Play-and-Stay Blog

After looking at a few articles over the week on this same subject, and having visited some parks recently I thought it might be fun to do our very own list on the typical theme park goer. There are of course, hundreds of different kinds of people that visit theme parks every day but our list is perhaps a more tongue in cheek look at what we saw while queuing at Thorpe Park a couple of weeks ago.

1. The Overexcited Dad.

So you’ve been at the park since it opened, at 10am on the dot. It’s now 4.30pm, the kids are tired, the wife has had enough long ago, but your enthusiasm remains fully intact as you march across the park determined to get your money’s worth and make damn sure you go on every single ride. Really the reason you’ve come to the park isn’t for the kids but for you, you love the rides and have to take every opportunity to grab a photo and remind everyone of some of the local history and how much fun you’re having.

I’m sure we’ve all seen him, dragging reluctant children and an even more reluctant wife onto yet another theme park ride, photographing everything in sight, seemingly just in case he forgets any detail. Personally I’m not sure who I sympathise with more, the kids or the wife who, invariably has to reassure the children that yes, it will all be over soon.

2. Water Lovers

The temperature really doesn’t matter. It could even be snowing for all they care, these are the people that just can’t get enough of water rides. For them it just isn’t a good day in a theme park unless they’re soaking wet. They’re the type of people that stand in the splash zones at Tidal Wave at Thorpe Park just so they can get drenched all over again. Personally I can’t really understand the mentality, but then, I’ve always really hated the water rides, guess I’m the polar opposite to these guys.

3. The Watcher

Ever been on a theme park trip with a group of friends only to have one of your party refuse to go on any of the rides? There always seems to be one person that finds themselves at a park but just can’t face going on anything. While I can sympathise with them to a certain degree I still have to ask, why go there in the first place if you aren’t going to go on anything?

4. The Theme Park Nerd

Admittedly I’m swinging dangerously close to this one by virtue of writing a blog about theme parks but then I’m sure we’ve all heard this guy. Usually found in the queue for the biggest ride in the park you happen to be in spouting all kinds of information about the ride. Top speeds, heights, manufacturer, the theme park nerd is like a walking pack of top trump cards. The usual topic of conversation seems to be about how he has always been on the ride you’re queuing for at least ten times already, and that some other ride in another park is better anyway. Inevitably nothing can really live up to the nerd’s expectations and he can’t quite enjoy the park to the full as he is too busy analysing it.

5. The Emo Kid

Cheer up, you’re at a theme park! Despite being at a place entirely designed for you to have a good time the emo kid only sees darkness in the world and just can’t enjoy themself. I’m not quite sure why they even go if they’re not going to have fun. It can’t be all that bad can it really? You’re at a theme park with a ticket that your mother has no doubt paid for, and if you’re affluent enough to be going to a theme park in the first place I’m sure you have a good enough life. So cheer up and enjoy the day!

6. Orange Girl

Fourteen years old, a fake tan, tasteless jewelry and clothes that are far too revealing I’m sure everyone has seen these girls wandering round theme parks. The fake tan is particularly cringeworthy, I mean, you can’t think you look good when you’re that orange can you?

So thats our list, got any to add? Be sure to let us know.

What I’m about to say next may be hard to believe. It may shock you, it may even disturb you. So prepare yourself. Ready? Ok.

There are some great websites about UK theme parks out there that aren’t Play and Stay. Admittedly they’re few and far between but they are certainly out there. While looking around doing research for the topics I’ve been posting about here, I’ve waded through a vast wealth of theme park sites. Some of them have been very poor, and some have been excellent. However the vast majority have been almost exclusively dedicated to parks and attractions in the USA. While informative to a certain degree it’s hardly relevant to enthusiasts in the UK. I actually found that I had a hard time finding news and topics on UK parks. The industry over here is much smaller than in the USA, but I never expected the web presence to be quite this tiny. Beyond the official sites there didn’t seem to be that much discussion and opinion. I didn’t give up hope though, and after much trawling have found these hidden gems on the UK theme park community.

Drayton Manor Plus

First up is Drayton Manor Plus. It’s a nice website with a catchy design and fresh look. They keep well up to date and on top of all the news and events at Drayton Manor. It’s a great source of information on the new Thomas Land they’ve built there. The community on the forum is active but quite small, and most posts seem fun and informative. A great website to stop by if you’re thinking of having a theme park break at Drayton Manor.

