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The Best Theme/Amusement Park In The UK?

B

Benson1997

Roller Poster

So, what do you guys think are the bet theme parks in the UK? Im not just talking about the rides, I'm talking about the atmosphere, use of scenery,etc.
Well i have a seriously low coaster count which means i haven't been to many parks but ill do my best.

Ride Experiences: Thorpe Park: I love the rides at Thorpe, they just fit. I love every single one, and the addition of The Swarm has made me even more convinced.

Atmosphere: Chessington: Although Chessie may have some tame rides, the feel of the place more than makes up for it.

Now its your turn...

(i did look for a thread like this but didn't have any luck, so don't hate if there already is one..)

 
On paper: Thorpe

IRL: Alton

I blame Thorpe's dreadful management and security making it feel like a badly maintained prisoner camp. At least the rides are fab eh? ^_^
 
I used to think Alton after all it has my favourite ride, but it only has 2 rides I actually like. Problem for me is I remember Alton when it was good and they looked after the place. It just looks so old and dated now, it lost its magic around the time of Air. They keep putting in quick fix rides etc.

I'm now going with Thorpe, I can easily spend a day there ride some really good coaster it also has the best flat rides in the uk.
 
I remember, not long after I joined CF all those years (about 9 actually) ago I posted a topic about whether we would ever see Thorpe Park overtake Alton as the UKs No.1 park. At the time I was jumped upon and shouted down for suggesting something so ridiculous. However, in the last few years it does seem that Thorpe are getting the better attractions. I am not saying they are perfect attractions, far from it. But when you look at it in comparison, Thorpe have certainly got the better deal in terms of new attractions.

Like Marc has already said, the 'magic' that Alton had seems to have faded, or at least for us ever picky 'enthusiasts' it has. Do non-enthusiasts still get that magic feeling when visiting Alton?
If I were to choose between the two parks for a visit I would now choose Thorpe. There was once a time that Alton was actually worth doubling our journey time to visit, but in recent years, at the very least the last 5, there is nothing new that entices me to go back. Unfortunately, Nemesis, as great as it is, just doesn't justify it anymore. We are going soon, but only because we haven't been in the last couple of years and want to make use of our passes. If we were paying to get in, I wouldn't bother.
 
There is still something wrong with Thorpe in my opinion. I can't put my finger quite on it. As others have said, on paper it looks great, but it lacks an atmosphere. Or rather, a nice atmosphere.

It's not theming related. Thorpe has a high standard of theming. Yes, its ride based as opposed to area based and the park lacks continuity, but Alton's no different.

I think alton's quality has declined as quickly as Thorpe has.risen. And we can no longer excuse them for planning restriction problems. The creative ways around those problems have ceased. Whether or not that's purely a lack of ingenuity or hindered by budgets I'm not sure.

Thorpe's rides have never been clever, but they have always been different to the rest if the UK. On a global level, Thorpe isn't very interesting, but nationwide its incredible.

Swarm has been the nail in Alton's coffin.

Sent from my HTC Wildfire S A510e using Tapatalk
 
Ride line up wise, I think Thorpe, five or six years ago I would have said Alton, but IMO they havnt had a large installation since Air in 2002, Thorpe has five since then, all of which I like (assuming I`ll like Swarm)

Atmosphere wise, I`m taking a stab a Pleasure Beach Blackpool, I don`t know what it is, perhaps its the history behind the place, but there just seems to be something different in the Blackpool air, everybody always seems to be really happy to be there. perhaps it`s just me being nostalgic.
 
Alton, without a doubt. Nothing even comes close. Even though Merlin are being arse wipes with the place, its still amazing.

Anyone who thinks otherwise is wrong.
 
I've always thought it comes down to your own preference. Do you want rides or a park experience?

I don't go to a park for the rides primarily, I go for the day out and if I grab some coasters and rides too, then it's a bonus ;)

Seriously, I'm not one for re-rides and I like to spend a lot of time just moping about and chilling. So a park has to offer that other side.

Thorpe just doesn't. I thinks it's got some fine rides and it's not an unattractive park, it's just dull. If the park is empty, then after about two hours I'm done. I've been on all the rides and there's nowhere I just want to "hang about". I also find something in the atmosphere that's a little oppressive and I think it has to be the clientèle.

Chessington I find really dull ride-wise, but I always have a great day there - it's almost the inverse of Thorpe for me. Drayton, Flamingoland, et al I find I can enjoy a day there, but it's never outstanding - just "yes, that was good".

Alton though I just love the time I spend there and when I do want to ride, there are some rides I adore (obviously Nemesis and Oblivion, but I also love Hex and the Rapids). I like that you're constantly on the move and roaming from one area to another and it's completely different. You never find yourself in the same place twice. Alton was buzzing yesterday too. It's quite an uplifting atmosphere from the crowds you just don't get at Thorpe. It helps they have the characters going around creating a buzz, but at the end of the day, with everyone tired and waiting a long time for the monorail, is still smiling and generally pretty happy. You see people enjoying themselves and it's catching. I know what people mean about Alton losing it's magic, but there is still something uniquely uplifting about the park.

On the subject of losing it's magic, I think the main reason is simply because they continue to rely on the past foundations, but never improving or creating anything quite so good themselves (Merlin that is).

