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The Perfect Park
- Thread starter Charlee
- Start date
Blizzard
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Gotta be Oblivion tbh!
Sam
TS Member
Disneyland California and Europa are the only two parks I've been to that I'd describe as perfect. They're quite different, but I think Europa is a better park due to quantity of attractions. Not to say what Disneyland have got isn't perfect, there's just less of it.
These are what I think a park needs to be perfect: excellent operations and throughputs, interesting history, a decent selection of coasters, a large number of attractions, quality dark rides, faultless theming, great shows, events throughout the year and decent food.
But all these things would not automatically make a perfect park. They also need a spark, something ineffable, what is often described as "the magic" in the context of Alton. Those shivers down your back when you hear the main theme of Europa Park Suite. Riding the Matterhorn and knowing you're on the same ride that Walt Disney rode in the 60s. Those little flames of geographical romance that bring a truly perfect park to life as a friend.
These are what I think a park needs to be perfect: excellent operations and throughputs, interesting history, a decent selection of coasters, a large number of attractions, quality dark rides, faultless theming, great shows, events throughout the year and decent food.
But all these things would not automatically make a perfect park. They also need a spark, something ineffable, what is often described as "the magic" in the context of Alton. Those shivers down your back when you hear the main theme of Europa Park Suite. Riding the Matterhorn and knowing you're on the same ride that Walt Disney rode in the 60s. Those little flames of geographical romance that bring a truly perfect park to life as a friend.
A park that gives a Damn about there customers and constantly strive to create a better experience even if it won't result in direct increase in profit. Europa is fantastic example of this.
the closest to the perfect park in the UK I would say Lightwater, but lack of funds prevent them from having a perfect theme park, but even if I haven't been, I can clearly see they give a Damn, even if they can't constantly strive to make the park better.
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the closest to the perfect park in the UK I would say Lightwater, but lack of funds prevent them from having a perfect theme park, but even if I haven't been, I can clearly see they give a Damn, even if they can't constantly strive to make the park better.
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Tim
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Air / Blue Fire
The reason that I like Alton so much is that I believe it has potential to be a Perfect* park, better even than the two examples already given. It has one of the most amazing setting's of any park and a deep history to go with it. More recently Alton has also managed to build one of the best Roller Coaster line-ups in Europe, possibly even the world.
* Like other's I don't believe there's such a thing as true perfection but I use the word to mean something so good the flaws are fairly insignificant or only an issue after many visits.
Unfortunately Alton’s potential seems to have inadvertently caused its downfall. In the 90’s (when being run reasonably well) it completely dominated over the other British parks and as a result became a very desirable investment opportunity. Investors such as DIC moved in and started demanding maximum profits. After a decade of this attitude the park has reached a state where the lack of care is really starting to show. But it still has that potential, the only issue is that the current investors know how profitable it can be and therefore won’t sell the park in case someone else ends up cracking the magic formula.
* Like other's I don't believe there's such a thing as true perfection but I use the word to mean something so good the flaws are fairly insignificant or only an issue after many visits.
Unfortunately Alton’s potential seems to have inadvertently caused its downfall. In the 90’s (when being run reasonably well) it completely dominated over the other British parks and as a result became a very desirable investment opportunity. Investors such as DIC moved in and started demanding maximum profits. After a decade of this attitude the park has reached a state where the lack of care is really starting to show. But it still has that potential, the only issue is that the current investors know how profitable it can be and therefore won’t sell the park in case someone else ends up cracking the magic formula.
