What area really needs a theme park?

[boldikus]

Allentown! Either improve Dorney so it can compete with the other regional parks (Knoebels, Hershey, Great Adventure) or just build something new from the ground up

 

If you're in Allentown you're ridiculously close to a majority of the parks in the northeast. Dorney isn't exactly a bad park either.

 

Yeah this is weird. Especially coming from an employee of the park. Dorney seems to be doing just fine considering all of the other choices in the region. Their Haunt and Waterpark obviously keep them afloat just fine. I like that Dorney is what it is because I know I can go ride some decent (and some great) rides with little to no waits. Not to mention none of Dorney's line-up is terrible (Thunderhawk may have just gotten better but I can't speak from experience, Stinger is one of the smoothest Vekomas I've ridden - when its working of course, Steel Force is great if you sit in the front car), I like a lot of the rides there.

Edited June 7, 2016 by boldikus

[coasterbill]

The states that REALLY need parks are Delaware,

 

Errrr, not really. Delaware is 1-3 hours from the Jersey shore, SFA, Great Adventure, Kings Dominion, Dorney, BGW and Hershey. You're actually in a really good spot if you're in Delaware I'd say.

 

Yeah Delaware is fine. They tried building a park near New Castle about a decade ago called "Blue Diamond Park" and it failed miserably. They bought the Zyklon from Del Grossos (which is now in Daytona Beach) and that was their signature ride. They still have some rides sitting there if you know where to look.

 

From south Delaware you're also basically in Ocean City so you have Trimper's and Jolly Roger's, a quick Cape May Lewes Ferry ride gets you near Wildwood and Rehoboth Beach has Funland which is an excellent little park on the boardwalk. Their Sea Dragon is the tallest and fastest amusement ride in Delaware. Woohoo

[deguy123]

The states that REALLY need parks are Delaware,

 

Errrr, not really. Delaware is 1-3 hours from the Jersey shore, SFA, Great Adventure, Kings Dominion, Dorney, BGW and Hershey. You're actually in a really good spot if you're in Delaware I'd say.

 

Yeah Delaware is fine. They tried building a park near New Castle about a decade ago called "Blue Diamond Park" and it failed miserably. They bought the Zyklon from Del Grossos (which is now in Daytona Beach) and that was their signature ride. They still have some rides sitting there if you know where to look.

 

From south Delaware you're also basically in Ocean City so you have Trimper's and Jolly Roger's, a quick Cape May Lewes Ferry ride gets you near Wildwood and Rehoboth Beach has Funland which is an excellent little park on the boardwalk. Their Sea Dragon is the tallest and fastest amusement ride in Delaware. Woohoo

 

Living in Delaware I'd love to have a park in the state BUT I'm close to many parks which are in a 2 hour driving distance. Funland is a great little park but I do think the beach area could have a big park and do well during the summer months. I'm ok with Eltoro being less then two hours away

[coasterbill]

I used to have this idiotic pipe dream of Funland putting some rides on the roof but now that the solar panels up there it'll never happen. Plus the city would probably never approve it anyway. I think they have a 3 story height limit that they put in after Star of the Sea was built. Then I thought it would be cool to put a park on that huge patch of grass in a ridiculously prominent location on Highway 1 near Jungle Jim's but there's a Wawa and strip mall going there so never-mind.

[ThrillDude200]

The states that REALLY need parks are Delaware,

 

Errrr, not really. Delaware is 1-3 hours from the Jersey shore, SFA, Great Adventure, Kings Dominion, Dorney, BGW and Hershey. You're actually in a really good spot if you're in Delaware I'd say.

 

Yeah Delaware is fine. They tried building a park near New Castle about a decade ago called "Blue Diamond Park" and it failed miserably. They bought the Zyklon from Del Grossos (which is now in Daytona Beach) and that was their signature ride. They still have some rides sitting there if you know where to look.

 

From south Delaware you're also basically in Ocean City so you have Trimper's and Jolly Roger's, a quick Cape May Lewes Ferry ride gets you near Wildwood and Rehoboth Beach has Funland which is an excellent little park on the boardwalk. Their Sea Dragon is the tallest and fastest amusement ride in Delaware. Woohoo

 

Living in Delaware I'd love to have a park in the state BUT I'm close to many parks which are in a 2 hour driving distance. Funland is a great little park but I do think the beach area could have a big park and do well during the summer months. I'm ok with Eltoro being less then two hours away

Yeah, but for people who don't want to go out of the state for an amusement park, there could be a big park in Delaware.

