During the just-concluded New Year holiday, Beijing's Universal CityWalk was bustling with extraordinary vitality. The spacious pedestrian street was filled with visitors donned in "magical robes" or sporting various cartoon headgear. Numerous shops saw a surge in sales for a variety of new and trendy New Year products. The diverse offerings on Universal CityWalk provided citizens, who chose not to visit the park, with various new ways to enjoy the holiday.
Entering the CityWalk, what catches the eye is the neatly arranged shops on both sides of the avenue. The colorful lights from the shops illuminate the entire avenue, while lively and cheerful music resonates throughout the entire street.
The iconic globe sculpture rotates slowly, surrounded by a crowd of tourists eager to capture the moment. "Happy New Year!" Three girls, hand in hand, strike playful poses, shouting cheerfully. Their accompanying friends quickly press the shutter button, freezing this moment in time.
Newly opened stores and flagship stores line the CityWalk, and in the evening, many popular restaurants have long queues. In addition to tourists visiting the park, there are also local residents who specifically come for the restaurants. "I drove for nearly an hour just to come here and have a meal at the chocolate-themed restaurant with my friends," said Mr. Huang, a resident of Beijing.
Various chocolate desserts in the restaurant are also popular among diners. "This is our bestseller. We specially added 100 more portions today. Normally, it sells out quickly at this hour!" A staff member pointed to an exquisite candy-shaped cake in the glass display. Nearly 10 customers gathered in front of the counter to make purchases, and the staff skillfully boxed and packaged the cakes with fluid movements. The staff mentioned that the peak hours are usually from 8 to 9 in the evening, and to meet customer demand, they plan to increase the supply of various desserts during the holiday period.
Not far away, the Neon Street Hawkers are also full of tourists eager to taste Southeast Asian cuisine. The various neon lights inside the restaurant create a dazzling spectacle. Visitors can choose from a variety of snacks such as Vietnamese pho, fragrant rice, and stir-fried noodles. "These days, the number of customers has been high. Please find a seat first, and when your order number is called, you can go to pick up your food," said the counter staff.
In addition to numerous popular flagship restaurants being fully occupied, the themed shops along CityWalk are also bustling with crowds. With the New Year approaching, many theme stores have introduced new products, and winter warm clothing has become a popular choice among visitors.
In the Universal Studios Store, many visitors are immediately attracted by the bright red cartoon dragon headgear and knitted sweaters upon entering. "These are the latest Kung Fu Panda series, feel free to try them on!" the nearby staff introduced.
Warm capes, knitwear, gloves, headgear... a dazzling array of new winter warming products has visitors spoilt for choice. "Look, I have a dragon head! And dragon claws too!" one child joyfully shared with their parents. "Next year is the Year of the Dragon, so we got a complete set for our little one!" the child's mother said with a smile. A foreign couple was also captivated by the distinctly Chinese dragon headgear.
"I didn't visit the park today; I just came to CityWalk for shopping and watching movies. I really enjoy this fairytale-like atmosphere," Ms. Jiang, a resident of Beijing, told the reporter.
The vibrant lights and music on CityWalk make her feel like she's in a dream world, involuntarily experiencing joy and relaxation. Shopping, watching movies, ice skating, enjoying delicious food... for visitors who don't enter the theme park, CityWalk offers a variety of new ways to have fun.
Translator: TANG Yuxin
Reviewer: ZHANG Bo
