I see myself as a bit of both. There's a difference between loving coasters and being a hardcore enthusiast, too. I see myself as not quite one of those because I don't marathon rides and I don't intentionally ride bad rides for the cred, or to formulate an opinion. I find it fun to watch cheesy movies sometimes, but if I think a roller coaster is going to be an unpleasant experience I'm not going to do it. Your CZcamsr enthusiast will gravitate to those just so they can do an informed bashing. Also, my family are not coaster enthusiasts at all, so if they're going to a theme/amusement park they want something more than thrill rides. And I like to hang with them most of the time, so that keeps me from being as obsessive about coasters as I might.
Some people go to experience the park not just the roller coasters = theme park enthusiasts And the ones who only go for the coasters and complain that a park isn’t doing something right = coaster enthusiast 😂 And half the coasters they criticize aren’t even bad they just find some reason to not pick at that specific ride either for content and coaster enthusiast videos kinda get repetitive in my opinion that’s why I really don’t watch them anymore
Park culture is an important part, and not just theming. The employee friendliness, ride operations, food, layout, ride portfolio, etc all combine into one package. This is why Holiday World, Kings Island, and Knoebels have such fans. They are run well with a pleasant vibe felt throughout the park.
Yes! Kings Island does a great job of creating an atmosphere in the park and for their rides. The atmosphere for my beloved The Beast rollercoaster has always created a tension. Standin in line and during the ride itself. You are swooping through the forest and you can imagine that a beast would suddenly break through the treeline and go after you.
Holiday World is genuinely pleasant. Something as simple as free soft drinks, parking, and ample places with shade lift it above most other regional parks. It also doesn't hurt that it holds my personal favorite roller coaster in the entire world (The Voyage).
Yes, but they also don’t ridiculously get over shadowed by other parks like Kings Dominion does by Busch Gardens Williamsburg. KD does everything you’ve listed better than BGW, yet still gets dumped on. SeaWorld is now charging extra for the sky buckets on top of their overpriced tickets, and the sycophants will still have their heads up the company’s backside.
Truthfully, if all of the rides are walk-ons, I don't care much about theming. But mostly, you spend most of your time queueing. And the difference between being in a park that makes queueing pleasant, and a park that just makes you line up in an open pen is huge.
I personally love and prefer theming. However, I totally agree with your point. Waiting in boring switchbacks all day is just a drag and to me it can ruin a day. I personally don't rank Cedar Point in my top 10 parks and that is the reason. I don't need every park to be a theme park. But I find that the queues at Cedar Point are long and boring. I can't help but feel that this hurts the park experience even if the 30-90 seconds of prime ride time are world class. Now if by some freak accident every ride at Cedar Point was a near walk on then that would make for an amazing day. But since that isn't the typical situation and their queue lines do so little to entertain it means most of the day is boring.
100%. Parks in the US need to spend more time making waiting in line an enjoyable experience, rather than something dreadful. I think the only parks I have been to that actually do this are Disney parks. They excel at making the whole ride an experience from the moment you step in line to the moment you leave. Universal comes close on some rides with its great theming, but Disney has the extra interactive features and incredible story telling that make its queue experience the best in the world (which is kinda needed since the parks always have long lines).
@@zacg_ I had two very good days at Cedar Point in late May, where the longest wait was maybe half an hour. The headlining coasters ranged from walk-ons in the morning to 15-20ish minute waits during peak hours. Despite that, it was pretty clear that I would NOT want to be at Cedar Point on a peak summer day.
agreed, I when I went to universal orlando and I was waiting to go on one of the harry potter rides (I forgot which one tho), I was waiting there for like 30-45 mins and I wasnt that bored bc there were all different kinds of things in the quene to look around in where as when I go to six flags america and have to wait of a while to go on superman (or another more popular coaster there but mostly superman) Im just bored out of mind mind with my only entertainment being the music loop playing in the backgroud
Miserable queue lines with no theming or shade really do suck the fun out of most U.S. parks. Combine that with obnoxious patrons, overpriced trash food and almost no theming and really the only time I'm enjoying myself at most U.S. parks is when I'm on the actual rides and that's it.
It's designed that way to get you to buy a shitty fast past, the amusement park industry is mad predatory nowadays. Hell even Cedar Point won't accept cash, it's all card now, I understand a move to the future but not accepting actual cash? Wtf?
I just got back from Silver Dollar City, and if you want a park with none of the bad things you listed, that's the one. I was pretty blown away, such a unique, beautiful park.
@@ianmartin3885Silver Dollar City falls into that rare category where it’s a theme park that manages to have great thrill rides. Dollywood, Busch Gardens, SeaWorld and Universal do this too, but that’s about it
you know during covid i visited a theme park, which had a limited number of visitors. IT WAS AMAZING! every line was basically empty. even the biggest one which took over an hour on a normal day, took less than 5 minutes! so many rides had no wait times and i wish i could go back.
@@ianmartin3885 O my favorite park in the states was there a month ago now that is park i just could go in take a book with me just read and soak up the atmosphere and have a good time. Didn't do that cause the two days i was here i had to much fun doing the rides wich are also pretty good. But i did just sat down a couple of times just watching people and enjoying meself.
It's alright for our interests to shift as time passes! I'm not much of one either anymore, but specifically because I have a spinal injury that has changed a lot of things for me, and doctors have all suggested I stay away from coasters for the rest of my life.
Sometimes your body does make the choice for you. I love coasters but I came to the enthusiast community relatively late in life and I just can't take the kind of physical punishment that young coaster freaks can, and I know there will probably come a day when doctors tell me to stop. I avoid the ones with rough reputations as it is--I'm not willing to ride them just for the cred.
I love parks of all kinds but have a connective tissue disease, so being in my younger year I need to be careful to keep my passions alive. I’m glad to hear you have found passion in the parks even without coasters
I think it comes from what we grew up with. You come from Europe, parks littered with theming. I come from Ohio. Intense thrill coasters (with next to no theming) were part of my childhood. Our upbringing builds our expectations.
There’s also something to be said for nostalgia taking the place of theming. Take the Beast at KI, for instance. Not a whole lot of themed elements, but there’s nothing like being on an old wooden coaster in the middle of the woods, especially at night.
I'm also from Ohio and ofc love coasters but I think the lack of theming around the area has made me appreciate it when I've been to parks that do have it even more to the point where I think I would also consider myself more of a theme park enthusiast than a coaster enthusiast.
@@luckyzonkey8027 guess I just haven’t been out enough yet. Only place I’ve been to that’s known for theming is BGW, and it really didn’t do anything for me that any other park hasn’t. I was actually more annoyed that I couldn’t get cell service for a lot of the day and I was not a fan of their quick queue system so ended up not using it and waiting in lines which is something I’ve become spoiled about. Lol
This video hits hard for me, because i completely agree witb everything you said. I grew up visiting US theme parks and Amusement parks as thats where i lived. I always enjoyed the likes of Universal/Disney/ Busch gardens more than the rest but i never really knew why as i was younger. For the last 3 years in my early 20s I have lived in europe. Ive had the opportunity of visiting Phantasialand and Europa Park multiple times as well as also going to Efteling, Toverland, Plopsaland de Panne, Walibi Belgium, and Walibi Holland. During my time here i have realized that while I still consider myself a rollercoaster enthusiast, I dont always share the same tenacity as others do at non Theme parks. Theres a reason Taron is #1 on my list even though ive ridden objectively better coasters. The atmosphere, the music, the environment, the near misses and the way it flows perfectly with everything around it creates peak enjoyment for me. Fury 325 has always been one of my top 5, but it just doesnt hit the same as something like F.L.Y., Voltron, or RtH. I will say though my one critique about theme parks is when they dont have at least 1 really good roller coaster then i can feel a bit let down as the combination of theming and coaster is my favorite part of a park. Efteling while beautiful felt like that, but wouldnt be my favorite park to revisit as they didnt have one roller coaster that i really wanted to reride over and over again. Overall great video Coaster Bot, i completely agree with you so much!
It felt strange going to Tokyo DisneySea, which is sometimes touted as the greatest theme park in the whole world, and not getting even one cred (because the only major coaster there, Raging Spirits, is reputed to not be very good and I had limited time). But it was fine--DisneySea has plenty else to offer! It's just not a coaster park. My wife and daughter actually did get a cred because they rode Flounder's Flying Fish Coaster, a gentle kiddie ride.
Entering Klugheim, earing the work of IMA Score, waiting for Taron seing the ride everywhere, the dispatch music (those drums !!) and then the frigging launch. And after that you go ride F.L.Y. ... Maybe here in Europe we don't have the best coaster, but we sure have some of the best experiences
I like theming but I'm not typically bowled over by it, with a few exceptions. I mostly prefer landscaping to theming. Give me great coasters surrounded by trees and colorful flowers and I'm happy.
That's actually a good point--Hersheypark comes to mind as a place that actually isn't heavily themed but is nicely landscaped (though recent additions look like they are a little more generic). My home park, Canobie, is another one, though some parts of Canobie actually are significantly themed (there's an area that is a kind of mini-Liberty Square with Revolutionary War-era theming, for instance).
@@coasterbot Watching a POV when a coaster is first build and contrast that with 10 years later and it is astounding how a dense tree and shrub growth around the track can totally add to the experience.
I completely understand. I strongly consider myself to be a roller coaster enthusiast, but I still love it when parks go out of their way to immerse you. I still enjoy roller coasters without theming, but I totally get how it can be boring to someone who likes theme parks specifically.
8:33 “Amusement parks are not designed with humans in mind.” What a good, fitting, true quote. I personally have little interest in amusement parks, but I love theme parks. I don’t really go searching for big thrills anyway. I love getting lost in different worlds, experiencing almost otherworldly places. And a queue line doesn’t have to be such a bad thing for a ride if it’s themed. As a Dutchman, I don’t feel that big of a rush to go to Walibi. But Efteling, I absolutely adore and I have to come back at least annually. It’s just a nice place to be. To just vibe, as you said. In my last visit, it was nice and warm, but not too warm. And it was lovely to just bask in the sun near Fata Morgana with fruit I brought from home. And just walking around in the fairytale forest, you don’t encounter much action. You just wander about and have a fun time doing so. Just walking around there at all is just part of the fun. For me, Efteling is a great theme park with some coasters as a nice bonus. And I’d love to visit other European theme parks. Such American parks definitely seem like they would be a culture shock to me too.
I did a trip in May going to Europa Park, Phantasialand, Walibi Holland and then Efteling. Walibi Holland felt really "empty", yes Untamed and Lost Gravity are fun, but the other three parks are so good ...
@@rootoz From what I’ve seen of all parks, that’s about what I would expect. Walibi has the country’s most thrilling coasters and if that’s your thing, you’ll enjoy yourself there. But I much more value a complete experience, so I feel much more attracted to those other three parks.
@@rootoz Well yup the last one is well dressed up amusementpark thats about as good a it gets in the americane amusement parks if you haven't been there.
