Why do People like Theme Parks?

[Cliff]

I used to marvel at and enjoy every ride but now that I've been going so often for so long, I find that that aspect is small unless the area or ride is new, which makes sense. I enjoy examining various ride functions or finding new things. I enjoy details and theming, and I still very much enjoy the rides but I think the clincher for me anymore is whether I'm in the company of people I enjoy, and certainly people who are new to the parks because through them it's like experiencing the parks the first time all over again.
I think that I most enjoy the parks when I am prepared to go and handle the day as it comes. When I go up for the day, I drive for at least 2 hours and 10 minutes. And I drive back the same night. As you can imagine, if I didn't enjoy the parks it might be a brutal, unfulfilling ride but what I've found as I've been more and more often not on vacation is my attitude toward the day is what really makes the experience for me. So I always strive to be positive, and while it's not always the best day (after all, a theme park is controlled chaos), I always find I've had fun where I could, and I always find that I've got something new to talk about from the place and that is why I go. I'm actually planning my next day trip currently and I'm very excited to go with my boyfriend for the very first time!

I can relate.

 

[Miketheboss]

If you don't mind answering, why do you go to theme parks?

The reason why I enjoy the parks is for the sense of adventure and excitement I get from visiting places one can only dream of. I also enjoy the art and creativity that is put into the attractions and theming.

I also appreciate when areas have hidden, quite places one can sit and relax for a while like Central Park at the studios. I illetrally sat on the grassy hill this past Saturday for an hour just watching people and the hogwarts express passing by.

 

[Jon84]

We are able to get over there once or twice a year, and I don't usually feel the same way.

For me, the anticipation of the trip and the wait for seeing new things (especially at Universal) gets me pumped for the trip. And while I am out there I enjoy the weather, the food, and the time away from work as well as the parks. I get the sense of adventure aspect, totally feel like that too, but it's part of a bigger thing.

On our first ever trip, we naively arrived during spring break, and still had a great time despite crowds, but that was probably due to the other feelings with a first trip (that was intended to be once in a lifetime!).

 

[UNIrd]

If you don't expect crowds, lines, and high prices, I could see where your disappointment may lie. But there's no sight I enjoy more than throngs of people spending money in our parks, especially when I know it'll be re-invested in due time.

 

[Mad Dog]

The reason why I enjoy the parks is for the sense of adventure and excitement I get from visiting places one can only dream of. I also enjoy the art and creativity that is put into the attractions and theming.

I also appreciate when areas have hidden, quite places one can sit and relax for a while like Central Park at the studios. I illetrally sat on the grassy hill this past Saturday for an hour just watching people and the hogwarts express passing by.

Yep, love the serenity of the relaxing areas. We do the same at Central Park. Even take a short nap on a Central Park bench.

 

[Brian G.]

The reason why I enjoy the parks is for the sense of adventure and excitement I get from visiting places one can only dream of. I also enjoy the art and creativity that is put into the attractions and theming.

I also appreciate when areas have hidden, quite places one can sit and relax for a while like Central Park at the studios. I illetrally sat on the grassy hill this past Saturday for an hour just watching people and the hogwarts express passing by.

So a pretty similar viewpoint to most of us. Just remember that's what brought you there to the parks. I know crowds can be insane and stuff, so next time try to see if you can swing going when it's a lot more quieter. Also, maybe next time do more of the people watching at different areas of the parks?

I usually take long breaks at JP overlooking the lagoon, or walk the pathways behind MeShip; or Central Park, behind Richters, and at Duff Gardens over in USF. It's a good recharge while taking it all in.

 

[Mad Dog]

So a pretty similar viewpoint to most of us. Just remember that's what brought you there to the parks. I know crowds can be insane and stuff, so next time try to see if you can swing going when it's a lot more quieter. Also, maybe next time do more of the people watching at different areas of the parks?

I usually take long breaks at JP overlooking the lagoon, or walk the pathways behind MeShip; or Central Park, behind Richters, and at Duff Gardens over in USF. It's a good recharge while taking it all in.

Heh, those are all my relaxation break areas too. Shhhhh, don't tell everybody. Then they'll get too crowded to relax. ...One reason we take such long vacations in Orlando is that we never do that touring plan rush stuff. We take our time, & enjoy the ambiance. One of our favorite people watching areas is sitting on a bench in NYC. It has the flavor of all the good stuff of NYC, and I go there often, without the negatives. And we'll even get up sometimes and dance in the street to a Sinatra song being played. That always gets us a lot of smiles and waves from passer bys. Probably a few laughs too.

