Importance of Theming

[Werner]

Importance of Theming?

 

For me it's all about the parks before i look at the rides. There is also a big differance between 'Attraction Parks' & 'Themeparks' for me. I can still enjoy both of them, and some Attraction Parks are putting more and more themes near there newer rides.

 

A good ride will always be good, but the theming just makes it look better. And with theming there is more to see and enjoy at the parks. Wich for me makes want to spend more time there, most Attraction Parks lose my attention after a couple of hours and your jusr running for one ride towards another ride. When at a Themepark i could also just sit and have a drink and just look around and enjoy other people having a good time.

 

[cfc]

^Exactly. Well-themed parks are better for just hanging out than conventional amusement parks (although Knoebels is probably an exception to this rule).

[Werner]

^^Well Knoebels is just awesome! It has a great sence of family friendliness, and everything about that place just screams: 'ride me too!' Something i'm just missing at other non-themeparks, Lagoon is proberly the same thing from what i've heared.

[thrillseeker4552]

I believe it all depends on the ride. Take a ride like Mummy at Universal(s) for example. If they were regular, outdoor coasters, they would be quite boring and uninteresting (this applies to most dark rides as well). The theming makes the majority of the ride. On the other hand, take a ride like Millennium Force. There is zero theming, but it's a great ride, so it doesn't need theming!

 

So basically, if it's there...great! Bonus! But I can still greatly enjoy a ride even if it has no theming.

[Bedholm]

For things like dark rides theming is very important

For roller coasters I could care less I rather that money go into other parts of the park first like general upkeep and maintenance. I knows its different for parks like Disney and universal but for the parks I've been to the most Six Flags and Cedar Fair parks other than a dark ride the theming has never made me think oh I like this ride more than another ride. If people didn't always talk about Scream at SFMM and the parking lot I would go as far as to say Scream is better than Bizarro(SFGADV) because the wait is 95% of the time shorter for Scream. When going to most amusement parks I go to ride the rides not to enjoy theming so no theming like Scream creates shorter lines than I'm for it so I can get more frequently getting more bang for my buck. And rides like Bizarro(SFNE) I'd say the theming just looks childish and pathetic which at times takes away from the ride itself.

[JJLehto]

Can't say I really care.

Awesome theming is, well awesome and does add a little bit to it, but a good enough ride doesn't need it and I don't really think it's a big deal. Of course when there is great theming it does add a touch to it, but it certainly can't save a bad ride.

 

 

Also I think music is pointless for coasters and should made illegal

I also think half ass theming, well it doesn't detract but it kind of makes me sigh a little bit ha like why bother?

[Heth]

Also I think music is pointless for coasters and should made illegal?

 

Well that's just ridiculous.

 

Regarding theming in general, I often find that a bad attempt at theming often looks worse and more messy than it would just to neatly landscape the rollercoaster.

[cfc]

Can't say I really care.

Awesome theming is, well awesome and does add a little bit to it, but a good enough ride doesn't need it and I don't really think it's a big deal. Of course when there is great theming it does add a touch to it, but it certainly can't save a bad ride.

 

 

Also I think music is pointless for coasters and should made illegal

I also think half A$$ theming, well it doesn't detract but it kind of makes me sigh a little bit ha like why bother?

 

I agree that you can't just "shoehorn" theming onto any coaster. If you're trying to tell some sort of "story," the ride needs to be customized to better mesh with the theming.

 

Or you could just paint a loop yellow while the rest of the ride is green.

[rcjp]

Or you could just paint a loop yellow while the rest of the ride is green.

 

[p-sychiatrist]

I think bad theming or half-assed theming is far worse than no theming at all and can detract from an experience. I love the elaborate theming of Disney, Universal, and Busch Gardens because they provide a sense of adventure and childlike wonder that makes me feel like I'm not in a theme park, but in another country, another world, etc. However, I also really like the very minimal theming that Cedar Fair and many other companies offer. They make sure the coasters are beautiful structures themselves (Gatekeeper), usually have awesome entrance signs (Hydra: The Revenge, Millennium Force), have cool stations (Gemini), cleverly designed trains (Magnum XL 200, Top Thrill Dragster), and keep the park pretty well maintained. Then there's Six Flags, that often either half asses any attempt at theming or goes over the top and makes it a cheesy, ugly, eye sore (the interior of The Dark Knight coaster). It's a shame because they used to have great taste in theming (look at Batman: The Ride in its early years, The Chiller, Skull Mountain, etc.). And the minute they build themselves a beautiful coaster with a photogenic profile, a perfectly fitting station, and awesome minimalistic theming, they do this to the trains:

[Heth]

/\ one thing you said there reminded me of something I've not found an answer for...

 

I have read multiple times that there used to be more theming in the Batman The Ride clones nationwide...but why was a lot of the additional theming removed in the first place? I heard the same of Bizarro in GADV.

[TPDave]

^ I've seen what I assume is lazy mechanics leaving parts of trains off for better access etc. Things like wheels covers and other aesthetic pieces.

[BugEyed]

Also I think music is pointless for coasters and should made illegal

I wouldn't go as far as making it illegal, but I do find in most instances that coaster music tends to be poorly chosen for my personal taste and/or have a displeasingly thin, metallic sound.

