a theme park and construction of a mall in the span of 20 years
"Congratulations, this liability OOPS I meant present is now entirely yours and not our problem anymore! Hope you enjoy it and pay for all the upkeep or demolition, whichever you prefer!"
I can almost imagine some government people in suits wearing the fakest of smiles to tell the farmer that.
"So uh farmer what does your farm have"
*"a castle"*
Isn't that like kinda common in old European places tho like actually legit midevil castles
It's nice to see that the land was at least being USED for something since the farmers reclaimed it rather than it just rotting to waste for that entire time. Shame it was never finished... it actually looks like it was going to be a lot nicer than Narah Dreamland.
No way you watched the video yet. Dbag
@@SkycladWanderer I'm a patron, you doorknob. I saw it several days ago.
@@SkycladWanderer you didn’t even see the post date on his comment 💀
It really is a testament to how densely populated China is.
Is it just me, or does anyone else share the opinion that theme parks are just a waste of land?
I have no interest in them whatsoever, better to go hiking or sightseeing nature and landmarks.
Congrats on 69 episodes Jake, very nice!
Here's to the next 420 episodes!
Giggity.
Congrats on 69 likes Joe, very nice!
69🤣🤣
Nice
A couple details about the history:
1. The floods of 1998 were very widespread across China and caused extensive damages in a lot of areas, thought Beijing itself was pretty unscathed. It seems that the floods somehow sparked efforts of conservation, especially of China’s forests. So, the lands likely got protected in some sort of attempt at conservation/forming a greenbelt of sorts, since there were some forests on the land.
2. Besides the land dispute and the later protection status, a big reason of the halting of construction in 1998 was because of the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis. Reignwood had a lot of their business in Thailand, which was severely impacted. China was impacted as well though less severe. With issues with Western investors and cash flow, Reignwood probably cut out the building at least temporarily.
Agree, the guy build the red bull bottling factory around the same time, can only imagine how tight his cash flow was at that time.
Another small detail, actually not all buildings have been demolished. Some of the showbuildings where reused as shops, just with the old theming removed. When I was last there in 2018 they where planning to build a new parking lot from where the bridge leads to.
As for the castle, there are plans to build a small fairy tail park/play area around it and finish the castle. But due to COVID idk if those plans will still continue.
@@drunkenpumpkins7401 Which wouldnt be possible if the castle didnt still belong to the developer. Love how the youtuber completely made up it went to a farmer or the government without any proof whatsoever.
@700gsteak he didn't "make it up" he literally said it was his GUESS as to why it hadn't been demolished, not that it was 100% fact, because there was a lack of information on the property, so it was an attempt to fill in the gaps with the POSSIBILITIES of what may have happened regarding ownership. He never spoke in absolutes. Yall love looking for something to run your mouths about. Stfu and go touch grass.
I think this is the first time I’ve seen the plans to “reuse the land for an outdoor shopping center” actually happen. 🤯
I think the castle looks beautiful in the background of the mall, it looks like a art piece, a statue that represents what used to be built on that land.
Agreed. Kind of like a bit of history, and just a point of interest
No
@@Jacob630 yes 🤔
@@BionicleC4 NO
@@Jacob630 YES 😛
It is amazing, how Jake can dig so deep into the background and massive/comprehensive information, I never saw any documentary like this even in China, thanks so much for your efforts, really love how you do documentaries! --A Citizen from Beijing
That means a lot to me seriously.
@@BrightSunFilms you bridge the past and present man, for a foreigner I can watch your documentaries meanwhile enjoying the storyline and feeling the changes from the past til present, I am the one, like others, should thank you for all the documentaries you and the team produced, thanks, With tons of respects🙏!
Isn’t it forbidden to use a VPN in China?
@@Tobi-ln9xr I am working in Lima Perú
@@chengxu4665 how is the True condition of Chinese real estate sector, is it really going towards a bubble Burst/collapse and how much big problems is ghost city
I swear one day we are going to hear that Jake is opening his own theme park. He would come up with some really cool and unique concepts. I wish this park would've been completed. It looked really cool.