I think there are really *three* categories in the US. There are the large theme parks, which include the whole top tier: Disney and Universal, and some other players like Dollywood and Busch Gardens. There are the Six Flags-type large regional amusement parks, which do a lot of "ride plunked down on asphalt" and can be kind of unpleasant places aside from the rides. (I think the management of the companies that run these things all realize that plussing them into family theme parks is the way to go for future viability, but that takes money, effort and time.) And then there are the *small* local parks, like Knoebels or Seabreeze or Canobie Lake Park, often family-owned (though some are now run by chains like Palace/Parques Reunidos), which may not have elaborate theming but can have an intimate, nostalgic vibe that the big parks don't. There used to be hundreds and hundreds of these; they used to be the dominant form of amusement park. Today, the bigger players have driven most of them out of business. But some of them survive, especially in markets like the US Northeast that the big boys haven't seen fit to completely saturate. Most of these, I would categorize more as amusement parks than as theme parks (though some of them do have theming, which is often quirky and homespun--many little independent parks with fairy-tale themes popped up across America around the same time Disneyland opened, and a few of them are still operating). But they have genuine charm. Like you, I definitely prefer a good theme park over a big chain amusement park, even if the latter have some of my favorite rides. The last park I visited was Tokyo DisneySea, possibly the theme-iest theme park in the entire world; it's often said that you could spend a day at Tokyo DisneySea, ride *no* rides and feel you'd gotten your money's worth just from the astounding atmospheric theming, and it's really true. But I think the little players may actually be my favorite category. I live just down the road from Canobie Lake Park and I feel blessed to be so close to that place. It's nice just to be there, too.
I could not agree more with this comment, which is why I was disappointed that the creator lumped Knoebels in with the rest of the 'asphalt' parks. Beyond the small coaster lineup (and I would put Phoenix up against most other coasters out there), there's an incredible flatride lineup, one of the best Haunted Mansion rides, exceptional food, all at reasonable prices and zero cost for admission or even parking. I live about 30 minutes away from SF Great Adventure and about 45 minutes away from Dorney Park. I haven't been to either of these places in a long time, but I'm sure to take my family to Knoebels at least a couple times every year. It's that good. (One aside: should the creator visit PA again, he would do well to give Kennywood a try.)
@@Coyotek4Much agreed! What it lacks in elaborate set-up it makes up 10 times over in dedication to the history of the industry. Save for the main road it's fairly tightly packed with lots of shade too.
@@arturobianco848 One of my bucket-list vacations is a theme-park tour of Germany. As it is, the one European park I've visited is PortAventura, which is a fine example of a large park with both thrills and lovely theming--it reminded me of a Busch Gardens, and as it happens that was not a coincidence, since Busch Entertainment co-designed it and was an owner on opening day. If/when I ever get back to Catalonia I'd like to do Tibidabo, which I didn't have time to do last time.
Good on ya, Harry. Roller coasters are definitely a big part of theme parks, maybe they're even the core of the theme park experience, but yeah, you can't just visit them for the coasters alone, or more broadly, the rides. Because of that I can now appreciate parks like the Islands for what they truly should be: escapes
I spent two days at Carowinds and Chiz was the best ride op I've ever seen. The only reason he EVER compromises speed of dispatches is for fun and hype. He gets you on that ride ASAP and gets you pumped up in the process.
As soon as he was talking about the operator on fury getting more hyped toward the end of the night I knew who he was talking about. All the ride ops on fury are amazing though
Good thing you didn’t visit Six Flags America. They just opened their Steam Town area that supposed to be rethemed and rejuvenated. There was no music, minimal theming, and now some of the attractions won’t stay open. This has made me appreciate parks like Busch Gardens, Universal, and Disney even if they don’t have the most thrilling rides. Experiences is what keeps guests coming back for more.
I found this video oddly surprising and illuminating but maybe because, even with the channel/podcast name, I had never really considered the idea that it was ONLY rollercoasters that were the point of interest and not wider theme park topics. Perhaps, also being a Brit, I am used to the heavier theming but I also just felt the theming was part of the package. This has given me a lot to think about. Life has been odd and disruptive at the moment and something here has resonated with me (perhaps just in hope/cope) and I'm glad you have found a wider world to love & enjoy
Growing up, the only amusement parks I had been to were Busch Gardens and Disney World. When I went to Carowinds with some friends a few years ago, I found that a couple of the big rides were fun, but the overall experience was mediocre compared to the parks I was used to. I love roller coasters, but solid theming makes the experience of the trip as a whole so much more exciting and memorable. Even though a ride like Fury 325 is probably better than anything at Busch Gardens, I would pick Busch Gardens any day over Carowinds because the experience of a day in the park is just so much better. Great video, glad you were able to put this into words!
Glad you enjoyed BG Williamsburg, that is one of my top USA picks! Great coasters in a great setting. And maybe you liked it more because it was themed to European theme parks 😆
This was very well articulated; good on you for knowing yourself. I'd describe myself as a roller-coaster fan who doesn't get to ride them nearly often enough to get burned out, but the first park I visited was Busch Gardens Williamsburg, and I don't know if I'd love coasters as much as I do if it had been Kings Dominion instead. That WHOLE DAY back when I was nine left such a huge impression on me - just the sensation of walking from Ireland to Germany on a whim. I'd vaguely known up front what theme park rides were, but I'd never imagined anything like the whole place. I went to Cedar Point for the first time the other year and it was amazing and unforgettable to ride Millennium Force and Steel Vengeance, but if I had to pick exactly one of those two parks to be the last park I ever visited, it's no contest: Busch Gardens.
I'm a blind person and this is how I feel too. I relie on that audio, literally, because I can't see. I live in the UK and right now my favourite ride is at Chessington, Croc Drop, a small drop tower with an amazing audio atmosphere throughout it's queue, load, dispatch, ride and ending. Even Vampire now has extra audio ambience in the queue and the station has smell pods in it. Gets you hyped to ride. I haven't seen (figuratively speaking) the Jumanji area yet. I use seen even though I can't see, as it's just easier to say about watchig videos or going to areas. It sounds weird saying I listen to TV, I watch TV just in my own way.
Glad you finally got to ride some of these on this side of the pond and even visit my two home parks (KD and BGW). I'm looking forward to visiting my first parks on your side (if not in the UK) in a couple of weeks! Germany and Denmark here I come!
I will always love riding roller coasters as long as I live, and I’m grateful for having gotten over my prior fear of coasters. But I’ve had less and less time and money recently to continue visiting new parks and riding new things, and I’ve been enjoying what I have at Kings Dominion, and even Six Flags America. Good luck in your future endeavors Harry.
This is an EXCELLENT video. I have always admired how the parks OUTSIDE the US have such incredible theming. The build up to the cue and overall theming around the rides. You have definitely opening my eyes to what I have always been, a THEME park enthusiast. I definitely LUV coasters but I always felt a bit envious of how parks and rides OCONUS, look so freaking cool! ❤
I don't know how much it has changed since 1999 but King's Island had 5 (now 8) themed areas the last time I was there. Action Zone · Adventure Port · Area 72 · Coney Mall · International Street · Oktoberfest · Planet Snoopy · Camp Snoopy.
True, my home park Six Flags Great America Chicago had the different zones when I was younger in the 70's to 1990. It felt like different areas. Now it is just signs but the feels are the same.
I wonder how your perspective would have changed on Kings Dominion had you not started your trip there. Kings Dominion self-identifies as a themed amusement park and has been working for the last decade-ish to do better in the theming department-from the debut of Jungle X, the various Old Virginia refresh projects, improvements to International Street theming, themed soundtracks park-wide, etc. Aside from Knott's, Kings Dominion seems to be the home of substantial thematic experimentation in the Cedar Fair (well now, new Six Flags) chain. They have a LONG way to go-but KD is legitimately tryin'. Oh, and hopefully all of those TREMENDOUSLY valid Project 305 complaints are addressed in the expected overhaul of the ride for next season! Kings Dominion definitely has a lot of past mistakes to clean up-but hopefully Tumbili remains the minimum level of effort we can expect moving forward.
Yeah KD has been making progress, this is just an off/building year, so it was unfair to single them out considering they may soon be one of the better ones. Plus the crowds might have been a nice break after up north. And a nice sunset ride on P305 is hype as soon as you take off.
Nice video. I love it how somebody finally distincts the difference between theme park and an amusement park. I have been trying to get people to see the difference between the 2, and this video explains it perfectly. Wonderful job.
Thanks! I will most likely be making more videos about what makes a theme park a theme park, which should include further distinctions between the two :)
If you could go back 30 or 40 years in time you would see that many of these "amusement parks" such as Kings Island, Carowinds, Kings Dominion, etc were actually theme parks. During the early 1990's they stripped the parks of all of the theming and began making them nothing more than concrete, asphalt and steel jungles. The heyday of the true US themeparks overall was during the 1970s and 1980s when they each had very distinct themed attractions and atmospheres that made the visits truly enjoyable. Sadly, those days are long gone.
I have been on the exact same path recently. A European trip last year in 23’ shifted my love from strictly coasters, to love and appreciation for theme, environment, story, and atmosphere. There is so much more to love than just the coasters in the parks. The internal shift was so massive for me, it has lead me to Orlando to study theme park and attraction management. Thank you for wording this feeling so perfectly.
@@coasterbotagreed. Cedar Point is the birth place of the Coaster Wars and while those days have passed, it still prides itself on having one of the most impressive coaster line up on the planet. While I also am outgrowing coasters (I still like them, but cant do more than 2 or 3 in a row without starting to feel a bit nauseous), I can still appreciate a world class coaster line up. However, I think that Cedar Point does make great use of its waterfront location to create a pleasant atmosphere and it has some mild theming in the back half (Western Theming near Maverick and Steel Vengeance) and in the Boardwalk area. I would argue its biggest weakness is not having enough family coasters (although Iron Dragon, Gemini, Ourangarou, Raptor, Gatekeeper, and their new Wild Mouse coaster all fill the niche of family coaster/moderate thrill coasters pretty well).
Watching a POV when a coaster is first build and contrast that with 10 years later and it is astounding how a dense tree and shrub growth around the track can totally add to the experience.
i never understood this "gripe" until my first visit to Universal Studios and Island's of adventure. I understand you. i am a rollercoaster guy but, when presented with a well done park, i love the good and immersive experience.
Had a very similar experience going to Virginia this past month. While Project 305 was easily mine and my friend’s favorite coaster, DarKoaster was our favorite ride on the trip due to its theming and special effects.