The European Coaster Club

A website for the real enthusiast this took my eye as it was European rather than American! They’ve just posted about their first visit of 2008 to Alton Towers. You can join the club to get their magazines and other promotional material. Some good reading and great photographs on here, worth a visit if you have more than a passing interest in roller coasters.

Screamscape

This website is probably the exception to my rule of being UK or European based. Screamscape covers American resorts primarily but also runs news on the European parks as well. I’ve included it here as it is a really comprehensive source of up to date information on theme parks around the world. Aesthetically it isn’t the best but the content is really complete and I’ve found it very useful over the past few months writing for Play and Stay.

Towers Nerd

With a name like Towers Nerd it needs no introduction does it? News, polls, pictures, information and a really dedicated community this site has everything. One of the larger online theme park communities this site is where all the really hardcore fans hang out. I would say this place even has more information about the park than the official site itself. Certainly the opinion is more objective and honest. Towers Nerd even do a podcast if you really need your theme park news on the move! Definitely recommended.

So there we have it, the best few websites about theme parks in the UK. Or at least, the ones that I found and thought were pretty good. Admittedly there does seem to be somewhat of a shortage of real quality sites. Most of the decent ones I found were getting outdated and news posts were few and far between. Do you post on a theme park message board or know of a site you think I should have listed but missed? Let us know!

Jim Moore was a man on a mission, a mission to open a chicken theme park. With many acres of land in Rosedale, Georgia, Moore launched his dream (primarily in his head) and took his idea to an American reality show - The Great American Dream Vote. Moore felt let down by the show’s producers as they packaged his work as a chicken amusement park, whereas he felt it was more of a chicken educational centre. Moore eventually lost out to a Basset Hound Rescue Centre, who would have seen that coming!

I would like to see what would have happened if the American public had seen the true promise in such a fantastic idea! CHICKENS EVERYWHERE, what could be better than that! With the current popularity of shows such as the American Inventor and Dragon’s Den in the UK, Moore should make one last attempt to get some financial backing for his crusade!

The concept of Chicken Heaven is a little confusing to say the least. Moore sees it as a series of lit paths into various pens displaying many different chicken breeds. I have been to farms and zoos and in my opinion they are a little smelly and the chickens are possibly the most boring animal to look at! Their range of skills and tricks are limited and would probably not really welcome return visitors, although Moore would ensure repeat viewings with featured breeds and even rides! Now you’re talking Jimbo!

Jim Moore loves chickens and i’m with him now!! Make it happen, we believe!

When hearing about the imminent removal of Santa Claus from our shopping centres across the country “to be sensitive to people of other religions”, I couldn’t help but wonder what has happened to this so-called multicultural society. It got me thinking about things - in particular religious things, and what with this being a web-site for fans and visitors of theme parks, I thought that I could tenuously link this story with something about theme parks. And here it is: Religiously orientated parks.

For all the Christians who feel upset and let down by the removal of Santa from the shopping malls in the UK (he is, of course, the real reason Christians celebrate Christmas, right..?) you can now make the trip to The Holy Land Experience in Florida. It is billed on their web-site as Jerusalem in Orlando! with one happy visitor claiming “We love this… It’s a lot safer than going to the middle east.” The park opened in 2006 and took just less than 5 years to build by the well renowned Universal Studios. Customers have the chance to have fun and learn at the same time. With ten different areas of interest covering topics from the bustling Jerusalem Street Markets to the more serene Reflecting Pool, Christians have everything in one enjoyable attraction.

If it seems a little too far to travel, you will soon be able to find that biblical experience in Lancashire. On the 16th December 2007, I read news regarding the implementation of a new ‘theme park’ in the north of the country which would offer youngsters “an alternative” to “binge drinking.” Please don’t be mistaken though folks, non-binge drinkers are also welcome to the new park. Unlike the U.S counterpart, Britain’s park will focus more on Genesis and creation and will feature a film studio within which it hopes to create Christian films and programs promoting holy views on life.

If you were offended by the offering of Father Christmas in your local shopping outlet then you might well have also been offended by the news of a Christian theme park coming to England. Being an equal opportunities company, I thought that maybe I should offer something for a wider audience…

Ganagadham is a the Hindu equivalent, offering thrill seekers the opportunity to learn all about Hindu Mythology in between rides. Admittedly, the park isn’t open yet (the last I heard of it was back in 2005) and it is some distance for UK residents to travel (being located on the bank of the River Ganges), but please rest assured in the knowledge that the creators of the park intend it to be the world’s biggest ever mythological theme park. And when this one is finished? Well, the Hindus will conquer the US with another park in LA.

