Flamingo Land: General Discussion

[CGM]

Re: flamingo land

Why so much Flamingohate?

In my opinion:

Awful operations
Pathetic theming
Needs a clean up
Stupid ride names
Loads of rubbish rides
Poor staff
Overpriced/Under Quality food

I've got plenty more minor niggles, but there the main reasons for me.

I can't believe the ride names at Flamingoland offend you so much when in recent years, Alton have given us some of the worst ride names known to man. One of them has a woman's name and another one is named after a number. Compared to those, Zoooooooom! and Flip Flop aren't too bad.

Are you joking?

Rita's name I can see where you are coming from, but it had a significance when the ride was opened. [They had the perfect oppertunity to do something about it in 2010, but I guess they could only be bothered to smear turd on the cars and stick a couple of vines in places].

Thirteen isn't a bad name, I quite like it. It has a lot more tie ins to the entire bad luck concept and therefore makes it significant, and actually quite imaginative. A lot of thought would have gone into the ride name and it certainly helped make up the logo. They even managed to give teasers about the freefall drop element in the logo itself.

I really don't see what the name "Flip Flop" has to do with the ride itself. And I still think Zoooooooom [however many "o"s it has] is quite a poor ride name.

Nope, I genuinely think they're terrible names, it's just we've become used to them. I know that Rita's an acronym but that doesn't make it any better as a name for a ride and although the number thirteen has connotations, it's still a number and as a ride name, it just jars for me. Alton used to be so good at names too. You got the likes of Black Hole, Nemesis, Oblivion, Hex, Ripsaw and then it all went downhill at Spinball Whizzer.

If another park opened a couple of coasters called Samantha: Princess of Rapidity and FiVe, they wouldn't get away with it, so I don't see why Alton should be let off the hook.

Also, I think a lot of the ride names at Flamingoland are pretty good. Cliff Hanger, velocity and Kumali are all good names.

 

[Adam]

Re: flamingo land

Why so much Flamingohate?

In my opinion:

Awful operations
Pathetic theming
Needs a clean up
Stupid ride names
Loads of rubbish rides
Poor staff
Overpriced/Under Quality food

I've got plenty more minor niggles, but there the main reasons for me.

I can't believe the ride names at Flamingoland offend you so much when in recent years, Alton have given us some of the worst ride names known to man. One of them has a woman's name and another one is named after a number. Compared to those, Zoooooooom! and Flip Flop aren't too bad.

Not offended (nothing really "offends" me anyway), I just think that "Mumbo Jumbo", "Zoom" and especially "Flip Flop" are just stupid ideas for names of rides. The parks name itself is pretty bad anyway, makes the place sound more like a kiddies zoo than the major theme park which it tries to be.

As for 13 and Rita, I totally agree about those names being stupid.

 

[slappy mcguire]

Re: flamingo land

Flamingoland itself is a silly name. ???

I like Flamingo Land, but I just cant love it. Why? Because Flamingo Land doesn't love me. Or anyone.

Visit Chessie, or LWV, and you feel like people are aware that you are there to have a good time, and will do their level best to make you have one. Flamingo Land on the other hand seems to have the slogan "Ride it, and get out." It is at times the worst kind of pikey parade, which is heartbreaking, given how the park has moved on since the mid Nineties.

I really do feel it doesn't really matter what they install, the staff attitude will always undermine the best efforts, and so easily that can quickly destroy a place from the inside. Massive, massive shame.

 

[Stevie]

Re: flamingo land

With the talk of silly names:

"Let's not go to Flamingo Land. 'Tis a silly place!"

 

[Alastair]

Re: flamingo land

Why so much Flamingohate?

In my opinion:

Awful operations
Pathetic theming
Needs a clean up
Stupid ride names
Loads of rubbish rides
Poor staff
Overpriced/Under Quality food

I've got plenty more minor niggles, but there the main reasons for me.

I can't believe the ride names at Flamingoland offend you so much when in recent years, Alton have given us some of the worst ride names known to man. One of them has a woman's name and another one is named after a number. Compared to those, Zoooooooom! and Flip Flop aren't too bad.

Are you joking?

Rita's name I can see where you are coming from, but it had a significance when the ride was opened. [They had the perfect oppertunity to do something about it in 2010, but I guess they could only be bothered to smear turd on the cars and stick a couple of vines in places].

Thirteen isn't a bad name, I quite like it. It has a lot more tie ins to the entire bad luck concept and therefore makes it significant, and actually quite imaginative. A lot of thought would have gone into the ride name and it certainly helped make up the logo. They even managed to give teasers about the freefall drop element in the logo itself.

I really don't see what the name "Flip Flop" has to do with the ride itself. And I still think Zoooooooom [however many "o"s it has] is quite a poor ride name.

I know that Rita's an acronym but that doesn't make it any better as a name for a ride and although the number thirteen has connotations, it's still a number and as a ride name, it just jars for me.

Is it? I always thought someone just came up with that acronym as an explanation for the name. I severely doubt they named a coaster after and inverse acronym based in the manufacturer and model? I think Rita was chosen simply because, when it was meant to be themed as an American style drag racer in the 50's - Rita was a popular woman's name. Air wasn't named as such because it stood for "Aerial Inversion Ride" as many people purport - that was simply made up.