It was soo cool meeting at kings at kings dommion!! You had me with the title ngl had me scared thinking you wouldn't make videos anymore or ride coasters😂
Nice Video! I worked a lot on an unthemed Wooden Coaster, and it still has a alot of Atmosphere to me, same like other coasters that are barely Themed. I think this "oldschool low budget 90s coaster" is a vibe for itself
I resonated with this. I do really love roller coasters but as I have gotten older I really enjoy just soaking in the atmosphere of theme parks and simply spending time in the park and admiring the surrounding theming, and character interactions instead of just racing from one coaster to another
I'm glad there are people who agree me, roller coasters are good, but the things that make roller coasters overall an amazing experience are the theming and atmosphere, take Revenge of the Mummy at Universal Orlando, the roller coaster itself is great, but the thing that elevates it above and beyond is the insane amount of immersion, atmosphere and theming it has.
Agree with everything said here. Cedar Fair parks (5 of which you visited) have loose theming in parts of the parks. We go there for the rides and then head to Disney/Universal once a year for the theme… wish the US had more theme parks. Dollywood last summer was fantastic with my two kids just over 48”.
That's why Phantasialand is so great among German parks. It not only has beautiful queue lines, it also gets you pumped with pre-shows, starting sequences, orchestra drums while leaving the station, well-made soundtracks matching the ride. I'm also very happy for you for taking that US trip. I'd LOVE to visit the US and its parks soon. Too bad none of my friends and family want to go with me. It's MUCH less fun alone (another factor btw.). :)
You have perfectly described why I'm a theme park enthusiast over everything else. I absolutely love cramming in roller coasters from morning to night at places like Cedar Point; but if I had to choose to spend one day there or at a more immersive theme park, I'm choosing something like Silver Dollar City, Disney, Universal, or Holiday World almost every time. The immersion makes the most impact on me. Living in Orlando, I'll go to a park, walk around for a few hours, and leave having only ridden one ride (though that's usually a coaster).
Thats a very interesting point and one I've never considered. Like you I've been spoiled by UK/Europe/Orlando. So I'm curious how I'd feel about these Barron parks. Glad you're not quitting the channel ;)
I completely understand, and as a themepark enthausiast I rly needed to see this vid and I'm happy I did, I just love the atmosphere in a park, happy people/kids, an escape from reality, good theming and hyping for a coaster or a good flatride (I rly love a good flatride as well), and even being able to go together on a fun family coaster with someone who is not willing to go on the bigger and more thrilling rides, being from Belgium I'd probably also have this culture shock seeing a station like the one from 305 or massive concrete areas, I love most of the themeparks in my country and also like Efteling or Europapark or I think my personal favourite Fantasialand, they all know how to theme things great and give an overall happy experience spending a day in their park.
Amazing timing on this being in my feed. I am sitting in Hotel Breakers at Cedar Point on the 2nd day of a 3 day trip thinking how, as a season pass holder for 7 years, Cedar Point has gone backward. You've made me realize I have probably evolved from fun fair guy, to amusement park guy to theme park guy.
I experienced a similar phenomenon albeit for slightly different reasons. I did a honeymoon trip with my ride enthusiast wife very similar to what you did. Honestly just riding intense extreme rides was enough for us, and we did them ALL over and over. Sometimes staying on a ride at the end of the night and never getting off. This trip was a culmination of a lifetime of rollercoasters and fast swinging, spinning rides. But by the end of the trip a switch flipped in our brains, especially mine. Combine hours of highway driving every day with all the rides, my brain was completely scrambled. I felt sick and weak and dizzy after the rides and would begin to have my vision grey out. I think my brain started to swell in the heat combined with being shaken up and I became very unwell (Think heatstroke combined with head trauma). After reflecting on our trip we thought of our favorite experiences and although the BIG coasters were highlights ones with nice views of trees or water, or that left the concrete and queues behind often stood out. Now I can't ride intense coasters anymore but I have gone to a couple theme parks and realize just how much I was missing just enjoying a parks atmosphere and aura. Nowadays I look forward to visiting something with a tamer but more thoughtful experience like Universal.
I completely agree with you on coaster-filled amusement parks vs immersive theme parks. Its one of the reasons WHY alot of my bucket list parks are on your side of the pond, and why places like Silver Dollar City are probably my favorite parks. That said, sorry you spent so little time at Knoebels. Such a charming park in the middle of the woods that pays alot of attention to detail on their atmosphere and attractions for what they have, and just so happens to also have one of the best airtime-filled coasters in the country.
This is such a good video, and I agree with you completely! If you gave me the choice of going to Silver Dollar City or Cedar Point, I’d say Silver Dollar City in a heartbeat. Yeah, Cedar Point has the better coaster lineup, but Silver Dollar City is such a fun place to be even when you’re not riding the coasters. I’m actually really optimistic for the future of the Six Flags parks, because Cedar Fair has been doing a great job with park improvements, specifically with stuff like Jungle X-petition and the gorgeous new Fiesta Village revamp at Knott’s. And I obviously don’t have to tell you how awesome Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Dollywood are.
So what I’ve come to, is a couple things as I’ve gotten older. I’m stopping before you get into your reasons. But mostly as I moved around the US and experienced different coaster and ticking off credits; I felt like a lot of it was just experiencing relatively similar things for a +1. I would rush lines and just completely avoid enjoying the park. As I’ve gotten older I’ve taken to appreciating things like scenery, atmosphere and food more. I appreciate the small bits that go into making a park experience enjoyable instead of treating it like a mad dash line to line to get as many +1s for my collection.
2:19 bro yes! Ive been to a couple of parks where people act like they couldnt be in a more boring place. On the other side, i always bring the energy on coasters and whoever is next to me WILL get loud too. Its almost like me being loud gives them the comfort to be loud, too
I’m so excited for your videos about this trip. It’s fun learning things about our preference later in life. I had the same realization with gigas. For me bigger isn’t always better and I would take Candymonium over Fury. My husband and I met you last year in line for Iron Gwazi and I can’t wait to hear your comparison with SteVe. Hershey is my favorite park and I’m interested to hear if it reaches your new bar. Hope you are rested up from what sounds like a crazy trip!
I've been to a few US parks and it has also made me realize I love a good theme to go with the rides or sections of the park. Rollercoasters have my heart but I hope theming is something that more parks include in the future, it doesn't have to be major but even a good sound track and even including the history of the ride throughout the queue would be cool!
I absolutely know what you're talking about. What I've learned is that I need to be aware of what type of park I'm visiting and set my expectations accordingly. Yes I love roller coasters, but there's something about strolling through a park and taking in the sites.
A new favourite roller coaster?? Oh nooo...... When you made your last top 10 video, you listed Velocicoaster as your number one. After watching this, I jokingly searched for flight prices to NYC and Orlando. I happened to find a very cheap ticket to NYC, and then to Orlando, so one thing leads to the other, and that's a 5-day trip to NYC (where we also visited SFGA), and then on to Orlando for Universal... Velocicoaster also became my number one! Basically because of how extremely good it is, AND the amazing theming. The whole atmosphere made it complete. And as you say in this video, that atmosphere that surrounds a coaster really adds to the experience! Buuttt... Does this now mean I have to go to the States again?? hahahaha
I've done veryy similar trips to the one you described and when you cram in too much you can definitely get coaster/park fatigue. Sometimes there is a ride you've been incredibly excited for, but when you've ridden 50 odd coasters beforehand it's difficult to get hyped up for it. Whenever I roadtrip around amusement parks in the US, I make sure to give myself days off to recover, avoid cloned coasters that I don't like (SLC's, Boomerangs, etc...) and never have a park and a long drive on the same day. All these things massively improve how much I enjoy a park and a coaster. I'm still definitely a coaster enthusiast, but like good all things, they're better in moderation (I say before planning my next bi-weekly park trip).
I grew up going to Disney, Universal and Dollywood so I think I will always prefer theme parks over amusement parks. I’d love to hear about your experiences there, and you could do Epic Universe! Looking forward to seeing more content from you!
I really like the queue and audio from joris en de draak in the Efteling for atmosphere building, for those who dont know it a short (reading it back its not short and quite detailed) explanation, you enter the queue and head towards a swamp where the dragon (in dutch draak which is where the name comes from) lives, while heading there you have instrumental music including loads of brass instruments hyping you up to fight the dragon, when you enter the swamp the music changes to a more vocal based version of the song which fits the vibe of the swamp, when you get to the station you are out of the swamp again. While boarding the same brass intensive version of the theme is playing, when the lap restraints release a message from the king is played offering 1001 ducats to whomever kills the dragon, when the trains leave they play a short trumpet clip which announces the depaeture of the ride. During the ride tention is held high by the fact its a dualing coaster, which if you win moves a pole in the brake zone to indicate which side had won, upon returning to the station the winning side has banners drop from the ceiling and the employees on that side celebrate the win
Same here! I really love good park music and theming. I really enjoy parks like Universal and Disney World in my state of Florida. But I went to Fun Spot recently, and the lack of theming really threw me off.
I spent a short time working at Doctor Doom's Fear Fall at Universal Orlando. There, my favorite thing was to begin a countdown early or late compared to when I knew the ride would launch. Oops. The other fun thing to do there is act sad, apologizing profusely as you lock everyone into their seats. Pick one person, look them in the eye with a concerned expression, and shake your head as you lock them in and walk away. Legit way to have them screaming well before the ride launches. Or when someone asks if the fall is scary, reply with, "Fall? With this thing, you won't even notice the fall," followed by a maniacal giggle.
I've struggled to put this distinction into words before, but you said it perfectly! I'm kind of bored by most coasters to be honest - it's the theming and atmosphere of a park and its rides that gets me excited. So much online park content is amusement park and coaster based - there needs to be more theme park enthusiasts in the world!
I've always been a theme park enthusiast first, then a coaster enthusiast. As someone who has always loved stories, parks like Alton Towers, Universal Studios, and Dollywood draw me in more. It's the story presented to me by the atmosphere and little details that I love. The roller coasters just happen to be a fun extra
Yeah, you need to go to Silver Dollar City in Branson, MO. You would definitely enjoy it. Since I live 2 hrs away, I go a few times a year. Great coasters and great atmosphere and theming!
I have the opposite opinion. I don’t care much for theming, nice employees and good food are always cool but they don’t make or break an experience for me. In my opinion it’s all about the quality of the rides and how fast the line moves.
@@AirtimeAxolotl So you're both boring people with little substance, is what you're saying. LOL Kidding. I get it. Quality rides can make the day sometimes.
I totally agree with every single point made in this video. A good theme park is like immersing yourself in a new world for a whole day, and more of an escapism from the hustle and bustle of the real world. An amusement park doesn't give you any sense of escape, just thrills
I call myself a theme park and rollercoaster enthusiast and that works for me. I guarantee you will enjoy amusement parks more if you give more of a break between parks or reduce the number in your itinerary. I see it on vloggers all the time. Rollercoaster fatigue really is a thing. Like drinking too much coffee, the impact and excitement is lost if you do it too much in a short time. After I came back from a similar trip like yours I vowed to never plan for two parks consecutively and it really helps to maximize the enjoyment. Going to a theme park or amusement park one should give yourself the best chance of having an amazing time. The park deserves a fair shot at delivering and that might mean saving it for the next trip abroad.