Now, I would have loved to have finished this blog with news of the Jewish Theme Park, Menorah Mountain, but it appears that it is all one big hoax. Instead, I will leave you all with a picture of everyone’s favourite Christmas character.

A permanent fixture at all theme and amusement parks is the haunted house. From the largest of multi zone theme parks to the smallest of travelling fairs each is bound to have a haunted house, or some kind of paranormal theme ride. There seems to be something about the extraordinary and unexplained that is intrinsically scary, and its only when we can see that light at the end of the tunnel that that terror becomes an afterthought. Ghosts and the paranormal seem to have a particular influence over people in the UK and the USA. A quick look at Google trends shows the UK leading the way in search volume for the term ‘ghosts’.

Theme parks cashing in on this obsession is quite obvious in the UK, I don’t think you’ll need much of a helping hand to think of any. Vampire at Chessington, X at Thorpe, and the regular Halloween events at Alton Towers are all good examples. While the reason that these rides are popular as ’scare’ rides is obvious what intrigues me is the people that seem to start to really believe in the paranormal and claim to have had strange experiences while at theme parks. I dug around in Google and YouTube for a bit and found some fairly interesting material. Soldier on if you dare…

So while looking through YouTube I stumbled across a TV program filmed at Alton Towers a while back, ‘Most Haunted - Alton Towers’. The program is part of a series that travels to supposedly haunted locations around the UK and attempts to prove or disprove the claims. The focus of this program is on the Towers themselves at Alton Towers. There have been several claims of ghost sightings and photographs at the Towers over the years and the aim of the program was to try and find out if there was anything behind these rumours. They set about the task in typical fashion, playing up rumours and trying to build the suspense. The program ends with the team spending the night in the Towers. Of course, the footage is all blurred and filmed in near pitch black with night vision. With night vision on everyone just looks wide eyed and terrified the whole time. Personally I didn’t see anything paranormal at all in the program. One of the presenters was allegedly injured during filming but as you couldn’t see anything happen at all I remain extremely skeptical. The program is well put together but really is just the equivalent of a film for providing proof of paranormal activity. What interests me really are the people that really believe this stuff. And of course the best place to find them is online.

A quick Google search found me this gem - Alton Towers Ghost

This photo interests me as the guy claims;

“I noticed something near the steps, so I zoomed in and immediately saw what appears to be a little boy and i was completely taken aback. Then after looking at the picture more closely, I noticed a very tall man standing next to the little boy.”

I don’t know if its just me but I really can’t see anything in that photo that even closely resembles a person. Just seem to be a rather blotchy photo to me. In typical ghost photo fashion he later says in his blurb;

“Granted, the quality of the picture is very poor as it was taken on my camera phone, and the lighting inside the castle is very poor…”

This almost seems to disqualify the photo before you’ve even seen it, as if to say ‘if you can’t see it it’s just because the quality was bad on the day. It’s there, honest, just a bad photo!” This kind of disclaimer statement seems almost unanimously apparent on all ghost photos that I found. To me it seems that any sighting of a ghost is more in the beholder’s mind that anything. It’s like the people that claim to see the face of Christ in a piece of toast. They want to see it so badly that they make it appear to themselves, despite the lack of real evidence.

Another article I read was about an abandoned theme park at Lake Shawnee in Topeka, Kansas in the USA. The page begins with ridiculous and irrelevant claims of strange things happening, such as;
“Carrillion bells playing, an owl standing in the roadway in broad daylight which took off over my head, the smell of smoke with no fires around, rustlings in the brush behind me as I walked along and a feeling of being watched.”

Quite how any of these things is evidence of the paranormal is beyond me. The rest of the thread seems to be populated by people either making claims to have seen ghosts, or local people rubbishing the idea. You can read it for yourself here.
Apologies for this week’s post turning into a bit of a rant, but I think I have a fairly interesting topic for discussion. I have admittedly gone into looking for paranormal evidence with a distinctly skeptical viewpoint but really what other viewpoint is there to have? Unless these people come back with some real evidence I for one will continue to disbelieve all of it. Perhaps some of you have had a paranormal experience and want to share it? We’re always open for debate here at Play and Stay so let us know!