I am a practical uncle to my niece and nephew; free attractions are big draws given i am pretty much a spendthrift myself and i thought it would be sufficient to just stop at the free of cost Westgate Wonderland Outdoor Playground.
It would have been, until the moment their eyes caught sight of this utter cute little train chugging towards their direction!
As expected, they insisted on taking the ride and i rolled my eyes towards the direction of my younger sister, who is always sympathetic towards their demands. Before long, both kids were happily waiting in queue with their "tickets".
The pricing was standardised at S$6 per person (kids below 90 centimeters in height can have one adult companion for free) but you can choose your preferred seating so long they have yet to be booked.
Note the safety rules; impress these guidelines onto your kids so that they don't inconvenience / endanger anyone, especially when you are not escorting them.
Time to board - the engine design reminded me of the one that appeared in Harry Potter movies; except this was much smaller.
Kids in the 2nd wagon!
Being the kind, protective, concerned (and stingy) uncle that i really am, i literally walked next to their compartment as the train slowly made its routine route for the ride.
Not to mention the kids; even my fingers were itching to check out the little knobs and buttons at the engine box! Guess the little boy in me never really dies.
Experienced driver and travelling at a i-walk-much-faster-than-taking-the-choo-choo speed; there's really nothing to worry about so long the children don't go around fumbling with the latches.
Despite having no train tracks and with a sound effect to emulate the "choo-choo" of a steam locomotive, Jerald and Jovyn were totally immersed in the experience.
The standard route would also cover an area in the air-conditioned section on level one of the shopping mall even though i wonder if there would be changes when there's a big shopping crowd.
From a business viewpoint, it's advantageous to showcase yourself to everyone in the mall, specifically the kids, who would then request / insist / demand for a ride on the choo choo train.
Want to estimate how long did the ride last? Less than 10 minutes!
Really express le.
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Location
3, Gateway Drive,
Courtyard (Open Air) on Level One,
Westgate Mall, (Next to Jurong East MRT)
Operation Hours
10am to 10pm (daily)
Price
S$6 a ride