How do You Judge a Park as Best Theme Park?

[Adriel]

Most factors of best theme park are the rides and the restaurants. But do you think there are another major factors? Another factors mre than just exciting roller coaster or great food?

 

I think the theming is another major factor. Theming really brings different touch to the park and the rides, even the restaurants.

[canada]

Most factors of best theme park are the rides and the restaurants. But do you think there are another major factors? Another factors mre than just exciting roller coaster or great food?

 

I think the theming is another major factor. Theming really brings different touch to the park and the rides, even the restaurants.

 

To me theming and restaurants dont make a park. Who gives a crap about theming or food in an AMUSEMENT park. You go there to ride and have fun so ride quality has to be the number one thing. Another thing is the lines.

[alpengeist04]

I would have to say coasters, water rides, atmosphere, operations, and theming. I'm not a big flat ride person, so I don't include them in my list. ...so that's why parks like Universal, Busch, and Hershey are at the top of my amusement park list.

[Gnome]

Best theme park would have to be the theme park that I had the most fun at. To me, IOA is the best theme park out there along with USF. Lines are managed efficiently, theming is great, employees are some of the nicest I've ever met, thier fast food is good enough, thier actual restaurants have great food, and thier rides, for the most part, are amazing.

[CommanderLock]

Generally if they have a staff with a positive attitude, a nice atmosphere, doesn't emphizize to one age group or type of group, has some sort of quality food somewhere in the park, and has a good mix of rides that are all different in some way.

 

So Cedar Point is #1 followed by California Adventure (#2), followed by Epcot(#3), and lastly...uhh...nevermind. Sorry SFGADV! You never even made it past the preliminaries!

 

Odd...I don't like my "home" amusement park!

[steel]

-friendliness of staff/efficiancy of staff

-cleanliness

-appearance/atmosphere

-layout

-coasters

-theming

-guest behavior

-flat thrill rides

-water rides

-food

 

So my top three are

1.) Busch Gardens Europe

2.) Dorney Park

3.) Worlds of Fun

[BeemerBoy]

The title of the thread referred to "THEME" parks, right? Some of you are being a little to liberal with that term don't you think?

 

To make this really simple, what makes a great "theme" park is the whole experience from the time you enter the front gate to the time you exit the park. A great "theme" park immerses you in the overall "experience." To me, there are only about 12 "theme" parks in the US.

 

The Magic Kingdom

EPCOT

Disney MGM Studios

Animal Kingdom

Disney's California Adventure

Disneyland

IOA

Dollywood

SDC

Busch Gardens Africa

Busch Gardens Europe

Sea World Orlando

 

Everything else is considered an "amusement" park in my books. That's not to say that any of them are necessarily bad at what they do, or what they provide. It's just that they don't immerse you in intricate theming throughout the park like the above examples do. And keep in mind that I even debated a little about Sea World Orlando. They would probably be given the honorable mention of the group.

 

So what makes a great theme park? Theme. Plain and simple. And the ultimate example of theme is definitely, hands down, without an ounce of doubt....Tokyo Disney Sea. Although I've never stepped foot in the park itself, just seeing trip reports of that place has been enough to cement my opinion that theming can't be carried out any better.

[jamesdillaman]

Holiday World isn't a theme park? Not themed to holidays? Just asking.

[BeemerBoy]

^ Yeah, I had a feeling that one would surface.

 

That's why I said "about" 12 theme parks. I've actually spoken loosely of Holiday World as a theme park in the past, and technically, by definition, I guess you really could consider it one. However, for argument's sake, when stacked against the parks mentioned in my post, it just can't realistically be compared. Yes, the different parts of the park are "themed," but the park itself obviously doesn't immerse you the way the others do, which is the main difference.

 

Perhaps another "honorable mention" ribbon, huh?

[FeelTheFORCE]

Definately layout, SFMM has got to have one of the worst & confusing layouts I have ever seen. Me being from Pittsburgh and never benn farther west than Ohio, SFMM was very hard to find rides, even though I did ride all the major ones .

[ECZenith]

I almost never eat at theme parks so restaurants aren't a factor to me. I'm interested in a good selection of unique rides, effective security/staff is VERY important to keep things running smoothly, keeping with one theme per area is very important, I hate seeing randomly placed booths that kill an area's immersion.

[kennywood!007]

The things I look for in parks are:

 

 

Prices

food

family friendly

fair share of intense coasters

great flat rides

nice ops

friendly staff

good atmosphre

friendly locals!

and shade!

[Scaparri]

For me, it's rides, theming, appearance, and uniqueness or novelty.

 

A park doesn't have to have all of those qualities to be one of my favorites though. For instance, one of my favorite parks is Lake Winnie. The coaster selection isn't anything too special and the theming is non existant, but they do have a nice little collection of rides overall, and the park is very unique. Very friendly staff, awesome setting, just a really fun park.

[coasterguy618]

How nice the park is, how themed it is, and how good the coasters are. (most important one)

[thomas2]

In order of most important on the top:

 

Short wait

Good attractions

Nice theming

Friendly staff

Behaviour of other guests

Surroundings

[Jonathan]

There are really only 5 requirements that I need for a great park. There are plenty of other things I like, but these will keep me happy.

 

1) a great, well-maintained, comfortable riding wooden roller coaster

2) a good dark ride

3) some fun non coaster rides (ex. flying scooters, water rides)

4) good setting (landscaping, trees, etc)

5) friendly and efficient staff

 

My favorite parks list reflects this:

 

1) Knoebels (has all 5)

2) Indiana Beach (has 4-5; not sure about the staff)

3) Holiday World (4 of the 5)

4) Silver Dollar City (4 of the 5, but Ozark Wildcat is down the street)

5) Dollywood (all 5)

[Vekoma Fan Boy]

Friendly staff

Collection of rides (though it doesn't really matter because we have rerides)

Guests

Flat Rides

How awesome the coasters are

Themed dark rides

Whether or not it has a vekoma or woodie or vekoma woodie!