Bubble Mart hikes City Park tickets ahead of phased opening — how much more will fans pay?

Bubble Mart (泡泡玛特) said it will raise ticket prices for its City Park (城市乐园) as the much‑anticipated venue moves from a soft opening into full operation. According to a March 30 announcement carried by Chinese tech outlets, the park will begin selling tickets on April 16, open new areas on April 30 and — it has been reported that — aim for full opening by July 30, 2026. Bubble Mart built its business on blind‑box collectibles and branded retail; now it is monetizing experiential off‑line assets. Can devoted collectors — and casual visitors — absorb the higher prices?

New pricing and timetable

The company outlined a two‑phase pricing scheme. From April 30 to July 29, standard park admission is set at 148 yuan (weekday) and 178 yuan (peak day); a standard park + three‑ride carnival package is 198 yuan (weekday) and 228 yuan (peak); and a sightseeing ticket is 88 yuan (weekday) and 118 yuan (peak). After the park’s full opening, Bubble Mart plans to lift prices by 10–60 yuan across categories: standard admission will rise to 178 yuan (weekday), 208 yuan (peak) and 238 yuan for specific high‑peak days; the park + carnival package moves to 228/258/288 yuan; sightseeing tickets will be 98 yuan on weekdays and 128 yuan on peak and high‑peak days.

Why this matters

This is a test of Bubble Mart’s ability to convert IP affinity into steady, higher‑margin offline revenue. It has been reported that the operator’s park investment and operational costs — plus a crowded market for experiential retail in China — are driving the need for higher per‑visitor revenue. For Western readers: Bubble Mart is one of China’s biggest domestic consumer IP companies, born from a blind‑box craze that helped it expand into retail stores, collaborations and theme‑style attractions. The move comes amid subdued consumer sentiment in China’s post‑COVID recovery; higher prices risk scaring off casual customers, but could improve profitability if attendance holds.

The original posting on the Phoenix (凤凰网) platform included a standard user‑content disclaimer. Will devoted fans keep coming when the price tag climbs? That will determine whether Bubble Mart’s City Park is a sustainable new revenue stream — or just another indulgence priced for peak fans.