Seven Bizarre Theme Parks

Shijingshan Amusement Park
If you're alive and breathing (and read my Seven Bizarre Disney Facts and Oddities), you probably know something about Disneyland and the plethora of characters you will find there. While Disneyland theme parks have expanded across the glove into several locations such as France and Hong Kong, you may just come across an eerily similar park in Beijing, known as Shijingshan Amusement Park. Just by looking at the park, you can see the similarities between the two castles, but the characters you will find inside look like they've been transplanted from Orlando to Beijing. From Cinderella look-a-likes to a "cat with large ears" that resembles Minnie Mouse, you'll definitely start to think that the park owners may have stolen Disney and other characters. However, the park maintains that all of their characters are based on those found in Grimm's Fairy Tales and are no way associated with Disney or other cartoon characters. However, I think the park's slogan "Disneyland is too far" proves it all.

World Chocolate Wonderland
No, this isn't another Hershey Park away from home; the World Chocolate Wonderland is located in China and its the first of its kind. The park opened on January 29, 2010 and is centered on everything chocolate, in fact, 176,000 pounds of chocolate. From the Great Wall of China to very famous Terracotta Warriors, you'll find several different objects and figures made of nothing but this yummy treat, including a BMW, clothing, and even shoes. All of the exhibits are encased in glass in order to prevent melting (and probably to prevent some sweet-toothed visitor from taking a bite). The park owners created the park with the idea that due to the tough economic times in China recently, the population needed something sweet. You'll also be able to enjoy a fashion show at the park with models wearing nothing but clothing crafted using chocolate.

Haw Par Villa
Located in Singapore, the Haw Par Villa is a theme park based around folklores from Chinese literature. The villa was built in 1937 and was first known as Tiger Balm Gardens and was eventually renamed in 1985 when it was sold to new owners. While once considered an amusement park, Haw Par was revamped and the dragon roller-coaster was removed. Because the park is centered on Chinese folklore, you will find many statues, 1,000 to be exact, dedicated to certain stories, many of them relating to Confucianism. At the park there are also about 150 dioramas that depict several different scenes. While the park seems to have nothing bizarre about it, once you get a look at some of the statues, you definitely understand. you'll find dioramas entitled "Filthy Blood Pond" as well as a scene of blue demons dismembering a chained prisoner. You'll also find the "Ten Courts of Hell" which depict grotesque sights of the many punishments for sinners.

Holy Land Experience
While there's nothing wrong with religion, there is definitely something odd about a theme park based around life during the time of Jesus, the odd part being that the park does reenactments of many events, including the crucification of Jesus. If you're a devout Christian, this park just may take you to Heaven in Orlando, Florida. The park was built in order to allow present-day people to experience life during ancient times in the Holy Land. At the park you'll find a town made to look like olden-day Jerusalem with markets, a Judean Village, a Temple, and even a Garden Tomb that is meant to look like the one Jesus was buried in, as well as many structures that were built to present the architecture and life 2000 ears back. There are also old artifacts that allow every visitor to picture themselves in the life of someone living in the Holy Land.

Grutas Park
Grutas Park is a theme park that really twitches a nerve in your head. Sometimes known as "Stalin's World" and "the park of totalitarianism," Grutas Park is located in Lithuania and is definitely no Disneyland. The park is surrounded by barbed wire as well as watch towers; not the happiest of sights. Founded by Vilumas Malinauskas, the park is home to statues of extremely famous Soviets, including Lenin, Marx, Dzerzhinsky, and even Stalin, just to name a few of the 100 statues found there. These statues were placed in the park after they were dismantled in 1990 after Lithuania gained its independence. To bring in a sense of light-heartedness and child friendliness, the park added a zoo filled with peacocks and ostriches as well as plenty of other animals. I don't know about you, but I never envisioned Stalin and peacocks in the same vicinity.

Love Land
Now, if you thought Freud overdid it when it came to phallic, vaginal, or sexual symbols, you've seen nothing until now; meet Love land. Located in South Korea, the park is literally based around nothing but sex, and was meant to be for adults only, but was eventually demolished before it was even able to open to the public. The whole idea behind the park was to help Chinese citizens "enjoy a harmonious sex life." At the park you'd have found giant statues of penises, vaginas, and statues committing several different sexual acts. While the park was actually built and prepared to open in October 2009, the Chinese government deemed the theme park to be overtly sexual and considered it to be a very negative influence on the Chinese culture.

Memory Village
Another theme park that takes its visitors back into time, Memory Village is one that provides everyone the chance to experience life as a slave. Though not an established theme park, Haiti wanted to create the first theme park revolving around slaves in hopes of educating the public about slavery. Those who visit the park are given the chance to be a participator or a spectator. Those who decide to take on the participating role are given traditional slave clothing and are then mock-kidnapped, chained, and forced to load a mock slave ship. Other participators are "sold" and put on a plantation. After the end of the 12 hour day, participants reenact a slave rebellion and free themselves.