Central Festival opens at 10 am now

[Hal65]

Maybe old news to some of you, I noticed a sign in the front announcing this. A good direction and I'm hoping they add another hour in due time.

[champers]

Interesting timing. Terminal 21 is coming on at a rapid rate of knots. Will there be enough visitors to sustain both? Personally, yes I think so, in the long term.

[thaibeachlovers]

30 minutes ago, champers said:

Interesting timing. Terminal 21 is coming on at a rapid rate of knots. Will there be enough visitors to sustain both? Personally, yes I think so, in the long term.

In the short term, Festival is in for a hard time, till people have realised there is no real difference between the two, and not worth making the trip up to T21 if near Festival.

Pattaya has too many malls while Jomptien has not enough, if any. 

If they are not careful, they'll end up as devoid of customers as most Pattaya bar beers, of which there are far too many, and for a long time.

Edited May 28, 2018 by thaibeachlovers

[newnative]

   Good move opening at 10.  And, there will be plenty of business for Festival and T21.  By the way, T21's airplane has arrived--or at least parts of it.  Going great guns on the construction and should easily be finished by Fall.

[DrTuner]

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

In the short term, Festival is in for a hard time, till people have realised there is no real difference between the two, and not worth making the trip up to T21 if near Festival.

Pattaya has too many malls while Jomptien has not enough, if any. 

If they are not careful, they'll end up as devoid of customers as most Pattaya bar beers, of which there are far too many, and for a long time.

I live in the hope T21 will suck in the majority of BKK hordes. Although they seem to have eased a bit and probably will completely bypass Pattaya on their quest to Sattahip beaches once the new highway is ready. At least some posititive developments.

[balo]

T21 will be more popular among Thais arriving in cars , while the tourists and expats in central Pattaya will still choose Central as the prefered mall. But if they could offer free shuttle buses from Jomtien and other parts of town it will be more interesting for many without own transportation.

[pegman]

Great news. Too many times I've been stuck sweating my b___s off waiting at the 2nd Rd entrance for the mall to open. 

[Suradit69]

4 hours ago, pegman said:

Great news. Too many times I've been stuck sweating my b___s off waiting at the 2nd Rd entrance for the mall to open. 

Another option would have been to time your arrival after they had opened.

[Media1]

17 hours ago, champers said:

Interesting timing. Terminal 21 is coming on at a rapid rate of knots. Will there be enough visitors to sustain both? Personally, yes I think so, in the long term.

So the Chinese shop there. l.dont think so

[bkk6060]

17 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

In the short term, Festival is in for a hard time, till people have realised there is no real difference between the two, and not worth making the trip up to T21 if near Festival.

Pattaya has too many malls while Jomptien has not enough, if any. 

If they are not careful, they'll end up as devoid of customers as most Pattaya bar beers, of which there are far too many, and for a long time.

Some of you must not have seen the plans for T21.

It is not just a mall but will be a spectacle.  An event. Chinese flags everywhere as part of their tours.  Tourists will flock to the place.  The Pier 21 food court will blow away C. Festival.

It will take over as the #1 mall by far.  But, I believe Central will still do OK.

Edited May 29, 2018 by bkk6060

[NoshowJones]

40 minutes ago, Media1 said:

So the Chinese shop there. l.dont think so

Any restaurant with an "all you can eat" buffet there will be glad to hear that. 

[Sydebolle]

Central Festival will go through the same exodus as the Royal Garden Complex - when Central Festival opened. 

[newnative]

5 hours ago, Sydebolle said:

Central Festival will go through the same exodus as the Royal Garden Complex - when Central Festival opened. 

Doubt it.

[thaibeachlovers]

40 minutes ago, newnative said:

Doubt it.

If it's as good as the Bkk one you are wrong. Bkk has millions of wealthy young things to go shopping in all the different malls, and the skytrain/ MRT to bring people from the suburbs to them. Pattaya has no mass transit system and probably won't have one in the foreseeable future, plus a rubbish roading infrastructure that can't cope with existing traffic. 

T21 has the advantage of being closer to Sukhumvit than Central, and is more likely to attract the trendies.

[AlexCanada]

If Pier 21 is anything like the one in BKK, the overpriced Central Food Park will have to rethink it's marketing strategy. 

 

Can't wait until T21 opens.  Some nicer new condos beside T21 would be great too.  

[lapd]

On 5/28/2018 at 4:49 AM, thaibeachlovers said:

In the short term, Festival is in for a hard time, till people have realised there is no real difference between the two, and not worth making the trip up to T21 if near Festival.

Pattaya has too many malls while Jomptien has not enough, if any. 

If they are not careful, they'll end up as devoid of customers as most Pattaya bar beers, of which there are far too many, and for a long time.

I'd settle for a half decent grocery store in Jomtien.  A BigC would be really nice.  That is the biggest thing that keeps me from wanting to live there.  That one little grocery store and a couple convenience stores is not good enough and more expensive.  Friendship/BigC are much better.   Everyone I know in Jomtien make regular trips to Pattaya for groceries which would be a huge PiTA if you ask me.

Edited May 29, 2018 by lapd

[lapd]

35 minutes ago, AlexCanada said:

If Pier 21 is anything like the one in BKK, the overpriced Central Food Park will have to rethink it's marketing strategy. 