[A.J.]

The mid-Atlantic region is oversaturated with amusement parks. Any new park built in the region would have to be dramatically different compared to the others.

[nicman]

Another park in canada.

[boldikus]

The states that REALLY need parks are Delaware,

 

Errrr, not really. Delaware is 1-3 hours from the Jersey shore, SFA, Great Adventure, Kings Dominion, Dorney, BGW and Hershey. You're actually in a really good spot if you're in Delaware I'd say.

 

Yeah Delaware is fine. They tried building a park near New Castle about a decade ago called "Blue Diamond Park" and it failed miserably. They bought the Zyklon from Del Grossos (which is now in Daytona Beach) and that was their signature ride. They still have some rides sitting there if you know where to look.

 

From south Delaware you're also basically in Ocean City so you have Trimper's and Jolly Roger's, a quick Cape May Lewes Ferry ride gets you near Wildwood and Rehoboth Beach has Funland which is an excellent little park on the boardwalk. Their Sea Dragon is the tallest and fastest amusement ride in Delaware. Woohoo

 

Living in Delaware I'd love to have a park in the state BUT I'm close to many parks which are in a 2 hour driving distance. Funland is a great little park but I do think the beach area could have a big park and do well during the summer months. I'm ok with Eltoro being less then two hours away

Yeah, but for people who don't want to go out of the state for an amusement park, there could be a big park in Delaware.

 

And who exactly do you think would be willing to put up the capital to open a large amusement park in Delaware of all places (other than Rehoboth, not exactly a tourist destination - I'm from Philly, I've been to Delaware plenty) with all of the surrounding competition? There are literally 6-7 major parks within a 3 hour driving distance.

[ThrillDude200]

The states that REALLY need parks are Delaware,

 

Errrr, not really. Delaware is 1-3 hours from the Jersey shore, SFA, Great Adventure, Kings Dominion, Dorney, BGW and Hershey. You're actually in a really good spot if you're in Delaware I'd say.

 

Yeah Delaware is fine. They tried building a park near New Castle about a decade ago called "Blue Diamond Park" and it failed miserably. They bought the Zyklon from Del Grossos (which is now in Daytona Beach) and that was their signature ride. They still have some rides sitting there if you know where to look.

 

From south Delaware you're also basically in Ocean City so you have Trimper's and Jolly Roger's, a quick Cape May Lewes Ferry ride gets you near Wildwood and Rehoboth Beach has Funland which is an excellent little park on the boardwalk. Their Sea Dragon is the tallest and fastest amusement ride in Delaware. Woohoo

 

Living in Delaware I'd love to have a park in the state BUT I'm close to many parks which are in a 2 hour driving distance. Funland is a great little park but I do think the beach area could have a big park and do well during the summer months. I'm ok with Eltoro being less then two hours away

Yeah, but for people who don't want to go out of the state for an amusement park, there could be a big park in Delaware.

 

And who exactly do you think would be willing to put up the capital to open a large amusement park in Delaware of all places (other than Rehoboth, not exactly a tourist destination - I'm from Philly, I've been to Delaware plenty) with all of the surrounding competition? There are literally 6-7 major parks within a 3 hour driving distance.

Maybe they could just make an island and the theme park could be there, right next to Delaware!

 

Keep in mind that theme parks can be up to 500 acres. If a state is less than 500 acres, the park needs to be landlocked.

[Masquerade]

Delaware is a horrible state whose only attraction is that giant statue of Mary on the side of I-95.

 

And sadness.

[CrazedZooChimp]

If I were building a new park the Phoenix area would be my choice, no question. It's a huge city, with lots of land (ie. relatively cheap), and year 'round good weather (yeah, really hot in the summer, but probably not much worse than Texas or Southern California). I don't understand why there isn't a park there.

 

My other first thought is Pacific Northwest, somewhere either between Seattle and Portland or Seattle and Vancouver (or I guess just near Seattle, since Portland and Vancouver are both only about 3 hours from Seattle.

[AdventureJack]

I travel a lot to Omaha, Nebraska, and there is not a theme park in that entire state. Granted, Adventureland is 2 hours away, and WoF about 3. But something local, and for the rest of the state, would be nice.

