Matt N
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Shambhala (PortAventura Park)
Hi guys. As 2023 has now begun, I'd be really keen to know; what are your theme park trip plans for the upcoming year? Have you got anything exciting planned?
As for me, I've actually got a fair few trip plans and ideas for 2023! I'm hoping that if all goes well, 2023 may be the year that I finally hit a triple figure coaster count...
My confirmed plans and potential ideas for the year are as follows:
Confirmed Plans
As for me, I've actually got a fair few trip plans and ideas for 2023! I'm hoping that if all goes well, 2023 may be the year that I finally hit a triple figure coaster count...
My confirmed plans and potential ideas for the year are as follows:
Confirmed Plans
- Florida (10th-24th June 2023) - My biggest trip plan for the year is that I am returning to Florida in June 2023! I haven't been to Florida since 2019, and seeing as we're not doing Disney at all this time (it was the sole focus of our trip last time), I haven't been to any of the parks we'll be visiting on our 2023 trip since 2016! Universal Orlando is most certainly on the agenda seeing as we have 14-day tickets booked for it, SeaWorld is very likely to be on the agenda, and while it's more of a maybe than the other two, Busch Gardens is also a possibility! And if I'm particularly lucky, I might even be able to visit Fun Spot Orlando for the first time and finally do White Lightning, what with its proximity to Universal Orlando. There is so, so much new stuff for me to experience at these parks since my last visit. VelociCoaster, Hagrid's, Volcano Bay, Fast & Furious, Jimmy Fallon, Ice Breaker, Pipeline (hopefully), Infinity Falls, Iron Gwazi, Tigris... the list goes on! Getting back to these parks for the first time in 7 years will be terrific, and I frankly can't wait!
- Alton Towers (25th/26th March 2023) - I am starting off the season in slightly more familiar turf this year with a 2-day visit to Alton Towers. I have been to Alton Towers many times over the years, but this trip isn't really about me... my parents and I are taking my grandad for his first ever visit as a 70th birthday present! But this won't just be my grandad's first ever visit to Alton Towers... it will be his first ever visit to a theme park and his first ever ride on a roller coaster! It should be a fun trip... he's already got his sights set on riding Oblivion as his first coaster! Not to mention that it'll also be great fun to hopefully ride the refurbished Duel for the first time!
- Brean Theme Park (Unknown) - I said I was going to visit Brean last year, but the closure of Crazy Loop for refurbishment made me put off the visit until 2023. With Bulldog Coaster presumably being open this year, I sincerely hope that 2023 will finally be the year that I tick off my closest theme park and get what may possibly be the easiest +3 of my life! For strategic, milestone-related reasons, I am hoping to do Brean before we set off to Florida in June, but I obviously can't guarantee anything.
- Blackpool Pleasure Beach (Unknown) - My parents suggested that they could take me for a short break to Blackpool Pleasure Beach as a 20th birthday present this year, and to me, that is a rather exciting prospect! I haven't been to Blackpool Pleasure Beach since 2019, so it'll be really nice to get back. I can't wait to get back on Icon, my current UK #1 and overall #4, for the first time in 4 years, and it'll also be really exciting to get back on some of the park's other rides, experience some new ones (I've only spent a total of 2 days in BPB, so I'm still a relative novice, and there's a fair amount I haven't done...), and see some of the changes made since my last visit. The retracked Big One, the retracked Grand National, the retracked Big Dipper (in its 100th year no less), refurbished Valhalla... there will be so much new stuff to try out! My parents have also suggested that we could try taking the train to Blackpool North this time rather than driving in order to help me plan out potential solo trips to Blackpool in the future, so that should be really interesting!
- Chessington World of Adventures (Unknown) - I haven't been to Chessington since 2014, and with the new B&M Wing Coaster opening this year, I'm thinking that 2023 would be the perfect year for a revisit! I'm really looking forward to hopefully seeing The World of Jumanji for the first time, as well as the many other amazing things that have come to Chessington since my last visit, such as The Gruffalo River Ride Adventure, Croc Drop, Shipwreck Coast and more! Not to mention that it should be great fun to get back on some of Chessington's other rides! As for when I go here; I'm a bit undecided about when to do the two London Merlin parks this year. Chessington will either be done when my dad goes to Wentworth (September), or, if not then, I will do it via public transport at some point over the summer.
- Thorpe Park (Unknown) - I love a day at Thorpe Park, and I'll almost definitely continue my new-found tradition of having a solo Thorpe Park day in 2023. It should be great fun for me to have a solo day there and ride some great rides like Stealth and Nemesis Inferno again! As I said about Chessington above, I am undecided about when in 2023 I will be doing Thorpe Park; depending on which occasion suits which park, I will either do Thorpe when my dad goes to Wentworth in September or via public transport at some point over the summer.