Remember Fiesta Carnival?
The iconic amusement park that used to be in the heart of the metro will be returning to Araneta City starting in October.
Lorna Fabian, vice president for leasing of the Araneta Group, announced this development on Wednesday, August 16.
She also invited Filipinos to bring their children to the soon-to-open funfair in the upcoming Holiday season.
Fabian said that Fiesta Carnival would be temporarily located at the old location of Shopwise, which has since been moved inside the new Gateway Mall 2 behind the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
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The Araneta Group executive said the amusement park would be operational for one and a half years, starting in October.
This is because the site where Shopwise was formerly located is being eyed to carry premium residential and office buildings.
Fabian said a park would stand in the middle, citing New York’s Rockefeller Park as an example.
“Pero since Pasko na po, take note, gagawin namin munang Fiesta Carnival ulit,” she added.
Fabian said it would feature classic attractions that the amusement park was known for, such as rides, bump cars, and a Go Kart.
Fiesta Carnival was dubbed Manila’s Disneyland in the ’70s, ’80s, and the ’90s.
Built in 1971, it used to occupy the site that recently served as Shopwise’s location. The supermarket has since been moved to Gateway Mall 2.
Back in the days, Fiesta Carnival featured a variety of rides like the Horror Train, the Space Train, the Merry Go Round, the Caterpillar, the Octopus, and duck boats, among others.
It is also where the public can enjoy treats and delights, including soft ice cream, hotdogs-on-a-stick, waffle corn dogs and cotton candies.
The Fiesta Carnival was closed by the Araneta Group in the early 2000s after it lost its popularity during the advent of mall-based entertainment like indoor arcades, the rise of computer games, and the creation of grander theme parks.
Last year, Araneta City opened a mini Fiesta Carnival outdoors at Times Square Park for the Holiday season.
As of January, it announced that the entrance fee to the outdoor fun park was free.
