Event: Hello Kitty Go Around (Malaysia) Canival

Venue: 2nd Floor, Viva Home Expo Hall, Kuala Lumpur
Dates Available: 19 December 2015 - 19 January 2016
Opening Hours: 11.00a.m. – 10.00p.m.
(Admission is allowed up to 45 minutes before closing time)
Ticketing Counters Opening Hour: 10.00a.m. – 9.00p.m.
Online Ticket Purchase: Click here

The Hello Kitty Go Around (Malaysia) Carnival is finally in town! It's on-going for an entire month throughout this school holidays/year end right up to mid January next year. The carnival is certainly something that Hello Kitty fans wouldn't want to miss!

Ticketing counters available at the carnival entrance/online

Enthusiasts & fans will need to purchase their entrance tickets to enter the carnival. Each weekday & weekend ticket includes 2 Game Vouchers and each special day ticket includes 5 Game Vouchers. Additional game vouchers can be purchased at the carnival as well, so do check out the price list as below:

Each normal ticket comes with a special design lanyard while for special day e.g. Christmas, Christmas eve, new year and Melody day, there are different limited edition designs of lanyard and a non-woven bag included that you can't find else where.

I'm grateful to receive 2 weekday complimentary tickets (does not include any game vouchers/name tag with Hello Kitty landyard) from Heyday PR, which I gladly entered the carnival together with my mum after some shopping in KL.

Map of the carnival's layout

Photo taken by KSiang Tan

Here we go....!

Entrance into the carnival grounds

Upon admission, you get to take a photo with the artificial "Hello-Kitty-Go-Round", which doesn't move :P

You'll need to pay to have the photo taken

Photo taken by KSiang Tan

As per all carnivals, you'll find various games booths, activity corners & photo-taking corners, where you can happily snap photos along the way...

One of the most fascinating yet 'shocking' thing that I came across was at the "Apple Temple". Carnival atmosphere at this part of the event was definitely non-evident that I didn't realize it's a games booth!

I seriously thought that it's just an area for photo opportunity & what made my eyes pop was the Hello Kitty right at the center of the 'altar'...hahaha...since when was Hello Kitty a god that's worshiped?? Anyway, I just found out that it's a games booth where you can win a Hello Kitty "ema" (traditional Japanese wishing plate), which you can hang it on a designated wall, of which, this silly me didn't snap a photo of it since I didn't know what's this whole area about! *lol* I actually saw like 1 or 2 ema hanging on a wall, but that's about it...feels kinda sad!

Flower Shop...just a passing-by photo opportunity area 

Fans, enthusiast & children will enjoy this part of the carnival as you get to purchase a tote bag (I think it costs RM20.00/tote bag) & stamp all sorts of Hello Kitty images on your bag! You can even stamp your name on the tote. Sounds like some fun here, eh?

Loads of ink stamps to choose from...

There's even a post office, where you can actually write & send letters/mails to anyone plus have the Hello Kitty stamp on the mail. Of course, this doesn't come free of charge, but once again, I didn't take notice of the price per mail as I wasn't entirely interested to send any mails since I had to pay for it...hahaha...

You'll find an Official Goods Shop inside the carnival grounds as well as official merchandises upon exiting the carnival. I'm not entirely sure if the items sold at both shops are the same, but from what I glanced through, it doesn't seem to be the same.

Sweet Shop!

How about some Hello Kitty printed sweets as well? I reckon Hello Kitty fans won't want to miss this.

There's even a cinema, but there weren't any shows on at the time I was there :( 

Hello Kitty Cafe

I didn't see anything interesting here; didn't notice any drinks with Hello Kitty bottle shapes or prints somehow. Furthermore, the cafe had NO patrons at the time I was passing by! *eek* I guess people were too busy at the games booth trying to win a Hello Kitty plushie...

To add to the fun, you can also spend some time to get yourself more Hello Kitty goodies here at the workshop. Craft work was part of the workshop; you can check out the prices at the workshop itself.

Before leaving the carnival, you can collect/purchase photos that you have taken earlier at the "Hello-Kitty-Go-Round" or random photos taken of you around the carnival at the Photo Shop.

Bits & pieces of PerutBesi at various photo opportunity areas

So what's PerutBesi's verdict?

Ok, I have to admit that I'm not an avid fan of Hello Kitty, although I love Hello Kitty since I was young. The fact that all genuine Hello Kitty merchandises were too costly probably dampened my mood & chances of getting hold of any merchandises since my childhood. My only recollection was my sister's Hello Kitty plushie (quite a hugable size), my My Melody jewellery box & the few Hello Kitty plushies that my sister used to buy from McDonald's. Yeap, it seems as if she's more of a Hello Kitty fan than I am, also because I'm not very generous when it comes to buying toys for myself since they're of no major use apart than decorative purposes.

I guess Hello Kitty fans will still find this carnival rather enjoyable since they would be willing to spend on Hello Kitty merchandises & games. The carnival has quite a number of photo opportunity areas as well, although I still feel that compared to the carnival in Singapore, this is probably just 3/4 of all the colorful icons/figurines.

From a stand-point of need vs want & value vs total amount of money-spent (considering the current volatile economy of Malaysia), I personally will think twice (or thoroughly) before spending my finances on this carnival.

Such things are certainly one's choice & decision, according to financial abilities, so if you really fancy Hello Kitty & you're willing to spend the money for it, go all out to enjoy the carnival as it'll only be around 'til 19th January 2016! Get your tickets asap before they're sold out!

Why are Hello Kitty items so costly :(