Scenery and Theming

[BiCoastal Kid]

Base question: When you visit an amusement park, does the surroundings influence your visit? Are you more likely to enjoy a park with gardens than you are one without? Trees, fountains, gardens, foliage, flowers, etc. Although you may not necessarily go out of your way to notice them, do they increase your enjoyment, or do you just not care?

 

This poll was inspired by this post. I wanted to find just how important scenery and landscaping was

[mickske]

I think scenery is quite important in a theme park. It's always fun to run around in a themed area, go to a themed restaurant, and so on, than just walk from ride A to ride B without seeing anything. But on the other hand, if a park has no scenery but good rides I wouldn't call it bad or anything...

 

I voted yes.

 

Edit: Water fountains are cool!

[martinb]

It all depends on where your going, if you going to a "theme" park then scenery does play a big part, where as if your ging to an amusment park it doesn't really matter, for example Blackpool Pleasure Beach doesn't have hardly any scenery or themeing but it still looks great as its so compact with loads of coasters.

 

-Martyn

[viking86]

YES! I had a fantastic time at Gardaland, even though they didnt have a single good coaster. This was mostly because the atmosphere in the park was just beyond amazing, with beatiful scenery and theming no matter where you were. Its not always neccesary, but in most cases I enjoy a park with beatiful theming/scenery alot more than a "standard" park.

 

The only exception I can think of at the moment is Wiener Prater. Okay, so there is a huge 'regular' park and a small forest right outside the park, but the amusement park section is just a huge bunch of old, classic rides and modern thrill rides. But its just such a perfect combination, and the atmosphere is really great!

[shesaidboom]

I think atmosphere is very important, and obviously the surroundings and themeing play a huge role in that. Busch Gardens Williamsburg/Europe/whatever is one of my favorite parks even though it only has a few coasters and none of them are in my top 10, it's just a beautiful park and I had a great time there. I can have a good time at a park that sits on a giant slab of concrete if the coasters/rides are amazing, but I always have a better time at a park that has a great atmosphere. The entire experience is just better.

[jarmor]

What would disneyworld be w/o the theming...

[Worm]

^yeah, and IOA?

[QueerRudie]

God yes. Take for example a park where theming is 'understated' or in some cases missing. Two good opposite examples are SFA (which, although has different 'theme' areas, does not have a consistant theming throughout the park- I.E. the wild west area has good theming, as does the 'Main Street 1776' theme, but the back 40 does not. Contrast that to BGW where you have a definite theme difference along each section, with complete immersion in each theme.

 

Diffrentiation between themes also helps out a great deal. Hersheypark has different theme areas, but they're often blended into each othere (I.E. Comet Hollow tends to flow without breakup into Mine Country) and with some smaller parks this could be very difficult. Separating rides out between areas could help greatly, but with some parks running out of land, there is always going to be overlap within theme areas.

[woah_killa]

Hm...it doesn't necessarily need it, but yes, theming and landscaping and stuff does make it look better.

[GeorgiaDawg278]

I tend to be towards the no. Someplaces really don't need it, like Cedar Point. I'm not attracted because of the scenery. I want the thrills and chills. When I go to a park, I don't look around and go on and on about theming. The only thing I might notice is cleanliness and quality of rides anf food.

[DATman]

^Yes, but you'd notice if all the gardens, trees, etc. were gone. You'd find it odd if all of their rides had boxes for stations, generic trains, and boring colors. Despite you knowing it, but theming is quite important. Like when I'm on Scream, it just feels like a peice of the ride is missing, with those ugly parking stripes beneath a good ride. It's the same with Collosus.

[Guy T. Koepp]

The difference between 6FGAdv and 6FNE for me was the themeing. I thought that NE was more quaint. It had this charm to it. I think the only thing that seemed out of place was their river rapids very well themed to Mr. Freeze right in the middle of a midway style area. If it were up to me. I would have moved it over to the DC comics area.

 

Not that GAdv was a bad place. I had a great time. It just seemed to me that they did the same thing that Magic Mountain is famous for. More parking lot coasters. At least they had the courtesy to fill their lots with grass and stuff.