I was with him for the first 5 parks of the trip and I completely agree with this outlook. It can feel quite overwhelming/exhausting at times also and I had the opportunity/was planning to also visit Six Flags Great Adventure at the end of my trip but quickly decided not to, for many of the reasons given here. I do miss Dollywood cinnamon bread though.
In the past year, I visited just 2 parks, Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Dollywood, for the exact reasons you mention: the immersion and atmosphere. Efteling, Phantasialand and Europa Park are on my list for someday as well.
That's the nice thing about going to IOA specifically in the morning... tourists are so excited to ride rides they've never been on and it's so uplifting!
Having recently returned from my first taste of European parks (Germany), I can say that amusement parks for me over here in the US have been slightly ruined by how spoiled I was over there. I can still acknowledge though, that it's coasters that get inside my soul. I love to look at the structural beauty of them off-ride, admire the train as it travels, see the riders' excitement and most importantly ride them myself. For me it comes down to whether I'd take an amazing coaster over a good coaster that's well themed, and I would take the amazing coaster over the theming. I'm an enthusiast, that appreciates the impact theming can have on an experience.
also, i am definitely a huge coaster enthusiast still, but i have problems with motion sickness and stuff... so if i've just eaten, i prefer to spend some time just walking around and enjoying what else the park has to offer before coming back to the rides. this is great in parks like plopsaland, chessington, alton towers, even thorpe park and adventure island. if literally all there is at the park is rides, the part where i don't want to ride anything gets pretty boring...
I totally understand what you're saying. I would say I'm a roller coaster enthusiast but I love theming as well. So when I get great theming (while I love roller coasters, I appreciate a great dark ride just as much) I just think of it as above and beyond and really enjoy it.
When I was a kid, Kings Dominion was 100% a theme park. I can remember when the Grizzly opened, it was very exciting. One of the most memorable things was that you couldn't see the whole ride. From the Eiffel Tower you could see the taller parts crest above the tree line while the majority of the ride was mostly hidden with a few bits exposed to see a train whiz by. There was some mystery and excitement watching a train emerge then disappear into the woods. The theming through the entire park was magical and a fun place to be, but when there is too much emphasis put on the ride and not enough put into the supporting features, it subtracts from the overall experience. The top chefs in the world would not get a Michelin star if they served their food in a truck stop parking lot. This is how I feel about I305 and Twisted timbers, its not as much of an adventure because its served up on a sterile, unappealing plate.
I've not visited any US parks yet, but I'm pretty sure they would be perfect for me. I love good thrill coasters and don't care so much about theming. It's nice to have but not necessary. For example I rank Walibi Holland way above Efteling
This must have been an AMAZING trip. We did Dorney, Kings Dominion, Carowinds, Kings Island and Michigan's Adventure last year, and the only disappointment among them was Michigan's Adventure. Every other park was absolutely fantastic. My brother and I ended up doing Ceder Point, ourselves, for three days. It was coaster enthusiasm-affirming.
I've got to say, I wasn't expecting the conclusion, but I think what you're saying is fair. Cedar Fair does seem to be working on expanding theming now, more than it ever has, but that's going to take a while. Still, I think there's something to be said about the "theme" of "American Fairground" being part of the Cedar Fair parks you mentioned. Just... Not enough of the park areas. They focused more on building out the ride experiences than the theming, and it shows (and they're finally doing something about it now - as is particularly noticable in my home park, Canada's Wonderland, and Frontier Canada).
Yes to all of this! Personal example, I've had Untamed, Taron and Kondaa on my number one spot for ages, but after my last visit to Phantasialand Taron felt just slighly better because of ambiance!
Shaun from TPW has said this for like the last 4 years. He has always rated the park for its atmosphere, vibrancy, fairness and ride line-up. I'd love to have the money to go to some of the US parks but I know for fact I'd also grow tired of the barren landscape.
no i really agree with this personally the theme and atmosphere are so important ive been to alot of parks and the thing that stands out most to me is how i felt walking around i love a good thrill ride but it dosent make or break the park
This is exactly how I felt after my europe trip. I love the vibe of the theme park more than riding the coasters because soaking up the atmosphere of a beautifully themed park is just amazing. I used to be Inversion Obsessed but clearly I changed to Theming Obsessed just because of efteling.
Thank you for such a nicely thought out review! As someone wanting to head into theme park design, I appreciate your views and how you present them. I'm also a theme park enthusiast who absolutely loves roller coasters, but with age and some physical issues, the thrill rides are sadly becoming more off-limits to me. Hopefully here in the USA we'll be able to develop more theme parks to make everyone's day worth while!
You nailed it on the head when you mentioned ambience. What really sealed my love for Dollywood was how it beckoned you to just exist and enjoy the moment.
I can totally relate to everything you said :) But I'm also lucky enough to live half an hour away from Phantasialand and it takes me a maximum of 3-4 hours to get to Europapark, Efteling or Energylandia. I think that the quality of the Theming in the many parks around me reinforces this expectation.
I had a similar experience when I visited the US two years ago. Dollywood felt closest to a European theme park, though the whole surrounding area of Pigion Forge and Gatlinburg felt super tacky and fake. Carowinds and SFoG had some of the greatest coasters I have ever ridden but it completely lacked any kind of ambience. I still don't get how people get all excited about Monster Mansion, I guess a dark ride is better than no dark ride? SFoG also really felt like it could use a lot of fix ups and a lick of paint. Carowinds was in a much better state but also felt somewhat barren. The queue is Copperhead Strike nearly gave me sunstroke with the lack of shade and cooling, though it was one of the rides with some theming.
Having Busch Gardens Williamsburg as one of the closest parks to me, it's been a common pasttime for me and family or friends throughout the years. For most of that time I've been too nervous to ride the coasters, but I've nearly always greatly appreciated the theming and atmosphere of Busch Gardens, so I definitely relate to being a theme park guy!
You‘re absolutely right: A theme park delivers an overall better experience throughout, and I‘m all in for that. That being said, I consider myself both: a theme park fan and a roller coaster enthusiast. I don‘t think that one has to choose one of these. I can‘t, as theming and the subsequent immersion are super important to me, but roller coasters are still the attractions I love most.
I recently came to the exact same realisation. Cedar point was always this huge place that i had to get to at some point when i was younger, but nowadays, if i ever end up going to the States, id much rather sacrifice the number of rides for a nicer experience overall, like you’d find a Dollywood or BGW or SDC. My home park Thorpe park isn’t exactly known for its theming but from what I’ve seen of many amusement parks in the USA, I’d take it every day over massive concrete paths with empty stations
Couldn't agree more! When I started going to amusement parks abroad; in 2007 I decided to go on a 2 week trip to the USA (just like you). Just to ride coasters and a 3-day visit to NYC. I would never do something like that again. Not only because it's tiring and boring by the end; but also because you miss out on so many nice sightseeing opportunities and the chance to actually experience the culture. Now it's quality before quantity and I'ld rather spend 4 days at Europa Park or Universal than visiting 4 (or more) regional amusement parks in 4 days just to ride coasters.
Growing up living near to two theme parks, I wasn't aware how different these other parks were. Having visited Carowinds, Kneobel's and Busch Gardens Williamsburg, I also felt the stark contrast. The topography, the river and the tree line at Busch Gardens made the experience above the other two, The interaction of a few rollercoasters with the river increase the memorability. Kneobles is also memorable for the scale of it as it's nestle in the hills and it's ownership is not corporate like many others. Carowinds is one of many in a chain that are basically just rides and no park planning. Not all parks will measure up to Disneyland, but Busch Gardens and Dollywood both have some theming and location that make them feel more than a park with rides. Some day I'd like to visit Europe and perhaps visit a few of their notable Theme park. Nice video
Visited Alton Towers recently for the first time in a few years and honestly it reminded me that the reason it's my favourite park is because of its unique, serene atmosphere. Sure, the rides were fun to but to borrow something you said in the video, I felt I could simply *exist*. It was the first time I'd been to any theme park in 5 years and tbh if my first experience after that long away had been going to somewhere like Thorpe Park I think I'd have come away feeling very differently.
King's Dominion is an interesting case where there was theming for their coasters, but was dependent on licensing deals (Italian Job, Dale Earnhardt) that expire. The problem is that it is difficult to pull off a theme park in the US that isn't based on someone else's IP. There have been attempts, but few successes.
There definitely is a difference between Loving theme parks and loving coasters
I see myself as a bit of both.
There's a difference between loving coasters and being a hardcore enthusiast, too. I see myself as not quite one of those because I don't marathon rides and I don't intentionally ride bad rides for the cred, or to formulate an opinion. I find it fun to watch cheesy movies sometimes, but if I think a roller coaster is going to be an unpleasant experience I'm not going to do it. Your CZcamsr enthusiast will gravitate to those just so they can do an informed bashing.
Also, my family are not coaster enthusiasts at all, so if they're going to a theme/amusement park they want something more than thrill rides. And I like to hang with them most of the time, so that keeps me from being as obsessive about coasters as I might.
Why not both? That’s how I roll
I love both equally
Some people go to experience the park not just the roller coasters = theme park enthusiasts
And the ones who only go for the coasters and complain that a park isn’t doing something right = coaster enthusiast 😂
And half the coasters they criticize aren’t even bad they just find some reason to not pick at that specific ride either for content and coaster enthusiast videos kinda get repetitive in my opinion that’s why I really don’t watch them anymore
There defenitly is fortunatly i love Both. But i generally have a better time in a themepark even if the coasters are a bit crappy.
Park culture is an important part, and not just theming.
The employee friendliness, ride operations, food, layout, ride portfolio, etc all combine into one package.
This is why Holiday World, Kings Island, and Knoebels have such fans. They are run well with a pleasant vibe felt throughout the park.
100% there's many many more factors at play than just good roller coasters!
Yes! Kings Island does a great job of creating an atmosphere in the park and for their rides. The atmosphere for my beloved The Beast rollercoaster has always created a tension. Standin in line and during the ride itself. You are swooping through the forest and you can imagine that a beast would suddenly break through the treeline and go after you.
Holiday World is genuinely pleasant. Something as simple as free soft drinks, parking, and ample places with shade lift it above most other regional parks. It also doesn't hurt that it holds my personal favorite roller coaster in the entire world (The Voyage).
Yes, but they also don’t ridiculously get over shadowed by other parks like Kings Dominion does by Busch Gardens Williamsburg. KD does everything you’ve listed better than BGW, yet still gets dumped on. SeaWorld is now charging extra for the sky buckets on top of their overpriced tickets, and the sycophants will still have their heads up the company’s backside.
Truthfully, if all of the rides are walk-ons, I don't care much about theming. But mostly, you spend most of your time queueing. And the difference between being in a park that makes queueing pleasant, and a park that just makes you line up in an open pen is huge.
