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Overrated parks

There's worse in the world - a couple of B&Ms and then a big pile of 'meh' seems to be fairly standard Merlin practice at the moment.
Alas, I've not been to Gardaland since 2009 and yeah, it was pretty woeful then, especially by comparison to Mirabilandia which we'd done the day before.
 
Theme Park Information said:
Alton Towers is over hyped. The rollercoasters lineup is not as good as people think it is. Still good, but not great.
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To be honest, the only people who hype it are the sort of people who only visit like 3 UK parks a year and nothing more. Outside of that bubble of fanboys, the park isn't really seen as a top-tier park anymore, it's sort of recognised as a park that has lost it's way... thanks to management decisions of course ;) I also agree, the line-up (while clearly not THAT bad) isn't as consistent as a lot of similar sized European parks any more. I think the coasters have gone from taking big creative risks to 'that'll do'. In defense of Towers though, a brilliant theme park should have more to offer than just world-class coasters, so I wouldn't just say it's overhyped because of the coasters.
 
The coaster line-up is 'adequate' but as a park experience, I've always had a great time at Gardaland. The weather's always nice, there are some lovely green areas, the restaurants are really kookie, the western area is well themed, there's a fab long dark ride and a stupid low budget mad house, you're next to the gorgeous Lake Garda and the park opens late with a nighttime outdoor disco.

I've been to far worse parks tbh. If the only bad things about it are the SLC and the lack of a decent view of OTBH then it can't be that bad.
 
Cedar Point. Not that it's bad. It's overrated. Especially when it's placed again SFMM. Sorry, but TC, FT, S:EFK, Riddler, Apocalypse, Goliath, Ninja, and X-effing-2...come on. If you think CP has anything that challenges X2 you haven't ridden X2. (That coaster is pure terror).
 
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True, but even with SV in the lineup, I don't think that overall CP's lineup beats SFMM's, or it's at least not the landslide it's assumed to be.

SV is probably going to be one of the best coasters ever built, I defo don't dispute that. I don't think anything can match the sheer terror factor of X2 (.....we are highhhh up lol), but it'll probably be more fun.
 
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Alton Towers for me. I like the park's setting and atmosphere, but personally I only rate two of their coasters above average; Nemesis and The Smiler. Elsewhere the park has suffered from operational cutbacks and a reduction in flat rides, so doesn't really offer a fully-rounded experience anymore.

Hex is fantastic though.
 
MestnyiGeroi said:
The park began as a swimming hole in the 1800s. The earliest incarnation of the pool dates to 1925.

Ah, what you think needs modernizing ...

Your reaction to Knoebels in general reminds me of that scene from the movie The Jerk:

Waiter: Would monsieur care for another bottle of Chateau Latour?
Nathan: Ah yes, but no more 1966. Let’s splurge! Bring us some fresh wine!
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Yeah but you can have a vintage park that doesn't feel like a dump.
 
For me...Liseberg.

I don't think overrated is necessarily the right or fairest word, but people seem to rave about it like it's one of the best parks in Europe, when it...just isn't?

Don't get me wrong, Helix, Balder and Lisbergbanan are excellent coasters, and Valkyria will no doubt compliment that line up very well. And they've got some solid other attractions too. But the park just didn't really do it for me; it was just lacking the extra oompf. I think it's because I'm less of a fan of the whole amusement park style, which is why I don't like calling it overrated - it's more just 'not my sort of park'.

Even though I loved Helix and really want to go back for that alone, I'm literally holding off a return trip to Sweden until Grona Land get their B&M, and I'll just tack Liseberg on there. Which kind of sucks, but that's how indifferent I am to the park.
 
JoshC. said:
For me...Liseberg.

I don't think overrated is necessarily the right or fairest word, but people seem to rave about it like it's one of the best parks in Europe, when it...just isn't?

Don't get me wrong, Helix, Balder and Lisbergbanan are excellent coasters, and Valkyria will no doubt compliment that line up very well. And they've got some solid other attractions too. But the park just didn't really do it for me; it was just lacking the extra oompf. I think it's because I'm less of a fan of the whole amusement park style, which is why I don't like calling it overrated - it's more just 'not my sort of park'.

Even though I loved Helix and really want to go back for that alone, I'm literally holding off a return trip to Sweden until Grona Land get their B&M, and I'll just tack Liseberg on there. Which kind of sucks, but that's how indifferent I am to the park.
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One of my favourite parks in all honesty, cracking ride line up, great atmosphere, good opening times, great scenery and pleasant gardens (albeit no substantial themeing), amazing ride interaction, use of existing traditional architecture and an awesome location on a hill. Granted i was there on a gorgeous summers day until 11pm but that visit was enough to grant it at least top 10 in my European parks!
 
Chris Brown said:
One of my favourite parks in all honesty, cracking ride line up, great atmosphere, good opening times, great scenery and pleasant gardens (albeit no substantial themeing), amazing ride interaction, use of existing traditional architecture and an awesome location on a hill. Granted i was there on a gorgeous summers day until 11pm but that visit was enough to grant it at least top 10 in my European parks!
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Yeah me too.. I loved the place, such a great atmosphere and so beautifully cared for.
 
^And me. Love Liseberg!
Phantasialand though, that's a park that I would call over-rated. I mean, yes it's a great park, I've got it down in my top 10 list of parks, but honestly, if it wasn't for Taron the place wouldn't get a look in.
Overall the place just didn't quite have the wow factor I was expecting.
 
^ You're wrong, but everyone expects that from you now.

If there was an Ewok land you'd love it, which shows your credibility ;)
 
I wouldn't call Phantasialand overrated, because it is an excellent park, i'd call it over-hyped.
@Howie I think if we had been on that original trip that most people did then we might have both loved it just as much as everyone else did. The problem was we spent a year listening to the majority of CFer's go on about how it was THE BEST PARK EVER OMG! And it just didn't quite live up to that.
 
I think it's only CF that overhype Phantasialand - and don't get me wrong, it is a really good park.
It's just that the theming is SO good that everything except Mamba looks better than it actually is!
 
Phantasialand has been my no. 1 park since my first visit back in (pre-Taron) 2011. The atmosphere created by having a small space surrounded by themeing is unbeatable. Plus the best of its kind of virtually every ride type (my favourite drop tower, rapids, log flume, shooter, spinner, and mine train). Plus one world-class ride each from B&M and Intamin. Sorry, but I don't think it's overrated or overhyped.
 
DelPiero said:
^ You're wrong, but everyone expects that from you now.

If there was an Ewok land you'd love it, which shows your credibility ;)
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Yeah.. y'see, this isn't like the Ewok thing though is it, cos I'm not the only person in the universe that has this opinion about Phantasialand.
S'like Rachel said, we had to listen to you lot banging on about it for 12 months first.
Over hyped, man. Over hyped.
 
Howie said:
Yeah.. y'see, this isn't like the Ewok thing though is it, cos I'm not the only person in the universe that has this opinion about Phantasialand.
S'like Rachel said, we had to listen to you lot banging on about it for 12 months first.
Over hyped, man. Over hyped.
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Should've gone 12 months earlier dude. Was better then.
































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