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Can theming ever be *too* good?
- Thread starter Nic
- Start date
SaiyanHajime
CF Legend
...Well, what other examples are there?
Merlin do it rather often, but I cannot think if any other THEME parks that do. Many amusement parks do, but there the distinction between conventions of the medium and actual theming is so blurred its impossible to make judgements.
And, I'd argue Merlin do it better than Disney. Maybe because their reasons for doing it are inherently genuine? Cost, and an accumulated history of the conventions of British story telling? I think a lot of it is down to audience expectation, it is out if place at Disney. It wouldnt matter how well it was done.
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Merlin do it rather often, but I cannot think if any other THEME parks that do. Many amusement parks do, but there the distinction between conventions of the medium and actual theming is so blurred its impossible to make judgements.
And, I'd argue Merlin do it better than Disney. Maybe because their reasons for doing it are inherently genuine? Cost, and an accumulated history of the conventions of British story telling? I think a lot of it is down to audience expectation, it is out if place at Disney. It wouldnt matter how well it was done.
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nealbie
CF Legend
Joey said:
I disagree. It's not fair to state that people do not find theme parks an escape from the real world (I for one am one such person). It's their opinion, deal with it.
I understand there's a flip-side to the coin, but I find it really difficult to comprehend why people visit these places and choose to drag with them the problems of the real world.
I love the (supposedly impossible) "escape" that theme parks (can) provide - especially Disney. Nothing else matters to me when I'm out enjoying myself at a decent theme park. I'm living in a fake world, and there's rides, and junk food, and an invented atmosphere and entertainment. Who cares if you've got to go back to work tomorrow and live in the real world - for the few hours that you're there, you're free.
Why would you want to put a downer on your day by taking the outside in with you? I see little point, but I realise and understand that some are just incapable and I pity them.
^I think you've missed Joey's point, probably quite purposefully.
It's not at all about dragging your **** ty life into a theme park. It's the idea that you can't "suspend disbelief", as in completely believing in the fake environment that's been created for you.
You've actually completely agreed with the point Joey was making of "enjoying the fakery" when you said, "I'm living in a fake world, and there's rides, and junk food, and an invented atmosphere and entertainment."
It's not at all about dragging your **** ty life into a theme park. It's the idea that you can't "suspend disbelief", as in completely believing in the fake environment that's been created for you.
You've actually completely agreed with the point Joey was making of "enjoying the fakery" when you said, "I'm living in a fake world, and there's rides, and junk food, and an invented atmosphere and entertainment."
^Nowhere did he suggest that people shouldn't enjoy themselves and spend their time worrying about work the next day.
Not "suspending disbelief" fully, which is incredibly difficult unless you're a toddler or mentally defective anyway, doesn't equate being miserable and having a s**t time.
Not "suspending disbelief" fully, which is incredibly difficult unless you're a toddler or mentally defective anyway, doesn't equate being miserable and having a s**t time.
nealbie
CF Legend
gavin said:
Didn't say people don't enjoy themselves. Just that I don't understand how they can. Clearly those who don't see it as an escape still enjoy themselves, it would be silly to suggest otherwise.
All I've said is that it IS possible, and something that I do. So it's incorrect to denounce any notion as "rubbish" and wrong because they are incapable of experiencing it themselves. People are different and have opposing views, simples. But I think you missed the point, probably quite purposefully.
^"Putting a downer on your day" certainly suggests not enjoying yourself, which nobody suggested is the case.
Neil, I flat out refuse to be drawn any further into one of your passive-aggressive, bull **** arguments. Your post, especially the last sentence, was nothing short of a bitchy attack and you know it. Putting a smiley face on the end of the sentence doesn't negate that.
Feel free to claim ignorance and innocence. After all you didn't name any names, did you? I won't be responding any more.
Neil, I flat out refuse to be drawn any further into one of your passive-aggressive, bull **** arguments. Your post, especially the last sentence, was nothing short of a bitchy attack and you know it. Putting a smiley face on the end of the sentence doesn't negate that.
Feel free to claim ignorance and innocence. After all you didn't name any names, did you? I won't be responding any more.
nealbie
CF Legend
gavin said:
From how I perceive visiting a theme park - as an escape - not feeling it is a complete escape and suspension of disbelief would be a downer on my day, yes. But at the same time, I did point out there's always at least two sides to an opinion. If you feel further need to attack me, please inbox me. Ta xx.
Mark
Strata Poster
Hmmm, great topic.
I think ultimately, it doesn't matter how good theming is, you are always going to know that it is 'fake' as you are in a theme park, that is what they do after all - that is pretty much 100% unavoidable. If anything, the better the theming, the more I appreciate just hard they have work to create such a visually stunning set which then creates a great atmosphere. So to that end, I agree with Gavin, I don't think theming can ever be too good.
I think ultimately, it doesn't matter how good theming is, you are always going to know that it is 'fake' as you are in a theme park, that is what they do after all - that is pretty much 100% unavoidable. If anything, the better the theming, the more I appreciate just hard they have work to create such a visually stunning set which then creates a great atmosphere. So to that end, I agree with Gavin, I don't think theming can ever be too good.
Mysterious Sue
Strata Poster
I was going to start a new topic about the realism of theming, but I guess my thoughts fit in well here. On going to PA last month, the seer brilliance and attention to detail of the park's theming shocked me. It is superb and took my breath away, and I just had to share my thoughts. Below are some comparisons of PA theming (the uppermost photo in each case) with real-life buildings in Beijing (the second).
Old Chinese buildings are not left to decay like those in Europe - where the past is always preserved and cannot be touched - instead, in China they are repainted and kept 'as-new' and are startlingly bright and colorful. This lends itself well to theme park design.