I personally love and prefer theming. However, I totally agree with your point. Waiting in boring switchbacks all day is just a drag and to me it can ruin a day.
I personally don't rank Cedar Point in my top 10 parks and that is the reason. I don't need every park to be a theme park. But I find that the queues at Cedar Point are long and boring. I can't help but feel that this hurts the park experience even if the 30-90 seconds of prime ride time are world class. Now if by some freak accident every ride at Cedar Point was a near walk on then that would make for an amazing day. But since that isn't the typical situation and their queue lines do so little to entertain it means most of the day is boring.
100%. Parks in the US need to spend more time making waiting in line an enjoyable experience, rather than something dreadful. I think the only parks I have been to that actually do this are Disney parks. They excel at making the whole ride an experience from the moment you step in line to the moment you leave. Universal comes close on some rides with its great theming, but Disney has the extra interactive features and incredible story telling that make its queue experience the best in the world (which is kinda needed since the parks always have long lines).
@@zacg_ I had two very good days at Cedar Point in late May, where the longest wait was maybe half an hour. The headlining coasters ranged from walk-ons in the morning to 15-20ish minute waits during peak hours. Despite that, it was pretty clear that I would NOT want to be at Cedar Point on a peak summer day.
agreed, I when I went to universal orlando and I was waiting to go on one of the harry potter rides (I forgot which one tho), I was waiting there for like 30-45 mins and I wasnt that bored bc there were all different kinds of things in the quene to look around in where as when I go to six flags america and have to wait of a while to go on superman (or another more popular coaster there but mostly superman) Im just bored out of mind mind with my only entertainment being the music loop playing in the backgroud
Miserable queue lines with no theming or shade really do suck the fun out of most U.S. parks. Combine that with obnoxious patrons, overpriced trash food and almost no theming and really the only time I'm enjoying myself at most U.S. parks is when I'm on the actual rides and that's it.
It's designed that way to get you to buy a shitty fast past, the amusement park industry is mad predatory nowadays. Hell even Cedar Point won't accept cash, it's all card now, I understand a move to the future but not accepting actual cash? Wtf?
I just got back from Silver Dollar City, and if you want a park with none of the bad things you listed, that's the one. I was pretty blown away, such a unique, beautiful park.
@@ianmartin3885Silver Dollar City falls into that rare category where it’s a theme park that manages to have great thrill rides. Dollywood, Busch Gardens, SeaWorld and Universal do this too, but that’s about it
you know during covid i visited a theme park, which had a limited number of visitors. IT WAS AMAZING! every line was basically empty. even the biggest one which took over an hour on a normal day, took less than 5 minutes! so many rides had no wait times and i wish i could go back.
@@ianmartin3885 O my favorite park in the states was there a month ago now that is park i just could go in take a book with me just read and soak up the atmosphere and have a good time. Didn't do that cause the two days i was here i had to much fun doing the rides wich are also pretty good. But i did just sat down a couple of times just watching people and enjoying meself.
Prediction, you are now an amusement park enthusiast??
Edit: oops
Lmao
Real
So true tho!!
So close
Bro got the exact opposite 😂
It's alright for our interests to shift as time passes! I'm not much of one either anymore, but specifically because I have a spinal injury that has changed a lot of things for me, and doctors have all suggested I stay away from coasters for the rest of my life.
Hope you’ve been okay!
Sometimes your body does make the choice for you. I love coasters but I came to the enthusiast community relatively late in life and I just can't take the kind of physical punishment that young coaster freaks can, and I know there will probably come a day when doctors tell me to stop. I avoid the ones with rough reputations as it is--I'm not willing to ride them just for the cred.
I love parks of all kinds but have a connective tissue disease, so being in my younger year I need to be careful to keep my passions alive. I’m glad to hear you have found passion in the parks even without coasters
That sucks well i hope you are european then plenty of good themeparks where you can enjoy yourself wouldt recommend a tripp to the states though.
100% - sorry to hear you can't ride coasters anymore. I hope you still get to enjoy theme parks from other perspectives though!
I think it comes from what we grew up with. You come from Europe, parks littered with theming. I come from Ohio. Intense thrill coasters (with next to no theming) were part of my childhood. Our upbringing builds our expectations.
There’s also something to be said for nostalgia taking the place of theming. Take the Beast at KI, for instance. Not a whole lot of themed elements, but there’s nothing like being on an old wooden coaster in the middle of the woods, especially at night.
That's a really great point, it's all about expectations!
I'm also from Ohio and ofc love coasters but I think the lack of theming around the area has made me appreciate it when I've been to parks that do have it even more to the point where I think I would also consider myself more of a theme park enthusiast than a coaster enthusiast.
@@luckyzonkey8027 guess I just haven’t been out enough yet. Only place I’ve been to that’s known for theming is BGW, and it really didn’t do anything for me that any other park hasn’t. I was actually more annoyed that I couldn’t get cell service for a lot of the day and I was not a fan of their quick queue system so ended up not using it and waiting in lines which is something I’ve become spoiled about. Lol
@steveo7771286 hey. We had theming until Cedar Fair XD I still remember the paramount era.
Goodbye coasterbot hello just uhh..
Bot. Or HarryBot.
Or even Toaster Bot
Amusementbot bot of Amusement?
ThemeBot
@@DahBananaCannon catchy
themeparkbot .tm
This video hits hard for me, because i completely agree witb everything you said. I grew up visiting US theme parks and Amusement parks as thats where i lived. I always enjoyed the likes of Universal/Disney/ Busch gardens more than the rest but i never really knew why as i was younger. For the last 3 years in my early 20s I have lived in europe. Ive had the opportunity of visiting Phantasialand and Europa Park multiple times as well as also going to Efteling, Toverland, Plopsaland de Panne, Walibi Belgium, and Walibi Holland. During my time here i have realized that while I still consider myself a rollercoaster enthusiast, I dont always share the same tenacity as others do at non Theme parks. Theres a reason Taron is #1 on my list even though ive ridden objectively better coasters. The atmosphere, the music, the environment, the near misses and the way it flows perfectly with everything around it creates peak enjoyment for me. Fury 325 has always been one of my top 5, but it just doesnt hit the same as something like F.L.Y., Voltron, or RtH. I will say though my one critique about theme parks is when they dont have at least 1 really good roller coaster then i can feel a bit let down as the combination of theming and coaster is my favorite part of a park. Efteling while beautiful felt like that, but wouldnt be my favorite park to revisit as they didnt have one roller coaster that i really wanted to reride over and over again.
Overall great video Coaster Bot, i completely agree with you so much!
Great post! I love your appreciation of Taron. It's just a special ride- the whole package!
It felt strange going to Tokyo DisneySea, which is sometimes touted as the greatest theme park in the whole world, and not getting even one cred (because the only major coaster there, Raging Spirits, is reputed to not be very good and I had limited time). But it was fine--DisneySea has plenty else to offer! It's just not a coaster park. My wife and daughter actually did get a cred because they rode Flounder's Flying Fish Coaster, a gentle kiddie ride.
Entering Klugheim, earing the work of IMA Score, waiting for Taron seing the ride everywhere, the dispatch music (those drums !!) and then the frigging launch. And after that you go ride F.L.Y. ...
Maybe here in Europe we don't have the best coaster, but we sure have some of the best experiences
This is a great comment and reflection. It certainly does help when a park has a stand out roller coaster!
@@rootoz 100% . The Taron and Klugheim scores give me chills. Incredible stuff!!
I like theming but I'm not typically bowled over by it, with a few exceptions. I mostly prefer landscaping to theming. Give me great coasters surrounded by trees and colorful flowers and I'm happy.
That's actually a good point--Hersheypark comes to mind as a place that actually isn't heavily themed but is nicely landscaped (though recent additions look like they are a little more generic). My home park, Canobie, is another one, though some parts of Canobie actually are significantly themed (there's an area that is a kind of mini-Liberty Square with Revolutionary War-era theming, for instance).
One of the big reasons I prefer Kings Island over Cedar Point
Honestly that goes a long way to improving the overall experience too!
Great theming is really great, but half-baked theming is really bad. But it's tough to mess up trees and ornamental plants.
@@coasterbot Watching a POV when a coaster is first build and contrast that with 10 years later and it is astounding how a dense tree and shrub growth around the track can totally add to the experience.
I completely understand. I strongly consider myself to be a roller coaster enthusiast, but I still love it when parks go out of their way to immerse you. I still enjoy roller coasters without theming, but I totally get how it can be boring to someone who likes theme parks specifically.
Roller coasters are awesome, but after a while it just gets a bit samey for me. Everyone has different tastes and that's what makes it interesting!
8:33
“Amusement parks are not designed with humans in mind.”
What a good, fitting, true quote.
I personally have little interest in amusement parks, but I love theme parks. I don’t really go searching for big thrills anyway. I love getting lost in different worlds, experiencing almost otherworldly places. And a queue line doesn’t have to be such a bad thing for a ride if it’s themed. As a Dutchman, I don’t feel that big of a rush to go to Walibi. But Efteling, I absolutely adore and I have to come back at least annually. It’s just a nice place to be. To just vibe, as you said. In my last visit, it was nice and warm, but not too warm. And it was lovely to just bask in the sun near Fata Morgana with fruit I brought from home. And just walking around in the fairytale forest, you don’t encounter much action. You just wander about and have a fun time doing so. Just walking around there at all is just part of the fun. For me, Efteling is a great theme park with some coasters as a nice bonus. And I’d love to visit other European theme parks. Such American parks definitely seem like they would be a culture shock to me too.
I did a trip in May going to Europa Park, Phantasialand, Walibi Holland and then Efteling. Walibi Holland felt really "empty", yes Untamed and Lost Gravity are fun, but the other three parks are so good ...
@@rootoz From what I’ve seen of all parks, that’s about what I would expect. Walibi has the country’s most thrilling coasters and if that’s your thing, you’ll enjoy yourself there. But I much more value a complete experience, so I feel much more attracted to those other three parks.
@@rootoz Well yup the last one is well dressed up amusementpark thats about as good a it gets in the americane amusement parks if you haven't been there.
I think there are really *three* categories in the US. There are the large theme parks, which include the whole top tier: Disney and Universal, and some other players like Dollywood and Busch Gardens. There are the Six Flags-type large regional amusement parks, which do a lot of "ride plunked down on asphalt" and can be kind of unpleasant places aside from the rides. (I think the management of the companies that run these things all realize that plussing them into family theme parks is the way to go for future viability, but that takes money, effort and time.)
And then there are the *small* local parks, like Knoebels or Seabreeze or Canobie Lake Park, often family-owned (though some are now run by chains like Palace/Parques Reunidos), which may not have elaborate theming but can have an intimate, nostalgic vibe that the big parks don't. There used to be hundreds and hundreds of these; they used to be the dominant form of amusement park. Today, the bigger players have driven most of them out of business. But some of them survive, especially in markets like the US Northeast that the big boys haven't seen fit to completely saturate. Most of these, I would categorize more as amusement parks than as theme parks (though some of them do have theming, which is often quirky and homespun--many little independent parks with fairy-tale themes popped up across America around the same time Disneyland opened, and a few of them are still operating). But they have genuine charm.