Where everything looks abandoned but is actually fully functional
Bright Sun Land when
@@RedHotMessResell Maybe there are replicas/easter eggs of famous abandoned buildings.
Damn, I'd go there.
Defunctland is at least building a virtual park with pieces from the abandoned attractions he's talked about. I would love a teamup between him and Bright Sun Films on such a project.
@@alalalala57I'm SOLD then! 😂
During my first visit to China, I think in 1997, I passed Wonderland on our way from Beijing to the Ming tombs. It was so surreal when I spotted it. Because the front part looked so well maintained, I actually thought it was a park built by Disney, but the unfinished castle confused me.
Tried to find out more about it when I was back home, but back then, it was really hard to find anything about it and lots of wrong informations as well. For example I found an article which showed the unfinished castle and some characters which were very bad rip-offs of Mickey and Minnie. The article said that the park had opened in the meantime (which obviously is false, since most of it was never finished) but that the government forced them to get rid of the more obvious Disney rip-offs since they were working with them on Hong Kong Disneyland.
I’ve always loved the pictures of this place cus it always seemed closer to a land that was left after something horrible happened. The giant brick walls on the outside being the only thing completed always gives me eerie vibes.
I just started watching "Closed for Storm" on Prime, and this familiar voice began narrating the documentary. And I was like: _Damn, that sounds a whole lot like Jake from BSF..._
You're a talented storyteller.
This Episode: Nice.
11:32 I like that the mall has a roof canopy suspiciously similar to what the park would've had. Nice callback IMO
Oddly I sort of like the castle still being there as a point of interest and a chance to learn some unusual history.
"Why don't you like going to that other shopping mall?"
"Well this one is big, clean, it has nice shops and restaurants, and oh yeah it has a *castle!* "
(that last part would probably be said in Chinese)
It's also strange how the abandoned castle was painted to match the mall, maybe its still standing because the mall owners plan to incorporate it into a phase 2. it happened with a dead mall near my childhood home, the entire mall was demolished except for the movie theater that was renovated and reopened with the new shopping center that is there now. Developers do weird things like that.
I first heard of this place way back on one of those clickbait sites. When Defunctland did their episode on Nara years later, I saw it thinking it was the same place I had read about years earlier. I obviously forgot the part mentioning how it was unfinished, unlike Nara. This episode definitely cleared that up. Excellent episode as always, Jake.
honestly I like that they kept the castle and painted it. It's like a strange homage to the original park, and it does actually look kind of cool how it is, left unfinished. If you didn't know and you were the unassuming public, it would just seem like a weird art piece from a weird architect.
Yeah my idea to attract mallgoers is that they spruce up the castle to go and take pictures, or put up a small garden where the bridge leads to.
Sorry to nitpick, but Nara Dreamland was in... Nara Prefecture. Not Osaka Prefecture. They are next to each other... but it was literally called NARA Dreamland.
I grew up in Beijing in 90s and early 2000s and I do remember seeing this one few times when I was travelling to nearby towns. I always wondered why would anyone build an amusement park in the middle of nowhere. Since car ownership for ordinary folks wasn't really a thing back then, it would be quite difficult to get to the park without it being served by public transport, which was also unlikely given that it was in the middle of nowhere to start with. In fact everybody thought it was a facade for some kind of money laundering schemes.
Looks like Wonderland was dead on arrival, based on location alone.
I thought from the title that this was about Australia's Wonderland in Western Sydney, Australia. It is long gone now having been levelled for a housing development but my brother was involved with a part of the demolition. I have photos somewhere that he took of some of the partly demolished structures and rides. I went several times to Australia's Wonderland when it was open, the last time in 1994 with my then fiance (now my ex-wife).
Big beastie… I remember those days. Remember old sydney town mate? Sad to see them now as just a memory
The abandoned Emerald River Resort near Laughlin would make a good video. Thing has been abandoned since the 1990's and was supposed to have a million square foot shopping mall and four hotels.
Laughlin Nevada??
@@Nikkisweeets Yeah
The original Walt Disney park also has a Bavarian theme since the castle is inspired by the Neuschwanstein castle.
They went back to save the project in 2008. Famous last words.
