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Unpopular Opinions: Theme Park Edition

Not that I've visited for a few years, but I'd wager that Mingo's zoo is likely better than Chessie's these days.

Very depressing to walk round a massive hotel in the middle of it.
 
Matt878787 said:
I have zero interest in ‘Spooky season’ Halloween events and October is the most tedious time on social media enthusiast outlets for it.
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I agree with this one. I'm a bit of a scaredy cat and not much into all the horror stuff, so for me, the theme park season effectively ends in September.

Having seen the thread for it bumped today, I've also thought of another one that I may possibly hold; even though I had a nice time there in January 2020, I'm not sure I'd rush back to Hyde Park Winter Wonderland.

For me, I think it's that for the most part, I didn't rate the rides overly highly. None of the coasters really did it for me (yes, even Olympia... although that's possibly a controversial view in itself), and I'm not huge on flat rides, for the most part. My favourite ride there, and the main one that sticks out positively in my memory, is HangOver, the drop tower (which was absolutely excellent, to be fair).

In general, I don't think the fair scene is really as much my thing as the permanent theme parks are, for the most part. Don't get me wrong, I had a nice time at Winter Wonderland and I'm glad I went (at very least, I'm glad to have ridden Olympia Looping), but it wasn't doing it for me quite like a permanent theme park does.

Now don't get me wrong, I would probably go back at some stage if it was relatively close by. But it isn't; it's all the way in London. And if I'm remembering correctly, HPWW is also very expensive for what it is rides-wise...

I had a perfectly nice time there, and I would go back if given the opportunity, but it's not somewhere I'm absolutely clamouring to return to, if I'm being honest, and I'm not entirely on board with some of the hype the event often gets.
 
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Matt N said:
I agree with this one. I'm a bit of a scaredy cat and not much into all the horror stuff, so for me, the theme park season effectively ends in September.

Having seen the thread for it bumped today, I've also thought of another one that I may possibly hold; even though I had a nice time there in January 2020, I'm not sure I'd rush back to Hyde Park Winter Wonderland.

For me, I think it's that for the most part, I didn't rate the rides overly highly. None of the coasters really did it for me (yes, even Olympia... although that's possibly a controversial view in itself), and I'm not huge on flat rides, for the most part. My favourite ride there, and the main one that sticks out positively in my memory, is HangOver, the drop tower (which was absolutely excellent, to be fair).

In general, I don't think the fair scene is really as much my thing as the permanent theme parks are, for the most part. Don't get me wrong, I had a nice time at Winter Wonderland and I'm glad I went (at very least, I'm glad to have ridden Olympia Looping), but it wasn't doing it for me quite like a permanent theme park does.

Now don't get me wrong, I would probably go back at some stage if it was relatively close by. But it isn't; it's all the way in London. And if I'm remembering correctly, HPWW is also very expensive for what it is rides-wise...

I had a perfectly nice time there, and I would go back if given the opportunity, but it's not somewhere I'm absolutely clamouring to return to, if I'm being honest, and I'm not entirely on board with some of the hype the event often gets.
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I can understand your HPWW opinion. It is expensive, and, for you, quite far away.
 
The following rides at Alton Towers are not good:
1. Spinball Whizzer
2. Smiler
3. Katanga Canyon
4. Rita

The following rides at Alton Towers are fine but very over-rated
1. Oblivion
2. Galactica

The following rides are have great theming, but are generally mediocre at best:
1. Wickerman
2. Thirteen

The best attractions at Alton Towers are
1. Nemesis
2. Hex
3. The gardens & towers
 
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ScottishChris said:
The following rides at Alton Towers are not good:
3. Katanga Canyon
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It was pretty thrilling when I was push chaired through that land as a gosling, very, very fast. How have you been riding through Katanga Canyon? I'd imagine it's quite fun in a wheelchair or one of those electric scooters too. X-Sector, being very steep, ought to be quite fun.
ScottishChris said:
1. Pinball Whizzer
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I do not know of this ride.
 
I like Spinball, and positively love Smiler. Rita isn't a great, and it's always a ride we sacrifice if the park's busy, but to describe any as 'not good' is a bit silly.

I'm not a fan of Hex because it makes me feel rather sick (but still ride it every year if it's open)

I'll agree that Nemesis is the best coaster
 
It would appear that my unpopular opinion of the evening is that I do not get the love for the original Air theme and I do not feel that reverting back to it would be a good idea.

Theming-wise, it was mostly the same as it is now (sans the portal and a few other minor changes), and it still didn't fit in with the rest of Forbidden Valley. It only really had a different soundtrack, a different name and an open station to differentiate it from Galactica, yet people seem to absolutely revere the original Air theme and utterly slate Galactica, and I don't really understand why when they aren't all that dissimilar to each other.
 
The Waterpark is arguably one of the "funnest" parts of Alton Towers for me.

Yes it hasn't developed much, yes it's often overcrowded, but there's something just so innately silly that makes swimming there such a blast. I love the waterworks, the outdoor flumes - so much fun to be had.
 
Related to my enjoyment of Grand National and Saw - Stampeda at Portadventura is fun, the roughness doesn't ruin the experience for me, but the jolts and headbanging on Dragon Kahn does. Speed at Oakwood is a great coaster and doesn't get enough love.
 
mo237 said:
The Waterpark is arguably one of the "funnest" parts of Alton Towers for me.

Yes it hasn't developed much, yes it's often overcrowded, but there's something just so innately silly that makes swimming there such a blast. I love the waterworks, the outdoor flumes - so much fun to be had.
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I agree with this, it's a bit stale and not incredibly well maintained, but it is a really well designed, compact and fun waterpark.

The slide with the music is a blast, as is the outdoor area in all weather, but super fun when it's cold outside and it's all steamy and by comparison the water feels really warm. I love the silly carribbean covers of pop music, and floating around the lazy river in a tube on a quiet day is lovely.

I just wish they'd give the tower under the bucket some love, and tone the paint colours down a tad so it doesn't feel so garish.
 
I have another unpopular opinion… I apologise in advance, as I’m preparing to get criticised for this, but I actually quite like (or at very least don’t hate) Thorpe Park’s new logo…

Particularly with this new circle/spiral pattern they’re trying to put behind it in much of their signage, I actually don’t dislike it at all!
 
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