I was actually just going to say this. They do have two options in WOF and Aland that aren't that far, but like you said a park for them would be huge! With the Omaha metro area being bigger than Des Moines I guarantee a park here would be able to stay strong. People would flock from the whole state of Nebraska AND you'd get people from the western parts of Iowa. Again I don't think it would have any problems attracting guests. Plus it would add more competition to my home park

[Henry M]

Milton Keynes. It is a strange place in England which has so much space and needs a major attraction. Although it has a run down Gulliver's park, it just is not giving the area face. Either Gulliver's needs to be massively changed and revived, or a brand new theme park with thrill rides should be made.

[Nrthwnd]

It looks like my wishes and probably several hundred other Playland(PNE)-ers' wishes too, have FINALLY been answered!

 

http://dailyhive.com/vancouver/pne-playland-redevelopment-vancouver-theme-park

 

 

(So hopefully, I guess we don't "need a theme park" anymore. We're getting one!)

 

BTW - it's all proposals and art concepts etc. Nothing is in cement, or asphalt... like at Playland.

 

SAD EDIT: Not to be at this time. PNE rebuked it's appearance. Old ideas. There is still a council meeting

happening, with this as part of it, that day. So....? We shall see, eventually. I hope...ee.

Edited June 12, 2016 by Nrthwnd

[ytterbiumanalyst]

Wow, that looks like a cool concept. Hopefully the people of Vancouver embrace it.

[SFNE Fan]

1 word: BOSTON!

[CPKI]

Indianapolis

[Yubstep101]

Milwaukee,Wisconsin

[ytterbiumanalyst]

^ They've got a rather huge one. Great America is closer to Milwaukee than it is to Chicago, at least in drive time.

[bf9]

If I were building a new park the Phoenix area would be my choice, no question. It's a huge city, with lots of land (ie. relatively cheap), and year 'round good weather (yeah, really hot in the summer, but probably not much worse than Texas or Southern California). I don't understand why there isn't a park there.

 

My other first thought is Pacific Northwest, somewhere either between Seattle and Portland or Seattle and Vancouver (or I guess just near Seattle, since Portland and Vancouver are both only about 3 hours from Seattle.

 

Having lived in all three (San Diego inland, SE Texas and PHX), Phoenix wins by far for the worst summer heat I've ever experienced. It's a dry heat sometimes, but when it's 115-120F outside your door (sometimes more with tarmac, concrete, rock landscaping reflection)...there's just very few places on Earth like it. You can basically cross the entire summer season off for an outdoor park unless it was open from 9pm-5am lol. To put it in perspective, the AZ state fair runs through October and most people I know won't attend because it's still far too hot. Even at 10pm.

 

Short of something like a Ferrari World, it's just not feasable financially. Not to mention we have a terrible average income per household, very high amount of certain demographics that simply wouldn't pay nor attend both culturally and financially...it would be a very hard sell to investors.

[ThrillDude200]

Chattanooga.

Six Flags Over Georgia is 1 hour away.

Carowinds is 5 hours away.

Kings Dominion is 8 hours away.

Worlds of Fun is 10 hours away.

Dollywood is 2 hours away.

Six Flags Great America is 10 hours away.

Six Flags St. Louis is 7 hours away.

Kentucky Kingdom is 4 hours away.

 

The only theme park less than an hour away is this family park named Lake Winniepesaukah that only has 3 (4 if you call a Larson Super Loop a "roller coaster") coasters. I hate Lake Winnie IN THE GUTS.

[LiftThrill]

An hour from SFOG isn't that bad honestly.

[SFOGdude25]

Nashville.

 

Been lamenting the loss of Opryland since 1997.

[DILinator]

I'm sure this location has been said a bazillion times in this thread, but it's a glaring answer for me: The Pacific Northwest! Seriously, how on earth do places like Seattle and Portland not have a decent sized amusement park nearby??? I know Vancouver has Playland, but for many people, border crossing isn't an option (and besides, Playland isn't the largest park ever.) I know every time I think about how beautiful Seattle is, and how much I want to live there, I remember there are no legit amusement parks or roller coasters anywhere nearby (in the States), and I quickly change me mind!

[Nrthwnd]

^ I agree, and wish Seattle built more on what was left from the 1962 World's Fair: The Fun Forest.

They seemed to do fine with all of the other buildings on the old site (Seattle Opera?), but

"The Forest" dwindled and slowly dried up.

 

If not (additionally) here in Vancouver, there in (or really close to) Seattle!