Edit: The mall developers should have at least finished the castle.
I can't believe it's finally time for this. I've been watching since episode 1 and I can't get enough.
Personally I love the fact that the castle is still there, like a weird out of place memento of the past that's iconic in it's own way.
Would you ever consider doing an episode on Kowloon Walled City? I've only found pieces of a German documentary and a few articles. It's a fascinating piece of history that I'd love to know more about.
A channel called Geographics has done a video on it
Only issue is that ain’t abandoned
@@zakp.2759 um...everyone was moved out and it was demolished. So yeah it kinda is
@@profoundcake WAIT ACTUALLY?
@@zakp.2759 you are several decades late my friend, it was gone in 1994.
Honestly? I find it kind of touching that they kept the castle. ;w; Even if it was out of their hands or something along those lines, it would be really cool to see the castle be finished and kind of "themed" to the new mall than demolished.
Hey, you should talk about the brazilian failed and abandoned Terra Encantada amusement park. It was built in the 90s to be one of the biggest and most famous themes park in the world. Located in the Barra da Tijuca, a newly built neighborhood in the iconic and famous city of Rio de Janeiro, It was a huge investment, that had as object be the new international turistic point in the city, as the christ, Copacabana Beach, and sugar loaf. Anyway, there is a lot to say why it didint work, like people stealing money to pure incoptence.
Most abandoned places just look... abandoned, but that mainstreet with the farm on it was one of the most post-apocalyptic things I've seen in a while.
Awesome video Jake! It’s a shame that this park never made it to completion. It looks like it would’ve been a cool theme park!
I used to be obsessed with this park when I was in middle school, and I was SO overjoyed to see that the castle is still there! Maybe someday I can go see it for myself...
China has tons of other eerie places just like this. They have whole euro style towns hastily put together that are left abandoned so I’m not surprised this exists.
Your abandoned series is so damn good, always full of interesting detail. This episode was pretty nice! Been binge watching the series, thank you :)
I really appreciate that, thank you!
Thank you for covering this, Jake!! I've heard a few things here and there about this theme park, but not a lot. And I love all the research you do on your videos. So, thank you for giving us the history, the downfall, the abandonment, & the state of where this theme park is today!! ❤
That’s what I’m here for!
officially completed the trilogy, nara dreamland, wonderland, and some other Disney park I can't remember for my lifes sake. Tysm for the amazing videos jake.
Nothing better than popping a cold one after a hard day or work watching a video about an abandoned place I never knew existed but that will probably fall in love with!
Your videos are awesome and never cease to entertain me!
Great video. For a more obscure now abandoned amusement park look up Chippewa Lake Park in Chippewa Lake Ohio. It was opened from 1878 to 1978. Until just a few years ago much of it was still standing but now was finally leveled.
I grew up 20 or so minutes from here and went to school with ppl who lived in the Chippewa Lake village. There was a huge group trying to save the park for a long time but once the dance hall (largest in the world at one point) burnt down, there was really nothing left to try to save. A lot of locals have pieces of the park to document it really was there; tickets, signs, pictures, etc. I personally was in the dance hall before it burnt. It was enormous. It felt like it was a covered football field!
the thumbnail sent shivers up my spine, just seeing that iconic disney looking castle unfinished and decaying is just so surreal
I've seen another video on this park, but there is NEVER a comparison, Jake. Your videos and style are so detail filled and smooth. Love it!
Really love all your documentarys on abandoned theme parks. You do such an amazing job of really explaining every important aspect regarding the parks beginning to their demise...by any chance could you please do "wonderland Eurasia" next?
I'm really impressed by what you do, and wait in anticipation for your next short. Thanks you and seasons greetings!
At least it’s a more of happy ending, the land is ultimately reused. They even kept that castle as a tribute ;)
The reason that bridge haven’t been removed is most likely became they don’t want to shut down the highway…
Jake, your videos are so comprehensive and detailed, they are a joy to watch! Thank you big-time.
The best gift a Friday can offer. Cheers to another amazing exploration!
