Good Parks that are Bad to Visit?

[Jarrett]

By this, I mean parks that are really fun once you're actually at the park, but are a huge pain in the neck if you have to stay in the area as a tourist.

The trip that brings up this question is my trip to Busch Gardens Tampa last fall. I hadn't been to that part of Florida before and was expecting something Orlando-like when we got there. Palm trees everywhere, lots of hotels and cool restaurants, the works.

The place was far from a dream vacation spot. The hotel was really nice but the vacation stopped there. After we checked in, my dad and Inwanted to walk down the street across from the park to see how it looked from the outside. There was trash everywhere, the crosswalk button was gone and every time you needed to cross you had to stick a twig or cigarette butt in the hole to activate the switch, there were clothes laying in the sidewalk, and some guy had tried to steal the neighborhood watch sign. We had to drive around to find a convenience store that looked safe, and a strip mall we visited in search of a toothbrush had a big flashing "SHOPLIFTING EQUALS ARREST" sign out front. I made the stupid mistake of walking down the street alone the next day to watch them test the rides and I'm not sure the guy behind me wasn't trying to follow me. And the Red Lobster next to our hotel where we ate on day 2 had a sign by the hostess's podium that said that breaking any rules on a list of laws (fighting, selling illegal substances) would get you thrown out. There was a cop car out front the whole time we were there.

While I would have preferred Cocoa Beach or Orlando, it wouldn't have been the same trip without the crazy tourist accommodations (or lack of). And it wasn't all bad. The iHop where we had breakfast was great, the park was phenomenal, and I got to eat at a place called Skipper's Smokehouse built from three-USB trailers laid end to end that served fresh crawfish and gator tail. And almost all the locals running the businesses we spoke with were very nice.

So are there any other parks like this that are really good parks but in bad areas to stay? Post the park and your experience, I'd love to hear about it!

 

[elephant58]

Some 'sides' of PBB are a little run-down and miserable. That's the only 'proper' one I can think of.

Oh and isn't WMSP right next door to a hospital, or something?

 

[Hyde]

I would say Silver Dollar City and Dollywood, in terms of their total isolation from the rest of civil life. Both are lovely destinations, but well off the beaten path.

 

[caffeine_demon]

Oakwood's a total arse to get to as well!

also worth considering cedar point!

 

[gavin]

Blackpool Pleasure Beach - Personally, I love Blackpool because it's such a vile dump, but it's really not a nice place at all.

Happy Valley and Knight Valley in Shenzhen - Both parks boast a world-class coaster (Bullet Coaster and Wood Coaster). Happy Valley is actually a decent park (ignoring the crappy operations), and Knight Valley is in a stunning location. Shenzhen is an absolute **** hole though.

 

[Jordanovichy]

I never really found Blackpool 'vile', it was ok but we went to lunch in the American Diner there, now that WAS vile. Vile vile vile. Dried ketchup up the walls and on the seats, tissues and chips scattered on the floor, greasy glasses, how we didn't get ill I shall never know. There was a view of Big Dipper from the window which was nice

I am expecting a LOT of abuse here but I liked Drayton Manor but it is a **** park to visit on a busy day. The operations are so slooooow so the queues are just awful. Walkways are crowded and there's no where to sit when you want some food. I really like the park, big lake, a couple of decent coasters, and I want to try maelstrom, looks awesome. I also like the Thomas the Tank Engine themed area.

 

[Jarrett]

I would say Silver Dollar City and Dollywood, in terms of their total isolation from the rest of civil life. Both are lovely destinations, but well off the beaten path.

I would like to give an honorable mention to Dollywood (just about included it in the initial post) but for a different reason. It's not only out in the middle of nowhere, but the tourist area around which it was built is a nightmare. The Pigeon Forge main street thing is not only hideous to look at, but it's a nightmare to navigate at certain times of day. It becomes a "slow bumper to bumper crawl" as my parents put it. At least there's plenty of other things to do there as well as hotels and cabins and the area's pretty safe if I'm correct.

There's a reason we stayed in a cabin on the outskirts of Gatlinburg when I went with a friend of mine this past summer.

 

[therick311]

^ Pretty much the same for SDC and Branson.

 

[theRock-steel]

I would have to say SF Great Adventure. While it is a great park, it seems somewhat separated from the other parks that would naturally fit in with that trip for me (Hershey, Dorney, and Knoebels). The hotels that are near Philadelphia or in NJ cost much more, that leaves me driving all the way to and from Reading, Pottstown, or Allentown. Twice now I have gotten there kind of late and gotten lost heading back.

 

[CoburnJason54]

My vote goes to Great Adventure. It is kind of near nothing and not the most friendly area either. Cedar Point isn't far behind. Once you are off the peninsula doesn't seem the best.

 

[BBH]

Silver Dollar City is absolutely fantastic but there is nothing else of note for miles, including in Branson. (Except the SkyCoaster and Go-Karts <<<<3)