 

[IzzyB]

I think he means real Orlando, as in the city and its culture, and theme parks, as in I drive district and WDW.

Gotcha. But I don't get annoyed when people think of the parks as Orlando. It sounded like he was annoyed with my word choice. I guess since I came from such a large city with a ton of culture and sports teams, I don't see Orlando as this huge city with a lot of culture. So to me the draw to being here is the theme parks and not downtown Orlando. So when people interchange Orlando with the parks it doesn't bother me.

I am pretty sure everyone knew what I meant when I said they enjoyed their trip to Orlando. Which goes to my point of why people like theme parks, which was the topic of this thread.

As for me and what I like about the theme parks. I like that I am doing so many different things. Each park has a positive and why I love going to it, but they are all different among the different parks. I typically don't wait in lines and try to find ways around that, but obviously when people are in town I may end up in longer lines. But honestly this past weekend the longest line was Simpsons and that was because they were not using all the rooms available. And it probably seemed longer because the posted time was wrong. Same with MIB, it took longer than the posted time, so it seemed a little long. The other rides like Gringotts seemed right on. All the Disney wait times were higher than the actual waits, so that made things fly.

I just love the variety available to me as a local and based on my mood picking the park I want to go to. I have to say as a family we also have the most fun at Magic Kingdom. So just like our friends picked MK as their favorite, I would say that is my favorite. As a family there is more things we can ride and we still get the thrill rides in the coasters available to us. Child swap is also nice because while the one is riding Space Mountain with the older children the other people can go on something else with the younger kids not able to ride it. So that makes things nice for everyone in the family.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

This is more a statement in general and not directed to one poster or the OP in particular, but it's ok and completely natural to grow out of something or burned out. It's completely fine and doesn't change your past experiences or memories. I grew out of the industry around 2007-2011 besides some family trips, and now I'm back into it in full.

 

[Mad Dog]

This is more a statement in general and not directed to one poster or the OP in particular, but it's ok and completely natural to grow out of something or burned out. It's completely fine and doesn't change your past experiences or memories. I grew out of the industry around 2007-2011 besides some family trips, and now I'm back into it in full.

Good point. That happens in all areas of life. On a similar note, since I never attended Disney or Universal until 2004 for the first time and then not again until 2011. I spent 24 days straight at Universal & Disney in 2011 thinking it would be a "one time" over the top theme park trip. And I initially had no plans to ever do it again. Since 2011 though, then it's been 3-4 weeks a year. But in the 70's and 80's & early 90's I went to the huge coaster parks we have in this area of the country tons of times. Then I got tired and bored with coasters and rarely went anymore. The exception was Busch Gardens Williamsburg that was really more like Disney & Universal.....That long crazy trip in 2011 though, was when the theme park passion really went into high gear and staying on site at Universal is what kicked the long term interest in.Now "I'm addicted" with the Universal mode vacation. But, I'm still bored with non themed coasters. Yes, Test Track's post is very perceptive. "It happens".

 

[snayberry]

I love theme parks because I feel like it's an escape from my reality. I also really enjoy sharing that experience with close ones of mine.

 

[epcyclopedia]

While the temp is something you can't do much about... Pretty much every attraction has times during even the busiest days when you can pretty much walk on.

As for the temp, avoiding the hottest hours entirely or scheduling indoor activities can be a good solution. 1pm is a great time to be dining at Mythos - it's hot, wait times are high, and you're probably hungry. Also think of attractions with indoor queues. Is it godforsaken hot outside? Don't wait for something like Big Thunder, wait for ET or Test Track.

Many people like to end their night dining. Do an early dinner - as right before close is when many attractions are walk ons.

And seriously - many people scoff at this one - embrace the rain. The harder it rains the fewer people in a park. Look at the forecast and be prepared. That others flee at the first drop can work to your advantage if you're prepared.

I don't think you're over it - if you were the lounging would have no allure. I just think you're at the funky in between phase past "new and excited first timers" and "seasoned pro."

Anytime I play tour guide Barbie there's an inevitable moment when the tour group thinks I'm insane, they want to stop where they are and do whatever silly simple dumb thing that's is presenting itself right then and there (shopping, food, small show) and I'm like "Forward!!!" And they fight me and I'm like "trust me" and it usually involves doing something entirely counter intuitive and also pushing through some awful flock of people. Then we arrive at whatever me goal was and they're all thrilled with the outcome.

Once you learn the little counter intuitive zen of park touring you'll enjoy any day of the year. With friends I tour with frequently we've adopted the mantra of "what's your gut reaction? Do the opposite!" (Aka: rain - go home, instead trudge on).

