Spectacular park settings

I agree BGE is simply beautiful. I love how rides like Loch Ness can use the scenery and terrain.

I think SFDL's being in the middle of nowhere really does add to the country theme the park seems to attempt.

The whole European-theme of the park had me sold on BGE from the moment I first stepped in it. But, the land by itself is beautiful all on it's own. Put 'em together and it is just breathtaking to me.

Though I've only seen it in pics and videos, Ocean Park in Hong Kong was mentioned earlier, and the view from their mine train coaster must be awesome to see in person.

http://www.rcdb.com/ig1233.htm?picture=1

http://www.rcdb.com/ig1233.htm?picture=8

http://www.rcdb.com/ig1233.htm?picture=14

And the whole area around Hershey, let alone the park itself in very beautiful. With the rolling hills on the outside, and the way the whole park is seated...very cool. *** Edited 7/20/2006 3:02:59 AM UTC by Floorless Fan***

Most of the older parks (late 19th- early 20th century) were placed in beautiful settings by plan. Think about it, they originated as picnic parks at the ends of trolley lines. Most had either a lake or stream nearby, and had pastoral settings. They were an escape from the mills, mines and factories for people living in crowded, dirty cities.

Most interesing view OF a park I saw was from the Pinnacle, which is an overlook along the Appalachians. Some friends and I were there hiking and watching for raptors (the bird kind, not the coaster). The sky was clear enough that day, and the binoculars strong enough that if you looked in the distance, we actually spotted the red top of Steel Force's lift hill. That has to be 20-25 miles away as the crow flies. So that day we saw a few raptors and a hyper.

I have to go with two parks.

Cedar Point's location is simply amazing, no other park has that kind of visual impact on you.

Second would have to be Knoebel's. The rides just seem to be one with the absolutly gorgeous setting.

Holiday World.

You know, this was a cool thread until everyone completely ignored what the question was. Nobody is asking for opinions on the most beautiful parks out there, they're asking for opinions on what parks were built in the most amazing locations.

Example: Dollywood, which is built in a narrow valley between two large hills/mountains, is in a spectacular location.

Busch Gardens Africa is *not* built in a spectacular location. In fact, it's essentially built in a ghetto. It's a beautiful park, sure, but there's not spectacular about its surroundings.

Again, this isn't about the most beautiful parks. It's about the most beautiful areas that parks have been built in.

-Nate

...As well as unique ones, which is why I mentioned Prater. La Qua in the middle of Tokyo is another extraordinary city location.

If that's the case -- location rather than park beauty then LC, CP, DW have to be some of the winners.

LC has a mountain and a lake right in the park, CP is at the end of that peninsula jutting into Lake Erie. DW is within sight of the Great Smokies.

There are others of course, too.

Animal Kingdom, do I need to further elaborate?

Yes, since it's built in a Florida swamp. I fail to see anything spectacular about that location.

-Nate

The Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park is in a nice setting.

It's located a good distance up a mountain overlooking the town of Glenwood Springs. You get great views of the Colorado and Roaring Fork Rivers as well as mountain vistas.

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coasterdude318 said:
Yes, since it's built in a Florida swamp. I fail to see anything spectacular about that location.

-Nate

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Of course, that would be true if it wasn't themed at all, but it is. The setting of the park is amazing, with crazy detail in Asia and Africa.

The original question of the thread:
"What parks are in unique, beautiful, or otherwise interesting physical settings?"

The theming inside the park has nothing to do with the physical setting of the park. That was all created as part of the park. Animal Kingdom was built in a swamp. There's nothing spectacular about it.

As I just said a few posts above yours, this isn't about the most beautiful parks. It's about the most spectacular areas that parks have been built in.

-Nate

My home park and only park in Canada is PCW. I think PCW is well balanced. Rides are well spaced out with lots of trees for shade, resting areas, very clean, lots of room for busy days, tones of staff, grass is green unlike other parks and fun for everyone. PCW is not the most beautiful setting but deserves some consideration or recognition.

PCW is built in the middle of a housing district and an interchange. There's nothing spectacular about it!

The thread is not about what's inside the park, it's about what's around it - the location in which it's built.

Oh, I give up.

-Nate
*** Edited 7/21/2006 5:39:12 AM UTC by coasterdude318***

The drive up the causeway to CP never gets old.

Im surprised only a few have mentioned SFFT. The Quarry with the waterfalls that the park is built into is beautiful. One of the most amazing places to ever put a park IMO.

And I do think CP has a great location for when youre driving in on the causeway. What a View!

I also like the river that BGE has flowing through it, and seeing alpengeists cobra roll and Lochness' interlocking loops is really a kodak moment.

Thanks for trying, Nate. I do appreciate it. :)

The thread says spectacular park settings. I don't recall reading inside or outside the park. Don't get picky with me if the topic can't be more specific. GOOD!

Ghost Town in the Sky was my favorite. I remember someone talking about the heavy rain. I was a bit confused since it was sunny with no rain in sight. Then I noticed they were looking over the railing at the storm passing below us.

Chain of Rocks was another good park. It was on a bluff overlookig the Mississippi river. They also had the scariest skylift ever. Think Indiana Beach with no way to stop it and only 20 feet to a 60 foot drop. Getting on the ride was always an adventure.

*** Edited 7/21/2006 5:31:11 PM UTC by Frantic Ferret***