The Theme Park Thread

*The Deadman* · 07-19-2019, 11:28 AM

This is for everyone that goes to Disney, Universal and wherever else. Favorite rides?

*Prowler* · 07-19-2019, 11:42 AM

I went to Disneyland Paris when I was a kid. It was fun, but there were a lot of rides that only allowed older teenagers and adults. It had a lot of roller coasters and such.

I mostly liked it for the atmosphere and the Disney merch, while my brother liked it for the rides. That's how I remember it, at least. And holy hell were the lines MASSIVE. Waiting on a never ending line when you're 8 years old is BRUTAL, let me tell you.

Haven't been to any other theme park. On one hand, it sucks that they've basically killed carnivals, but on the other hand they seem to have higher safety standards. I remember going to my city's carnival when I was a kid and a lot of the guys who set up the rides and such looked scary. Makes me wonder how the rides worked so well when they seemed to be set up by guys who looked like they had heroin for breakfast, lunch and dinner

*IndigoErth* · 07-19-2019, 02:01 PM

Haven't been to Disney since the end of 2008 (or any theme parks since then), so the memory is a little foggy now.

Being that it's the collective Disney World on this side though, there are so many options. Although I'm sad to see now that Soarin' closed three years ago. That was a fave last time and always wished to have a local one.

Thunder Mountain and Space Mountain have long been two other faves. I generally DO NOT do roller coasters, but those are two that I will... I DID brave it and do Expedition Everest just once in 2008, but I didn't actually see much of it and that might have been enough of that one. lol

And you can't not do the Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, and other classics like that.

The old Body Wars simulator (gone now since 2007) also has a special place in my heart as it was part of the "educational" portion of my senior trip to Disney in high school and we got to see the behind the scenes of that ride, in the warehouse-like room that housed it. You'd be surprised just how high that thing actually stood up off of the ground on the hydraulics. Or how people down below in that room with the lights off can see the people getting on and off of it, which was a little spooky to know. lol

Someday I want to get back down to Disney to check out their new Avatar section. And maybe finally get to Universal as we've never been, but Disney has so many parks, it's hard to add the extra time and money to a trip for it and we live too far away to go to FL more often.

I still miss Six Flags Great Adventure's "The Right Stuff Mach 1" simulator.

Hershey Park in PA, also been a long time, but Trailblazer (my one other and first real roller coaster) is one of my top picks. Like it's spiritual sibling Thunder Mountain it's more focused on the speed and quick, almost sideways turns than the height and steep drops many other coasters aim for.

I will forever miss this thing at Hershey. I grew up with this vague memory of a ride that...was like some big black spider/octopus thing that my mom and I had gone on. Every now and then I'd look online to try to figure out what that was (and figured it out maybe a couple years ago), but somehow I actually found video.

Seems it was closed back in '83 when I was only 4. (Funny that according to info it was replaced by the Tilt-a-Whirl, which I've also always loved and if I won the lotto I'd totally buy me one.)

*Utrommaniac* · 07-19-2019, 03:17 PM

I live in Ft Worth...all I got is Six Flags/Hurricane Harbor.

Both are kinda boring now that I'm an adult.

Likely doesn't help me that the last two times I went, I was either stormed out (with a friend from another state who enjoys roller coasters and was recovered enough from a surgery to go on them) or was with someone who just didn't like 'em.

*Original TMNT Cartoon Fan* · 07-20-2019, 03:05 AM

Do ordinary amusement park (not built up around any theme) also count.

*MikeandRaph87* · 07-20-2019, 05:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Original TMNT Cartoon Fan

Do ordinary amusement park (not built up around any theme) also count.

Considering that it started out that way as a permanent fairgrounds and the concepts of themes were not a thing until Disneyland why not?

https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/Navigation/Community/Arcadia-and-THP-Blog/September-2017/The-Early-History-of-Theme-Parks-in-America

*MsMarvelDuckie* · 07-20-2019, 08:50 AM

Yeah, I'm with Utrom, there. Living in the DFW area, we have Six Flags, Huuricane Harbor, and maaaybe Sea World if you want to make the six-hour trip to San Antonio. Great Wolf Lodge is a possibility, but not big or well-known enough to be a big draw. I've only ever been to Six Flags and Sea World (less amusement park, but still counts, I think) and State Fair Park. It does have some year-round attractions, and a few rides, and is fun during the State Fair.

*Utrommaniac* · 07-20-2019, 10:33 AM

Not to mention that Great Wolf Lodge is more decked-out hotel than amusement park.

