ESCAPE excitement, now in Johor Bahru

 

Calling all thrill-seekers and adrenaline junkies in Johor Bahru and beyond: Get your fun fix at ESCAPE theme park, now opened in Paradigm Mall, Johor Bahru.

 

At the Media Preview for the soft launch of
ESCAPE Paradigm Mall Johor Bahru

In the past few weeks, social media posts that featured a bright yellow chute-like structure, designed between several levels of Paradigm Mall Johor Bahru, garnered much interest among netizens as this structure simply ended in mid-air, between floors.

 

I must admit that I did not give much thought to this oddity until I received a telephone call from a staff member of Paradigm Mall Johor Bahru who politely enquired if I had received their email invitation to the Media Preview of their ESCAPE theme park.

 

The mention of “theme park” instantly brought that yellow structure to mind and I replied her query with another question.

 

Dato Sim Choo Kheng
speaking at the event

I asked which email address that invitation was sent to. Rather than wait for her reply, I provided my email address and asked to resend the invite without delay.

 

Keen to find out the contents of that invitation, I quizzed her for the details and was disappointed to discover that their event start-time coincided with a prior engagement I had for that same morning.

 

Undeterred by the overlap, I assured her that I would read the email and reply. I also apologized in advance because even as I wished to be at their event from the start, I may have no alternative but to arrive late.

 

Aware that Paradigm Mall Johor Bahru had established itself as a unique destination that comprised an anchor departmental store, specialty shops, food and beverage outlets, gym and wellness services, cineplex, hotel and even an ice-skating rink as well as rock-climbing activities, I loathed to miss the preview of yet another exciting attraction there.

 

No, I did not break any traffic rules that day when I rushed over to Paradigm Mall and found the event space for the soft launch of ESCAPE Johor Bahru on Level Three just as WCT Malls, Assistant General Manager for Advertising & Promotions, Gary Hor Chen Yan, was at the podium, speaking to the attendees.

 

Electronic facial recognition
required at every entrance

He had the pleasure to announce the groundbreaking collaboration between WCT Malls, the owner and operator of Paradigm Mall Johor Bahru and ESCAPE, the award-winning theme park operator.

 

He was proud that the ESCAPE theme park, opened in Paradigm Mall Johor Bahru, will be the first indoor adventure park in the Southern region of West Malaysia, set to redefine entertainment by offering mall visitors not only shopping and dining excitement but also an action-packed playground for families and thrill-seekers.

 

He emphasized that ESCAPE Paradigm Mall Johor Bahru will provide the fun of an outdoor theme park in the comfort of an indoor, air-conditioned space.

 

Designed for all ages, there are fun options for the young and the young-at-heart, like the Mini Aerobat and Jumping Jack, while the more adventurous may enjoy a thrilling experience on the Aerobat, Sling Shot, Coco Climb and Banana Flip.

 

A section of the Aerobat that
spans the height of three levels

I thought Banana Flip seemed a likely name for that bright yellow chute-like structure in the mall as I recalled a similar thrilling ride on The Slide@T3 at Singapore Changi Airport.

 

The excitement went up a few notches when founder and Executive Chairman of the Sim Leisure Group, Dato Sim Choo Kheng, was invited to speak.

 

In his signature casual style, Dato Sim introduced himself as a kampung boy from Penang and went on to share briefly about his journey in building successful theme parks, not only locally but also globally, in collaboration with international theme park brands.

 

I could hear in his voice, a sense of pride tinged with humility as he outlined some of his successful theme park projects because he firmly believed that play is an integral part of building character.

 

Securely strapped in for a 
Sling Shot experience

While the global pandemic had kept people safely indoors and compelled us to shop online, he said the reopening of the economy caused some malls to evolve and are being transformed into play-malls to bring people in again, not just to shop but also for fun and entertainment.

 

The success of ESCAPE in Paradigm Mall Petaling Jaya as a destination for adventurous fun activities – once hosted in the natural environment and brought into a contemporary environment within a mall – has encouraged WCT Malls to replicate ESCAPE in Paradigm Mall Johor Bahru.

 

ESCAPE theme parks in WCT Malls are unique attractions within the malls where families, friends and groups can spend quality time together, having fun that is both physically and mentally rewarding, either on regular visits, for fun celebrations and corporate or group teambuilding challenges.

 

Just as for ESCAPE Penang, ESCAPE PJ and ESCAPE Ipoh, tickets for ESCAPE Johor Bahru are purchased through an online system with a dynamic pricing structure that varies with purchase timing, seasons and demand, akin to airline and hotel prices.

 

Safely returning to the ground after
flying high with the Sling Shot

Details of the ticket holders will be keyed into the system and entry to each attraction will require the individuals to scan their faces for electronic verification before entry.

 

Safety, of course, is a priority. All the park attractions are inspected and serviced on a regular basis and prior to each opening day, according to their rigorous safety audit and preventive maintenance schedules.

 

A glance at the area adjacent to the event space revealed that it was occupied by a huge trapeze structure that spanned the height of three of the mall levels, designed complete with a wide safety net, ready for a demonstration by trapeze artistes.

 

This, we soon found out, was the Aerobat where visitors may have their own trapeze experience, guided by skilled and experienced trapeze artistes.

 

In position within the capsule,
ready for a wild ride on the
Banana Flip

When a volunteer stepped forward to have a go on the trapeze, he was led to a structure on the ground where he was briefed and guided to hang himself upside-down for a try-out before heading over to climb up a rope ladder for his trapeze experience.

 

The Sling Shot, as its name describes, secures a player safely into a harness and when he/she was ready, was released for the player to shoot up to three thrilling levels of the mall. Then bounce back with its own momentum before returning to rest their feet on the ground.

 

Then as we approached the starting point for the Banana Flip, I was startled by the loud sound of a sudden, single clap.

 

This I soon discovered, was the sound of the floor board opening from the base of the capsule when a player was released into the yellow chute to slide down three levels and exit to land safely in the middle of a wide tarpaulin.

 

The Banana Flip ride ends with a
 soft landing in the middle of a tarpaulin

To enjoy the attractions at ESCAPE theme parks and for safety reasons, players should dress appropriately, complete with closed toe-shoes.

 

However, players on the Banana Flip will remove their footwear and wear a protective bodysuit, properly zipped to the neck. Then stand inside that capsule with arms crossed on the chest, ready to be ejected for a slide down that yellow chute.

 

When we paused for refreshments, I had the privilege to sit with none other than the man himself, Dato Sim, and we had a very pleasant time exchanging thoughts and for me to introduce him to My Johor Stories.

 

It was my privilege to chat with
Dato Sim Choo Kheng over our lunch

It was indeed exciting to see how this indoor adventure park will enhance the existing attractions in Paradigm Mall Johor Bahru, poised to draw adventure seekers to experience retail, leisure and adrenalin-pumping fun in one of the city’s most popular destinations.

 

Ticket categories are for Junior Kids aged 4 to 12, Big Kids aged 13 to 60, and Free-Of-Charge for Pre-Kids aged up to age three and Super Kids aged 61 to 100+ who are accompanied by paying visitors.

 

Tickets will entitle holders to all rides and activities in the theme park. For more details and tickets, visit website: escape.my/jb

 

ESCAPE Johor Bahru is located within Paradigm Mall Johor Bahru, Jalan Skudai, 81200 Johor Bahru. Open daily from 10am to 10pm.