Fans of Universal Studios Beijing rejoice! For there is a new, much cheaper, annual pass that will grant you exclusive Annual Passholder (AP) benefits, discounts and more, only on sale until Mar 31, 2024.

The Annual Pass – Light retails for RMB 988, which means you’ll get your money’s worth (and more) if you just visit the park twice in the year. If you truly maximise your pass by visiting, shopping and dining at Universal Studios, it’ll give you access to benefits well beyond that price. Here are five reasons to get the Annual Pass – Light, while you still can!

1. 183 Days of Access! 

The Annual Pass – Light gives you access to the park for no less than 183 days, mostly Mondays through Thursdays, though all Sundays in March were also included. The current calendar only shows access dates up to May, but this will be updated in time.

2. Exclusive Ticket Discounts

If you want to visit during the black out dates, you’ll get half price off black out day tickets up to 8 times a year. Plus, if you have friends and family who want to tag along, you’ll get 10% off their tickets, up to 4 times a year.

3. Exclusive Annual Passholder Entrance

Avoid the looooooong line just to get into the park by going through your exclusive AP entrance (to the right of the  entrance gates)!

4. Exclusive Events Access

Annual Passholders of the Light pass will be granted preemptive access to attend seasonal events such as Universal’s Cool Summer shows, Halloween’s Freaky Farm, Christmas and other special Annual Passholder-only events.

5. Dining and Shopping Discounts 

You’ll get 5% off dining at selected Universal CityWalk restaurants as well as enjoy 5% off presale of special Universal souvenirs and merchandise.

The Annual Pass – Light is only on sale until this weekend, Mar 31, 2024, so go into the Universal Studios Beijing app now and buy it before it’s gone!

Images: Unsplash, Universal Studios Beijing

KEEP READING: Mar 27-Apr 9: Fun Easter Events for Kids and Families

Aside from Golden Week in October, the other reason that this month may hold special significance for lovers of dress-up, sugary treats and the spiritual realm is that it’s Halloween season! Undoubtedly one of the biggest Halloween events here in town is the Scares @ Universal Studios, which just opened last Saturday to huge crowds of screaming fans.

From now until Nov 11, Scares @ Universal brings you some wonderful time-limited specials every Thursday through Monday. From their autumn-themed pumpkin and fall leaves decorations to unique character meet & greets such as Minion Monsters and more, there’s something for everyone to enjoy, whether it’s day or night. But  the real thrills do start after dark (officially 6pm) when the Scare Zone brings forth the Pumpkin Demon as well as the Freaky Farm maze! Check out our walk-through video of the maze below!

(Please be warned that the video contains flashing lights in a dark environment.)

Ticket-wise, there are no additional charges for enjoying these special treats as they are all available to any standard day ticket holder. There are also purely evening tickets after 5pm available (prices starting from RMB 212) during this time. But do take note that the Freaky Farm maze does require pre-booking for the time slot of your visit, and this booking will only work when you are physically on the Universal Studios site itself. This geo-fencing requirement is meant to help with crowd control. Also, please note that the official guidelines recommend that kids below 13 may not be suited to enjoy the Freaky Farm, though we did see kids below that age inside the maze. Kids below 16 have to be accompanied by an adult.

Scares @ Universal will also include extended opening hours for Universal CityWalk, so don’t forget to stop by the restaurants and shops afterwards to check out their limited edition Scares @ Universal food and merchandise too!

Images: Starcy Chen, Universal Studios Beijing

It’s hard to believe that Universal Studios Beijing officially opened on Sep 20, 2021, almost one whole year ago now. It seems like just yesterday when my family walked through the hallowed gates onto Hollywood Boulevard and my then-6-year-old’s jaw dropped in awe. I can still remember jumping up and down in excitement when we spotted the colorful Minion Land from afar, and my kid still drools at the memory of corn dogs at the stands in Jurassic World. And I’m sure we all remember the spectacular photos when Hogsmeade was covered in real snow last winter.

