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Fantasy Island, Skegness, England

Fantasy Island is a brilliantly bizarre and weird place. It has these two great big bloody rollercoasters (with their own, erm, 'unique' layouts) and then it's surrounded by static caravans and the dodgiest market I've ever set foot in. It's so weird to visit and I think that is part of its problem...

Is it a market with a theme park attached? Is it a theme park with a market attached? Is it a holiday resort? I think for it to be a bugger success it needs some serious investment and a clear direction rather than being lots of things bolted on top of each other.

We should never be asking for parks to close though. Local and small seaside parks don't detract from the big players and most are spread far enough apart to not detract from each other. We don't all live close enough to a major park to be able to jaunt there all the time. Sometimes the small players in the industry are the best people can get without lots of prior planning.
 
DiogoJ42 said:
Am I really seeing "enthusiasts" say they want an independant UK park to fail? Really? Even I don't go that far.
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I think people said similar things about Camelot tbh, because it was dire...

FI is an awful place to visit... Doesn't help that Skegness itself is a dump mind...
 
DiogoJ42 said:
Am I really seeing "enthusiasts" say they want an independant UK park to fail? Really? Even I don't go that far.
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Benzin said:
I think people said similar things about Camelot tbh, because it was dire...

FI is an awful place to visit... Doesn't help that Skegness itself is a dump mind...
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So, the default reaction is to shout FAIL! Rather than hope it improves?

The dichotomy of the "enthusiast".
 
It would take a lot more than hope to make Fantasy Island even resemble a theme park.

American Adventure had a much better location, a much better reputation, much better attractions, yet still failed... (RIP :( )

I do not enjoy visiting these 'sea side fairgrounds' - does that then discount me as being a roller-coaster/theme park 'enthusiast'?
 
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They're amusement parks, like Fantasy Island and Theme parks like Alton towers. It has random attractions in random places making it an amusement park. It has got some great rides,odessey is amazing on a good day although having rides closed all the time doesn't help.
 
smudge said:
I do not enjoy visiting these 'sea side fairgrounds' - does that then discount me as being a roller-coaster/theme park 'enthusiast'?
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I think if you want to see parks close down with decent rides in, it certainly does discount you as a roller coaster enthusiast because I find these places charming with the rides themselves having a different atmosphere. I adore Blackpool for that, especially during the illuminations. I find it a barbaric attitude of an "enthusiast" to want to see these little parks close down.

Now, as a theme park enthusiast, that's a different story entirely. If you loathe them in favour of theme parks alone then I don't think there's anything wrong in saying, "close these monstrosities down" - and of course, opinions are opinions and despite my disagreement I respect yours.

Personally I want to see as many variations of parks and rides as possible, so long as each is running well, I enjoy theme parks, and I enjoy amusement parks - I think classing BPB as an "amusement park" given the likes of Valhalla, and the fact it's almost accidentally themed to feel like something quintessentially British with their old classic coasters, is a little unfair and I think some of the stick it gets is grossly unfair and snobbish.

It's why people sometimes cringe when you say I'm an "enthusiast" because of an almost we are better or more knowledgeable than you attitude - where as in actual fact, I am in the truest sense, a coaster "enthusiast"; because I love coasters. That includes the more unusual, clattery battered up old things at seaside amusement parks, yes.
 
TheMan said:
I think if you want to see parks close down with decent rides in, it certainly does discount you as a roller coaster enthusiast because I find these places charming with the rides themselves having a different atmosphere. I adore Blackpool for that, especially during the illuminations. I find it a barbaric attitude of an "enthusiast" to want to see these little parks close down.

Now, as a theme park enthusiast, that's a different story entirely. If you loathe them in favour of theme parks alone then I don't think there's anything wrong in saying, "close these monstrosities down" - and of course, opinions are opinions and despite my disagreement I respect yours.

Personally I want to see as many variations of parks and rides as possible, so long as each is running well, I enjoy theme parks, and I enjoy amusement parks - I think classing BPB as an "amusement park" given the likes of Valhalla, and the fact it's almost accidentally themed to feel like something quintessentially British with their old classic coasters, is a little unfair and I think some of the stick it gets is grossly unfair and snobbish.

It's why people sometimes cringe when you say I'm an "enthusiast" because of an almost we are better or more knowledgeable than you attitude - where as in actual fact, I am in the truest sense, a coaster "enthusiast"; because I love coasters. That includes the more unusual, clattery battered up old things at seaside amusement parks, yes.
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I agree with the Blackpool point, some of its rides are among the best themed in the uk if not the best! We don't loathe Alton Towers for having rides which have no or little theme,like Rita. While many hate it the ride because of it's theming, it doesn't make Alton Towers an amusement park,I need to get back to Fantasy island just if the worst does happen, it doesn't make any difference to Drayton Manor, terrible operations (although they are getting better) and Blackpool having the big one closed when it's windy, would you rather ride on a ride which has been closed for safety reasons and chance an accident or breakdown, or visit another day or wait to see if it opens, moaning about a ride being closed for safety reasons is the same as not riding a ride because it broke down. Loving rides is what being an Enthusiast is like not Loathing! If you paid lots of money to get in to ride the new ride with no notice that it was closed in advance, I would get what people complain about but when you pay per ride it is essentially saving money!
 
