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Your most "magical" theme park moments?

Matt N

Matt N

CF Legend
Hi guys. Ever since Disneyland first opened in 1955, the idea of "magic" has been a cornerstone of much of the theme park industry, and over the years, theme parks have become almost intrinsically linked with the concept of "magic", particularly in the case of parks that err more on the family-friendly and/or heavily-themed sides. Nowadays, "magic" is quite possibly one of the biggest marketing clichés in the theme park industry; many, many theme parks use magic as a key selling device within their advertising and propaganda. Building upon this, my question to you today is; what are some of the most magical theme park moments you've ever experienced? What are some of those moments within theme parks that actually gave you goosebumps, or actually made you feel like a child on Christmas Day, instead of merely promising these emotions to you in an advertising campaign? When have theme parks lived up to the magical propaganda and really made you feel like you're experiencing something special? Let's spread some positivity and magic this closed season by reminiscing about some of our fondest theme park memories!

I'll get the ball rolling with some of my answers. There are many, many moments I could have gone for here, but a few that come to mind are:
  • Stepping into Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Florida for the first time (August 2014) - Now I admittedly think that both Potter areas could have qualified for this, as I adore both and both felt pretty special when I experienced them for the first time, but I have to say, stepping into Diagon Alley for the first time and experiencing Gringotts for the first time when I was 11 years old has easily got to be one of my fondest theme park memories even 7 years on; admittedly, the 3 hour queue wasn't too fond, but the land, the main indoor queue section of Gringotts, the Gringotts ride itself and the overall experience of Diagon Alley left me genuinely speechless in a way that very few things have since. Admittedly, I'm unsure how the land and ride would stack up for me now, but even having already experienced it before in 2016, I remember the whole WWOHP experience feeling like true theme park magic at its finest!
  • Riding Mako at SeaWorld Orlando (current #1 coaster) for the first time (August 2016) - You all know my opinion on this coaster very well by now, so I won't bore you with details of my first ride, but even though this isn't magic in the sense you're probably all thinking of, I couldn't not mention it; the raw euphoria of experiencing that insane first drop and those phenomenal sustained airtime hills for the first time back in 2016 still sticks with me 5 years on, so in that sense, I'd certainly say that my first ride on it and it becoming my #1 is one of my most magical theme park moments!
  • Watching Happily Ever After at Magic Kingdom (April 2019) - As much as I'll admit that the Magic Kingdom didn't quite live up to the hype for me when I first went in April 2019, and that I'm also not huge on shows in theme parks in general, I have to say that my first and only time watching the much hyped night-time spectacular at Magic Kingdom was quite something; I don't know quite what it was, but this show really was brilliant, and something about it really felt magical and gave me goosebumps! Watching Happily Ever After was the very last theme park thing we did on that trip to Florida, and as much as I'm not usually a show person, it really was the perfect way to end the trip for me; it definitely meant that the theme park element of the trip ended on a high! (I'll conveniently brush over the last day, where our trip ended with a mad rush off of the Fantasia mini golf course to the airport when the mother of all storms abruptly began to soak us...)
  • Riding Tower of Terror at Disney's Hollywood Studios (April 2019) - You know those times where an attraction's been really hyped up and you worry that it won't possibly live up to the hype? My first ride on Florida's Tower of Terror was one of those times for me, but I needn't have worried, because I exited that attraction genuinely awestruck! For me, it was one of those rides where every little bit of it felt absolutely perfect; for starters, the entire queue and pre-ride experience is phenomenal, being crammed full of little details, while also carrying a rather brilliant ambience about it the whole way around that really gave me shivers! The dark ride portions carried on this brilliant ambience, but the icing on the cake was the drop tower itself; I was shocked at the raw strength of the airtime, and I couldn't stop laughing the whole time! Overall, my first and only ride on ToT was a genuine magical moment for me, and I certainly regret only doing it once!
  • Islands of Adventure in general (Various) - I know this is quite general, but on both Florida trips where we've visited Universal, Islands of Adventure has always had this wonderfully magical vibe throughout the entire park that no other park I've ever been to has; it just makes me incredibly happy every time I go, and the combination of that and the park's amazing ride selection and theming are what make it my #1 park of all time! IOA is the absolute pinnacle of fun and magic for me, and I'm gutted that I haven't visited in 5 years, because it holds a very special place in my heart!
  • Pre-entry/entry experience at Alton Towers (Various) - To be honest, I think the whole park at Alton Towers has a certain aura of magic about it, but for some bizarre reason, I've always found the build-up to a day at Alton Towers to be quite possibly one of the most magical parts (Not my favourite part by any stretch, but certainly one of the most "magical"; it's a very different type of magic to the others in this list!)! Even the drive through the Alton village and along the country lanes still gives me this child-like feeling of excitement all these visits later, and when you combine that with a ride on the monorail (or walk down the golden path) and the walk down Towers Street facing the ruins themselves, I really think Alton Towers' entry experience really stirs up feelings of magic for me!
So, those are just a few of my most magical theme park moments! As I said, I could have picked loads, but I decided to limit it down to a select few that came to mind at the time of writing!