 

[Thomas]

Re: flamingo land

My two cents on the matter: Flamingoland is the Drayton Manor of the North. Both parks have a really good selection of flat rides, both have zoos, and neither have the best rollercoasters in the UK. As far as slagging a place off because of the names, I've never read anything so daft! It's like me saying, I shan't buy those nike trainers I've been after, they're called Nike Blackboards! How silly is that.

I understand that a ride's name is all part of it's theme, but you need to lower your expectations, Flamingoland has daft names for it's rides, it's zany, ridiculous and stupid. But, I would never say that it prevented me from having a good day out, and at the end of the day that is all that matters to both enthusiasts and the GP

The only difference is that Drayton has latched onto two very popular IP's where as Flamingoland have yet to follow. I think given a good children's IP land, they would be a much better park. That and a new rollercoaster with a consistent theme and a name which wouldn't annoy you guys!

 

[Rose Of Dawn]

Re: flamingo land

I think it's stupid that the place is called Flamingoland, yet the mascots seem to be Meerkats just because Compare The Market's ad campaign has taken off in a huge way. If they are that unoriginal with their advertising, it certainly doesn't make me want to go there, as picky as that sounds.

 

[Sam]

Re: flamingo land

Apparently Flamingoland are dismantling and removing their Maurer mouse.

Also, can someone edit the topic title to 'Flamingo Land' please?

 

[AstroDan]

Re: flamingo land

Apparently Flamingoland are dismantling and removing their Maurer mouse.

Also, can someone edit the topic title to 'Flamingo Land' please?

Removing it? Seems a bit daft. It isn't anything special, but neither is it a bad ride...

Couldn't they just theme it up a bit?

 

[Bear]

Re: Flamingoland: General Discussion

Worryingly, it looks as if nothing is going on the old Corkscrew site for next year either, never mind the quite large space that Wild Mouse has now left. I bet they'll be going for a summer opening on whatever gets installed in any case.

 

[Thomas]

It's very sad, a few years ago I'd of said Flamingoland was on the up. Now with the removal of two rollercoasters I'd say they need to get a new headline ride and quick. They need something conventional, but fun. Even something like a decent mine train would edge it for me!

 

[slappy mcguire]

[tweet https://twitter.com/flamingolanduk/stat ... 4318486528]
interesting stuff...

 

[Bear]

Ooohh that's encouraging! I'll keep my ear out, I've heard whispers but let's see if they're true!

 

[Sam]

Note that they said "something for 2013" rather than "new ride for 2013". Just the word 'something' implies to me this'll be small. 'Oh, just a little something I rustled up...'

 

[slappy mcguire]

Thing is FL reveal their rides in jan/feb, and open middle of the year. Something to me implies something that will take a bit of time to build, which makes sense if the rumours about the wild mouse leaving are true.

 

[Lordy]

They will probably announce the removal of the Wild Mouse

 

[Danny]

Owner of leading UK theme park charged with assaulting ticket tout

The owner of one of Yorkshire's - and the UK's - most popular tourist attractions has been charged with assault.

Flamingo Land chief executive Gordon Gibb, 36, a former chairman of Bradford City Football Club, appeared in court yesterday (Monday 13 November), charged with assault by beating after an incident involving a man reportedly selling two-for-one tickets outside the gates of the theme park without permission.

Gibb, who denies the charge, appeared at Scarborough Magistrates Court for a pre-trial review and is due to stand trial there on 21 February 2013.

According to the Yorkshire Post, he said after the hearing: "I'm happy to co-operate with the investigation and looking forward to the opportunity to defend myself against the allegations."

Gibb, who lives in Ebberston, near Pickering, pleaded not guilty when he made his first appearance at the court on 17 October.

The incident occurred at the site near Malton about 10.30am on Saturday, 28 July, and it is thought it was reported by an associate of the "victim" who may also have been selling tickets.

Gibb was arrested and later released on bail, before being charged on August 28.

As well as running Flamingo Land, Mr Gibb was once an amateur boxer, and also became the youngest chairman of an English football club when he succeeded Geoffrey Richmond at Bradford in August 2002 at the age of 26.

He resigned in January 2004, although the club's Valley Parade ground is owned by the Trustees of Flamingo Land Limited Self-Administered Pension Scheme.

Gibb, who was born in Scotland, moved to England at the age of three when his father, a former professional footballer, bought Flamingo Land.

He was just 18 when he took over the running of the tourist attraction, after his father died in a car crash.

Flamingo Land, which opened in 1958, is now the 12th most visited theme park in Europe, attracting about 1.8 million people a year.

It has nearly 60 rides, including two water rides, as well as a gym, leisure centre, spa and golf course.

Full article can be found here.

 

[Dar]

And that, I'm afraid, just about sums up Flamingminger Land for me.

 

[Sam]

Actual LOL.

Oh dear.

 

[AstroDan]

1.8 million guests a year?

My god. We should expect so much more from them!!!