*Original TMNT Cartoon Fan* · 07-20-2019, 11:48 AM

Flumeride at Liseberg in G?teborg, Sweden in the summertime

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoZI23O5_Lw

*IndigoErth* · 07-20-2019, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Utrommaniac

I live in Ft Worth...all I got is Six Flags/Hurricane Harbor.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MsMarvelDuckie

Yeah, I'm with Utrom, there. Living in the DFW area, we have Six Flags, Huuricane Harbor

At least you guys have stuff.

My area... forget it, you have to go out of state.

I COULD have grown up with one very close to home though, had it not closed.

If I may add a long defunct amusement park that died out long before my time... Cool little factoid, I live near a park (a regular park) -- where I spent my teenage summers as a junior counselor for a day camp -- that includes a stretch of woods and, in fact where the woods itself is (and among it) there USED to be an amusement park in the late 1800s and early 1900s. As well as a big hotel or two on the property where the main non-wooded part of the park is.

It may not be a favorite RIDE, but you can still take a walk through the woods, alongside the creek, and check out what little bit remains of some of the old foundations. A small park, and yet it was a whole lot larger than what the are would seem to fit, so I've always had a hard time wrapping my head around how it was even there, including a man made lake that does not exist today. Esp now with the woods having fully reclaimed it.

The northeast corner of this lake (according to a map I included below) is by the easiest way into the woods on that end of the trail since elsewhere you have to climb down a moderately high natural embankment. Though I've never been able to picture where this lake and the sizeable building even were in terms of space. I believe where the people are standing at the bottom of the picture (on the "boardwalk"?) is where the trail is.

Spoiler:

Map of where things were and present day:

Spoiler:

Old paper advertisement.

Spoiler:

Modern times...

They're not all that exciting to look at really if you don't know what they are, but wish I could find some decent shots of some of the remaining concrete foundation ruins.

They put up plaques some years ago, though in my teens there were none and info on it was limited. Hiking through there with the day camp I largely remember some of the remaining concrete steps that went down to the remaining foundation of something and a ring of blocks that were the foundation of a ride.

This pond is supposedly what's left of the lake, though I haven't been over to where ever this remaining portion is.

So, while modern living amusement parks may be fun, wandering the woods of this extinct one is kind of fun too. Besides... these days it's never crowded and entrance is free!

*MsMarvelDuckie* · 07-21-2019, 10:30 PM

Wow, neat! I get some really creepy/lonely vibes off those pics. And it sounds like an awesome locale for a ghost story or horror movie.

Edit: Aaand hubby just said that Ghost Adventures did a show on it and it is apparently haunted! I was right, lol!

*IndigoErth* · 07-22-2019, 01:38 PM

Really?? Had no idea, I'll have to look that up.

Been a long time since I've hiked through there, but can't say I ever saw or heard anything unusual.

I guess if I'd thought to look for video I'd have found this with some of the ruins shown. The ring of stone at 1:22 is one of the main ones I recall from my teens. Much of the rest was probably still lost under forest debris back then.

It's a shame that the main gate didn't survive or get moved to the front of the regular park.

edit: Was watching another video that mentioned people trying to restore some of the lake, that was previously dried up, so no wonder I don't recall the pond in that one pic, I guess it just wasn't even there last I visited years ago. May have go to check out all the changes and additional markers one of these days.

*Prowler* · 07-22-2019, 04:29 PM

Google abandoned theme parks. Some interesting ones out there. They seem to be mostly in the US and China. Apparently the most notable one was Six Flags from New Orleans which got damaged during those floods in 2007 or so and has been abandoned since then?

*DarkFell* · 07-22-2019, 11:37 PM

Six Flags Fiesta Texas, Six Flags Fort Worth (I don't know if they're still open), and Six Flags AstroWorld (I know that this park shut down and was later torn down.)

Favorite ride? Superman: The Ride located at Six Flags Fiesta Texas.

To answer Prowler's, the Six Flags park in New Orleans was shut down mostly due to the aftermath from hurricane Katrina, and (I think this is also the reason), due to how close the theme park is to the ocean.

*The Deadman* · 07-24-2019, 02:39 PM

Well this looks neat

*IndigoErth* · 07-24-2019, 02:51 PM

I have to give it to Hershey, they've been a coaster kick for quite a while with as as many as they've added over the years. But if you visit...you can have all my turns on that one, 'kay?

Looks like some people around here may be visiting Dutch Wonderland tomorrow without me...