Especially due to travel restrictions, Universal Studios has been a great escape for us when we couldn’t leave Beijing. Even though pandemic protocols saw the entire resort close down for almost two months earlier this year, the park has been receiving great crowds since it reopened at the end of June, in hopes to meet its target maximum capacity of 110,000 visitors.

In celebration of its first year anniversary, Universal Studios is offering special discounts on their admission tickets.

A three-visit General Admission Ticket, valid for use between Sep 13 to Nov 30 of this year, will start from RMB 635 for children and RMB 845 for adults. In comparison to the General Admission ticket for one visit, which starts from RMB 395 for kids and RMB 528 for adults, you don’t need to be a math genius to work out it’s quite a bargain! The special anniversary prices also extend to the 1.5 Day tickets, which start from RMB 635 for kids and RMB 845 for adults.

If you’re thinking of getting the 1.5 Day tickets, then you must be considering staying the night in one of the two on-site hotels at Universal Beijing Resort. Check out our previous article comparing the Nuo Resort Hotel and Universal Grand Hotel here.

In line with the anniversary celebration, the park is offering a staycation deal, available for purchase only this September, though you can use it from Sep 13 to Oct 29 (except during Golden Week). Starting from RMB 3,414, the Double Package offers two 1.5 Day tickets, a one-night stay at the Nuo, access to their Executive Lounge with breakfast for 2 adults and 1 child between 3-11 years, and other exclusive benefits. The Family Package, starting from RMB 3,890 offers all that plus one 1.5 Day ticket for a child.

Download the official Universal Studios BJ app from the App Store to check out all the details of these packages and more. There’s even a quiz you can play to win anniversary prizes such as a 99.9% off ticket coupon, as well as limited edition anniversary merchandise and in-park products. Scan the QR code in the poster below for more details!

Check out our family-friendly guides to each Land in Universal Studios here!

KEEP READING: Inside Universal Beijing CityWalk’s Chocolate Factory

Images: Uni You, Universal Studios Beijing App

As Beijing begins to breathe again after a month of Covid restrictions, we are pleased to also announce that many camp providers are now taking registrations for their summer camp programs! Over the next few weeks, Jingkids will profile summer camps that will keep the kids’ minds and bodies busy during the school holidays in this Beijing heat!

Magic Academy Camp

A one of a kind journey that will transport you to the fantastic world of magic, Greenwoods YMCE’s Magic Academy Camp is a unique camp experience for kids from 7 to 12 years of age. It promises to be “an immersive magical experience” that is both bilingual and inclusive for all. Campers will develop new skills, bond with new friends, and expand their horizons over six days and five nights, including a full-day trip to Universal Studios Beijing! As an added bonus, all campers will receive a magic wand and a robe from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Ages: 7-12 years old
Organizer: Greenwoods YMCE
Where: Beijing Camp Greenwoods in Changping, Tongzhou Campus
When: Several 6D5N sessions between July 3 and August 26
Counselor to child ratio: 1:4, 1:5
Language: English and Chinese
Price: RMB 9,999
Topics: Crafts such as wand-making, sports such as dodgeball, and more
About: You Mei Camp Education (YMCE) was founded by a group of four friends from the US and China who wanted to bring the tradition of summer camps to China. Today, they are industry leaders providing school trips, summer camps, ski trips, residential overnights, WWW, LNT, outdoor adventures, Duke of Edinburgh Adventurous Journeys, and more, spanning the entire Chinese mainland from Yunnan to Beijing.
More info: Scan the QR code below for more information.

Imagine Mountain Camp

Imagine’s Mountain Camp is an out-there adventure for the wild at heart. Offering five days and four nights of nature-driven activities including horseback riding, archery tag, rock-climbing, mountain biking, and a one-night wilderness camping experience, the Mountain Camp is suitable for ages 9-14. Campers can expect to pick up natural navigation skills, learn to build a fire and cook their own dinners, and try their hand at off-road biking under the instruction of English-speaking sports coaches.