 

I think that's why I like the Busch parks so much. They are always so well themed, clean and nice looking.

[phazan]

Well why do you think people go to Disney Land?

 

As for me, it really does help. It makes the place feel overall better. I mean, who wants to sit in the sun in line on a hot day when you could sit in shade with nice trees and bushes?

[coaster_maniac]

In my opinion, scenery/theming is what makes or breaks a ride. Sure, a ride with great elements and airtime is great--but without any scenery or theming, it's just a ride. What I'm looking for is an experience. There are so many coasters out there that are just good coasters and nothing more. They all have the potential to be incredible experiences, but they just don't take advantage of that opportunity.

 

Other rides, however--such as rides at Disney, IOA, Paramount parks (well, not so 'paramount' anymore): they know what they're doing. They take great rides and enhance the experience even more by adding scenery and fantastic theming around the ride. So while you're riding, not only are you thinking "damn this is a good ride", but you're also thinking "my GOD this is incredible"

[Ghost]

As a Disney fanatic I guess it is clear I go for yes....

 

Although I do love my coasters too (even in a non themed park) it is more fun to ride a coaster that is well themed (like Hulk or DD in IoA)

[Darien Laker]

I voted yes.

 

If a park lacks themes, it should at least have scenery like plants etc.

 

SFDL has almost no theme to it at all, but it does have nice flowers and trees, so it's not completely unpleasant. The coasters are all decently placed, either by water or with trees and other plants. In other words, no real theming, but nothing looks out of place (no parking lot coasters). SFGam was almost perfect looking ,but Shockwave was stuck outside of the park in a parking lot. I love SFGAm for landscaping under there when S:UF was put in. I'll have to get back there soon.

 

I think it's pathetic when a park slaps a coaster in a parking lot just for the sake of having another coaster, and doesn't even cover the parking lot. (I'm not just talking about Scream....though that one really does come to mind easily)

[YoshiFan]

I think it's important but not as important as the rides themselves. I'll admit when I go to a park with little to no themeing like Dorney, it does seems kind of bland with just concrete everywhere, little trees and a fountain but I'm more concerned about getting on coasters then thinking about how nice it is themed.

[Superdasher]

Of course I like theming!

 

There are some rides that I don't like the theming that much on (such as Silver Bullet's mining theme), but otherwise, theming and scenery is the second most important thing after the coasters and credits themselves.

 

I mean, why call it a THEME park if it doesn't even have any theme to it?

[waterviper]

for example Blackpool Pleasure Beach doesn't have hardly any scenery or themeing but it still looks great as its so compact with loads of coasters.

-Martyn

 

You see thats the thing about BPB is all the coaster packed in the park creates its own theme and scenery!!

 

But of course I marked yes!! Theme and scenery I believe is vital to a better park experience!!

[BiCoastal Kid]

Blockpool does too have flowers and trees, just not in large expanses.

[Ed]

Blackpool has the Chinese maze! That's all the trees you'll need there!

 

I think any ride deserves grass underneath it. I detest car-park coasters because it's such a cheap way of putting in a new ride.

 

However not all great rides are themed to the extreme.

[SonOfBeastSucks]

Scenery and theming are just as important to me as the coaster itself.

[Jon Sabo]

Let us play a scenario on this topic.

 

Take your personal top ten coasters and/or overall rated top ten coasters (steel or wooden). Now, imagine all of those coasters being built on the Magic Mountain 'parking lot' style and with no theming. Now, how would each of those coasters be ranked now? lol

 

I believe each ride theming can be unique with virtually limitless possibilities. A good point was made on Disney's attractions. What would those park(s) be today without the vision of Walt?

 

I would be quite biased in mentioning BGE since working there for over 14 yrs, but the landscaping adds to the parks overall ambiance and the "European" theming adds excitement to virtually each ride (not to mention how much cooler the park is with the massive amounts of trees around the park). Even today's small and medium sized parks are incorporating themed ideas into their attractions or even just to re-energize and older attraction to theme them and re-introduce them again (with theming).

[DejaVu4Life]

As long as the coasters are good, I don't care. That's why we're the American Coaster Enthusiasts.

[BiCoastal Kid]

Who is this "we" you speak of?