*The Deadman* · 08-01-2019, 08:17 AM

Universal Orlando's 3rd theme park will be called Epic Universe
https://twitter.com/Attractions/stat...30689863999490

*The Deadman* · 08-14-2019, 12:18 PM

Id ride this

07-19-2019, 11:28 AM	#1
The Deadman Foot Elite Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Maryland Posts: 3,978	The Theme Park Thread This is for everyone that goes to Disney, Universal and wherever else. Favorite rides? __________________ Last Movie Watched: Hell House LLC (2015). Last TV Show Watched: Adventures of Sonic The Hedgehog (S1:E29).

07-19-2019, 03:17 PM	#4
Utrommaniac Resident overthinker Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: what is going on.......... Posts: 5,318	I live in Ft Worth...all I got is Six Flags/Hurricane Harbor. Both are kinda boring now that I'm an adult. Likely doesn't help me that the last two times I went, I was either stormed out (with a friend from another state who enjoys roller coasters and was recovered enough from a surgery to go on them) or was with someone who just didn't like 'em. __________________ DeviantART

07-20-2019, 03:05 AM	#5
Original TMNT Cartoon Fan Overlord Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Sweden Posts: 10,155	Amusement park Do ordinary amusement park (not built up around any theme) also count.

07-20-2019, 08:50 AM	#7
MsMarvelDuckie I Married a Duck! Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: The bowels of Hell, Texas(otherwise known as Decatur) Posts: 8,772	Yeah, I'm with Utrom, there. Living in the DFW area, we have Six Flags, Huuricane Harbor, and maaaybe Sea World if you want to make the six-hour trip to San Antonio. Great Wolf Lodge is a possibility, but not big or well-known enough to be a big draw. I've only ever been to Six Flags and Sea World (less amusement park, but still counts, I think) and State Fair Park. It does have some year-round attractions, and a few rides, and is fun during the State Fair. __________________ "You IDIOTS! You've captured their STUNT doubles!" -from "Spaceballs" "Where Science ends, magic begins." -Spiral, Uncanny X-Men #491 My various stories and fan-fics are now here- https://m.fanfiction.net/u/4770494/#end

07-20-2019, 10:33 AM	#8
Utrommaniac Resident overthinker Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: what is going on.......... Posts: 5,318	Not to mention that Great Wolf Lodge is more decked-out hotel than amusement park. __________________ DeviantART

07-19-2019, 11:42 AM	#2
Prowler Emperor Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Portugal Posts: 8,909	I went to Disneyland Paris when I was a kid. It was fun, but there were a lot of rides that only allowed older teenagers and adults. It had a lot of roller coasters and such. I mostly liked it for the atmosphere and the Disney merch, while my brother liked it for the rides. That's how I remember it, at least. And holy hell were the lines MASSIVE. Waiting on a never ending line when you're 8 years old is BRUTAL, let me tell you. Haven't been to any other theme park. On one hand, it sucks that they've basically killed carnivals, but on the other hand they seem to have higher safety standards. I remember going to my city's carnival when I was a kid and a lot of the guys who set up the rides and such looked scary. Makes me wonder how the rides worked so well when they seemed to be set up by guys who looked like they had heroin for breakfast, lunch and dinner

07-19-2019, 02:01 PM	#3
IndigoErth Team Blue Boy Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: U.S., East Coast Posts: 15,236	Haven't been to Disney since the end of 2008 (or any theme parks since then), so the memory is a little foggy now. Being that it's the collective Disney World on this side though, there are so many options. Although I'm sad to see now that Soarin' closed three years ago. That was a fave last time and always wished to have a local one. Thunder Mountain and Space Mountain have long been two other faves. I generally DO NOT do roller coasters, but those are two that I will... I DID brave it and do Expedition Everest just once in 2008, but I didn't actually see much of it and that might have been enough of that one. lol And you can't not do the Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, and other classics like that. The old Body Wars simulator (gone now since 2007) also has a special place in my heart as it was part of the "educational" portion of my senior trip to Disney in high school and we got to see the behind the scenes of that ride, in the warehouse-like room that housed it. You'd be surprised just how high that thing actually stood up off of the ground on the hydraulics. Or how people down below in that room with the lights off can see the people getting on and off of it, which was a little spooky to know. lol Someday I want to get back down to Disney to check out their new Avatar section. And maybe finally get to Universal as we've never been, but Disney has so many parks, it's hard to add the extra time and money to a trip for it and we live too far away to go to FL more often. I still miss Six Flags Great Adventure's "The Right Stuff Mach 1" simulator. Hershey Park in PA, also been a long time, but Trailblazer (my one other and first real roller coaster) is one of my top picks. Like it's spiritual sibling Thunder Mountain it's more focused on the speed and quick, almost sideways turns than the height and steep drops many other coasters aim for. I will forever miss this thing at Hershey. I grew up with this vague memory of a ride that...was like some big black spider/octopus thing that my mom and I had gone on. Every now and then I'd look online to try to figure out what that was (and figured it out maybe a couple years ago), but somehow I actually found video. Seems it was closed back in '83 when I was only 4. (Funny that according to info it was replaced by the Tilt-a-Whirl, which I've also always loved and if I won the lotto I'd totally buy me one.)