Hi Jake! I just finished watching closed for storm it was really great. I was alway fascinated about abandoned places for a long time. Until one day I saw your original video on that park and I was immediately fascinated about this park and did research about the park and it was really cool. I was so excited to see that you were releasing a documentary on it. I’m not a huge fan of documentaries but the way you did it was really cool! The way you put everything made it feel like I went and actually experienced that park. Even though I wasn’t alive back then to enjoy it, it really felt like I was there. It was sad to see how it looked and how all the people you interviewed talked about there experiences at that park and hearing how sad they were about the park. The ending of that documentary was very beautiful. The documentary was great! Keep on making these really cool videos and documentaries!
I really do appreciate that, thank you so much!
This was a much wilder ride than I expected from the start of the video! Excellent work like always. Thank you for making this content for us!
I like the curious, never-completed castle. With it's hulking concrete mass and uselessly open, steeply-sloped roofs it has a vaguely postmodern appearance. Perhaps it could be purchased and completed as an eccentric home or rentable retreat center.
The average Chinese person cant afford Shanghai Disney. Most of attendance is from the rest of Asia and Australia. People who could previously afford to travel half way around the world to visit Disney World or Disneyland but no longer have to travel so far.
Great video man never knew this place existed pretty interesting to find out what happens when a place is abandoned
been such a great experience to see what has happened with these old parks I really appreciate the videos and all your work keep it going and we will all grow together!
It's incredible to me, that so many of your Abandoned videos related in one way or an other to the 2008 financial crisis. Amazing video by the way.
Your videos are always high quality and a treat!
Thank you!
I saw this when in Beijing in 2006! The tour guide told us "it was opening soon." We were, understandably, skeptical...
Re watched a lot of your videos since it helped when i have major anxiety and i just wanna say finally catching up , you have come some far and it’s so nice to see. I almost forgot where you started haha
I kind of love that the castle is still there. It's random but would be a fun surprise. I agree with someone else who said it's kind of like an art installation.
Love your work Jake, thank you for everything you’ve done
Thanks for watching!
Hi again jake! Thanks for posting keep up the amazing work
Thanks!
You have always been my favorite channel on CZcams & I anticipate the next Abandoned episode always, thanks for another amazing episode!
Thank you for doing this episode Jake, I thought about this place right after I watched your Nara dream land episode. I went to college in the same district (Chang Ping to be exact) and I have passed by this building numerous times but never went in, it seemed like they were still taking care of the ground at that time (in the 2000s). Its very impressive that you can dig so deep into this affair. I think it was actually a feasible project if they ever finished it. It was on the way to the The Great Wall, the biggest attraction in Beijing. Also at that time there were no themed amusement parks like you said. It was indeed a waste of money and time, like many other hastily planned projects around that time.
New Spider-Man movie AND a new Abandoned episode?!? Haha yay Christmas came early. Best educ-tainment on CZcams hands down. Hope you and your family are doing good Jake!
Yours as well!
4:52 A particularly wet season in episode 69. 👌 Seriously though, it’s impressive how much you were able to speculate with so little information. Great job!
jake, i just wanted to let you know that you are my favorite content creator on youtube. you put so much effort and love into these videos and they bring me a lot of comfort in times of stress. thank you, from the bottom of my heart, and i hope you see this message. please keep it up, you make people happy.
Great video - thanks for compiling this. It's also good to get a variety of stills and animated clips rather than a "power point presentation" and also good to see credit being given to the image and video owners too.
The only thing remotely close to an abandoned park like this near where I live is an old wildlife park (immensely popular with kids in the '70s - late'90s) that abruptly closed in 1997 and sold for redevelopment. Much of the back of the park is however still there, now very much being taken over by nature, with monkey houses and an old sealion pool area rapidly eroding away to nature and vandalism.
This is a nice series
Thank you Jake! A nice way to end my day by watching a new Bright Sun video... :)
Thanks!
Jake, This was a great episode of Abandoned. Nice job :)
It's funny to see so many international locations building old style red British telephone kiosks as a part of British theming, when the K6 style telephone box hasn't been built in the UK for over 30-40 years and is indeed now being removed in many places, and sold to collectors so you're more likely to see one in someone's garden than you are on a street these days (apart from the centre of a large tourist area such as London where many are kept for tourists).
