Amusement Parks that leave you feeling dissappointed
- Thread starter bentcookie
- Start date
rtotheizzo17
Hyper Poster
I find good things in most parks, but there are a couple at the bottom of the list:
Carowinds: (I went about a week after Intimidator opened). Top Gun is an intense invert, but outside of that the park was a let down, and not a good first impression on Cedar Fair.
Six Flags America: I had 0 expectations for this park, and it still managed to disappoint me. Ride of Steel is tied with Intimidator for most boring Hyper I have been on.
Lake Compounce: I am sure this one will get me blacklisted on this site, but it was a rough trip. First off, they are the only park I remember that charges for parking when the lot is not paved. I went on a day after a storm and had to pay $8-10 bucks to park in a mud filled pit. The team members seemed particularly terrible even for a regional park. I had good fun on Boulder Dash, but it barely cracks my top 5 woods and had maintenance issues so I only got two rides on it. There is nothing else at the park that entertained me, not even the "Polish Festival of New England" that was going on.
Carowinds: (I went about a week after Intimidator opened). Top Gun is an intense invert, but outside of that the park was a let down, and not a good first impression on Cedar Fair.
Six Flags America: I had 0 expectations for this park, and it still managed to disappoint me. Ride of Steel is tied with Intimidator for most boring Hyper I have been on.
Lake Compounce: I am sure this one will get me blacklisted on this site, but it was a rough trip. First off, they are the only park I remember that charges for parking when the lot is not paved. I went on a day after a storm and had to pay $8-10 bucks to park in a mud filled pit. The team members seemed particularly terrible even for a regional park. I had good fun on Boulder Dash, but it barely cracks my top 5 woods and had maintenance issues so I only got two rides on it. There is nothing else at the park that entertained me, not even the "Polish Festival of New England" that was going on.
Carowinds for me. I know I've harped on about how much I dislike the place, so I won't go into it again here.
For the sake of this topic though, it was one of the parks that I was most looking forward to on the trip a couple of years ago, but I absolutely hated the place. I'm not talking slight disappointment here, but absolute loathing.
Kennywood was a big disappointment as well. I'd always viewed it as a kind of American Blackpool, and I really like Blackpool. I was looking forward to the classic woodies, but apart from one bit of airtime on Jackrabbit - a very good bit of airtime admittedly - they were really poor. Phantom's Revenge, a coaster I'd always wanted to ride, was over before it started, and the park itself was just a bit of a dump and full of total trailer trash.
For the sake of this topic though, it was one of the parks that I was most looking forward to on the trip a couple of years ago, but I absolutely hated the place. I'm not talking slight disappointment here, but absolute loathing.
Kennywood was a big disappointment as well. I'd always viewed it as a kind of American Blackpool, and I really like Blackpool. I was looking forward to the classic woodies, but apart from one bit of airtime on Jackrabbit - a very good bit of airtime admittedly - they were really poor. Phantom's Revenge, a coaster I'd always wanted to ride, was over before it started, and the park itself was just a bit of a dump and full of total trailer trash.
Nemesis of oblivion
Strata Poster
Disney World.
Never really did feel the magic
Never really did feel the magic
tomahawk
Strata Poster
SFMM
A few years ago when I went a few times a month, I was total fanboy, but going rarely now, I can see it for it is worth now. Absolutely garbage operations, horrible filler attractions, some of the worst guests anywhere, in terms of rudeness and classiness, and let's face it, single train operation all summer on the big ones only to have mult on the slowest days of the year is a joke. The park is poorly ran and needs a lot of flats to help improve it.
A few years ago when I went a few times a month, I was total fanboy, but going rarely now, I can see it for it is worth now. Absolutely garbage operations, horrible filler attractions, some of the worst guests anywhere, in terms of rudeness and classiness, and let's face it, single train operation all summer on the big ones only to have mult on the slowest days of the year is a joke. The park is poorly ran and needs a lot of flats to help improve it.
valleyfair!
Hyper Poster
California's Great America.
When I visited almost half the coasters were not open or down most of the day, and those that were open, operations were extraordinarily slow. It was still Paramount then though.
When I visited almost half the coasters were not open or down most of the day, and those that were open, operations were extraordinarily slow. It was still Paramount then though.
reddude333
Giga Poster
^ I agree about California's Great America. Even when the coasters are open you're basically looking at Top Gun (Flight Deck) and a decent ride with Invertigo. Scratch that, no more Invertigo so you've got...Vortex? and Demon? Not great. But I am really looking forward to their new coaster so I will be visiting sometime this season.
Another one has got to be Knott's. Their lineup is actually quite nice but the dirty feel of the park and the lack of energy makes me less excited to be there. Don't get me wrong, several great coasters but all in all, I was let down when I went recently.
Another one has got to be Knott's. Their lineup is actually quite nice but the dirty feel of the park and the lack of energy makes me less excited to be there. Don't get me wrong, several great coasters but all in all, I was let down when I went recently.
Mysterious Sue
Strata Poster
Without trying to be sickeningly sweet, I like to think there's always something good I can take away from a park visit, even if the park has been totally ****, I rarely consider it a wasted journey - like what else would I be doing, sitting in the office?!
In terms of disappointment, Rainbow Magicland has probably been my worst experience because I was expecting it to be pretty and it was just unconvincing and very ugly in real life. Still, it had Shock, so it wasn't all bad
In terms of disappointment, Rainbow Magicland has probably been my worst experience because I was expecting it to be pretty and it was just unconvincing and very ugly in real life. Still, it had Shock, so it wasn't all bad
^Rainbow Magicland was exactly as I expected it to be. I was hoping that Cagliostro would be more than just a cred in a shed, but that was just hope & not expectation. Other than Cagliostro I think it was pretty good for a brand new park with such heavy themeing. Not quite up there with Hard Rock Park, but much better off in the long term (and short term for that matter). 