[cfc]

^It all depends on the ride. The music used for Space Mountain at Disneyland is an enhancement; the sound and music they used to use on Apocalypse/Terminator at SFMM, not so much.

[BugEyed]

Agreed. Space Mountain wouldn't be the same without the music. In general Disney usually gets it right, if not just a wee bit sentimental and repetitive at times.

 

I actually had X2 in mind when I typed that.

 

Come to think of it, it's Six Flags on-ride music that most often gets on my nerves.

[p-sychiatrist]

I have read multiple times that there used to be more theming in the Batman The Ride clones nationwide...but why was a lot of the additional theming removed in the first place? I heard the same of Bizarro in GADV.

 

I still think Batman has great theming, and by far the best in the park (and majority of Six Flags parks). I think the biggest problem isn't what has been removed, but rather years of poor maintenance ruining what was there in the first place. One of the wonderful elements of the original theming was the beautiful landscaping that made the queue feel like an actual park. Over the years most of the trees, plants, and grass have died without being replanted, the once working fountain has deteriorated into an ugly slab of concrete, and the area has just become generally grimier. Also they removed all of the debris and the police car that used to be in the line for some reason when they repainted it yellow.

As for Bizarro, the fire effect rarely works and neither does the onboard audio (which almost never functioned properly) at this point. If anything Bizarro in SFNE had more theming removed. The flamethrower was moved down to Texas, the mist rings are almost always deactivated, and I don't think the onboard audio even exists anymore.

God forbid if the animatronics in Justice League: Battle For Metropolis ever break down!

[Heth]

It was the removal of the police cars in particular I'd read about, so thanks for explaining when they were removed! A shame to have such props removed.

[gardyloo!]

Agreed. Space Mountain wouldn't be the same without the music. In general Disney usually gets it right, if not just a wee bit sentimental and repetitive at times.

 

I actually had X2 in mind when I typed that.

 

Come to think of it, it's Six Flags on-ride music that most often gets on my nerves.

 

I think that onboard audio only works on indoor coasters (there are exceptions ofcourse). Because you can't see the track your mind is going to focus on other things, such as sound. For example when you're on a big outdoor coaster and you see a big loop coming up, you prepare yourself for that, but when you're on an indoor coaster you can't see track, so you don't know whats coming and here's were the music jumps in, when the music builds so does your excitement level so you actually focus on the music a lot more than on an outdoor coaster.

[Gnome]

A quality and well executed themed environment adds to the park experience. It might make waiting in lines more enjoyable. Overall though I think immersive and exotic theme experiences give guests something unique you can't obtain in real life and it helps put guests into the story.

 

Likewise, though, I think some solid landscaping works just as well too. Most Busch parks don't have immersive themes (though they do have a little) but what sales their coasters, to me at least, is how they fit in their environment

 

CP is another great example.

[beenagins87]

I have read multiple times that there used to be more theming in the Batman The Ride clones nationwide...but why was a lot of the additional theming removed in the first place? I heard the same of Bizarro in GADV.

 

I still think Batman has great theming, and by far the best in the park (and majority of Six Flags parks). I think the biggest problem isn't what has been removed, but rather years of poor maintenance ruining what was there in the first place. One of the wonderful elements of the original theming was the beautiful landscaping that made the queue feel like an actual park. Over the years most of the trees, plants, and grass have died without being replanted, the once working fountain has deteriorated into an ugly slab of concrete, and the area has just become generally grimier. Also they removed all of the debris and the police car that used to be in the line for some reason when they repainted it yellow.

As for Bizarro, the fire effect rarely works and neither does the onboard audio (which almost never functioned properly) at this point. If anything Bizarro in SFNE had more theming removed. The flamethrower was moved down to Texas, the mist ringy dingy ding-a-ling dings are almost always deactivated, and I don't think the onboard audio even exists anymore.

God forbid if the animatronics in Justice League: Battle For Metropolis ever break down!

 

 

I believe Great America is the only one that still has their police car??? Or am I wrong?? Of the four Batmans I've been on SFOG had the best landscaping and theming, while SFSTL had the worst. I can't really give my opinion on the one at SFGAM because I used a flash pass both days so I completely bypassed the theming pretty much.

[Paradox]

Gotham City Gauntlet at SFNE has nice queue theming that meets the minimum standards.

 

They have boards with all of the Batman villains win the form of a wanted poster scattered around and they used to have a Batmobile, but I think they got rid of it as the last time I was there, it wasn't in the spot it should have been in.

[coasterbill]

I put Mystery Mine ahead of Bizarro (SFNE), Skyrush, Montu and a ton of other awesome rides in the Mitch Hawker poll... so those are my thoughts on the subject. Great theming goes a long way.

[linearinduction]

I know Lagoon's Ownership/Management feels it is important to add theming to new rides to enhance the guest experience, as every ride since 1995 has had some sort of theme to go along with the name. Of course I think Red Rock Rally, Rattlesnake Rapids, Spider, Jumping Dragon, Air Race, and now Cannibal, are the best examples of this.

[jarmor]

One of my motto's when it comes down to coasters...

"Keep your theme just make me scream"

[Nrthwnd]

^ Very nice. I like that motto.