In fact, there's every chance the one seen at 11:29 could indeed be an old UK phone box that was sold to the company developing the mall and imported to China.
I have to say, abandoned theme parks just make me sad. They're just there, doing nothing and empty.
Edit: your friend is talented.
“Construction came to a halt in 2008”
Oh I wonder why
Keep up the great work. I love this series!
You should really do an episode on Forest Fair Village/ Cincinnati Mills (A.k.a The deadest open mall in the US). This series is a really amazing series and has some of my favorite videos in it. Great video as always!
This guy is always AMAZED at sort of normal things with an easy to find explanation. Like how a few of the buildings were finished while others were barely started... so that visiting investors and officials can see what the whole park will eventually look like, not just a construction site. And how the mall left the giant castle there... like if you owned an outlet mall in the middle of nowhere that people had to drive to you wouldn't want a huge tower that makes your mall super easy to find?
Episode 69. Nice.
Happy holidays Bright Sun Films
Fantastic video!!! Such a huge fan. Would love to see you do one about the Los Angeles Abandoned zoo!!! One of my personal favorites to explore!
I wanted to comment again to say I'm an illustrator for a living and I want to compliment your illustrator friend Toben Lee (I'm so sorry if I got that wrong... I don't see any links to anything for him in the description!). He's an EXCELLENT draftsman! Is he into architectural design/drafting? Technical illustration? As someone who is far better at illustrating organic things (like people) and pretty weak at man-made objects and structures, his illustrations of the buildings under the Main Street canopy in particular are _gorgeous._
12:50 Another reason that comes to mind is that since the site was pretty popular when it was abandoned, maybe they want to keep it so people come to see it 🤔
Awesome video Jake! I'm glad at the end the land is used for something else.
Nice. Been watching your vids since 2015. keep up the good work :)
The shopping outdoor mall they built reminds me of the outlet mall design concept design they do out here in Texas
Jake: what's up guys my name is Jake and welcome to abandoned episode 69
The subscribers: nice
I get excited by your content because a) it's pretty awesome and b) you're excited. It's infectious! Side note: I finally got to view Closed for Storm. OMG! It was AMAZING! Your entire team (yourself included, of course) did such a phenomenal job. I sincerely hope you consider another full-length feature again. You've got a bright (Sun Films, :D) future in film making ahead of you. Keep at it and we'll keep cheering you on!! Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Loved Closed for the Storm! Really great job 👏
0:40 it’s In Nara, not Osaka. (Nara is in the name)
Damn how did I never notice that
I first heard about this place thanks to China Uncensored
Truly enjoy this series keep up the fantastic work💯
Awesome video man. You always deliver great content👍
Thank you!
Love the video, it's great to have some preservation of these weird & wonderful constructions on film 👍 Absolutely adore the juxtaposition of the half-built castle & the crops.... ironically they provide more accurate theming for a fairytale castle! 🏰 I would not be remotely surprised if it was retained by the developer as a landmark for their mall development.... China has vastly different laws around trademark or copyright infringement (especially with western brands) & they often adopt some kind of 'mascot' for places like that. It would certainly make the mall easy to spot!
personally i think it's cool that the castle structure survives.
Oh don’t get me wrong, me too!
Just found your channel thanks for the great videos and stories!
Keep up the great work! Also you closed for storm... So good
Thank you!!
I swear that castle gives off Hollow Bastion vibes. The fact it's been in a decrepit state just adds to the uncanny resemblance
It really does.
As usual, awesome!
Thanks!
Este canal es de lo mejor en CZcams. Love it!
Just saw you had film on prime. I knew you jump higher then you tube. Great docs over the years. Can’t wait to watch it.
Thanks!
Shame about Wonderland not being actually Wonderland Park, However we all move on.
Congratulations on 69 episodes through 😀
nice
Nice
A Proper People and a Jake/Bright Sun Films on the SAME DAY!??!! What did I do to deserve this level of awesomeness!! Oh, and CLosed For Storm is kickass!
Excellent as always.
I remember learning about this place years ago! It's so interesting