Like you, I definitely prefer a good theme park over a big chain amusement park, even if the latter have some of my favorite rides. The last park I visited was Tokyo DisneySea, possibly the theme-iest theme park in the entire world; it's often said that you could spend a day at Tokyo DisneySea, ride *no* rides and feel you'd gotten your money's worth just from the astounding atmospheric theming, and it's really true.
But I think the little players may actually be my favorite category. I live just down the road from Canobie Lake Park and I feel blessed to be so close to that place. It's nice just to be there, too.
I used to go to adventureland which I think counts and I got surprised how nice it was compared to some other parks near large cities
I could not agree more with this comment, which is why I was disappointed that the creator lumped Knoebels in with the rest of the 'asphalt' parks. Beyond the small coaster lineup (and I would put Phoenix up against most other coasters out there), there's an incredible flatride lineup, one of the best Haunted Mansion rides, exceptional food, all at reasonable prices and zero cost for admission or even parking.
I live about 30 minutes away from SF Great Adventure and about 45 minutes away from Dorney Park. I haven't been to either of these places in a long time, but I'm sure to take my family to Knoebels at least a couple times every year. It's that good.
(One aside: should the creator visit PA again, he would do well to give Kennywood a try.)
@@Coyotek4Much agreed! What it lacks in elaborate set-up it makes up 10 times over in dedication to the history of the industry. Save for the main road it's fairly tightly packed with lots of shade too.
You would love europe then plenty of those parks around and a lot of them are even pretty nicely themed.
@@arturobianco848 One of my bucket-list vacations is a theme-park tour of Germany. As it is, the one European park I've visited is PortAventura, which is a fine example of a large park with both thrills and lovely theming--it reminded me of a Busch Gardens, and as it happens that was not a coincidence, since Busch Entertainment co-designed it and was an owner on opening day. If/when I ever get back to Catalonia I'd like to do Tibidabo, which I didn't have time to do last time.
Harry: riding roller coaster 15 days in a row isn't a common thing...
"Taylor from CS has entered the chat"
Its a joke calm down@Studio732JRL
@Studio732JRL youre not wrong lol
@Studio732JRLgood god man it’s a video about roller coasters. Chill out.
Taylor is a weird nerd who doesnt seem to understand that nobody cares about his weird and nitpicky criticisms
@Studio732JRL I definitely think you were the triggered one lmao but go off I guess
It’s actually crazy how much better a coaster can be when it’s immersive, well maintained, exciting air conditioned queue.
Yup!
Good on ya, Harry. Roller coasters are definitely a big part of theme parks, maybe they're even the core of the theme park experience, but yeah, you can't just visit them for the coasters alone, or more broadly, the rides. Because of that I can now appreciate parks like the Islands for what they truly should be: escapes
Islands of Adventure is certainly an escape from reality, it's a fantastic park!
I spent two days at Carowinds and Chiz was the best ride op I've ever seen.
The only reason he EVER compromises speed of dispatches is for fun and hype. He gets you on that ride ASAP and gets you pumped up in the process.
As soon as he was talking about the operator on fury getting more hyped toward the end of the night I knew who he was talking about. All the ride ops on fury are amazing though
It made riding Fury so much better!
It’s alright for interests to come and go! :)
100%
Good thing you didn’t visit Six Flags America. They just opened their Steam Town area that supposed to be rethemed and rejuvenated. There was no music, minimal theming, and now some of the attractions won’t stay open.
This has made me appreciate parks like Busch Gardens, Universal, and Disney even if they don’t have the most thrilling rides. Experiences is what keeps guests coming back for more.
I can relate to this.
When I was 16, I just wanted the most intense rides possible. Now I'm almost 30, and I appreciate theming, and smooth rides more
The older I get the more I follow this
I found this video oddly surprising and illuminating but maybe because, even with the channel/podcast name, I had never really considered the idea that it was ONLY rollercoasters that were the point of interest and not wider theme park topics. Perhaps, also being a Brit, I am used to the heavier theming but I also just felt the theming was part of the package.
This has given me a lot to think about. Life has been odd and disruptive at the moment and something here has resonated with me (perhaps just in hope/cope) and I'm glad you have found a wider world to love & enjoy
Growing up, the only amusement parks I had been to were Busch Gardens and Disney World. When I went to Carowinds with some friends a few years ago, I found that a couple of the big rides were fun, but the overall experience was mediocre compared to the parks I was used to. I love roller coasters, but solid theming makes the experience of the trip as a whole so much more exciting and memorable. Even though a ride like Fury 325 is probably better than anything at Busch Gardens, I would pick Busch Gardens any day over Carowinds because the experience of a day in the park is just so much better. Great video, glad you were able to put this into words!
Glad you enjoyed BG Williamsburg, that is one of my top USA picks! Great coasters in a great setting. And maybe you liked it more because it was themed to European theme parks 😆
BGW is delightful. Maybe it did help it was all European themed ha ha 😂
This was very well articulated; good on you for knowing yourself. I'd describe myself as a roller-coaster fan who doesn't get to ride them nearly often enough to get burned out, but the first park I visited was Busch Gardens Williamsburg, and I don't know if I'd love coasters as much as I do if it had been Kings Dominion instead. That WHOLE DAY back when I was nine left such a huge impression on me - just the sensation of walking from Ireland to Germany on a whim. I'd vaguely known up front what theme park rides were, but I'd never imagined anything like the whole place.
I went to Cedar Point for the first time the other year and it was amazing and unforgettable to ride Millennium Force and Steel Vengeance, but if I had to pick exactly one of those two parks to be the last park I ever visited, it's no contest: Busch Gardens.
Completely agree. Atmosphere and theming matter more to me than pure airtime. A ride should be an experience for more than just your stomach
I'm a blind person and this is how I feel too. I relie on that audio, literally, because I can't see. I live in the UK and right now my favourite ride is at Chessington, Croc Drop, a small drop tower with an amazing audio atmosphere throughout it's queue, load, dispatch, ride and ending. Even Vampire now has extra audio ambience in the queue and the station has smell pods in it. Gets you hyped to ride. I haven't seen (figuratively speaking) the Jumanji area yet. I use seen even though I can't see, as it's just easier to say about watchig videos or going to areas. It sounds weird saying I listen to TV, I watch TV just in my own way.
These are two great comments.
I've never really thought about it from the perspective of someone who is blind. Thanks for enlightening me!
It’s the spaces inbetween the attractions that truly make a theme park. Excellent video!
That's a really succinct way to put it! Thank you 😊
Glad you finally got to ride some of these on this side of the pond and even visit my two home parks (KD and BGW).
I'm looking forward to visiting my first parks on your side (if not in the UK) in a couple of weeks!
Germany and Denmark here I come!
I will always love riding roller coasters as long as I live, and I’m grateful for having gotten over my prior fear of coasters. But I’ve had less and less time and money recently to continue visiting new parks and riding new things, and I’ve been enjoying what I have at Kings Dominion, and even Six Flags America. Good luck in your future endeavors Harry.
This is an EXCELLENT video. I have always admired how the parks OUTSIDE the US have such incredible theming. The build up to the cue and overall theming around the rides. You have definitely opening my eyes to what I have always been, a THEME park enthusiast. I definitely LUV coasters but I always felt a bit envious of how parks and rides OCONUS, look so freaking cool! ❤
I don't know how much it has changed since 1999 but King's Island had 5 (now 8) themed areas the last time I was there. Action Zone · Adventure Port · Area 72 · Coney Mall · International Street · Oktoberfest · Planet Snoopy · Camp Snoopy.
True, my home park Six Flags Great America Chicago had the different zones when I was younger in the 70's to 1990. It felt like different areas. Now it is just signs but the feels are the same.
I wonder how your perspective would have changed on Kings Dominion had you not started your trip there. Kings Dominion self-identifies as a themed amusement park and has been working for the last decade-ish to do better in the theming department-from the debut of Jungle X, the various Old Virginia refresh projects, improvements to International Street theming, themed soundtracks park-wide, etc. Aside from Knott's, Kings Dominion seems to be the home of substantial thematic experimentation in the Cedar Fair (well now, new Six Flags) chain. They have a LONG way to go-but KD is legitimately tryin'.
Oh, and hopefully all of those TREMENDOUSLY valid Project 305 complaints are addressed in the expected overhaul of the ride for next season! Kings Dominion definitely has a lot of past mistakes to clean up-but hopefully Tumbili remains the minimum level of effort we can expect moving forward.
Yeah KD has been making progress, this is just an off/building year, so it was unfair to single them out considering they may soon be one of the better ones. Plus the crowds might have been a nice break after up north. And a nice sunset ride on P305 is hype as soon as you take off.
Nice video. I love it how somebody finally distincts the difference between theme park and an amusement park. I have been trying to get people to see the difference between the 2, and this video explains it perfectly. Wonderful job.
Thanks! I will most likely be making more videos about what makes a theme park a theme park, which should include further distinctions between the two :)
If you could go back 30 or 40 years in time you would see that many of these "amusement parks" such as Kings Island, Carowinds, Kings Dominion, etc were actually theme parks. During the early 1990's they stripped the parks of all of the theming and began making them nothing more than concrete, asphalt and steel jungles. The heyday of the true US themeparks overall was during the 1970s and 1980s when they each had very distinct themed attractions and atmospheres that made the visits truly enjoyable. Sadly, those days are long gone.
I have been on the exact same path recently. A European trip last year in 23’ shifted my love from strictly coasters, to love and appreciation for theme, environment, story, and atmosphere. There is so much more to love than just the coasters in the parks. The internal shift was so massive for me, it has lead me to Orlando to study theme park and attraction management. Thank you for wording this feeling so perfectly.
Cedar point is definitely weird with its giant paths, but it is super nice how many coasters they jammed into one park. A lot of pretty good ones too.
It's the perfect park for coaster lovers
@@coasterbotagreed. Cedar Point is the birth place of the Coaster Wars and while those days have passed, it still prides itself on having one of the most impressive coaster line up on the planet. While I also am outgrowing coasters (I still like them, but cant do more than 2 or 3 in a row without starting to feel a bit nauseous), I can still appreciate a world class coaster line up.
However, I think that Cedar Point does make great use of its waterfront location to create a pleasant atmosphere and it has some mild theming in the back half (Western Theming near Maverick and Steel Vengeance) and in the Boardwalk area. I would argue its biggest weakness is not having enough family coasters (although Iron Dragon, Gemini, Ourangarou, Raptor, Gatekeeper, and their new Wild Mouse coaster all fill the niche of family coaster/moderate thrill coasters pretty well).
I think it works, because the "theme" of cedar point is coasters.
