Sad to say...
Well I've just gotten back from Florida and I'm sad to say - parks in the UK are, with very few exceptions, utterly dismal when compared to what the States have to offer.
I'd single out Blackpool Pleasure Beach and Oakwood in Wales as the two parks able to hold their heads high in the UK. The rest - buck your ideas up.
Florida was outstanding - the parks were clean enough to complete lab experiements in. The staff treated you like you were a long lost relative and the rides and themeing were outstanding.
On my return I went to the chewing gum and litter strewn Alton Towers and rode Nemesis and Oblivion - both rides were as good, if not better than much of what I went on in Florida. But then I looked around for some high-calibre supporting rides. I found none.
I wish it was different, I wish parks in the UK could invest a big pot of money and buy the rides the UK deserves to have. Until then I won't be spending my pocket money visiting parks over here. I'll be jetting off to the States again.
Moose
: Well I've just gotten back from Florida and I'm
: sad to say - parks in the UK are, with very
: few exceptions, utterly dismal when compared
: to what the States have to offer. I'd
: single out Blackpool Pleasure Beach and
: Oakwood in Wales as the two parks able to
: hold their heads high in the UK. The rest -
: buck your ideas up. Florida was outstanding
: - the parks were clean enough to complete
: lab experiements in. The staff treated you
: like you were a long lost relative and the
: rides and themeing were outstanding. On my
: return I went to the chewing gum and litter
: strewn Alton Towers and rode Nemesis and
: Oblivion - both rides were as good, if not
: better than much of what I went on in
: Florida. But then I looked around for some
: high-calibre supporting rides. I found none.
: I wish it was different, I wish parks in
: the UK could invest a big pot of money and
: buy the rides the UK deserves to have. Until
: then I won't be spending my pocket money
: visiting parks over here. I'll be jetting
: off to the States again. Moose
Hey Moosey
Well hopefully next year it will be my turn! Although hopefully when I get there, Kraken will be finished, and I'll be doing that skycoaster.
Still, Britain's got some good stuff coming -- Flamingoland will open Dreier Looping (aka Mach 3), Drayton's getting the freefall and of course, Blackpool will open Valhalla. But I do wish Alton would pull its finger out! Oh, a haunted swing, - wow! Pity Drayton already has one. Hmmm.
Cal
As a seasoned traveller of theme parks in both the US and the UK, I would largely agree with your comments with respect to Florida and California, however the bulk of 'American' Theme parks are not in those states and they are generally very similar in cleanliness, staff friendliness, etc. to our own parks i.e. Drayton, Alton, Blackpool, etc. With some emphasis on park development rather than profit, the UK and Europes parks could be better. Ignoring Oblivion, europe has always played catchup in terms of ride technology. I suppose that's one reason why I am going parachuting from 12000ft on Saturday.
Hey Moosey Well hopefully next year it will be
: my turn! Although hopefully when I get
: there, Kraken will be finished, and I'll be
: doing that skycoaster. Still, Britain's got
: some good stuff coming -- Flamingoland will
: open Dreier Looping (aka Mach 3), Drayton's
: getting the freefall and of course,
: Blackpool will open Valhalla. But I do wish
: Alton would pull its finger out! Oh, a
: haunted swing, - wow! Pity Drayton already
: has one. Hmmm. Cal
And even the one at Drayton isn't that good.
Moose