But what have been some of your most magical theme park moments?
 
Finally riding Cannonball Express: When I was spited by this ride back in 2013 I didn't bat an eye, in fact Wipeout was the only roller coaster we did that day. I didn't know what Schwarzkopf was, I barely even knew the ride existed, I liked coasters but not enough to try to ride everything in a park. So fast forward to 2021 and I get the news that we're doing a Great Yarmouth trip, and I instantly lay my eyes onto Pleasurewood Hills & Cannonball Express because I've suddenly realised how special this ride really was - a dying breed of ride that I'm desperate to get on. So we're at the park and the ride is closed. I am not letting this happen again. I check back a few times throughout the day and when I spot a train testing from the other side of the park, two hours before park close, I've never been so fixated onto getting a credit in my life. The whistle that blows before dispatch, the smell, the landscaping, the location, the sounds, the fact that it's a Schwarzkopf, the fact that I'm finally getting on a ride I was spited by eight years ago. It was every bit as good as I thought it would be. To cut things short it's #7 in my UK rankings, and my #10 of all time. I know this is the fourth time I've raved about this ride but moments like those truly make the coaster hunting mission special.

Dead theme park days in general: While not necessarily great for the park's end, any day where everything's walk-on makes me feel like a rich kid on Christmas where they can just do whatever the hell they want immediately.

I thought I had more: but these two should do for now
 
Entering Klugheim for the first time.

I knew it was well themed, but nothing prepared me for just how well. That feeling the first time I walked in is one I will never forget. Overwhelmed by the immersion and the sheer scale of the effort that had gone into the place. I’ve since done Rookburgh, and whilst it did not disappoint and is (at least) as good, I didn’t get quite the same feeling, as I knew what to expect from Phantasialand. I doubt I will ever be blown away by theming that much ever again to be honest… Maybe at Universal Orlando… Maybe, I don’t know.

Riding Shambhala for the first time.

This was my first Hyper outside of the UK dross, and the first time I’ve experienced such sustained floater. It is an incredible feeling, closer to flying than a flying coaster. Weightless for second after second! Made all the more special because it was the first ‘big’ foreign coaster that me, the missus and kids all got to experience for the first time together🥰

Alton Towers Fireworks

Nothing needs saying really, takes my breath away every year… I still watch 2019’s insomnia piece regularly now!!!
 
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Many years ago, sharing the crumbs out of my pocket with a very tame mouse on the old stone (haha?) wall walking towards Forbidden Valley.
Still smile every time I walk past the spot.
It took me for a proper mug.
 
There were two separate evenings at Towers Scarefest in 2011, not convinced I can explain them to anyone who isn't me, but maybe a few people know what I mean :)
 
Mushy story warning 🤗

Riding Rush at Thorpe Park with GF: So we had known each other for a while and we were both not sure if there was something more there, we were to shy to be the first to say anything but one day she asked if I wanted to go somewhere together, of course I said what about a theme park and she chose Thorpe. We had a nice day doing a few things and chatting but then we got to Rush, she was fine at first but as it got higher she grabbed my arm, after a few seconds she realised and looked up at me. Hard to describe the feeling as we looked at each other but being cheesy it felt pretty magical, after we had a chat and by the end of the day we had set a date for a date. We always cuddle at some point when we go near this ride.

Fireflies on The Beast at Kings Island: Kings island is a great park and I loved it, we had done all the coasters and it was time for night time re-rides, fireflies had started to come out and I had never seen them before, they are amazing little creatures and make anywhere look beautiful. After seeing some on Mystic Timbers I was excited to see if there would be any on the Beast, oh my it was amazing each bend and drop of the coaster lit up the woodland beside the track in waves of lights, in the pitch black with nothing but fireflies lighting the way it was magical.

TTD at sunset: I was fascinated by this coaster as a kid, going into the park was special but coming up to TTD was amazing, its scale was far beyond what I could have imagined, being on the front row at sunset, with the lights counting down and feeing the amazing speed and forces it was breath taking and is my favourite experience on any coaster, after hitting the brakes it felt so special to have finally done it, definitely a magical experience.