Watching a POV when a coaster is first build and contrast that with 10 years later and it is astounding how a dense tree and shrub growth around the track can totally add to the experience.
Exactly!
i never understood this "gripe" until my first visit to Universal Studios and Island's of adventure. I understand you. i am a rollercoaster guy but, when presented with a well done park, i love the good and immersive experience.
Had a very similar experience going to Virginia this past month. While Project 305 was easily mine and my friend’s favorite coaster, DarKoaster was our favorite ride on the trip due to its theming and special effects.
DarKoaster is surprisingly good!
It was soo cool meeting at kings at kings dommion!! You had me with the title ngl had me scared thinking you wouldn't make videos anymore or ride coasters😂
I still love roller coasters, don't worry! It was great to meet you too ☺️
Nice Video! I worked a lot on an unthemed Wooden Coaster, and it still has a alot of Atmosphere to me, same like other coasters that are barely Themed. I think this "oldschool low budget 90s coaster" is a vibe for itself
I resonated with this. I do really love roller coasters but as I have gotten older I really enjoy just soaking in the atmosphere of theme parks and simply spending time in the park and admiring the surrounding theming, and character interactions instead of just racing from one coaster to another
It's all about soaking up that atmosphere!
I'm glad there are people who agree me, roller coasters are good, but the things that make roller coasters overall an amazing experience are the theming and atmosphere, take Revenge of the Mummy at Universal Orlando, the roller coaster itself is great, but the thing that elevates it above and beyond is the insane amount of immersion, atmosphere and theming it has.
Agree with everything said here. Cedar Fair parks (5 of which you visited) have loose theming in parts of the parks. We go there for the rides and then head to Disney/Universal once a year for the theme… wish the US had more theme parks. Dollywood last summer was fantastic with my two kids just over 48”.
That's why Phantasialand is so great among German parks. It not only has beautiful queue lines, it also gets you pumped with pre-shows, starting sequences, orchestra drums while leaving the station, well-made soundtracks matching the ride. I'm also very happy for you for taking that US trip. I'd LOVE to visit the US and its parks soon. Too bad none of my friends and family want to go with me. It's MUCH less fun alone (another factor btw.). :)
You have perfectly described why I'm a theme park enthusiast over everything else. I absolutely love cramming in roller coasters from morning to night at places like Cedar Point; but if I had to choose to spend one day there or at a more immersive theme park, I'm choosing something like Silver Dollar City, Disney, Universal, or Holiday World almost every time. The immersion makes the most impact on me. Living in Orlando, I'll go to a park, walk around for a few hours, and leave having only ridden one ride (though that's usually a coaster).
Thats a very interesting point and one I've never considered. Like you I've been spoiled by UK/Europe/Orlando. So I'm curious how I'd feel about these Barron parks. Glad you're not quitting the channel ;)
I can't quit until I've reached 100k so we've got some time ;)
@@coasterbot ha ha love it, I'm still on the path to 10k so I got some catching up to do 😂
I completely understand, and as a themepark enthausiast I rly needed to see this vid and I'm happy I did, I just love the atmosphere in a park, happy people/kids, an escape from reality, good theming and hyping for a coaster or a good flatride (I rly love a good flatride as well), and even being able to go together on a fun family coaster with someone who is not willing to go on the bigger and more thrilling rides, being from Belgium I'd probably also have this culture shock seeing a station like the one from 305 or massive concrete areas, I love most of the themeparks in my country and also like Efteling or Europapark or I think my personal favourite Fantasialand, they all know how to theme things great and give an overall happy experience spending a day in their park.
Amazing timing on this being in my feed. I am sitting in Hotel Breakers at Cedar Point on the 2nd day of a 3 day trip thinking how, as a season pass holder for 7 years, Cedar Point has gone backward. You've made me realize I have probably evolved from fun fair guy, to amusement park guy to theme park guy.
I experienced a similar phenomenon albeit for slightly different reasons. I did a honeymoon trip with my ride enthusiast wife very similar to what you did. Honestly just riding intense extreme rides was enough for us, and we did them ALL over and over. Sometimes staying on a ride at the end of the night and never getting off. This trip was a culmination of a lifetime of rollercoasters and fast swinging, spinning rides. But by the end of the trip a switch flipped in our brains, especially mine. Combine hours of highway driving every day with all the rides, my brain was completely scrambled. I felt sick and weak and dizzy after the rides and would begin to have my vision grey out. I think my brain started to swell in the heat combined with being shaken up and I became very unwell (Think heatstroke combined with head trauma). After reflecting on our trip we thought of our favorite experiences and although the BIG coasters were highlights ones with nice views of trees or water, or that left the concrete and queues behind often stood out. Now I can't ride intense coasters anymore but I have gone to a couple theme parks and realize just how much I was missing just enjoying a parks atmosphere and aura. Nowadays I look forward to visiting something with a tamer but more thoughtful experience like Universal.
I completely agree with you on coaster-filled amusement parks vs immersive theme parks. Its one of the reasons WHY alot of my bucket list parks are on your side of the pond, and why places like Silver Dollar City are probably my favorite parks.
That said, sorry you spent so little time at Knoebels. Such a charming park in the middle of the woods that pays alot of attention to detail on their atmosphere and attractions for what they have, and just so happens to also have one of the best airtime-filled coasters in the country.
The dark rides are Knoebels were really cool, I'm glad I got to see it even if it was only briefly
This is such a good video, and I agree with you completely! If you gave me the choice of going to Silver Dollar City or Cedar Point, I’d say Silver Dollar City in a heartbeat. Yeah, Cedar Point has the better coaster lineup, but Silver Dollar City is such a fun place to be even when you’re not riding the coasters.
I’m actually really optimistic for the future of the Six Flags parks, because Cedar Fair has been doing a great job with park improvements, specifically with stuff like Jungle X-petition and the gorgeous new Fiesta Village revamp at Knott’s.
And I obviously don’t have to tell you how awesome Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Dollywood are.
So what I’ve come to, is a couple things as I’ve gotten older. I’m stopping before you get into your reasons.
But mostly as I moved around the US and experienced different coaster and ticking off credits; I felt like a lot of it was just experiencing relatively similar things for a +1.
I would rush lines and just completely avoid enjoying the park. As I’ve gotten older I’ve taken to appreciating things like scenery, atmosphere and food more. I appreciate the small bits that go into making a park experience enjoyable instead of treating it like a mad dash line to line to get as many +1s for my collection.
2:19 bro yes! Ive been to a couple of parks where people act like they couldnt be in a more boring place. On the other side, i always bring the energy on coasters and whoever is next to me WILL get loud too. Its almost like me being loud gives them the comfort to be loud, too
There should always be hype and energy. We're riding these amazing rides, how could you not be excited!
I’m so excited for your videos about this trip. It’s fun learning things about our preference later in life. I had the same realization with gigas. For me bigger isn’t always better and I would take Candymonium over Fury. My husband and I met you last year in line for Iron Gwazi and I can’t wait to hear your comparison with SteVe. Hershey is my favorite park and I’m interested to hear if it reaches your new bar. Hope you are rested up from what sounds like a crazy trip!
I've been to a few US parks and it has also made me realize I love a good theme to go with the rides or sections of the park. Rollercoasters have my heart but I hope theming is something that more parks include in the future, it doesn't have to be major but even a good sound track and even including the history of the ride throughout the queue would be cool!
I absolutely know what you're talking about. What I've learned is that I need to be aware of what type of park I'm visiting and set my expectations accordingly. Yes I love roller coasters, but there's something about strolling through a park and taking in the sites.
A new favourite roller coaster?? Oh nooo......
When you made your last top 10 video, you listed Velocicoaster as your number one. After watching this, I jokingly searched for flight prices to NYC and Orlando. I happened to find a very cheap ticket to NYC, and then to Orlando, so one thing leads to the other, and that's a 5-day trip to NYC (where we also visited SFGA), and then on to Orlando for Universal... Velocicoaster also became my number one! Basically because of how extremely good it is, AND the amazing theming. The whole atmosphere made it complete. And as you say in this video, that atmosphere that surrounds a coaster really adds to the experience!
Buuttt... Does this now mean I have to go to the States again?? hahahaha
I've done veryy similar trips to the one you described and when you cram in too much you can definitely get coaster/park fatigue. Sometimes there is a ride you've been incredibly excited for, but when you've ridden 50 odd coasters beforehand it's difficult to get hyped up for it. Whenever I roadtrip around amusement parks in the US, I make sure to give myself days off to recover, avoid cloned coasters that I don't like (SLC's, Boomerangs, etc...) and never have a park and a long drive on the same day. All these things massively improve how much I enjoy a park and a coaster.
I'm still definitely a coaster enthusiast, but like good all things, they're better in moderation (I say before planning my next bi-weekly park trip).
I grew up going to Disney, Universal and Dollywood so I think I will always prefer theme parks over amusement parks. I’d love to hear about your experiences there, and you could do Epic Universe! Looking forward to seeing more content from you!
I really like the queue and audio from joris en de draak in the Efteling for atmosphere building, for those who dont know it a short (reading it back its not short and quite detailed) explanation, you enter the queue and head towards a swamp where the dragon (in dutch draak which is where the name comes from) lives, while heading there you have instrumental music including loads of brass instruments hyping you up to fight the dragon, when you enter the swamp the music changes to a more vocal based version of the song which fits the vibe of the swamp, when you get to the station you are out of the swamp again. While boarding the same brass intensive version of the theme is playing, when the lap restraints release a message from the king is played offering 1001 ducats to whomever kills the dragon, when the trains leave they play a short trumpet clip which announces the depaeture of the ride. During the ride tention is held high by the fact its a dualing coaster, which if you win moves a pole in the brake zone to indicate which side had won, upon returning to the station the winning side has banners drop from the ceiling and the employees on that side celebrate the win
Same here! I really love good park music and theming. I really enjoy parks like Universal and Disney World in my state of Florida. But I went to Fun Spot recently, and the lack of theming really threw me off.
I spent a short time working at Doctor Doom's Fear Fall at Universal Orlando. There, my favorite thing was to begin a countdown early or late compared to when I knew the ride would launch. Oops.
The other fun thing to do there is act sad, apologizing profusely as you lock everyone into their seats. Pick one person, look them in the eye with a concerned expression, and shake your head as you lock them in and walk away. Legit way to have them screaming well before the ride launches.
Or when someone asks if the fall is scary, reply with, "Fall? With this thing, you won't even notice the fall," followed by a maniacal giggle.
I've struggled to put this distinction into words before, but you said it perfectly! I'm kind of bored by most coasters to be honest - it's the theming and atmosphere of a park and its rides that gets me excited. So much online park content is amusement park and coaster based - there needs to be more theme park enthusiasts in the world!
I've always been a theme park enthusiast first, then a coaster enthusiast. As someone who has always loved stories, parks like Alton Towers, Universal Studios, and Dollywood draw me in more. It's the story presented to me by the atmosphere and little details that I love. The roller coasters just happen to be a fun extra
Nice job. Your point was well made. Yes there is a difference and theming and ambiance definitely makes a HUGE difference for any roller coaster.