07-20-2019, 11:48 AM	#9
Original TMNT Cartoon Fan Overlord Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Sweden Posts: 10,155	Flumeride Flumeride at Liseberg in G?teborg, Sweden in the summertime https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoZI23O5_Lw Last edited by Original TMNT Cartoon Fan; 07-07-2020 at 07:49 AM.

07-21-2019, 10:30 PM	#11
MsMarvelDuckie I Married a Duck! Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: The bowels of Hell, Texas(otherwise known as Decatur) Posts: 8,772	Wow, neat! I get some really creepy/lonely vibes off those pics. And it sounds like an awesome locale for a ghost story or horror movie. Edit: Aaand hubby just said that Ghost Adventures did a show on it and it is apparently haunted! I was right, lol! __________________ "You IDIOTS! You've captured their STUNT doubles!" -from "Spaceballs" "Where Science ends, magic begins." -Spiral, Uncanny X-Men #491 My various stories and fan-fics are now here- https://m.fanfiction.net/u/4770494/#end

07-22-2019, 01:38 PM	#12
IndigoErth Team Blue Boy Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: U.S., East Coast Posts: 15,236	Really?? Had no idea, I'll have to look that up. Been a long time since I've hiked through there, but can't say I ever saw or heard anything unusual. I guess if I'd thought to look for video I'd have found this with some of the ruins shown. The ring of stone at 1:22 is one of the main ones I recall from my teens. Much of the rest was probably still lost under forest debris back then. It's a shame that the main gate didn't survive or get moved to the front of the regular park. edit: Was watching another video that mentioned people trying to restore some of the lake, that was previously dried up, so no wonder I don't recall the pond in that one pic, I guess it just wasn't even there last I visited years ago. May have go to check out all the changes and additional markers one of these days. Last edited by IndigoErth; 07-22-2019 at 05:52 PM.

07-22-2019, 04:29 PM	#13
Prowler Emperor Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Portugal Posts: 8,909	Google abandoned theme parks. Some interesting ones out there. They seem to be mostly in the US and China. Apparently the most notable one was Six Flags from New Orleans which got damaged during those floods in 2007 or so and has been abandoned since then?

07-22-2019, 11:37 PM	#14
DarkFell A Crusty Bob Fan Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: At the current moment, on your screen. Posts: 1,978	Six Flags Fiesta Texas, Six Flags Fort Worth (I don't know if they're still open), and Six Flags AstroWorld (I know that this park shut down and was later torn down.) Favorite ride? Superman: The Ride located at Six Flags Fiesta Texas. To answer Prowler's, the Six Flags park in New Orleans was shut down mostly due to the aftermath from hurricane Katrina, and (I think this is also the reason), due to how close the theme park is to the ocean. Last edited by DarkFell; 07-22-2019 at 11:44 PM.

07-24-2019, 02:39 PM	#15
The Deadman Foot Elite Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Maryland Posts: 3,978	Well this looks neat __________________ Last Movie Watched: Hell House LLC (2015). Last TV Show Watched: Adventures of Sonic The Hedgehog (S1:E29).

07-24-2019, 02:51 PM	#16
IndigoErth Team Blue Boy Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: U.S., East Coast Posts: 15,236	I have to give it to Hershey, they've been a coaster kick for quite a while with as as many as they've added over the years. But if you visit...you can have all my turns on that one, 'kay? Looks like some people around here may be visiting Dutch Wonderland tomorrow without me... Last edited by IndigoErth; 07-24-2019 at 02:59 PM.

08-01-2019, 08:17 AM	#17
The Deadman Foot Elite Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Maryland Posts: 3,978	Universal Orlando's 3rd theme park will be called Epic Universe https://twitter.com/Attractions/stat...30689863999490 __________________ Last Movie Watched: Hell House LLC (2015). Last TV Show Watched: Adventures of Sonic The Hedgehog (S1:E29).

08-14-2019, 12:18 PM	#18
The Deadman Foot Elite Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Maryland Posts: 3,978	Id ride this __________________ Last Movie Watched: Hell House LLC (2015). Last TV Show Watched: Adventures of Sonic The Hedgehog (S1:E29).