Does Paramount destroy their 5 park's "Theme"
I am not going to go to a country just for a themepark. That is a big waste.
I don't know about you, but I am not going to spend all of my vacation time just visiting theme parks. I would like to see what else the area has to offer. N
I totally agree with BassHedz on lumping MY country with a few states.
I live in Toronto, and there is lots to see in the area.
Teenage Ninja said:
The area where Wonderland is isn't a big area
LOL
Looking at the list I find here: http://www.worldatlas.com/citypops.htm , it looks like Toronto is the fourth largest city in North America (Fifth if you count Mexico as part of North America). So if that's not considered a "big" area, then I don't know what is...
Anyway, at PCW, they do seem to be focusing less on the themed areas, but instead improving the landscaping. I consider this to be a good thing, as instead of having a poor attempt at a theme, they are beautifully landscaping it, improving the look and overall experience, IMHO.
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"I sold my soul to Viacom"
Last I checked, *everyone* considered Mexico a part of North America, what with NAFTA and all that.
:)
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~~~ Maddy ~~~
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Coney Island (Cincinnati) ride operator
ApolloAndy, I would say most people do think theming adds something to a coaster. I am not one of them. Flatrides and dark ride experiences, yes. Rollercoasters? Not a chance. IOA and BGW do pretty good theming jobs, it's important to the nature of their parks.
Still, for me a coaster needs to deliver the goods, theming has nothing to do with that.
A highly themed SLC is still a highly themed piece of crap.
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"Escuse me, can you tell me where the heck the Mystery Lodge is"?
Well, certainly, in the realm of most roller coasters, throwing $100M worth of theming at an SLC isn't going to do much. The base of the ride is mediocre, to most people's line of thinking, anyway, and to build on that is silly.
But, take an amazing, or even above average ride and add extensive theming. You've got a sure-fire winner.
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~~~ Maddy ~~~
Your right Chernabog, and it's exactly my point. But I'd go a step further and say theming on most coasters is silly. Does Millennium Force need theming to be a sure fire winner? Absolutely not, haven't heard any complaints.
Paramount can do some great theming(check out Star Trek Experience in Las Vegas), but they're smart enough to realize that some attractions NEED expansive theming, others do not. I maintain that rollercoaster theming outside of Disney and Universal(the ONLY ones who get it right) is usually cheesy, easily destoyed by teenagers, and ignored by people like me.
Get me on the damn ride already!
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"Escuse me, can you tell me where the heck the Mystery Lodge is"?
Well, I don't like Millennium Force much at all, really.
But, still, given that most people love what it provides, I think that it's entirely possible, given the right budget *and* the right talen, to add even more to the experience with extensive theming. What that theming might be, I'm not sure, and it'd certainly be a challenging project.
But, done right, theming *very* rarely detracts from an experience.
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~~~ Maddy ~~~
I agree that queue themeing is totally lost on me, but if it's used to build up the ride experience then I'm all for it.
On ride theming is a totally different story. For instance, what would Volcano be without the volcano? Still a great ride? Sure. But not nearly as cool. Imagine if you took the volcano and put it around Hypersonic's tower. That would be totally awesome (if it were more than just an empty plastic shell, anyway). Or if you took all the trench work and the immelman near miss out of Montu, it wouldn't be any better than Raptor (which I think it is, almost solely for the themeing). Sure, you could have all these effects without the themeing (just a concrete wall, or a concrete trench, or an empty plastic volcano...wait, scratch that last one :-P) but they wouldn't be as cool either.
As for MF, I personally found the tunnels really pointless, but if they had done the kinds of things that Busch does to their tunnels, they would have been much more interesting and greatly enhanced the ride experience. Sure, when you build a 300 ft. coaster, you don't NEED theming to make it a winner, but regardless of what you're building, a little theming here and there will make the overall ride experience much more enjoyable.
Ok now there we can agree somewhat. On ride theming is fine. Tunnels with mist, light and fog are great, and do add to the thrill. Be to me that's not so much theming as it is "enhancement".
Still, nothing can compare to the natural theming of a great terrain. Raven anyone???
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"Escuse me, can you tell me where the heck the Mystery Lodge is"?
I love theming but I also love unthemed amusement parks that are just after fun and thrills. It's when parks try theming and screw up that irks me. However, I don't see this in Paramount.