Ages: 9-14 years old
Organizer: Imagine 意漫群
Where: Outer Beijing including Hebei and Chongli
When: Several 5D4N sessions between June 20 and August 19
Counselor to child ratio: 1:5 (+/-2)
Language: English and Chinese
Price: RMB 10,680 (*group sign-ups can enjoy discounts)
Topics: Outdoor sports and wilderness skills
About: Imagine Camps was founded by British outdoor sports professional Pete Tupper in 2014. As an established and specialized adventure activity brand, the company has continued to design and operate an exciting range of innovative and adventurous activities, camps, and international school trips in Beijing, around China, and overseas, from survival training courses to ski trips, and from watersports to mountain biking. All instructors are highly trained and speak fluent English, creating a fully immersive English-language environment. The company’s mission is to “inspire development through action and adventure” and the team strongly believes that getting kids outdoors is vital for character building.
More info: Scan the QR code below for more information.

KEEP READING: Let’s See if Summer Camps Are Really Worth the Money!

Images: Courtesy of vendors

Universal Beijing Resorts closed its Transformer-themed roller coaster this week after a tourist visiting the attraction collapsed and eventually died of a heart attack, according to an official statement.

The park reported through their official WeChat account that earlier this week a visitor required medical attention at the area surrounding one of their signature attractions, the Decepticoaster. The report did not say whether the person had taken the ride before or during the incident, instead stating only that the person was “in the area of the Decepticoaster.”

The statement reported that first-aid measures were administered immediately and transportation to the hospital was arranged. However, the park was later notified that the visitor had been pronounced dead at the hospital.

Universal included the following message in their official announcement: “Due to careful consideration and the need to cooperate with the relevant authorities for verification, the ride equipment has been temporarily shut down. After thorough verification, the equipment was designed to function properly and meet safety standards. We will resume operations of the device as soon as possible.”

Universal Resort Beijing remains open but the Decepticoaster will remain closed until further notice.

This is not the first time Decepticoaster has been in the news. Global Times reported back in September that some visitors complained about cervical pain after riding the coaster. In the report, a medical expert was quoted as saying the coaster could cause cervical spine injuries due to its “excessive speed”.

The following month the Decepicoaster malfunctioned causing 30 guests to be trapped on the ride for about 10 minutes.

Images: Uni You

When you first enter Universal CityWalk you are immediately drawn to the iconic Universal Studios globe spinning in the center of the plaza, but as you pose for a pic you might notice a looming chocolate factory to your left. Trust me when I tell you the inside of that building is just as Insta-worthy and way tastier.

I was at Universal CityWalk with Beijing’s reigning Foodie Queen, Ana Lourenco, in search of fun and unusual snacks, and our first stop was The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen. Whenever I’m at Universal I’m impressed by the consistent attention to detail and the unique experiences to be had in each building. Toothsome is no different. The second you walk inside you are transported to a steampunk chocolate fantasy.

Greeted by Professor Dr. Penelope Tibeaux-Tinker Toothsome and her robot sidekick Jacques, we were ushered into an incredible glass and steel atrium overlooking a lovely open patio perfect for kids to play in. Upstairs is an undeniably cool bar leading to an outdoor patio with a view of the Hollywood Hotel and a breeze of a lake.  It’s an ideal spot for a summer brunch.

Our group got a selection of drinks both of the alcoholic and child-friendly variety, and just the selection of unique beverages would make this a place worth stopping at for a rest. The Toothsome signature Chocolate Coke (RMB 32) was surprisingly refreshing, and the Chocolate Stout (RMB 68) got good reviews from the beer-lovers at our table.  We passed around several cocktails and mocktails from the extensive drink list (RMB 88-108) including the Something for Nothing, Panoplies Fancy, and Breath of Fresh Air, all of which were lovely and made me happy I had a few hours to sit, sip, and enjoy.

As we looked over the menu I was a little uneasy about some of the menu items. I have a major sweet tooth, but a lot of the savory items had a cocoa twist and I was worried it would be too much. Surprisingly, it works! I’m not going to lie, we ate a lot between us.

