Theme Park Discussion / Does anyone else hate going to theme parks?

Ah yes, theme parks. 

 

We'll start by forking over 15 bucks just to put your car on park property. We'll now walk half a mile, wait a bit in line, pay 60$ or so to get inside. 

 

Sweet, let's go ride some rides. This is exciting. Lets wait in line first. It'll probably be a half hour. At worst it could be a few. Alright. 

Cool, we're in the station now. Oh what, the brakes don't work? You're closing the ride? Ugh. 

 

Ok, let's find something else. It's hot now. There's no clouds. Sweat is everywhere. Decide on the wooden one. 

 

Get in line. Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait. Get on ride. Seats are uncomfertable. Up the lift we go wee. The ride sucks, shakes you and now you have a headache. 

 

Now we're hungry. That'll be 12$ for a burger. 5 for a warm bottle of water. The burger sucks anyway. 

 

Sweet, now it's really busy. People are walking slow everywhere. Game booth ops are begging you to play. Lines are long everywhere. It's hot. You have a headache. You have an upset stomach from that burger. You're broke. You're car is a mile away. Happiness seems ever further. 

 

Alright, lets get in line for the best ride now. We'll wait. And Wait. And wait. And wait. You're boss calls. He needs you right now. You're phone dies. You're still waiting. 

Alright, you're on now. This ride is awesome. Cozzy trains. Big hills. Smooth loops. Great speed. Hell yea, it rocks! 

 

Cool. That was fun. It's late now. Time to go home. 

 

Damn, I'm an old grouch are'nt I?

Well, Dutch theme parks are less like that actually. I always go on weekdays outside of the holidays. Here you can just take the train or bus to a theme park, no parking costs. And I get free public transportation because I'm a student. Hurray for Europe! Great times!  

I get what you're saying and I've had days like that for sure.  Granted, I'm not like constantly going to parks.  My closest big park is either Coney Island (never been) or SFGAdv so it's a big deal when I can go.  I think you get a good experience out of it if you prepare yourself.  So do research on when to go in the season, eat outside the park, avoid crowds, etc.

yeah screw theme parks

I think its' an american thing. Middle-European parks are usually amazing to visit.

I lived in Walt Disney World for a year and grew sick of the place. I'm dying to go back now.

 

I love theme parks.

 

But not Six Flags. What you described is what I hate, and that is an amusement park. 

Hahaha, You hate it.... I envy you, my closest "amusement" park. could be packed up and ready to disappear within 2 weeks, Because thats all it is a 'travelling fair rides' that somehow managed to convince the crack bandit owners that they were good, Sometimes I plead with the almighty, that my local park can have just 1 coaster  'That can't be torn down within 1 week' Consider yourself lucky...... PUNK :phit

 

Seriously tho, People moaning because they have great coasters but the theme is shit..... come here if you wanna see absolutely shit coasters and get this..... NO theming whatsoever 

Nah, I love theme parks. Being apart in sydney has just made me grow fonder...

I've never had such a poor day, even at six flags. I just love the culture and atmosphere, even when its shitty. I still find that interesting if not beautiful.

Also, roller coasters are worth it

I mean, I don't HATE the parks just because they're concrete and coasters. I'll gladly continue to hit up my local Six Flags or make the drive to a CF park or roadside attraction for the sake of doing so. I too love the atmosphere and the fact that you can truly become anything you want and just let yourself be free in those places, hell that's why I play this game and why the majority of jobs I've had have been in one. But that's also shown me the true ways behind some of those places, and how people running them can truly make them just awful for anyone, especially those working them.

So maybe I'm a bit biased, I don't know. I still go for the rides and experiences, and I'd take a job as an Imagineer any day, but I'm not going to let that blind my views on the parks and just smile and wave when I know places could be so much better (like many of my fellow coworkers did). It just kinda irks you after awhile.

 

You're going to the wrong parks, and more importantly, you're going at the wrong parks... And how difficult is it to bring your own food? You know in advance that themepark food is expensive and not very good quality.

Many places will search your bags, so I'd say it's actually pretty hard to get your own food in if the park has a "no outside food" rule, like cinemas do.

I love theme parks... except for Six Flags New England. What a dump.

Many places will search your bags, so I'd say it's actually pretty hard to get your own food in if the park has a "no outside food" rule, like cinemas do.

 

Idk, it's not incredibly hard. We took food into Bush Gardens although our bag was controlled. Okay, we had food passes, but still.

 

Plus in european parks forbidding outside food isn't really a thing.

No, I've never heard about bag searches. Do they search EVERY bag going into the park? Even if they do I guess there are solutions to that. I'd stuff some sandwiches into my underwear if necessary...

They do search every bag but you can leave your lunch in your car, get a hand stamp for re-entry, go out to your car, eat and then come back. We never do that though because it's a pain in the ass.

They do search every bag but you can leave your lunch in your car, get a hand stamp for re-entry, go out to your car, eat and then come back. We never do that though because it's a pain in the ass.

 

I haven't been searched in Universal Hollywood, Six Flags Magic Mountain or Islands of Adventure and in Busch Gardens they just took a quick look. Don't know where outside food was forbidden though.

Every park is different... Six Flags and Cedar Fair are stricter than most, but I assume at Magic Mountain they just didn't check because they were being lazy asses because it's Magic Mountain and that's kind of their thing (except you Justin... keep fighting the good fight over there, lol).

 

Many American parks don't care what you bring in though. At Knoebels for example you can bring in whatever you want... but why would you because their food is cheap and way better than whatever you brought? At most Six Flags park they act like you're going through airport security... even to the point of making you drink or throw out bottles of water even though they give away free water inside at every food stand in the park.

You're going to the wrong parks, and more importantly, you're going at the wrong parks... And how difficult is it to bring your own food? You know in advance that themepark food is expensive and not very good quality.

 

found the dutchman

I'm scared of coasters, i've never been one. I don't visit theme parks, i don't necesarily hate them but i don't go there.

what are theme parks