 

Can't wait until T21 opens.  Some nicer new condos beside T21 would be great too.  

These days I just get a to go box by weight and a plastic fork from the little buffet area they have in the Central Supermarket.  Usually just eat it right there at the tables by the checkout.    I think that is better food than the food court.  You can also take it into the food court.  There are signs that say no outside food but I have never seen anyone get stopped or any sideways glances from anyone.

 

T21 will definitely take lots of traffic from Central.  I expect there to be lots of empty space opening up on the higher floors.   They will still do ok.  The department store and the supermarket should still be big draws

Edited May 29, 2018 by lapd

[lapd]

On 5/28/2018 at 7:05 AM, DrTuner said:

I live in the hope T21 will suck in the majority of BKK hordes. Although they seem to have eased a bit and probably will completely bypass Pattaya on their quest to Sattahip beaches once the new highway is ready. At least some posititive developments.

Sattahip has beaches?  I've never seen much in the way of beaches around there.

Edited May 29, 2018 by lapd

[lapd]

7 hours ago, Sydebolle said:

Central Festival will go through the same exodus as the Royal Garden Complex - when Central Festival opened. 

Royal Garden didn't have much of anything unique other than being the only mall in town.  Central has the Central brand department store and supermarket.  Sounds to me like T21 is going for novelty acts like a plane.  Big deal.  That will attract first time visitors but after that it sounds to me like it will be just another mall.  A food court is a food court.  So just another option.

Edited May 29, 2018 by lapd

[theguyfromanotherforum]

Terminal food court in Bangkok is really one of the best and also quite cheap. Hard to get a spot, though.

 

Central has Hilton and kfc with a view so I assume it will do fine.

[elgenon]

1 hour ago, AlexCanada said:

If Pier 21 is anything like the one in BKK, the overpriced Central Food Park will have to rethink it's marketing strategy. 

 

Can't wait until T21 opens.  Some nicer new condos beside T21 would be great too.  

The somtam at T21 is now an outrageous 34thb! and at Central? 

[newnative]

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

If it's as good as the Bkk one you are wrong. Bkk has millions of wealthy young things to go shopping in all the different malls, and the skytrain/ MRT to bring people from the suburbs to them. Pattaya has no mass transit system and probably won't have one in the foreseeable future, plus a rubbish roading infrastructure that can't cope with existing traffic. 

T21 has the advantage of being closer to Sukhumvit than Central, and is more likely to attract the trendies.

  They'll both do fine.  Festival is just way too busy now--my partner and I don't even think of going on the weekend.  T21 will pull some of the Festival traffic and it will be more pleasant to go to Festival when that happens--maybe we'll be able to go on the weekend again.  Meanwhile, Pattaya continues to grow and the pie gets bigger, and more upscale.  Take a look at what Amari is doing, for just one example.  Edge is another. The Imperial Hotel and Grand Sole Hotel redevelopments soon to begin.  Not to mention all the building in Jomtien, Cosy, and Pratamnak. 

[newnative]

1 hour ago, lapd said:

I'd settle for a half decent grocery store in Jomtien.  A BigC would be really nice.  That is the biggest thing that keeps me from wanting to live there.  That one little grocery store and a couple convenience stores is not good enough and more expensive.  Friendship/BigC are much better.   Everyone I know in Jomtien make regular trips to Pattaya for groceries which would be a huge PiTA if you ask me.

I heard a rumor that  a Big C is planned for Jomtien Second Road.

[balo]

7 hours ago, lapd said:

Sounds to me like T21 is going for novelty acts like a plane.  Big deal. 

I think you have never visited T21 in Bangkok.  It's 3 times the size of Central Festival. Forget the plane , its just how they designed it. All the shops on the planet are going to be inside that mall. It will take you 3 hours just to walk through it. 

[bkk6060]

8 hours ago, lapd said:

Sattahip has beaches?  I've never seen much in the way of beaches around there.

Come to Pattaya sometime and travel around the area, many things to see and do.  

[AlexCanada]

10 hours ago, lapd said:

 to me like it will be just another mall.  A food court is a food court.  So just another option.

 

Am I correct to assume you have never been to Pier 21 or even Terminal 21 in BKK?

 

BKK has a ton of huge malls and T21 is easily my favorite.  It is not your atypical mall.  It has many unique shops and Pier 21 is all local vendors.

 

Anyone know if Tim Ho Wan is coming to T21 in Pattaya?  My Thai girlfriend loves that place.

[kimchibob]

Still opens at 11:00. I’m here at 10:50 and not open.

[johng]

19 minutes ago, kimchibob said:

Still opens at 11:00. I’m here at 10:50 and not open.

What about the car park  is that open earlier ?

[kimchibob]

Don’t know, I walked here.

[DrTuner]

7 hours ago, balo said:

I think you have never visited T21 in Bangkok.  It's 3 times the size of Central Festival. Forget the plane , its just how they designed it. All the shops on the planet are going to be inside that mall. It will take you 3 hours just to walk through it. 

How many floors is it going to have? The land plot ain't that big, about the same size as the BigC close to it?