TheMan said:
I think if you want to see parks close down with decent rides in, it certainly does discount you as a roller coaster enthusiast because I find these places charming with the rides themselves having a different atmosphere. I adore Blackpool for that, especially during the illuminations. I find it a barbaric attitude of an "enthusiast" to want to see these little parks close down.

Now, as a theme park enthusiast, that's a different story entirely. If you loathe them in favour of theme parks alone then I don't think there's anything wrong in saying, "close these monstrosities down" - and of course, opinions are opinions and despite my disagreement I respect yours.

Personally I want to see as many variations of parks and rides as possible, so long as each is running well, I enjoy theme parks, and I enjoy amusement parks - I think classing BPB as an "amusement park" given the likes of Valhalla, and the fact it's almost accidentally themed to feel like something quintessentially British with their old classic coasters, is a little unfair and I think some of the stick it gets is grossly unfair and snobbish.

It's why people sometimes cringe when you say I'm an "enthusiast" because of an almost we are better or more knowledgeable than you attitude - where as in actual fact, I am in the truest sense, a coaster "enthusiast"; because I love coasters. That includes the more unusual, clattery battered up old things at seaside amusement parks, yes.
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Thank's for explaining your point clearly and I do understand & respect what you are saying.

However; I have been on every coaster in the UK (barring some obscure kiddie ones) and I dislike all of them at the sea-side locations, including BPB. Rage, Odyssey, PMBO, etc etc, all I dislike as coasters. The hardware is OK on some, but I judge a roller-coaster on setting, atmosphere and operations also. I don't mind, and actually quite like, "unusual, clattery battered up old things" and Ulty is a great example of this.

I love coasters, yes, but I don't enjoy going to places I don't like to go on them.

Even if FI did close completely, I'm sure the coasters would be sold/moved so we'll both be happy :)

Lastly, just because I/people don't enjoy BPB and/or Sea-side amusement parks, I don't think that to be "grossly unfair and snobbish" - I like what I like. Alton Towers is hardly the Ritz anyway ;)
 
I think I should be clear mate apologies I wasn't calling you snobbish, that was more a general perception at times - you have strong opinions yes, but I don't find them snobbish, it's purely down to your enjoyment which is inherently subjective and inarguable.
 
TheMan got it spot on, on the other page. Fantasy Island has potential to be one of the best amusement parks in the country, it just needs an owner that's on the same wave length.
 
ANY theme park has the potential to be one of the best parks in the country!

FI just needs to get rid of that 'market' and place some quality rides there, as well as re-furbishing the whole place, and as @Lordy said, they do need an owner who knows it has the potential.
 
Plus it is one of the few with not many planning restrictions and one which can break records for tallest,fastest (the fastest are usually the tallest such as the two strata coasters, parks like chessington and Alton Towers have strict restrictions. They have potential and have 2 of Europe's best vekomas IMO
 
I think it would be very sad if FI closed down. I have very fond memories of the place from my childhood and to this day haven't ridden Millennium or Odyssey as I haven't visited in so long. :( Went past the place 2 or 3 months back and got that great excited feeling when seeing the coasters in the distance.

It does have potential, definitely, and it would be such a shame if it was lost.
 
I imagine the problem that Fantasy Island will face is the local council. The market is widely marketed as being one of the largest in the UK, and regardless of how you feel about it, it draws a hefty crowd each year to an otherwise desolate area. Ingoldmells as a town is reliant on tourism and the closure of Fantasy Island would be a huge blow to the area - what kid wants to be dragged around a market staring at two SBNO coasters they have no chance of riding?! (The irony being that on 5 out of 7 days they'd be unlikely to get on Odyssey as it is).

I'm sure the council will fight hard for the market to stay - they'd rather see the park be on the brink before that goes. All this being said I also feel the indoor dome area would be salvaged to some extent, though whether or not the outdoor attractions are paid any attention is another matter.

I really hope something can be sorted!
 
I've always wondered why FI has the 12+ age restriction on all of their "thrill" rides. Anyone know why this is, because it's the only park I know of that has this rule. Surely it should just be a height thing.
 
I think a child wristband can still get you on every ride if the child meets the height requirement.
 
I assumed the child one was more of an age thing, like concession rates.
 
Good news for lovers of Fantasy Island!
Screamscape said:
The local news reports that while Fantasy Island is in debt by £53.3million the park, a spokesperson for the administrators running it say that it will reopen open for the 2015 season, as they need to see how well it can be run during the peak season. Going back to 1995, the attraction was capable of luring in 40,000 people a day, so the location is thought to be viable and could possibly be sold off to a new owner.
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:)
 
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