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September 5, 2011 Shanghai Grand Carnival Returns: Now at Expo Site

After six years in abeyance, the Shanghai Grand Carnival is back. With a plethora of rides, entertainment, and food, the carnival is ideal for a fun family weekend. The carnival began July 29rd and will run to October 30th, marking (almost) 100 days of fun-filled activity. Taking place at the Expo site in Pudong, it spans 80,000 square meters, making the Grand Carnival the world’s largest.

The carnival features numerous rides, games, martial arts and dance performances, and even the occasional by a foreign rocker. In addition to a number of previous favorites, there are 10 new rides, including the heart-stopping “Bat,” the largest roller coaster in the world. There are also over 60 game booths, enabling you to take home that prized stuffed animal you’ve always wanted. Depending on how many rides you (or your children) want to ride, the event can offer affordable fun for the whole family. Entry is 100 RMB for adults and 50 RMB for children.

However, plan ahead: the carnival can get expensive rather quickly. Ride prices range from 30 to 80 RMB. Games offer a bit more bang for your buck, typically running at 20 RMB a pop with a prize practically guaranteed. Dining options offer the standard fare sans excessive markups: fast food such as KFC, juice stands, and even a Starbuck’s.

Pulling off such a large operation has required quite a bit of adroitness on the part of Freij, the carnival’s organizer. The Grand Carnival is the largest of its kind in the world. In an effort to ensure safety and provide a true technological tour de force with the hottest rides, all of the ride equipment was imported rather than sourced domestically. This resulted in a challenging logistical environment, as all of the equipment had to be in place early for testing. Due to the challenges of importing all of the equipment, the carnival saw its initial debut pushed back five days from the original July 23rd. Many of the rides remained closed even after the carnival was opened. Despite the initial difficulties, the carnival is now running at full swing and should still provide plenty of outlets for merriment.

The carnival is open from 13:00 to 22:00 on Mondays through Fridays and 10:00 to 22:00 on weekends and holidays. It is located at The Expo site, Exit 4 on Bailianjing Road, between Expo Avenue and South Pudong Road. It can be reached via Metro Line 7, Yuntai Road Station. You can also take Bus 83 to Expo Avenue. New Shuttle bus routes 1, 2 and 3 to the Expo China Pavilion from Lujiazui, Shanghai South Railway Station and People’s Square will all get you there as well. Tickets can be purchased online from DaMai in advance.