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What is your attitude to revisiting parks you've been to before?

Matt N

Matt N

CF Legend
Hi guys. Over my years as a theme park enthusiast, I've noticed that attitudes to revisiting parks vary. Some enthusiasts love revisiting parks and have a park or series of parks that they are loyal customers of, routinely visiting at least once every year if not multiple times, no matter how things are additions-wise. Others, however, seem to view a park as "done" when they've visited it once and don't revisit unless there's been a significant new addition that draws their interest. With this in mind, I'd be keen to know; what is your attitude to revisiting parks you've been to before? Are you a keen revisiter, with one or more parks being parks that you frequently revisit? Or do you generally avoid revisiting parks you've been to before?

Personally, I must admit that while I try to get out to new parks and coasters, I am quite a keen revisiter. I'm a creature of habit, and Alton Towers and Thorpe Park are parks that I know I will go to at least once during a typical year regardless of what's going on investment-wise. I wouldn't say that I'd necessarily be averse to revisiting any park. With that being said, I must admit that there are some parks that I probably wouldn't make a special effort to go back to unless they built something major.

But what is your attitude to revisiting parks?
 
I love to plan trips to new parks, but I have absolutely no problem revisiting an old one. I live in North Carolina and have done a good majority of the parks on the east coast. It just isn't feasible to only go to new parks. Plus, I'm within 4 hours of Fury, Twisted Timbers, Thunderhead, and Pantheon, so why wouldn't I want to go back and reride some of those?
 
There's not much like the excitement you get from visiting a new park and riding its unique coasters for the first time. Between the anticipation and nerves, the high of actually being there and riding is really special to me and I'd presume to other coaster enthusiasts. I still have trouble sleeping the night before visiting a new park the next day... hell I'm that way about getting on a new coaster for the first time.

I also don't mind revisiting parks either but the excitement is only really there if it is the first visit to any amusement/theme park of the year. Probably the biggest thing for me to revisit a park is that the park needs to have at least three to four really solid roller coasters in my opinion.
 
I love revisiting familiar parks. At the end of the day I'm quite a risk averse person, and if I know I can visit a surefire hit of a park then I will do so. Saying this, I do like to mix in new parks here and there.
 
Trouble is, the more parks you go to, the less parks there are left that you haven't been to. I mean, I know that's kind of obvious, but it's true. As you get more and more into this hobby, new-to-you parks inevitably become further away and farther apart, leaving you with 3 options:
1. Travel further. Often the more expensive, more burdenous option.
2. Travel the same distances, but fill in the gaps with lesser parks and creds that you previously wouldn't have bothered with, ie become a worm seeking cred whore.
3. Start revisiting parks that you've already been to.

When I was a newbie, I was a one and done kinda guy and was only really interested in visiting the proper, 'destination' type places - the Disney's, the Universal's, the PA's and the EP's of this world. Do 'em once, do 'em properly and move on.
Now look at me, I'm now on my 2nd, 3rd or even 4th visit to most of the major European parks, but also have tin-pot places like Furuvik, Skara Sommarland and Fraispertuis City under my belt. Who woulda thunk it?
I guess what I'm trying to say is, this is a question the answer to which will probably evolve over time for most people, simply due to the fact of 'running out of options'.
 
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The more parks you go to, the less incentive there is to go back to the ‘average ones’.

For example, Alton Towers and Thorpe have a pretty uninspiring selection of rides by global standards and generally poor presentation - I wouldn’t go back to them outside of fireworks (AT’s fireworks are really good!) / meeting friends / new headliners. This is partly informed by being ~2+ hours away from both. I’d much rather go somewhere new like, say, Parc Asterix.

I generally prioritise new parks with coasters that are likely to make rankings, which just feels like a better use of my time. However, I’m very keen to revisit good parks: I look forward to Europa and Phantasialand later this year… with my eyes fixed on Ohio for the future!
 
Visiting new parks is always the most exciting experience, but it can also be quite stressful if the park is busy and there's a lot of rides you want to get on. As @Howie says, it also becomes more difficult to get to new parks the longer you've been in the hobby for, especially if you're in the UK where a visit to a good new park is likely to involve air travel. I think my preference would always be to visit new parks but that costs both time and money, so there's only so many you can do each year.