A day at Dollywood with amazing people: My No1 park, coasters are great but its the park, I walked away with the same feeling I had as a kid stepping into Disneyland for the first time, from the great atmosphere, brilliant staff, delicious food, beautiful location, interesting history, music and brilliant shows its a special place. There were so many things that happened here and they were all great, some parks fade from memory but I remember this day as if it was yesterday. One of the things that happened is I was looking for a gift in craftsman's valley for my gf, I asked if they had anything in the wood carving area but they did not so I picked up some other things from other shops, really well made and the people have such a passion for it.

Near the end of the day I was passing back through the craftsman area and I popped in the wood carving area to see the progress one guy had made on a beautiful headboard showing the seasons of the year. As I came in he ran over to me saying he was so glad I was back, him and his colleague had made me a detailed wooden heart with both me and my gf name on 🥲, they also got a gift box and had put some little leather butterflies in there from the leather shop, they did not want anything for it but I gave them some money for there hard work. I had not asked for this and I did not say I was coming back but the time and effort they put into it on the off chance I did was wonderful, this is a lovely thing for someone to do in general and it was just one of many interactions I had that day, it was a magical day.
 
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Niles said:
Mushy story warning 🤗

A day at Dollywood with amazing people: My No1 park, coasters are great but its the park, I walked away with the same feeling I had as a kid stepping into Disneyland for the first time, from the great atmosphere, brilliant staff, delicious food, beautiful location, interesting history, music and brilliant shows its a special place. There were so many things that happened here and they were all great, some parks fade from memory but I remember this day as if it was yesterday. One of the things that happened is I was looking for a gift in craftsman's valley for my gf, I asked if they had anything in the wood carving area but they did not so I picked up some other things from other shops, really well made and the people have such a passion for it.

Near the end of the day I was passing back through the craftsman area and I popped in the wood carving area to see the progress one guy had made on a beautiful headboard showing the seasons of the year. As I came in he ran over to me saying he was so glad I was back, him and his colleague had made me a detailed wooden heart with both me and my gf name on 🥲, they also got a gift box and had put some little leather butterflies in there from the leather shop, they did not want anything for it but I gave them some money for there hard work. I had not asked for this and I did not say I was coming back but the time and effort they put into it on the off chance I did was wonderful, this is a lovely thing for someone to do in general and it was just one of many interactions I had that day, it was a magical day.
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That is bloody awesome of them!!!

I enjoyed reading that Niles. Thanks :)

As if Dollywood didn't have enough reasons to be right near the top of my wish list already!!! Can't wait until things return to normal and I can start to think about heading out there!
 
Oh, for my own, I would have two "magical" moments I could share.

First (not chronologically), was to ride Nemesis for the first time in 2018. Dunno how to say this, but when I went into the parkfan/coasterfan thingy in 2002, this was one of the first coasters I read about. So, I've alaways seen this ride like an achievement to unlock, and I was bloody excited to finally ride it.
So, when we finally managed to go to Alton, and we've seen ourselves at the entrance of Nemesis, with a 10min wait , I was pretty happy.

Do I need to say that the coaster was better than my expectations ?

The 2nd, and for me the better, moment of magic is way back in 2012, in Port Aventura. First time at the park, brand new Shambhala.
It was in August, so it was hot, but mostly, the park closed at midnight.
We rode Shamby 1 or 2 times in the day, but we managed to get ourselves to ride the coaster with a very low waiting time, in the first row, in the dark at 11pm.
As we climbed up the hill, they launched the fireworks ...

Seeing the fireworks in the background, while rushing trough the air in the dark was a total surreal experience. I've never been this "high" in a coaster before. Plus, as the ride was very warm, the amount of airtime was staggering !
Definitely my best moment in a park so far.
 
Six Flags Over Georgia, December 2018 - Visiting in between Christmas and New Years, the park was absolutely empty. Everything was a walk-on. Got zen rides on Dare Devil Dive and Mind Bender (typically substantial waits on any other day), rode Superman for the first time in 3 1/2 years, and finally did their antique cars (normally, the wait would’ve been too long). All these factors, the holiday decor included, made this visit felt like a dream - or a Christmas miracle, if you will. My only regret is that I didn’t marathon Goliath or Twisted Cyclone, but I’m grateful for my last ride on Sky Buckets (RIP, you will be sorely missed) and Mind Bender (pre-refurbishment).