 

[Viator]

While the temp is something you can't do much about... Pretty much every attraction has times during even the busiest days when you can pretty much walk on.

As for the temp, avoiding the hottest hours entirely or scheduling indoor activities can be a good solution. 1pm is a great time to be dining at Mythos - it's hot, wait times are high, and you're probably hungry. Also think of attractions with indoor queues. Is it godforsaken hot outside? Don't wait for something like Big Thunder, wait for ET or Test Track.

Many people like to end their night dining. Do an early dinner - as right before close is when many attractions are walk ons.

And seriously - many people scoff at this one - embrace the rain. The harder it rains the fewer people in a park. Look at the forecast and be prepared. That others flee at the first drop can work to your advantage if you're prepared.

I don't think you're over it - if you were the lounging would have no allure. I just think you're at the funky in between phase past "new and excited first timers" and "seasoned pro."

Anytime I play tour guide Barbie there's an inevitable moment when the tour group thinks I'm insane, they want to stop where they are and do whatever silly simple dumb thing that's is presenting itself right then and there (shopping, food, small show) and I'm like "Forward!!!" And they fight me and I'm like "trust me" and it usually involves doing something entirely counter intuitive and also pushing through some awful flock of people. Then we arrive at whatever me goal was and they're all thrilled with the outcome.

Once you learn the little counter intuitive zen of park touring you'll enjoy any day of the year. With friends I tour with frequently we've adopted the mantra of "what's your gut reaction? Do the opposite!" (Aka: rain - go home, instead trudge on).

The rain especially, can give some of the best experiences you can ever get in a theme park. Take for instance, Disneyland Resort in HEAVY rain. It gives you such an ability to have the parks for the leisure.

 

[amityboattours]

One of our favorite people watching areas is sitting on a bench in NYC. It has the flavor of all the good stuff of NYC, and I go there often, without the negatives.

This is why people love theme parks. They give us a sense of reassurance and optimism about the world we live in. We feel safe in these places, people are happy & friendly and everything is neat and clean. Ultimately it's just a fantasy, but the feelings and emotions of inspiration they instill in us are real and can last for a long time after visiting. The people who frequent this board are the ultimate example of this.

 

[Mad Dog]

This is why people love theme parks. They give us a sense of reassurance and optimism about the world we live in. We feel safe in these places, people are happy & friendly and everything is neat and clean. Ultimately it's just a fantasy, but the feelings and emotions of inspiration they instill in us are real and can last for a long time after visiting. The people who frequent this board are the ultimate example of this.

Excellent post. :thumbsup: You hit the nail on the head.

 

[Brervixen]

Personally, I love going to Theme Parks because it takes me out of the mundaneness of every day life, it's a creative place, it's theatrical (and I am alllllll about the theatre darling!) and I love to be entertained and have fun! Theme parks just tick all the boxes for me!

 

[RevFreako]

I don't have what I refer to as a "sense of place." This means I don't have any emotional response to being in New York City, say, or Boston. I get excited because I'm in Madison Square Garden about to watch WWE. Theme parks are designed to elicit that emotional response that I don't feel in other places, and it effing WORKS on me. This plus my fascination with the engineering behind it all, makes me wish I'd started going more than two years ago.

 

[bob albert]

I pretty much figured out that I hate vacations where the main activity is lounging around. It bores me. I like theme parks because they are a centralized place with access to so much entertainment. Also any park can be bad during crowded times. Feeling like you already payed a lot but need to pay even more for express to enjoy a visit would be especially annoying for a newer guest. I would always suggest using the least crowded times as the benchmark of how to judge liking a theme park or not. I would also suggest to anyone to find a smaller less crowded park that has it's own strengths. I love Kenoebels in PA a lot. It has some world class rides, great food, free entry, and flexible/affordable ticket options. It also has camping right next door to it. I'm sure some of the people who go there wouldn't like a place like universal. Maybe there is something a bit different op would like a lot more.

 

[Cliff]

The theme parks kept me entertained with new attractions every 1-2 years. Plus other stuff to do in FL I see no rush in going on cruises or flying to other countries. I think to myself, ppl go to WDW from all over the world (let alone stateside) which takes them a day or 2 to arrive while Only a 2 hr drive for me.

 

[Jon84]

I pretty much figured out that I hate vacations where the main activity is lounging around. It bores me

Same here, I don't find Beach Holidays appealing in the slightest!

I prefer exploring a new city, or visiting theme parks