Fun Chinese New Year family outings at Sentosa with Disney sparkle and immersive curations

SINGAPORE – Sentosa is ringing in the Year of the Fire Horse with a touch of Disney magic. From Jan 30 to March 3, its 350m-long linkway, known as Sensoryscape, unveils a free treat for visitors titled Gallop Into Spring.

For the first time for Chinese New Year, Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) has collaborated with the Walt Disney Company to feature Mickey and Minnie Mouse amid light installations, lanterns and larger-than-life horses inspired by ancient Chinese legends.   

Instead of just being part of a generic seasonal display, the collaboration with Disney was specially tailored for Sentosa’s sunny outdoor public spaces.

While the scale of the installations is striking, the focus remains on how storytelling, sensory design and familiar characters come together to create an immersive CNY experience.

Sensoryscape has three architectural vessels tagged Tactile Trellis, Scented Sphere and Symphony Streams, each measuring about 13m in height and 25m wide, which celebrate the senses.

Drawing on the tale of The Eight Steeds Of King Mu, the scenic walkway transforms into an immersive trail of interactive zones themed on sight, touch, scent and sound.

The story comes from writings about King Mu of China’s Zhou Dynasty, a ruler who longed to visit the heavenly realms and become immortal. In Tale Of King Mu, Son Of Heaven, he travels in a chariot drawn by eight divine horses.

The ancient Chinese text, titled Mu Tianzi Zhuan, is generally dated to the late Zhou period, often placed somewhere between the fourth and third century BCE, based on language and the context of its transmission in tomb findings and early bibliographies.

Visitors will be enthralled by an imposing 8m-tall celestial guardian called Yanyang, local artist Jooheng Tan’s zodiac horses and an ornate peacock lantern that glows in rich jewel tones.

Across Sentosa, there are also other celebrations such as firework displays by the sea, pop-art lobster installations and beach revelry at Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa hotel.

Celestial Guardian Horse Yanyang at Tactile Trellis

Anchoring the trail is Yanyang, an 8m-tall celestial guardian of King Mu’s stallions – the largest horse installation to appear at Sensoryscape for Chinese New Year.

Created as a symbolic protector, it represents strength, guidance and forward momentum, echoing the themes of renewal and prosperity central to the festive period.

It rises from a richly planted floralscape with festive blooms such as celosia that amplify the sense of occasion and spectacle.

Yanyang is accompanied by figures of Mickey and Minnie Mouse. Guests are encouraged to connect with the installation’s eight blessings, such as prosperity, joy and vitality, through engaging tactile installations that fete the spirit of the Fire Horse Year.

The icon represents a fresh interpretation of the guardian horse tradition, specifically conceived for the Year of the Fire Horse.

Ms Regina Chia, senior assistant director of brand experience and marketing at SDC, says: “By developing both a name and comprehensive profile for Yanyang, this guardian figure would serve as a meaningful anchor point that connects all the other celestial horses within the broader storytelling experience.”

The team was impressed with global brand activation group Pico Art International’s proposal of Ba Tu Ma (Eight Steeds Of King Mu), a lesser-known legend associated with vitality, movement and auspicious journeys.

Given the scale of the installation, the production process, which involved Pico Art International’s team, required careful logistical and structural planning.

The imposing creature was fabricated in sections off-site and assembled on location at Tactile Trellis, with additional reinforcement and enhancements carried out on-site to ensure stability and safety.

The materials were selected to withstand Singapore’s outdoor conditions, while maintaining the integrity of the sculptural form throughout the festive period.

“We developed a new, imagined narrative created specifically for Sentosa, one that unfolds organically through the architecture and landscape of Sensoryscape,” says Ms Chia.

Next, to make the story accessible to a broader family audience, Disney’s Mickey and Minnie Mouse were integrated into the narrative.

The pair of 2.5m-tall figures are co-located with Yanyang at Tactile Trellis.

The installations were also carefully designed to reflect the character of each zone.

Eight celestial horses at Lookout Loop

Over at Lookout Loop, the narrative expands to spotlight the eight celestial horses from Chinese lore.

Each life-size horse installation was developed following in-depth research into its individual character, symbolism and attributes.

They were designed by Singapore artist Tan, who says creating the artwork, called Blessings Of The Celestial Horses, was about bridging two rich cultural traditions: the timeless symbolism of Chinese zodiac mythology and the beloved world of Disney magic.

He was involved in designing the horses, including their specific expressions and poses.

“My approach was to design each horse as a vessel for meaningful wishes – whether it’s vitality, harmony or renewal – while ensuring they felt authentically connected to both cultures,” says the 53-year-old, who is known for his sand sculptures.

Over the past two decades, he has created sand installations in more than 70 cities, and won top prizes at international sand-sculpting competitions.

“I wanted guests to see themselves reflected in these illuminated pieces, so each horse carries distinct characteristics that speak to different aspects of the human experience,” he adds.