I love the walk from just before the Rapids/Katanga Canyon to Gloomy wood. It's such a well designed and presented area of theme park, it's brilliant. Hex uses the Towers excellently, and the Towers themselves are such a superb centre-piece. Forbidden Valley is still stark and imposing, but... All these places aren't the same as they used to be. Merlin have "sanitised" the areas in a corporate manner. They're still good underneath, but they're just not the same. New additions (like Dark Forest) are "adequate", but they're just not quite right. The effort is the least they could get away with, it just doesn't show flair or shine as it used to. It's all relying on the good old framework, but deprecating it over time rather than enhancing it.
 
Martyn B said:
Alton, without a doubt. Nothing even comes close. Even though Merlin are being arse wipes with the place, its still amazing.

Anyone who thinks otherwise is wrong.
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Not sure why people are wrong for not saying Alton is the best. I know some people that hate the park.

It was amazing 10 years ago and as furie says they just seem to rely on the past. I used to love the place, I still love the section furie said i.e walk in the park and turn left.

But the rest is just dated now. One ride in xsector and the other area is just crap. I actually like Rita but its a long walk for 1 ride.
 
I would say Thorpe for me, Alton just seems to be dull. I only really go to Alton for RITA.
The first time you go to Alton, you are wowed by the rides and how big the place is, but after you first few vistit's the size of the place gets annoying.
Where as Thorpe....
You pull into the car park and their stands Stealth. Straight away you are shocked by the parks fantastic skyline. As you enter the park just gets better and better. The park feels fun, with great music, O.k theming and fantasic rides.
 
Martyn B said:
Anyone who thinks otherwise is wrong.
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In YOUR opinion they are wrong. That is why they call them opinions, it doesn't mean they are wrong at all.
 
I think Alton is a better experience, it's more spaced out with rides for everyone. Thorpe has some brilliant rides but I don't think the overall experience is as good.
Chessington is ok but it's rides do not compete with Alton's and Thorpe's.
Flamingo Land has some brilliant rides as well like Velocity but the park is not that big.
 
Add today onto last week and I think it's more than fair to say Thorpe's surpassed Alton Towers now as best park.

It may not be charming and quintessentially British, but there's certainly a brilliant atmosphere around the place <3
 
I've been to Thorpe, Chessington, Alton, Blackpool, and Southend, and I'd probably rank them like this:

1) Alton- Had an amazing atmosphere and was definitely different to any park I've ever seen. I've never been in a theme park where you can completely not even realize you're in one, which I thought was a pretty cool experience walking through the gardens. Oblivion and Nemesis were great, and the rest of the rides were okay, but it was the atmosphere that made it work for me.

2) Blackpool- Loved the tacky atmosphere. There was a lot to do and aside from the crappy weather we had and not feeling well for half the day, I had a really good time there. The creds were fun and there were a lot of other funky things you don't see at other standard parks.

3) Chessington- Okay, so the creds aren't anything spectacular, but when I went there with Brad I had a really fun day out, as with Ghosterforce, but the former made me realize even more that you don't have to be with a huge group in a park full of creds to have a nice day. Chessington has a great atmosphere and a lot of fun things to do, and is a perfect family park.

4) Southend- Once again, I think it might be the appeal that seaside parks have because we don't have any over here. I thought it was great and I wish I got to spend a bit more time there. They have a lot of cool things to do and some interesting flats, and overall I had a pretty good time.

5) Thorpe- Don't get me wrong, I liked the park, it just reminded me a bit too much of what I see over here in North America, so I wasn't overly thrilled by it. They have a good selection of creds, all of which weren't as bad as people say, and though I only went one time, I had fun.

I liked all the parks in the UK :)
 
Mysterious Sue said:
LiveForTheLaunch said:
I liked all the parks in the UK :)
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You've obviously never made it to Camelot!
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'tis a silly place!

And :lol: at Taylor ranking Adventure Island above Thorpe. Hurray for good sense ;)
 
I'm tied between Alton Towers and Pleasure Beach at the moment, it's like comparing a film epic to a great comedy with replay value. As much as the magic wears off on every visit to Alton Towers, it's still a really special place to me. It was the park that made me an enthusiast, that brought me into new horizons with every experience I devoured, whether it was the fascinated theme/back-story with Nemesis, the flying sensation with AIR that made a rollercoaster a little bit more than a rollercoaster, or the sheer size and severity of Oblivions drop, that place is reeking with wonderful memories.

However, Pleasure Beach is the escape for fun! I don't think there's a single park in the UK that can contend with the amount of fun you can have here, also, woodies are a rare treat for us Brits, and the park has two great wooden coasters (three if you count Wild Mouse, not counting Big Dipper because it's NOT great). The park is rammed with stuff to do, all the rides are generally enjoyable and exciting, and it has a lengthy history all in the package.

Overall I'd probably say Alton Towers, but I do enjoy visiting Pleasure Beach more.
 
^^ It's not that I didn't like them all, but Thorpe was the only one that really mirrored an American park to me, so it wasn't anything special. I had never been to a seaside park like Southend or Blackpool, so I was able to properly appreciate them for their tackiness and lack of any coherent theming etc. I prefer parks where I can have a laugh on stupid attractions like that crooked house or the whip thingy, compared to parks which are just a massive concrete slab with a few coasters.
 
I know I will probally be called crazy but my favourite go to be Thorpe Park. I think of the park as a bit of a block buster film set. Their are so many rides going on doing different things if your a first time visitor it can leave stunned. I have been going for nearly 8 years and still love that effect. If I want a break from thrill I will go to the number of chairs by Rush and Saw Alive. I admit the number of chavs there can get annoying but apart from that I always enjoy my day at Thorpe.
 
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