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Why are rides at UK theme parks so poor in comparison with those abroad
Vodka_Drinka
Posts: 28,753 Forum Member
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I've been watching a lot of coaster POV videos on YouTube lately and what really stands out is how poor our coasters and rides in general are compared with rides at other parks around the world, especially those at the Six Flags parks in the US, who's rides are phenomenal. It's not just the US, the coasters at parks across Europe and Asia seem to piss on ours!
It's like we've fallen behind the rest of the world a bit. I keep thinking about Nemeis at Alton Towers and how innovative it was when it first opened, the queues for it were about four hours long! At around the same time the Big One opened in Blackpool and so did Shockwave at Drayton Manor. I've never been to Thorpe Park but most of their rides look like shitty versions of the ones at Six Flags. Why are our parks not keeping up with the rest of the world? I appreciate Alton Towers is restricted by it s silly planning rules, by why isn't Blackpool trying anymore? Have they given up?
I think there is a market for a real big American style theme park here in the UK. I wish Six Flags would open a park here!:(
It's like we've fallen behind the rest of the world a bit. I keep thinking about Nemeis at Alton Towers and how innovative it was when it first opened, the queues for it were about four hours long! At around the same time the Big One opened in Blackpool and so did Shockwave at Drayton Manor. I've never been to Thorpe Park but most of their rides look like shitty versions of the ones at Six Flags. Why are our parks not keeping up with the rest of the world? I appreciate Alton Towers is restricted by it s silly planning rules, by why isn't Blackpool trying anymore? Have they given up?
I think there is a market for a real big American style theme park here in the UK. I wish Six Flags would open a park here!:(
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I think Universal Studios is building a park here though, so hopefully that will improve standards in general.
£2 billion theme park in UK to rival Disneyland Paris
That would possibly put a big nail in the coffin for plans to revive Dreamland in Margate.
Shame the Paramount Park in Murcia is yet to get the finance it needs, supposed to open in 2015 after been proposed in 2010, so far it looks like they have bulldozed a couple of piles of Earth.
The Big One @ Blackpool - was the World's Tallest and steepest.
Oblivion @ Alton Towers - was the worlds first Vertical Drop coaster.
Thirteen @ Alton Towers - worlds first vertical freefall drop roller coaster.
Valhalla @ Blackpool - longest indoor dark ride in the world.
The Ultimate @ Lightwater Valley - was the longest rollercoaster in the world.
Air @ Alton Towers - was the worlds first "flying" rollercoaster.
There's many more...
The carriages don't have a floor basically, it's just a row of seats and your feet are dangling directly above the track. They are made and I think patented by B&M who designed Nemesis, Oblivion and Air at Alton Towers.
That paramount park sounds very interesting. I hope it comes to pass, although I think there is a certain charm to the old seaside fairgrounds and hope it wouldn't put one of those out of business.
We don't have blazing sunshine all year round (and when we do it's a miracle), it's wet (so upkeep on the big rides would be a nightmare) and it's snows. You try being cheerful for 10 hours a day on minimum wage in the rain/ wind/ sleet day over day with people moaning about queues and see how long you last. Not long I bet.
We don't have any space to build huge theme parks like the US (as another poster said, no one wants to hear screaming people til 10pm at night, every night), hell, we don't have enough space to build houses!
I live in an area where there is a themepark and the traffic build up is a nightmare! (and on a clear night you can hear people and I live a fair way away!)
The UK is not like Florida that gets huge amounts of tourists from all over the world every year going for the nice weather, beaches, everglades and themeparks so it might be there isn't much money to be made here.
People only going the Disneyland Paris because its Disneyland. Went there and it was horrible....
Alton Towers are not allowed to build rides above the treeline. That somewhat does stiffle the creativity.
They had one at Flamingoland that was exactly the same.
I'm so sorry. Let me wipe that off you. What was that you were saying?
No Swarm is a winged coaster, something different altogether. A floorless is just a traditional steel coaster, but without a floor. So yes, the track would be underneath.
No, the Corkscrew was removed in 2008 to make way for Thirteen. It was quite painful to ride as I remember, and the loops would shake as you went over them.
Corkscrew gave me the worst toothache I've ever had.
I like the rides at Thorpe Park however the atmosphere of the park is awful and it's only worth going when you have a 2-for-1 voucher as the price is extortionate. It's also better to go when the weather isn't great so that the queues are shorter, otherwise you have to queue for hours and not get on all the rides or pay ridiculous prices for fast-passes.
Thorpe Park's rides are no comparison to the ones at the various parks in Florida though.
Can't they just plant a load of Redwoods and be done with it?
Saw in thorpe park is the best coaster i have ever been on
I got drenched on Valhalla. So much so that my contact lenses were washed away.
I was on The Big One at Blackpool when it had that crash. I was in the carriage that crashed into the one in front that gave everyone whiplash. My leg was black with bruising. Never went for the compo though.
The rides in America may be bigger but are nowhere near as innovative.