Revisiting parks is less exciting but you have the reassurance of knowing the layout and not being worried about riding everything each time you visit, so revisiting parks is a far more relaxed experience. The flip side of that is that parks you visit a lot tend to seem a bit boring and you can become more critical of them when you have a bad day there as you know what a good day feels like. Yes, I'm talking about Alton Towers here, and Thorpe to a lesser extent! 😬

This year I've been able to revisit some of the European parks that I first went to in 2016/17, such as Phantasialand and Walibi Belgium, and they probably offer the best of both worlds. There's enough stuff I hadn't seen the first time around to make it exciting to visit, but I'm familiar enough with the layout and don't mind missing a few of the lesser rides so it doesn't get stressful (except if you haven't ridden Taron all day and then it breaks down in the evening :D)

So in summary, it varies!
 
Honestly, It depends on the park. The first time is when I'm truly excited, the second time doesn't feel as great as the first time. Every year, I'll always return to Waldameer- no matter what. I don't mind revisiting parks, but I prefer visiting new parks.
 
Generally speaking it's also newer parks for me that take priority. Considering there is still so many places I haven't been, although I like to get at least one annual visit to Alton Towers and Blackpool.

A big exception to the rule is Europa Park which I'll be visiting for the second time in a row this October after my May visit last year. I think this is the 4th or 5th time now, I just can't resist the opportunity to go back and I can't see that changing with introduction of Voltron next year.
 
I did a lot of revisits as a teenager but now I mostly try to focus on new parks, unless there are new significant coasters built.

I've still got a fair few left to do in the UK but am also starting to focus more on going to ones abroad. I finally have the money to actually do so!
 
There’s definitely parks I want to revisit, but going to new parks and places is the priority, and nowadays I rarely visit and parks near me unless I get in for free
 
I like visiting theme parks a second time, usually as long as it's a decent one. You wouldn't catch me going back to a complete **** hole and being happy about it! For big parks I find that sometimes I can be overwhelmed and feel rushed on my first visit, especially if it's a day trip, therefore not enjoying it or feeling like I'm getting the most out of the experience. The second time I can just work through at my own pace and sometimes discover the lesser known nooks and crannies of the park.
 
Did you have fun the first time?

Then go!

If it was complete garbage or just a cred run, I'm good. But if I loved it, go back. I've been to most major parks in America a number of times, with a few a few dozen times (just went to Kings Island, Kentucky Kingdom, and Holiday World last weekend for the probably 10+ times each). I didn't hate it, so I went back! :)
 
As long as the park has a ride that I thoroughly enjoy, I'm more than happy to revisit if given the opportunity. However, if it's a choice between a new park and a park that I know I like, I'll choose the new park. That doesn't mean I don't like revisits, I'd just rather go someplace new. I am very excited for a trip I'm taking at the end of the month, consisting entirely of 4 parks that I've been to before. It helps a lot when those parks are super pretty and have some of the best rides in the country.
 
I prefer to invest the money it costs to revisit to visiting new parks instead, as I know I'll probably visit these other parks just once in my life.

This being said, I have a blast every time I revisit parks. I usually revisit my home parks (Tibidabo and PortAventura) at least once a year, although my attitude when doing this is more of a "let's use this discount to go to the park, it's been a while and this way we do something different this weekend" instead of excitement to go to the park itself. A good example is PA, the new coaster is opening this weekend and my first thought was "we'll visit when the hype is gone, there's no rush".
 
I just follow the airtime. If a park doesn't have an ejector machine then I'm not arsed.

I will then revisit the parks that tick the box.

I've probably missed many amazing parks due to this rule.
 
I'm a bad enthusiast when it comes to park trips. I very rarely do a trip with an express plan to do parks.

The way I work is I book a holiday to do something cultural or cool or to see a new country (Harbin Ice Festival is a great example) and then once I've sorted the main draw out I'll see what parks are near and add plans for them.

This is probably why I've not been to most UK parks in decades. But at the same time it sometimes works out, I'm popping to Brussels to see CP6 on his trip this week. Would be rude not to goto Walibi for a 2nd time and get Konda
 
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