There are definitely some not-to-be-missed items. The Crispy Chocolate Chicken Wings (RMB 88) were by far my favorite thing on the menu, and I would happily have made a whole meal out of them. We shared all of the flatbreads, and I was a fan of the BBQ Chicken and the Wild Mushroom (RMB 98 each). I tried bites of several of the sandwiches and burgers, and surprisingly my favorite was the Cranberry Herb Vegetable Press (RMB 108). The Gong Bao Shrimp (RMB 138) had a nice kick without being too spicy.

But then it was time to get serious. We opened the dessert menu. Our table shared a light and fluffy Nutella Crepe and a Strawberry Waffle (RMB 78 each) and then decided the milkshakes were calling our names! Everyone got a different one so we could try them all (RMB 88-98 each) I opted for the Coffee milkshake, which was my favorite, but the Peanut Butter Cup milkshake, which is their seasonal specialty, won rave reviews, and a few die-hard sugar fanatics thought the Confetti Cake was the best possible way to celebrate your birthday.

Which got me thinking, “This is a pretty great place for a casual birthday dinner!” There is a kids menu and the shakes can be made in a mini kid-friendly size. There is plenty of outdoor space for the little ones to run around in, and the costumed characters and ongoing fun of CityWalk will keep kids engaged as parents enjoy good food and drinks in a novel environment!

Finally, long past the point of full, we walked out through the candy shop. I was incredibly tempted by the rows of chocolates for sale, but one more bite would have sent me into a diabetic coma, so we headed back out to the street to try and get a few steps in.

Wandering around outside I realized how many great restaurants and amusements are available without even entering the park. A place called Cutie Cones offers ice cream cones within ice cream cones – it’s very meta. Neon Street Hawkers is an indoor food court filled with different types of southeast Asian street food and stalls along the thoroughfare sell everything from classic caramel popcorn to corn juice (I’m still not sure what that is) and seasonal treats like Singaporean pineapple tarts that I have on good authority are the best in Beijing. And that’s before we get to all the other sit-down restaurants offering interesting experiences, like The Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar’s fusion of burgers and sushi – “Burgushi!”

You don’t need to buy a ticket to the park to experience any of these fantastic attractions, and a 30 to 40 minute Didi ride makes it feel like a little vacation from Beijing without risking your health kit status. So next time you are considering a lazy afternoon brunch, consider changing up your usual routine and checking out Universal CityWalk.

Find it:
1 Universal City Walk
环球大道1号
Tel: 4008778899

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Images: Ana Lourenco, Julie Wolf

Some people say I’m a bit over the top when it comes to sanitation, but I just think they’re naive. Sure, I might over-sanitize a bit, but I’ve got good reasons to.

Over the October holiday, the hotels at Universal Studios Beijing became a trending topic on social media for all the wrong reasons.

One blogger checked in and exposed just how dirty an RMB 2,800 per night room at the Universal Grand Resort was. He left UV stamps on bedsheets, glasses in the bathroom, towels, and the toilet bowl only to find them still there after housekeeping had “cleaned” his room. This particular blogger’s niche is that he tests hotels and restaurants for their sanitation standards and, unfortunately, this isn’t the first time that a luxury hotel in Beijing has been exposed for subpar sanitation standards.

All of which strengthens my resolve for overzealous sanitizing. As an avowed germaphobe, whenever I travel anywhere I have a cleaning routine. Everything that feeds my obsession can be found on Taobao by scanning the QR code in the app.

Step 1: Sanitize

Before I unpack anything, I wipe down the entire room with alcohol wipes. I pay extra attention to the most commonly touched surfaces like door handles, the toilet, phones, and most importantly the remote.

Step 2: More sanitizing

For the fabric surfaces I have sprays and I never, ever use any decorative pillows. Sure, a silk embroidered pillow on the sofa might be gorgeous, but those can’t be washed and sanitized the same way as white linen. Essentially, whatever is on there from previous guests is still there.