HoliWood Nights, June 2018 - On the last night of ERT for the event, a large crowd (myself included) headed to Voyage once the park had been cleared out. I got into row 10, first in line, and boarded. But lightning struck nearby, shutting down the coasters for the time being. Most attendees headed to Gobbler Getaway, but I stayed put and waited out the storm. Thirty minutes later, the storm passed, so Voyage was finally open for ERT - we all broke out into vivacious cheer and applause. That first lap was insane by itself - but minutes later I got an even more legendary back-row, trimless night ride on Voyage. After those two laps, I marathoned Thunderbird and then headed on out. Riding Voyage in these conditions coupled with lightning strikes in the distance made for a surreal experience, it’s safe to say that Voyage won’t be topped as my #1 any time soon.

CoasterCon in Hersheypark, June 2021 - Skyrush and Candymonium were scheduled for ERT on Sunday night, the start of CoasterCon, but rain cancelled those plans. As a surprise last-minute treat, Hersheypark re-scheduled the ERT for Tuesday night to end their part of CoasterCon. Once it started, @Eyebrows and I actually ran to Skyrush - six consecutive laps ensued, mainly in the back wings but ending with a front-row ride. Skyrush was even better at night, accentuated by the barely-lit creek and the cool, nighttime winds. My thighs may have been sore for the next few days, but in that moment, I had pure joy and no regrets.

Islands of Adventure, April 2018 - The whole park was astonishingly good (even with high expectations), especially the Wizarding World. Having read the Potter series multiple times over, Hogsmeade legitimately felt like stepping right into the books. While Hagrids was a massive dirt pit at the time, the construction site didn’t detract much from the rest of Hogsmeade in my opinion. Obviously, Forbidden Journey was the absolute highlight. I made sure to go in without spoilers… and it absolutely delivered. The Whomping Willow and Dementors scenes were particularly standout, but the entire ride was shockingly immersive and very well done. Loved every moment of it.
 
Walking onto the overpass dividing Mexico and Klugheim for the first time in 2017 and getting epic views of Taron and Chiapas against the morning sun is something I'll never forget.

Same goes with arriving through the Frontierland gates at Disneyland Paris this past summer and seeing Big Thunder Mountain again. I'd forgotten how stunning that view actually is.
 
It's more than likely a classic "rose coloured glasses" scenario but Thorpe Park in the 90s. Idyllic I think would be the best word to describe it, in my memory at least. There's every chance that if time travel were a thing I'd rock back up to 90s TP and conclude, "Yep, still a dump". I just remember it having a great, warm atmosphere that was slowly washed away as they became the 'nations thrill capital'. A lot cleaner and more well kept also.

My mum has tons of 'Vintage Thorpe Park' photos and some home movies too that I've been meaning to make her dig out. Definitely a home video from whatever year Colossus opened.
 
Rolling into Velocistumble for Buzzed Bars a few weeks ago at Fun Spot Orlando. 70+ people sitting there, drinking, being marry and screaming my name. Never thought I'd create something so amazing with so many good people. <3
 
Snoo said:
Rolling into Velocistumble for Buzzed Bars a few weeks ago at Fun Spot Orlando. 70+ people sitting there, drinking, being marry and screaming my name. Never thought I'd create something so amazing with so many good people. <3
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... and then realizing we were probably in the top 5 of oldest people there. ;P

