Bird's Nest turns into a ski resort

Activities

The Bird's Nest arena will be divided into five functional activity areas

The Bird's Nest arena will be divided into five functional activity areas: a ski area, a snow games area, an interactive games area, a performance area and a scenic area. Tourists entering from the southern entrance can ride snow circles to enter the "Happy Snow and Ice Season" activity center. Ticket prices include the cost of two free rides on the circles.

The main activities in the arena are the "snow games" because they contain many types of games, such as "step by step winner takes all" contests with six competitions, including human bowling and a single-plank bridge. Tourists who win all the six competitions will be awarded. Tourists can also experience childhood games such as snowball fights, snowmen making and a snow tug of war in a world of ice and snow.

In addition, a performance area has been set up in the northern section of the Bird’s Nest arena. There is a 20.08 meter-high mountain stage, on which dozens of stars will perform. The eastern and western sections of the four functional areas contain green plants and snow sculptures to create a scenic area for tourists to see the snow.

The most attractive warm-up area in the Bird's Nest is a 10 meter-high, 100 meter-long unrestricted ski area that is designed to allow urban skiers and snowboarders to experience the joys of skiing. There are also snowmobile and "animal forest" games, and it is possible to experience dog sledding.

Tickets

The first "Happy Snow and Ice Season" at the Bird's Nest will open for business every day from 9:00am until 6:00pm between December 19 2009 and February 20 2010. On weekends and national holidays, the resort will open until 9:30pm.

There are two types of "Happy Snow and Ice Season" tickets; the first type includes admission to the Bird's Nest. For the general population this type of ticket costs 120 yuan on weekdays and 180 yuan on weekends and national holidays. Students, military personnel and the disabled are entitled to preferential tickets costing 100 yuan on weekdays and 160 yuan on weekends and national holidays.

The other type is for tourists who have bought admission tickets to the Bird's Nest in advance. Students, military personnel and the disabled are entitled to preferential tickets costing 80 yuan on weekdays and 140 yuan on weekends and national holidays. Children under 1.2 meters go free of charge.

Tourists can also buy tickets just for the Bird's Nest and visit the Olympic venue during the "Happy Snow and Ice Season" activities.

Translated by LOTO