Step 3: Towels

I’ve gotten much better about not traveling with my own set of towels, but I’ll still bring my own face towel just in case. I recently discovered disposable dehydrated towels that expand when you put them in water. They come in every size – face towels are about the size of a quarter and full-size bath towels are only the size of a hockey puck, which makes traveling with them both sanitary and simple.

Step 4: The kettle

I never use hot water kettles in hotels. They’re difficult to clean and I don’t know who’s previously used them, nor what they’ve been used to cook. So, I have a travel kettle that’s made of silicone and compresses into the size of a dinner plate.

Step 5: The bed

I know I’m a bit overboard with this, but it gives me peace of mind at night. I travel with my own travel sheets. They’re like a giant sleeping bag that also covers the pillow so I don’t have to ever come in contact with the bed if I don’t want to.

Am I a bit obsessive when it comes to hotel room sanitation? Definitely! But as someone who’s worked in hotels before and seen more than a fair share of horrendous messes left behind by guests, I’ve got good reason to be.

KEEP READING: Universal Studios’ Hotels: Which Is the More Family-Friendly Choice?

Images: TaoBao

Universal CityWalk Beijing offers more than 10 dining choices, each targeted to different appetites and wallet sizes. But aside from taste and price, we ask the all-important question: Just how family-friendly are these restaurants? To find out, we took a stroll down CityWalk and explored all the options, ranking them in terms of kid-friendliness along the way.

But what exactly makes a restaurant kid-friendly? Well, when fellow editor Julie Wolf interviewed foodie emperor Preston Thomas, he said, “The first thing is the friendly and helpful staff. It’s so nice when you have a clean baby chair ready and waiting for you when you arrive. Or someone to offer an extra hand when you are taking off a coat or putting down a bag. The second thing would be an approachable menu. Kids can be picky eaters, so you need to make sure they have something for everyone.” We totally agree.

So we headed into the restaurants at CityWalk armed with three criteria:

1. Baby chairs
2. Kids’ menu options
3. Kid-friendly service and atmosphere

The results?

General remarks: Firstly, after some exploration, we discovered that all of the sit-down restaurants such as Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar, Toothsome Chocolate Emporium, and even Wubei Craft Food & Beer offer a changing table in their restrooms. Do note that these changing tables are only located in the women’s bathrooms, though there is a family restroom outside of the restaurants just behind the Universal Studios Store.

Secondly, all the restaurants within CityWalk have high chairs available, even the Neon Street Hawkers. The quality of high chairs do differ though, from wooden ones with an attached table available at the aforementioned sit-down restaurants to plastic ones at places like Neon Street Hawkers.

And with that out of the way, let’s get down to it! In this editor’s opinion, here are the top family-friendly restaurants at Universal CityWalk Beijing.

3) Bubba Gump Shrimp Co and/or Jumbo Seafood Restaurant 

These two restaurants are like the East and West versions of the same restaurant – basically offering seafood US-style (specifically Southern), and Asian-style (Southeast Asian/Chinese). Both are kid-friendly in that they offer a kids’ menu in a similar price range, provide coloring pages to keep little hands busy, and staff are very welcoming of little ones.

Bubba Gump has a more lively atmosphere and is located right behind the Universal Globe so it’s more likely that older kids may want to run outside and play. Jumbo Seafood is on the quieter side of CityWalk, closer to the subway entrance and housed in a two-story building. All of which is to say, the choice will likely come down to how you like your seafood!

2) Toothsome Chocolate Emporium 

Probably the most attractive-looking to kids, Toothsome Chocolate Emporium is quite a sight to behold. The facade brings to mind Willy Wonka’s iconic chocolate factory, but don’t expect a chocolate waterfall within its walls. Instead, you’ll find plenty of seating across two floors, and also a candy store! The cherry on the top is their hourly show, which features two performers, dressed as a steampunk-era robot and an inventor, who walk around and interact with customers.

Pro Tip: While it may be tempting to try several flavors of their specialty milkshakes, it is highly unlikely that an individual can finish an entire one by themselves, much less a kid. The Toothsome kids’ menu is also rather lackluster, with next to no vegetables in sight, save for some lettuce on the mini burgers.

1) Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar 

First of all, as its name implies, this is sushi plus burgers. Their menu offering of a “burgushi” (a burger dressed up as a sushi roll) perfectly encapsulates this heavenly union, which I highly recommend you try at least once in your life. Secondly, the restaurant offers a great way to keep your kids occupied while you enjoy your meal – an interactive video game where kids create their own unique fish and watch their creations come to life on the many screens around the restaurant.

Between the mouthwatering food and the fun little game, the kids gave us no trouble for almost two hours. What’s more, according to them, the LEGO gummies in the kids’ meal puts Cowfish on the top of the list.

Pro Tip: Don’t forget to stop by Cutie Cones afterward for an ice-cream-within-an-ice-cream cone. Yes, I mean it.

Check out the video below to see why Cowfish is my pick for the most family-friendly restaurant in Universal CityWalk Beijing!

KEEP READING: Universal Studios’ Hotels: Which Is the More Family-Friendly Choice?

Images: Vivienne Tseng-Rush

With Universal Studios Beijing’s grand opening a few weeks behind us, people have been buzzing about the new amusement park left and right. And for what it’s worth, it’s safe to say that the hype is totally worth it.

My visit to Universal Studios happened just two days prior to the official opening and it was mind-blowing, to say the least. My sister and I spent the entire day there, arriving around 9am and leaving at 7.30pm.

Unfortunately, for an entire hour and a half, we took a seemingly endless stream of photos in front of the rotating Universal Globe. One useful tip – allocate a specific amount of time to take photos in there, because spending nearly two hours just taking pictures was the last thing we had anticipated.

As for the park itself, however, we started off strong with the rides and decided to try the infamous Decepticoaster in Transformers Metrobase first. All the stories are true. This ride is for devout thrill-seekers, a group I’m proud to count myself among.

It was definitely the best ride to kick off the day and boost my adrenaline, which got me excited about the rest of the rides. Unfortunately for my sister, the Decepticoaster converted her from a thrill-seeker to a person in deep need of therapy.

The entire day, she was reluctant to try other rides, so to slow things down a little, we headed to the Raptor Encounter located in Jurassic World. Although watching the showman interact with the dinosaur was a lot less frantic than the previous ride, the diversion served its purpose.

Still thoroughly traumatized and hesitant to try another ride, I was finally able to convince my sister to go on the Flight of the Hippogriff at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Personally, the ride was an eight out of ten. Nothing too extreme but still fun and exciting, in its own right.

Next, we headed to Kung Fu Panda Land of Awesomeness and tried all sorts of rides, from the Carousel of Heroes to the multifaceted Journey of the Dragon Warrior. The entire place really lives up to its name. There is so much to do and so much to see there.

And again, be warned, the iridescent lights and soothing background music will force you to indulge in another endless photo and video shoot. Do not fall victim to this! Unless you plan on visiting the theme park a second time, taking pictures at one spot for much too long is not the best idea.

Our next stop was to Minion Land, where we went on the Loop-Dee Doop-Dee three times in a row. Although the name sounds quite silly, it was short and lovely, and definitely made it to my list of top five rides. Another ride that I really enjoyed was the Despicable Me Minion Mayhem. As a huge fan of virtual reality, the ride unquestionably did it for me. Unfortunately, the wait time was half an hour so doing it a second time was a no-go.

Sing on Tour was our last stop. If you loved the movie, then you’ll doubtlessly love the musical performance. Some of the songs were mashups of other popular songs like Shake it Off by Taylor Swift and all the choreography was impressively synchronized.

After the live performance, my sister and I were famished. On our way out, we headed to Mel’s Drive-In where we ate cheeseburgers and French fries for dinner. Although the food was incredibly overpriced, we enjoyed our time at Universal Studios, and hope you do too!

KEEP READING: Universal Studios’ Hotels: Which Is the More Family-Friendly Choice?

Images: Courtesy of Jenny Andrea