A personal list:
  • Seeing the Millennium Falcon for the First Time (2020) - I will be honest, a tear or two were shed between getting the first glimpse of Star Wars Galaxy's Edge and riding Rise of the Resistance. To get to see everything at scale, in real life is something my 6 year old self would never have believed.
  • Outlaw Run, First Ride (2012) - A clandestine trip with a few CF friends (@Snoo, @Hixee, @Error, @Youngster Joey) which landed us on the first train of the day for Outlaw Run, our collective first RMC. We had heard and tracked so much hype around this manufacturer and their then-three coaster builds. The true magic hit on the first over/outter bank, when it sinks in that this coaster is for real!
  • Sub-32F/0C Rides on Thunderhead and Mystic Timbers (2010 and 2016) - This specifically dates to my first visit to Dollywood over an early spring break in 2010, and one of the first Winterfests I attended at Kings Island. In both cases, it helps you realize how versatile GCI coasters are at dealing with climate, and also how amazing Millennium Flyer trains are when you add a winter coat! :p But seriously, both were fun, unique ride experiences - I'm sure in physics terms the coasters were running slower due to the cold, but the arctic blast of air would make you swear you are overclocking the banked turns.
  • Midnight Ride on Space Mountain Disneyland (2005) - Our first family visit to Disneyland was as great a day at Disney you would hope for. But the capper was probably waiting through a quite long line to ride Space Mountain late into the night. For those not familiar, Space Mountain DL's queue line wraps and weaves through random parts of the park - there was a certain electricity and excitement in the queue that has always stuck with me.
  • First X2 Night Ride (2011) - it was something fun and special, having heard and tracked this weird prototype of a coaster for years, and getting to finally ride and experience. Still goes down as one of the most bonker night ride experience's I've ever had - completely threw me off my senses.
    • For what it's also worth, this was also the trip I got my #100 coaster ride, Revolution. Such fun memories for the friends I was with to get the coaster ops to announce my milestone over the PA as we were leaving the station.
  • First Voyage Night Ride with Moonfall (2017)- A likewise honorable nightride mention has to go to Voyage. This was a late-in-the-season fall visit, yet on a full moon night. The things I remember most from my first night ride was two-parts:
    • Riding with a full moon meant the nighttime swept in hard on Voyage (as has been widely reported, the light disappears FAST); yet the shadowcast from the moon made for a truly ethereal experience, bobbing and weaving on the back half with no sense of where the track next lead.
    • Getting off the coaster, I was coming to grips if it was my true, new #1. And then heard Taccata and Fugue in D Minor come over the park sound system - a massive organ piece that felt very capturing of the epic-ness of the ride I had just experienced.
  • Beast at Stormbreak (2014ish) - A final mention of specific magic ride moments - Beast has an ever sprawling layout that can give very condusive, unique rides depending on weather and conditions. (Love hearing about the Fireflies @Niles!) For my special Beast ride, it was immediately after a thunderstorm had rolled through, leaving a quick-breaking cold front. My sister and I went to ride Beast as the park reopened, and were surprised to find massive fog and cloud formations setting in - essentially having whisps of cloud and vapor dotted around and throughout the woods, and something over track, as we were whipping through. It's very difficult to describe at how magical the view was.
  • Sweet 16 CF Live (2005) - Such a throwback, to all of the very-Cedar-Point-specific CF Lives we did when @Snoo was going to college and Tiffin and I still in high school in Sandusky. But it was when I realized how I could fly my "coaster freak flag" with others in person.
 
Walking the queue of Nemesis and experiencing the ride for the first time - I had been enamored with this ride for 20 years and had dreamt of making the pilgrimage to the UK to experience it. It was surreal to finally walk through the queue and admire the ride's construction. The coaster itself did not disappoint either. An absolute masterpiece

Olympia Looping at Hyde Park Winter Wonderland - Yet another ride that I had dreamed of riding for 20 years, plus I'm a self-professed Schwarzkopf Stan. I flew into London on American Thanksgiving Day and made my way to Hyde after dinner. Walking up to Winter Wonderland and spotting Olympia Looping's lift was a sight to behold. Winter Wonderland at night is just such a festive experience. It is unlike anything I've ever experienced in the U.S. Rides, lights, shops, and unique bars around every corner. It was a fantastic time.

Helix/Liseberg at night - This place is beautiful anytime of the day, but it really comes alive at night. It is hard for me to adequately describe, but it was such a joyful experience. And then there is Helix which shoots all over the hillside lit up in green. The first nighttime ride on that Mack monster was one of my all-time favorite coaster moments that I've experienced.

Energylandia - This always felt like a park that would be really difficult to get to for a number of reasons. So when the opportunity presented itself, I had to take advantage of the moment. I really wasn't sure what to expect, but I was really surprised by what I experienced. The park was so clean and well-kept with some incredibly well-themed areas. It gave me the same feeling of excitement that I had when I went to parks as a kid. It was one of the single best days I've ever had at an amusement park.
 
Obviously there's first time at Alton Towers/Cedar Point/Disney etc but these two stand out as the most memorable.

Taron 2017 - Had kind of fallen out of love with theme parks and coasters due to them mainly being ****e in England as well as other hobbies and general life getting in the way. Then I booked a trip to Phantasialand and Cologne with Mrs Fisted fairly early on in our relationship. Taron blew me away and inspired us to travel further afield in search of similar coasters.

Steel Vengeance 2019 - Where Taron blew me away, Steel Vengeance catapulted me into orbit. I'd waited nearly 180 minutes, late into the evening at Cedar Point before finally getting on it. Will never forget that adrenaline rush as we tw*tted into the brake run, almost shirtless, slightly out of breath, with a face covered in flies. Mrs Fisted was knackered and went to bed whilst I drank beer and ate wings in the Stone Pony whilst the buzz wore off. Had a grin on my face for hours.

Not magical in the traditional sense but a feeling that I doubt will ever be topped. Kind of felt like I'd completed gooning there and then.

Edit: Thirsty Pony, not the Stone Pony of Bruce Springsteen fame ;)
 
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