“The integration of QR codes and personalised zodiac insights allow visitors to take this cultural journey beyond the physical artwork.”

5 other island delights to ring in Chinese New Year

Wings Of Time: Fireworks Symphony

The island’s signature 20-minute outdoor night show on Siloso Beach, Wings Of Time: Fireworks Symphony, is staged against the backdrop of the open sea with lasers, water screens, fire effects, music and a rousing fireworks finale.

The storyline follows Shahbaz, a mythical bird who joins friends Rachel and Felix on a time-travel adventure from the Silk Road and Mayan pyramids to underwater worlds and the African savannah – all rendered in 3D projections and choreographed fountains.

The $10 million production, launched in 2014, now features an upgraded Fireworks Symphony format for Chinese New Year with an amped-up pyrotechnic segment billed as Singapore’s only daily fireworks show. It gives visitors a “festive finale” that pairs longer, more intense fireworks with the existing multimedia set piece.

Timed evening slots at 7.40 and 8.40pm make it an easy add-on for families after the island’s many daytime activities.

Sentosa 4D AdventureLand

The long-running indoor attraction at Imbiah Lookout is billed as Singapore’s original 4D adventure park, combining motion seats, 3D visuals and special effects – such as wind, water sprays and rumbling floors – for a theme-park feel in a compact space, across four exciting rides.

Unlike a standard movie, each ride uses synchronised 3D imaging, motion-based seating and environmental effects for an immersive experience.

On one ride, guests feel as though they are balancing on a super-tree log as it travels through a mega-harvesting plant, navigates deep caves and plunges into crocodile-infested waters.

The attraction has also just launched its first fully animated production, Chaos In Wonderland 4D.

Sentosa 4D AdventureLand is weather-proof and relatively quick to get through, at about 45 minutes, and is pitched at families and multi-generational groups.

Guests get 20 per cent off the attraction’s “4-in-1 Combo” until March 31, with additional discounts for Sentosa Islander members.

Madame Tussauds Singapore

The wax museum is leaning into the season with in-house festive touches layered onto its usual wax figure and Marvel zones.

From Feb 14 to 22, visitors can look forward to Chinese New Year themes such as games and Instagrammable moments, alongside a festive promotion that gives every guest who spends at least $88 on tickets or merchandise a shot at a sure-win lucky draw.

It is an indoor option suitable for all weather conditions, where families can ring in Chinese New Year by posing with wax likenesses of Asian stars such as South Korean-Canadian actor-singer Ahn Hyo-seop and Indonesian singer-songwriter Agnez Mo.

Philip Colbert’s ‘Lobster Beach’ installations

British pop artist Philip Colbert has turned Sentosa into a lobster playground, and the stars of the show consist of a towering 8m-tall Lobster Ice Cream sculpture and a series of giant inflatable crustaceans in Tanjong Beach.

His works look like zany sea monsters washed ashore for Chinese New Year.

As part of his Lobster Beach takeover, there are three 5m-tall inflatable works – Lobster Shark, Lobster Octopus and Lobster Fish – scattered along the shoreline, inviting visitors to take snaps and discover exclusive merchandise at Tanjong Beach Club.

Colbert, dubbed the “godson of pop art” by media, is best known for his surreal lobster alter ego and colourful mash-ups of pop culture, science-fiction and art history references.

The nickname comes from how closely his practice echoes and updates classic pop art, rather than from a literal family relationship.

In the mid-2010s, art reviewers and curators picked up on this and began calling him the “godson” of the late American artist Andy Warhol to signal that Colbert is a kind of next-generation disciple of that pop art lineage.

Together with the Lobster Ice Cream anchoring the sand, the four installations transform a casual Sentosa stroll into an art hunt.

The idea is to get visitors to have a different kind of festive experience, where they can spot lobsters, take photos and feel like they have stumbled into an absurd Chinese New Year beach postcard.

Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa’s Prosperous Seaside Stay with Abundant Delights

Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa invites guests to trot into the Year of the Horse with a memorable seaside holiday at Singapore’s only beachfront resort, complete with thoughtful festive touches such as an exclusive Chinese New Year gift and a Prosperity Yu Sheng set for an auspicious start to the year. 

The package is available until Feb 21 for stays between Feb 13 and 28, with a minimum of two consecutive nights. Rates start at about $565 a night. For bookings, go to

rasasentosa.com/CNY26-Sentosa

It includes daily breakfast for two adults and two children at Silver Shell Cafe, Chinese New Year-themed welcome amenities such as a take-home traditional tiffin filled with festive treats, one Rasa Sentosa Prosperity Yu Sheng and savings on festive buffet lunches or dinners.

Those who prefer the outdoors can enjoy complimentary sea sports such as kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding and pedal boating at Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa’s private beach. 

Guests can also take part in daily Rasa Fun activities organised by the resort’s resident Fun Team, featuring games such as water polo and balloon twisting. 

For adults, a range of wellness activities are available, including aqua fitness sessions, guided morning runs and DrumFit classes.