Chengdu Happy Valley opened a brand new theme section “Legendary Silk Road” to visitors on August 8, 2017.

A press corps of close to 1,000 were among the first visitors to the section, which highlights mysterious, magnificent views of the Western Regions, thrilling amusement facilities and stunning performances.

Happy Valley, as the No. 1 domestic brand of chain theme park, is a pacesetter in the business. The brand, featuring a fusion of action, fashion and passion, never stops in revolutionizing the experience of park goers by increasing the variety of amusement.

The new section, covering 25,000 square meters, took five years to complete and cost 600 million yuan.

Legends and mysteries surrounding the ancient Silk Road abound here. You will feel like travelling back in time to the distant past along the ancient trade route, through the Western Regions, a marketplace in the Persian Gulf, Dunhuang and an acropolis in Greek.

The most eye-catching of all in the new section is a wooden roller-coaster called “Rally in a Desert.”

The track is one kilometer long with a maximum drop of 30 meters. Compared with steel-made roller coasters, the wooden roller coaster has a more striking appearance and provides greater thrill.

One of the journalists said: “During the ride, I heard the wind roaring, my body moved with the car as it ran on the curving track, took turns and ascended. It was so thrilling that I felt like taking an adventure throughout the ride.”

The roller coaster began trial run on July 28 and was soon the most popular attraction in Chengdu Happy Valley. Queuing lines were seen throughout its opening hours from 10:00 to 18:00.

Compared with the roller coaster, the flying experience offered by the other five attractions also located in the new section is much less thrilling.

Is the roller coaster solid? Will it rot? There have been concerns about its safety since construction began.

The coaster was designed and erected by American company GCI. The 40,000 timbers used were from yellow pines grown in south U.S. and?were treated with preservatives. Each timber?bore a number that indicated its place and function. They?were then connected with screws and steel layers. The track was made of eight layers of planks supported by 543 crossbeams.

The facility uses the latest and most advanced safety equipment and system that complies with Chinese and ASTM safety standards. Over 1,000 safety checks and more than 100 trial rides had been made before the section opened. Night inspections were done to ensure safety.

For Happy Valley, safety comes first in its operation. Safety precautions are rigorously administered.

To celebrate the opening of the new section which coincided with the eighth anniversary of Chengdu Happy Valley, the theme park rolled out a number of deals to park goers.

From August 8 to 13, ticket for daytime admission costs 50 percent less than the original price; children no taller than 1.5 meters enjoy free admission when travelling with an adult; all annual passes are available with a 50-percent discount.

A one-day tour around the theme park could cost as low as 1.8 yuan for pass holders. An adult annual pass costs as much as the money needed to buy two admission tickets.

The opening of the new section is part of Happy Valley’s 10 Billion Yuan?Program, an initiative to phase in more amusement facilities in China.

According to an official of Chengdu Happy Valley, while upgrading its hardware, Happy Valley also grows its soft power. A Happy Moment Project was launched to improve its service. Meanwhile, it has held a series of themed activities to cultivate its brand and grow its influence in the theme park industry and among common people.