I've been to Kings Island all my life and though they have changed a LOT since the time of my first visit and 86 and even a LOT more since they opened in 72, I don't think they've gotten away from their "purpose." KI still has Coney Mall, Hanna Barbara Land, and Oktoberfest which are still well-themed. Nick Central is well-themed (I won't compliment it as I really hate everything Nickelodeon) and while International Street may not have international flair, it still has the tower, the fountain, and the beautifully set shops and food stands that are a perfect welcome to the park. Rivertown still matches its theme (Tomb Raider only sticks out a little). The only thing KI has "lost" is the animal theme in what is now Action Zone. However, I like having a Hollywood theme park outside CA and FL. Besides, it was useless to continue to try to tie Top Gun, the Go-kart track, and the skycoaster in with "Adventure Village."
I just got back from my first trip to Kings Dominion and I got the same impression. Old Virginia is comparable to KI's Rivertown and The Grove to Coney Mall, except maybe near the end with Hypersonic, Skyflyer, and Hurler, which might make a good Action Zone. Also, the Congo area near Volcano had a great feel to it.
Personally I think Paramount has far surpassed Six Flags in maintaining themes and creating new ones (and about every other task performed by these theme park chains).
Tyler
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Coasters in 2002: 62
New-to-me: 32
Total Coasters: 92
http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/logflumes
Now that I think about it, you're right Teenage Ninja, although the movie has a kind of 'ancient temple', 'oriental' theme, I'm glad KI used that cave entrance so that it fits better in with Rivertown.
Tyler
Teenage Ninja said:
I totally agree TY, Paramount does a great job keeping theming up.
Well, maybe at your park, but just go south to Carowinds. The original theme has been gone since the late eighties. The park was themed around the Carolinas, but 3 of the Carolina areas are gone, the only attempt to keep the Carolina theme was a very poorly executed Carolina Boardwalk, which looks like something off the West Coast. Paramount should just change the name of Carowinds to Paramount's Movieland or something.
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"The fish are eating the guest, sir
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SWOOSH
http://www.themeparksonline.org
(In cyberspace no one can hear you scream)
Vortexguy said:
Looking at the list I find here: http://www.worldatlas.com/citypops.htm , it looks like Toronto is the fourth largest city in North America (Fifth if you count Mexico as part of North America). So if that's not considered a "big" area, then I don't know what is...
Hey, this site is cool! Hmm... I don't know though. Do they take into account the city itself, or just the metro area? It seems inaccurate. The City of Los Angeles itself does not have 16 million. The metro area certainly does. However, some areas like the Bay Area, with around 6 to 7 million, are omitted (probably because there is no official municipality called the "Bay Area"). Toronto, with under 5 million, definitely wouldn't qualify as the fourth or fifth largest city in NA.
However, it is a beautiful large city with much more to do than just the amusement park.
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"Hey, man! Is that Freedom Rock?! TURN IT UP!!!"
Chernadog said:Well, I don't like Millennium Force much at all, really.
But, still, given that most people love what it provides, I think that it's entirely possible, given the right budget *and* the right talen, to add even more to the experience with extensive theming.
What that theming might be, I'm not sure, and it'd certainly be a challenging project. But, done right, theming *very* rarely detracts from an experience.
I'lll give you a way to improve Millenium Force, adds something to those tunnels. It would be a lot better if there was something more than just a piece of arced foil going over your head. If Six Flags could put in the mist, trenchs, and laser lights into the tunnels on S:ROS at SFNE, then it would most definentely benefit the M Force. Besides, I can say that at least 2/3 of fans say there favorite part of Superman was the dives into the MiSt.
*** This post was edited by Vertigo on 7/29/2002. ***
Well is Congo Falls a movie, it has nothing to do with the movie Congo. Action Zone doesn't have to be all movies, it just has to be thrilling cut of your edge rides. Also, Carowinds doesn't bring in near as much business as PKI so why should they keep the original theme?
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(Former Signature replaced due to bad joke with accident) The Beast at night-Two peas in a pod?
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i am emo
Swoosh "what movie was S O B in again" That would be S. O. B. DUH haha
As for Carowinds The Carolina Boarwalk is done well however it's ironic that for 20 years the Cyclone ( a tropical storm) didn't fit in with the mountain theme of that area- Blue Ridge Junction- and the Goldrusher did now it's the opposite way around I would like to see Carowinds re theme the Goldrusher like PKI's Adventure Express as their version of Tomb Raider
When Top Gun was built at PKI it was in the jungle/congo area Which is exactly where you would expect to find an air craft carrier haha
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JOHN
RCT INSOMNIACS
KIMBERLY LAKE INC.
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