I understand that some people prefer magical/fairytale environments - I do as well to be honest. But most people who visit PA probably haven't been to China and so I would say at the very least it's exotic and exciting in its own way. It certainly took me out of the Spanish town I was in and transported me back to China (with a much lower airfare!). Obviously it wouldn't work in a Chinese theme park, just as European theming doesn't work over here.
I spent so long last year panning Rainbow Magic Land's false plastic theming that I need to make amends now and really congratulate PA for a fantastic job (IMO anyway)
First up, the colouring used and the use of painted scenes is spot on
Roof tiles
Water buckets as part of the defence against fire
Metal dragon statues
Rock lion statues
The shape of buildings
Stone railings
They even recreated the space and feel of some of Bejing's most famous sites
Chinese photos taken at the Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven, Beijing and the Ming tombs near Badaling
Old Chinese buildings are not left to decay like those in Europe - where the past is always preserved and cannot be touched - instead, in China they are repainted and kept 'as-new' and are startlingly bright and colorful. This lends itself well to theme park design.
I understand that some people prefer magical/fairytale environments - I do as well to be honest. But most people who visit PA probably haven't been to China and so I would say at the very least it's exotic and exciting in its own way. It certainly took me out of the Spanish town I was in and transported me back to China (with a much lower airfare!). Obviously it wouldn't work in a Chinese theme park, just as European theming doesn't work over here.
I spent so long last year panning Rainbow Magic Land's false plastic theming that I need to make amends now and really congratulate PA for a fantastic job (IMO anyway)
First up, the colouring used and the use of painted scenes is spot on
Roof tiles
Water buckets as part of the defence against fire
Metal dragon statues
Rock lion statues
The shape of buildings
Stone railings
They even recreated the space and feel of some of Bejing's most famous sites
Chinese photos taken at the Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven, Beijing and the Ming tombs near Badaling
Lofty
CF Legend
There's a reason to which China was THAT themed. From what Oriol told me when we were there. The Chinese Government actually had a large part in the design and it was actually down to them wether or not the area could actually hold the "China" name. He can give a better explanation, I've TOTALLY dumbed it down.
I'm quite torn on this one. Instinctively I'd reply "no of course theming can't be too good", but thinking about it, there's probably a saturation point beyond which theming takes the effect away from the area rather than adding to it. I think this is different however than the claim that PA has too much theming and therefore is "boring". PA has some of the most beautiful settings as shown below (photo taken by myself). I don't believe you need extensive, fantasy-style theming to really wow the customer.
As for the point of theme parks not being an escape, in my opinion it is totally down to the individual in question. Joey raises a valid point that one may be pretending to believe, but if one lets oneself be fully immersed in the theme, there is nothing to say that they don't believe in that world that they are seeing at the time. The same can be said for films and books. When watching Harry Potter films, for example, I would not be surprised if viewers said that they were so involved in the film, that they totally forgot the real world outside the cinema. This correlates directly to theme parks and I would not dispute someone claiming to be "escaping" the real world in a theme park.
As for the point of theme parks not being an escape, in my opinion it is totally down to the individual in question. Joey raises a valid point that one may be pretending to believe, but if one lets oneself be fully immersed in the theme, there is nothing to say that they don't believe in that world that they are seeing at the time. The same can be said for films and books. When watching Harry Potter films, for example, I would not be surprised if viewers said that they were so involved in the film, that they totally forgot the real world outside the cinema. This correlates directly to theme parks and I would not dispute someone claiming to be "escaping" the real world in a theme park.
Mysterious Sue
Strata Poster
Lofty said:
Wow, I do hope that's true!! It would explain the attention to detail. I picked the China area as an example because I thought it was exceptionally good, but it wasn't the only area of the park that I felt was well themed. Here's another example -When I was in San Antonio, Texas a couple of years ago I stayed in a hostel that was a traditional 'mansion house' (think wooden boarded outside, Scobby Doo style) with old period furniture throughout (it was fab!). When I walked into the hotel on the PA live, it reminded me completely of how the old Texan place looked. Wicker and wire framed furniture. Homemade looking quilting. Everything was spot on!
Texan period furnishing
PA hotel
Alright, these photos are mainly of beds, but you get the idea...
elephant58
Hyper Poster
It can if it's very realistic tackiness.
Jason Voorhees
Hyper Poster
Worst Themeing: BonBon Land. All it does is entertain little 5-8 year old boys with dog farts and replacing a cow's utters with breasts and animals' racing in a grand prix. Really lame and pathetic. Rainbow MagicLand's is pretty tacky so it is not to far behind it.
Best Themeing: Tie Between PortAventura and Parc Asterix. PortAventura's themeing is like Worlds Of Fun's themeing just 100 times better. PortAventura also includes more countries than Worlds Of Fun I beleive. Parc Asterix has Greek God themeing, and they do it very well.I ebt you acctually FEEL like you are a Greek God.
Never been to any of these parks, but I have seen videos and reviews and I can kind of see why.
Best Themeing: Tie Between PortAventura and Parc Asterix. PortAventura's themeing is like Worlds Of Fun's themeing just 100 times better. PortAventura also includes more countries than Worlds Of Fun I beleive. Parc Asterix has Greek God themeing, and they do it very well.I ebt you acctually FEEL like you are a Greek God.
Never been to any of these parks, but I have seen videos and reviews and I can kind of see why.
nadroJ
CF Legend
Omg <3Jason Voorhees said:
Anyway, at least BonBonLand is really thoroughly, extensively, and from what I can tell quite high quality theming! The ideas are consistent throughout and always executed well, even if the theme is vile toilet humour. Also, weren't you the one laughing about the number 69 in the what makes you LOL topic? Bit hypocritical aren't you ;]
Jason Voorhees
Hyper Poster
nadroJ said:
I was laughing because he said he was mature and he didn't even mean it as sarcasm.