【Xi’s Travels】I Am a Little “Astronaut”: Mengdongfang Makes My Dream of the Future World Come True
This travelogue is from September 2017 when Xi was invited by Sanhe Tourism Bureau to visit Sanhe. There are three articles in total, taking everyone to enjoy the beautiful autumn scenery of Sanhe.
Before the travelogue~
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This was Xi’s first long trip with her baby. The first stop was the aerospace-themed park—Mengdongfang Future World Aerospace Theme Park. Though the exhibition area is not as large as Disneyland, it is very detailed. It is located in Yanjiao, and it was surprisingly close to home with convenient transportation. You can take Bus 302 on Yingbin Road or a 20-minute taxi ride. It was much closer than I imagined. I felt happy that I could take Beibei on a spontaneous space trip anytime.
Beibei doesn’t have the habit of sleeping in; he usually wakes up around 7 o’clock, so we quickly got ready and arrived at the gate 20 minutes early before it opened. Beibei and I played around while waiting. Many people think it’s troublesome to take kids out, but actually, being outdoors not only exercises a child’s temperament but also strengthens the bond between parents and children. Okay, enough rambling—let’s see the pictures!
Entering Mengdongfang Future World Aerospace Theme Park—the first of its kind in China and the second in the world—the entire pavilion stood before us like a UFO from outer space, as if hiding many mysterious extraterrestrials. Beibei was completely indifferent to this “huge monster” but was wildly curious about the ticket-checking machine. He ran back and forth several times, triggering the alarm beeps. Realizing he had done something wrong, he obediently returned to my side and dared not misbehave.
Mengdongfang Future World has two floors, with a half-level between them. On the first floor, the entrance is the Gate of Time and Space. To the left is the Milky Way Restaurant and Black Hole Spin. To the right are the Meteorite Theater, Star Cinema, Space Chase, and Cosmic Warrior.
Here we rode a future spaceship brushing past a black hole, experiencing the thrill of traveling through it. Three minutes of spinning and dizziness gave us the excitement of warp speed. However, it’s not suitable for young children—even the woman in our group felt scared. Haha, this ride might be better suited for older boys.
The Meteorite Theater is very story-driven; I recommend parents take their kids to watch it. It simulates the effect of a real meteorite hitting the ground. What’s more fun is the interactive virtual characters Xiao Meng and Mao Zai, who put on a tech talk show. Isn’t that amazing? You’ll find out they are far more than that when you go.
The Gene Center in the park simulates how astronauts cultivate new edible plants needed for their bodies, allowing kids to experience invention and creation. We couldn’t handle the hard stuff, but Beibei could already name most of the fruits and vegetables on the wall. This is the idea of learning through play—learning while having fun. This space trip was also a journey that encouraged his progress.
The Quantum Shuttle is an experience in a cabin that simulates a dynamic world: wind, raindrops, even sand grains that seem to fly into your eyes. Such vivid 3D effects let you truly feel another world.
The Space Knight experience lasts about three minutes. You have to pedal hard, and as you spin, your seat keeps rising higher and higher. Another fun ride is the Astronaut Trainer, which simulates weightlessness, spinning, inversion, and anti-centrifugal forces. It’s for ages 12 and up. Beibei couldn’t play any of these. It frustrated him so much that he lay on the ground in protest. Boohoo~
It seemed Mommy couldn’t handle him without a secret weapon, so I quickly took him to the Future Shop and Moon Shop to pick gifts. There were exquisite space models, super high-tech robot series, and all kinds of special toys—true child-taming gadgets!
Mengdongfang Future World Aerospace Theme Park inspires the future and sparks imagination. The park has a rich variety of attractions: cinema shows, knowledge zones, hands-on brain teasers, and amusement rides, all connected by an aerospace theme. Xi found the hands-on experiences super interesting, combining sound, light, and electricity. Beibei was also captivated by the interactive experience of the new media iPad. This spur-of-the-moment trip allowed Beibei and me to experience the wonders of the future world. On the way home that night, the little guy was still chattering about Uncle Astronaut. Watching his sleeping face, Xi felt incredibly happy. Seeing, experiencing, and accompanying his little by little growth—it feels so blissful.