Wildmouse695
Roller Poster
1. Knott's Berry Farm
2. Knott's Berry Farm
3. Knott's Berry Farm
2. Knott's Berry Farm
3. Knott's Berry Farm
Youngster Joey
Strata Poster
Edward M said:
Everest was 1,000 times better when the Yeti worked. Also Festival of the Lion King is a great show while Kali River Rapids is the best Rapids ride I've been on. Past that however I agree. Kilimanjaro safari is a total hit or miss though so I might add it to the good list.
Snowman
Roller Poster
Knott's. The day I went Xcelerator was closed, and their park is relatively lame without it. Silver Bullet was alright, and Ghost Rider is in my top 10 wooden coasters, but after getting on and off those two rides, there really wasn't much else to do. I did get to get on Pony Express in its opening season, not that it's ever going to be winning any awards other than most uncomfortable trains ever.
Youngster Joey
Strata Poster
Martyn B said:
I personally hate both so I didn't mention them, but I guess they are quality attractions.
JJLehto
Hyper Poster
Hmm Geauga Lake I guess.
It was fine, just really depressing and the coaster selection was, well lacking/none were great. Don't recall many rides being there overall.
Though it wasn't a big park, I imagined more of a place for locals so I can't say it was a disappointment really.
KD is a bit of a letdown. I like the place but for the number of coasters only I305 and Grizzly were great (what does THAT say!) a lot of ok and good rides but you'd hope for more, and the park had a bad feel to it. A six flags type feel : O That is a pretty big name park so yeah, disappointed!
I wanna say Great Adventure, but it's just beating a dead horse and I finally have just accepted I don't really care for the place so can't really be disappointed by a trip there :lol:
It was fine, just really depressing and the coaster selection was, well lacking/none were great. Don't recall many rides being there overall.
Though it wasn't a big park, I imagined more of a place for locals so I can't say it was a disappointment really.
KD is a bit of a letdown. I like the place but for the number of coasters only I305 and Grizzly were great (what does THAT say!) a lot of ok and good rides but you'd hope for more, and the park had a bad feel to it. A six flags type feel : O That is a pretty big name park so yeah, disappointed!
I wanna say Great Adventure, but it's just beating a dead horse and I finally have just accepted I don't really care for the place so can't really be disappointed by a trip there :lol:
KristofWB
Hyper Poster
Bobbejaanland! My first visit to this park was somewhere in 1989 and since than we visited this park once per two years. I remember I really liked it as a kid, I even rated it higher than Walibi Waver or even Efteling. My last visit was 1995 and after 7 years we went back to the park. I still knew the park as a nice, green and friendly park with good rides. When I arrived I noticed that most of the rides I did really love back in the 90's were all replaced with crappy thrillrides. The only good rides that were left were Indiana River and Revolution.
After 2004, when the park opened Typhoon, Sledge Hammer and OkiDoki, I thought it deserved a new chance and I went there with high hopes, but left dissappointed. Typhoon is very boring, Sledge Hammer is okay but the program is too short and OkiDoki was another kiddie-ride like 100's in a row.
Every park I go to, I can spend a whole day without getting bored. But for some reason, I always feel bored in Bobbejaanland after 3 hours there. After 3 hours it feels like you have done every thing interesting in this park and I never care about riding them a second time. But it seems I am not the only enthusiast in Belgium that feels the same way. "Bobbejaanland Syndrome" is often used by parkfans in Belgium when getting bored in a park.
Another park that left me feeling dissappointed was Six Flags Holland back in 2003. Back in those days Six Flags Holland was one of this parks where everyone had to go to. It was really hyped in enthusiast circles and the park promoted itself as "Rollercoaster Capital of Europe". It did sound amazing and in July 2003 I finally made it to Six Flags Holland. But damn...what a horrible park it was. I remember that the staff in the park was really in a bad mood, many defuncts on rides, the park was really dirty and many of the rides that were actually opened were just standard stuff, placed in a park with no positive general atmosphere. After it was transformed into Walibi Holland in 2005 I thought it would be better and we returned for Halloween. Left me as dissappointed as the first time I left it.
After 2004, when the park opened Typhoon, Sledge Hammer and OkiDoki, I thought it deserved a new chance and I went there with high hopes, but left dissappointed. Typhoon is very boring, Sledge Hammer is okay but the program is too short and OkiDoki was another kiddie-ride like 100's in a row.
Every park I go to, I can spend a whole day without getting bored. But for some reason, I always feel bored in Bobbejaanland after 3 hours there. After 3 hours it feels like you have done every thing interesting in this park and I never care about riding them a second time. But it seems I am not the only enthusiast in Belgium that feels the same way. "Bobbejaanland Syndrome" is often used by parkfans in Belgium when getting bored in a park.
Another park that left me feeling dissappointed was Six Flags Holland back in 2003. Back in those days Six Flags Holland was one of this parks where everyone had to go to. It was really hyped in enthusiast circles and the park promoted itself as "Rollercoaster Capital of Europe". It did sound amazing and in July 2003 I finally made it to Six Flags Holland. But damn...what a horrible park it was. I remember that the staff in the park was really in a bad mood, many defuncts on rides, the park was really dirty and many of the rides that were actually opened were just standard stuff, placed in a park with no positive general atmosphere. After it was transformed into Walibi Holland in 2005 I thought it would be better and we returned for Halloween. Left me as dissappointed as the first time I left it.
uncfan1116
Roller Poster
KD, only cuz dominator, volcano, and I305 are the only "good" rides there... I havent been to Carowinds so ill have to see about them this summer