Parks in the 70's?

[Holtskee]

The "Golden Age of Theme Parks," I'd say...

 

Mid to late 70's. Twenty years after Disney started His Land.

 

Young and (dare I say?) "innocent".

 

 

Shows you what time, history, and population can do, hmm?

 

I believe that the 1920s are typically considered the "Golden Age" of amusement parks. There were supposedly ~2,000 parks in the US alone. Of course, you're talking about theme parks, which are a different animal.

 

I thought Nrthwnd was quite clear when he said the 1970s where the golden age of theme parks. During the decade the large, modern, regional theme parks were being built all over the country. The concept of "leaving the real world behind" and entering a different environment peaked during this period.

 

For the classic amusement park, the 1920s is reasonable, however this thread is about the sect of parks that are themed.

[map2]

Just guessing here, but I think there are several factors witht this. First, I think the fact of cost of living was cheaper and the dollar was more powerful back in the 70s. Thus adding a new flat in the 70s would cost 500,000 dollars or so rather than 2 million or so today. This leaves more money to add new lanscaping etc. instead of draining all of the seasons income on a new ride. Also, I think the technology of thrill rides helped sway the parks major objective. I think the way the parks kept the guests happy back then as opposed to now could play a part. I'm guessing back in the 70s parks main idea of keeping the guests happy was to surround them with a positive atmosphere with good food, nice andscaping, good shows, fun rides, fun games, clean parks, etc. I think the development and new technology of roler coasters and other thrill rides shifted our attention to riding rides more than getting the "full" amusement park experience. So instead of adding new shows, games, restaurants, etc., parks started adding thrill rides to not only keep guests at their parks, but also to make guests stop going to the park that just added a new thrill ride. The competitive drive between theme parks can be a good thing, but it can also corrupt a park (ex. SFMM).

[swampfox]

I dunno about that. Let's look at Kings Dominion for example...

 

The park had just been open fully for 2 years when King Kobra debuted, and then 2 years later, a massive thing happened that must have cost an astronomical amount of money. A 180 foot mountain was built, and inside it three attractions were added. An indoor rotor called The Time Shaft, a water ride called Journey to Atlantis (later called Haunted River), and the mine train (later Land of the Dooz and Smurf Mountain).

 

That had to cost a lot of money, and I don't think KD had the capital to spend on such a thing based entirely on the money they made.

 

I'd love to see a park do such a thing today though. But nah, theming is passe outside of Disney it seems.

[map2]

Also, I just realized that most of the parks everyone was using were built in the 70s. As stated before, they were new parks, so they are obviously going to be cleaner rather than 30 years down the road. The parks then tried to please their easy-satisfying customers by providing a clean atmosphere, etc. Parks now know that they will have at least some people go to the park no matter what, so they don't have to work as hard to stay in bussiness.

[swampfox]

So one question. Since these parks started out like Islands of Adventure has sorta, will Islands of Adventure be bland too in 20 years?

[scruffy]

So one question. Since these parks started out like Islands of Adventure has sorta, will Islands of Adventure be bland too in 20 years?

 

Islands of Adventure does have the bland look going. Now only if they would add a major ride in the future.

[Holtskee]

Also, I just realized that most of the parks everyone was using were built in the 70s. As stated before, they were new parks, so they are obviously going to be cleaner rather than 30 years down the road.

 

One must consider though that the Busch Gardens parks both rose during this time period (Granted Busch Gardens Africa has actually existed since the 50s, however it was rebuilt as a theme park in the 70s) yet they are still wonderfully kept and maintained.

[map2]

^I'm not saying that all parks that were built in the 70s or beyond are not as clean as they used to be, I'm just saying that if a park's main objective switches from adding to the enviroment to adding thrill rides, the ark is not going to be as clean as it used to be. I agree with you that Busch Gardens is a clean park (IMO can compete with Disney in cleanliness), but it can always "go down the drain" if it is not managed well.