Yeah, you need to go to Silver Dollar City in Branson, MO. You would definitely enjoy it. Since I live 2 hrs away, I go a few times a year. Great coasters and great atmosphere and theming!
I have the opposite opinion. I don’t care much for theming, nice employees and good food are always cool but they don’t make or break an experience for me. In my opinion it’s all about the quality of the rides and how fast the line moves.
I agree
@@AirtimeAxolotl So you're both boring people with little substance, is what you're saying. LOL Kidding. I get it. Quality rides can make the day sometimes.
I totally agree with every single point made in this video. A good theme park is like immersing yourself in a new world for a whole day, and more of an escapism from the hustle and bustle of the real world. An amusement park doesn't give you any sense of escape, just thrills
I call myself a theme park and rollercoaster enthusiast and that works for me.
I guarantee you will enjoy amusement parks more if you give more of a break between parks or reduce the number in your itinerary. I see it on vloggers all the time. Rollercoaster fatigue really is a thing. Like drinking too much coffee, the impact and excitement is lost if you do it too much in a short time. After I came back from a similar trip like yours I vowed to never plan for two parks consecutively and it really helps to maximize the enjoyment. Going to a theme park or amusement park one should give yourself the best chance of having an amazing time. The park deserves a fair shot at delivering and that might mean saving it for the next trip abroad.
I was with him for the first 5 parks of the trip and I completely agree with this outlook. It can feel quite overwhelming/exhausting at times also and I had the opportunity/was planning to also visit Six Flags Great Adventure at the end of my trip but quickly decided not to, for many of the reasons given here. I do miss Dollywood cinnamon bread though.
It's all about that Dollywood cinnamon bread
In the past year, I visited just 2 parks, Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Dollywood, for the exact reasons you mention: the immersion and atmosphere. Efteling, Phantasialand and Europa Park are on my list for someday as well.
That's the nice thing about going to IOA specifically in the morning... tourists are so excited to ride rides they've never been on and it's so uplifting!
You know that's a really good point!
Having recently returned from my first taste of European parks (Germany), I can say that amusement parks for me over here in the US have been slightly ruined by how spoiled I was over there. I can still acknowledge though, that it's coasters that get inside my soul. I love to look at the structural beauty of them off-ride, admire the train as it travels, see the riders' excitement and most importantly ride them myself. For me it comes down to whether I'd take an amazing coaster over a good coaster that's well themed, and I would take the amazing coaster over the theming. I'm an enthusiast, that appreciates the impact theming can have on an experience.
also, i am definitely a huge coaster enthusiast still, but i have problems with motion sickness and stuff... so if i've just eaten, i prefer to spend some time just walking around and enjoying what else the park has to offer before coming back to the rides. this is great in parks like plopsaland, chessington, alton towers, even thorpe park and adventure island. if literally all there is at the park is rides, the part where i don't want to ride anything gets pretty boring...
I totally understand what you're saying. I would say I'm a roller coaster enthusiast but I love theming as well. So when I get great theming (while I love roller coasters, I appreciate a great dark ride just as much) I just think of it as above and beyond and really enjoy it.
When I was a kid, Kings Dominion was 100% a theme park. I can remember when the Grizzly opened, it was very exciting. One of the most memorable things was that you couldn't see the whole ride. From the Eiffel Tower you could see the taller parts crest above the tree line while the majority of the ride was mostly hidden with a few bits exposed to see a train whiz by. There was some mystery and excitement watching a train emerge then disappear into the woods. The theming through the entire park was magical and a fun place to be, but when there is too much emphasis put on the ride and not enough put into the supporting features, it subtracts from the overall experience. The top chefs in the world would not get a Michelin star if they served their food in a truck stop parking lot. This is how I feel about I305 and Twisted timbers, its not as much of an adventure because its served up on a sterile, unappealing plate.
I've not visited any US parks yet, but I'm pretty sure they would be perfect for me. I love good thrill coasters and don't care so much about theming. It's nice to have but not necessary. For example I rank Walibi Holland way above Efteling
Everything you said about Ride Atmosphere are the exact reasons I love going to Disney World but not Six Flags or Carowinds as much
Completely understandable
This must have been an AMAZING trip. We did Dorney, Kings Dominion, Carowinds, Kings Island and Michigan's Adventure last year, and the only disappointment among them was Michigan's Adventure. Every other park was absolutely fantastic. My brother and I ended up doing Ceder Point, ourselves, for three days. It was coaster enthusiasm-affirming.
I've got to say, I wasn't expecting the conclusion, but I think what you're saying is fair. Cedar Fair does seem to be working on expanding theming now, more than it ever has, but that's going to take a while. Still, I think there's something to be said about the "theme" of "American Fairground" being part of the Cedar Fair parks you mentioned. Just... Not enough of the park areas. They focused more on building out the ride experiences than the theming, and it shows (and they're finally doing something about it now - as is particularly noticable in my home park, Canada's Wonderland, and Frontier Canada).
Yes to all of this! Personal example, I've had Untamed, Taron and Kondaa on my number one spot for ages, but after my last visit to Phantasialand Taron felt just slighly better because of ambiance!
and I am a european used to theme parks with rides for everyone but want more high thrill rides haha
Do the trip I did and then you won't want it anymore ha ha
Geez.... but I am sooo thankful to you for making me a coaster enthusiast! Love your videos!
Thanks for enjoying the videos! There will be more to come, don't worry ha ha 😂
Shaun from TPW has said this for like the last 4 years. He has always rated the park for its atmosphere, vibrancy, fairness and ride line-up. I'd love to have the money to go to some of the US parks but I know for fact I'd also grow tired of the barren landscape.
no i really agree with this personally the theme and atmosphere are so important ive been to alot of parks and the thing that stands out most to me is how i felt walking around i love a good thrill ride but it dosent make or break the park
This is exactly how I felt after my europe trip. I love the vibe of the theme park more than riding the coasters because soaking up the atmosphere of a beautifully themed park is just amazing. I used to be Inversion Obsessed but clearly I changed to Theming Obsessed just because of efteling.
The Efteling is the theme park man, it just does so many things right!
In the UK even the theme parks that are seen as extreme like Alton Towers and Thorpe Park still have tremendous theming and stuff for everyone.
Thank you for such a nicely thought out review! As someone wanting to head into theme park design, I appreciate your views and how you present them. I'm also a theme park enthusiast who absolutely loves roller coasters, but with age and some physical issues, the thrill rides are sadly becoming more off-limits to me. Hopefully here in the USA we'll be able to develop more theme parks to make everyone's day worth while!
You nailed it on the head when you mentioned ambience. What really sealed my love for Dollywood was how it beckoned you to just exist and enjoy the moment.
Dollywood is just incredible 😍
I live in the worst part of America for amusement and theme parks. My closest park is Dollywood and that is 5 hours away.
That's sad :(
Huntsville/Nashville area really needs one
I can totally relate to everything you said :) But I'm also lucky enough to live half an hour away from Phantasialand and it takes me a maximum of 3-4 hours to get to Europapark, Efteling or Energylandia. I think that the quality of the Theming in the many parks around me reinforces this expectation.
I had a similar experience when I visited the US two years ago. Dollywood felt closest to a European theme park, though the whole surrounding area of Pigion Forge and Gatlinburg felt super tacky and fake.
Carowinds and SFoG had some of the greatest coasters I have ever ridden but it completely lacked any kind of ambience. I still don't get how people get all excited about Monster Mansion, I guess a dark ride is better than no dark ride? SFoG also really felt like it could use a lot of fix ups and a lick of paint.
Carowinds was in a much better state but also felt somewhat barren. The queue is Copperhead Strike nearly gave me sunstroke with the lack of shade and cooling, though it was one of the rides with some theming.
Having Busch Gardens Williamsburg as one of the closest parks to me, it's been a common pasttime for me and family or friends throughout the years. For most of that time I've been too nervous to ride the coasters, but I've nearly always greatly appreciated the theming and atmosphere of Busch Gardens, so I definitely relate to being a theme park guy!
You‘re absolutely right: A theme park delivers an overall better experience throughout, and I‘m all in for that. That being said, I consider myself both: a theme park fan and a roller coaster enthusiast. I don‘t think that one has to choose one of these. I can‘t, as theming and the subsequent immersion are super important to me, but roller coasters are still the attractions I love most.
Due to a health conditions i can only ride moderate and mild coasters but i agree with you theme parks are fun with or without coasters
I recently came to the exact same realisation. Cedar point was always this huge place that i had to get to at some point when i was younger, but nowadays, if i ever end up going to the States, id much rather sacrifice the number of rides for a nicer experience overall, like you’d find a Dollywood or BGW or SDC. My home park Thorpe park isn’t exactly known for its theming but from what I’ve seen of many amusement parks in the USA, I’d take it every day over massive concrete paths with empty stations
Couldn't agree more! When I started going to amusement parks abroad; in 2007 I decided to go on a 2 week trip to the USA (just like you). Just to ride coasters and a 3-day visit to NYC. I would never do something like that again. Not only because it's tiring and boring by the end; but also because you miss out on so many nice sightseeing opportunities and the chance to actually experience the culture.
Now it's quality before quantity and I'ld rather spend 4 days at Europa Park or Universal than visiting 4 (or more) regional amusement parks in 4 days just to ride coasters.
Growing up living near to two theme parks, I wasn't aware how different these other parks were. Having visited Carowinds, Kneobel's and Busch Gardens Williamsburg, I also felt the stark contrast. The topography, the river and the tree line at Busch Gardens made the experience above the other two, The interaction of a few rollercoasters with the river increase the memorability. Kneobles is also memorable for the scale of it as it's nestle in the hills and it's ownership is not corporate like many others. Carowinds is one of many in a chain that are basically just rides and no park planning. Not all parks will measure up to Disneyland, but Busch Gardens and Dollywood both have some theming and location that make them feel more than a park with rides.
Some day I'd like to visit Europe and perhaps visit a few of their notable Theme park.
Nice video
Visited Alton Towers recently for the first time in a few years and honestly it reminded me that the reason it's my favourite park is because of its unique, serene atmosphere. Sure, the rides were fun to but to borrow something you said in the video, I felt I could simply *exist*. It was the first time I'd been to any theme park in 5 years and tbh if my first experience after that long away had been going to somewhere like Thorpe Park I think I'd have come away feeling very differently.
I agree. I more enjoy a theme park than an amusement park and I love a good dark ride. But I can appreciate amusement parks too , I like a thrill.
Who doesn't love a good dark ride!
King's Dominion is an interesting case where there was theming for their coasters, but was dependent on licensing deals (Italian Job, Dale Earnhardt) that expire. The problem is that it is difficult to pull off a theme park in the US that isn't based on someone else's IP. There have been attempts, but few successes.