Most UN-impressive looking park from the outside.

What park do you think looks really unimpressive (or bad) from seeing from the outside?  I would have to say Knoebels.  I was driving there and made the last right on the small road leading up to the park.  On the right I saw a spiral slide, a small kiddie coaster, and a few other old looking rides.  I thought, "This can't be Knoebels, this must be a kiddie park next to Knoebels.  This doesn't look very nice"  But it was Knoebels.  It really looked runned down and old from the outside.  It surely is a deceptive scene though.  It only took me a few hours to realize how great this park actually was.  It has 2 great coasters, a lot of great flat rides, and all around a very FUN park.  It is actually one of my 3 favorite parks (along with IOA and BGW).  Its funny that I had as much fun at this small family owned park as the billion dollar IOA.  So this is proof that you can't judge a book by its cover, or a park from its outside!

Zimm
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www.themeparkbrochures.com - Theme Park Brochures and Maps

Just up until a few years ago, SFStL looked like a carnival from the outside.  I guess it's just kinda dwarfed by the hillside.  The Boss helps a lot, though.  Also, Disneyland doesn't look like much, but of course you can't really see in or out anyways.   
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"When I come to a town I would love to see a children’s festival and children’s choirs singing my songs - maybe create a children’s day! A Holiday! With parades and songs - oh, I would love that!" - I swear to god its a Michael Jackson quote

It's hard for me to think of a time I approached a park and wasn't agape ... especially the first time I saw Holiday World and Kennywood.  Seems like each park has a unique entrance.  For example:

Kennywood:  approaching from the west, you can see SP(PR) and Pittfall for the first time when you cross the river.

SFWoA:  You can see S:UE for about 2 miles straight ahead, coming from the north.

Holiday World:  All of a sudden, the Legend appears! (from the north)

Those are the best entrances.  SO back on topic.... I can't think of a single park I wasn't impressed with at first.

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You can't spell "dishonorable" without "honorable."

Yeah, holiday world rules, coming in from the north. 
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"When I come to a town I would love to see a children’s festival and children’s choirs singing my songs - maybe create a children’s day! A Holiday! With parades and songs - oh, I would love that!" - I swear to god its a Michael Jackson quote

When I first caught glimpse of SFKK coming from the north on the interstate, I nearly vomited.
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Ride the New England Bush!

I will agree 100% with Zimm about Knoebels. I had heard all the hype for years about this "awesome" park and how I absolutely must visit if I'm any sort of an amusement park fan. After driving for six hours, including four hours on the insanely boring Interstate 80, and finally arriving at the park, I too looked and said "What? This is Knoebels? What?" It seriously looked old, run down, and depressing. I saw no sign of the Phoenix and you can just barely catch a glimpse of the Twister. As I walked in, I was a little more impressed, but thought- "These are just carnival rides....What?".  Well, that whole initial impression disappeared after spending some time at the park. The park is beautifully landscaped, has my favorite wooden coaster, the best spook house in existence, and a wonderful charm all its own. Looks can definitely be deceiving in this case.  What?  What?  Sorry, I watched too much of WWF Raw last night.....  What?

ProgRay

Coney Island looks pretty unimpressive from the outside.  Actually, it looks pretty unimpressive from the inside, too!

But you can't beat the Cyclone for a classic, wild wooden coaster experience.

I've never really been bummed out driving up to a park, as I've usually got the "little kid on Xmas morning syndrome." 
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Do you have stairs in your house?

*** This post was edited by chris on 1/8/2002. ***

Astroland has a very unimpressive entrance. It just looks like a carnival, and you walk over a cement bridge, and go in. Every other park that I've been to has something about it that makes it look absolutely beautiful.

The PNE/Playland in Vancouver doesn't look too impressive from the street,in fact at first glance Coaster doesn't look very impressive.My first thought was " Well,we come this far,might as well check it out".Upon entering the park,I went right to Coaster and took a seat on those  comfy Carl Phare trains.My first perception of the PNE was changed forever after my first ride on Coaster.I have never experienced airtime like this on any coaster,wood or steel.Coaster immediately became my #1 coaster.It is now the standard that I rate other coasters by.

Ronald Anderson, I agree with your comments about Playland.  Also, thanks for your great comments about Playland's 1958 Carl Phare "Coaster".  I totally agree about those park-built, open-front, seat belt-less, large pulldown steel all-the-way-across-the-seat lap bars, 1920's-styled single-bench articulated Prior and Church-inspired cars that are time-warp gems (out of breath after that description!). I like 'em better than Millenium Flyers.  At least they don't have bowling-ball-weighted lap bars like the Flyers at SFMW. 

Yeah, the ejector airtime is not an exaggeration at all.  The front seat is a great view with almost stand-up air. It just happens.  I also wonder if any other coasters slam this hard in the back--I mean they just have that sudden POP that really does (in my case, anyway, and my son's) hurt if you aren't really careful.  This whole coaster is just a lesson in 20's roller coasters, and definitely better than the Cyclone.
By the way, Ronald, if you haven't already done so, get to Arnold's Park in NW Iowa (alongside Lake Okoboji) to ride "The Legend" (no, this is NOT Holiday World's Legend) for some more of this kicking airtime.  The coaster is only 2000 feet long and 63 feet at the top of the lift.  However, it is a 1927 John Miller creation, so watch out as it drops and turns left on the first drop to give you a slammer to the right side, then into a nice semi-speedy turnaround before dropping to the ground and then progressing along straight to the next turn that then leads to three successive hills and drops that throw you into the lap bar, no matter which of the three cars you ride in.  Yes, it is a short train, but this ride is magnificent.  Both Coaster and The Legend are very high on my woodies list.
Also, I should mention that Western Washington State Fair in Puyallup, WA has a coaster called "Roller Coaster".  It runs Prior and Church open-front cars.  The fair is only open 3 weeks a year in September, so it may take some special planning.
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coasteray

*** This post was edited by coasteray on 1/8/2002. ***

SIX FLAGS ELITCH.....it looks like they just dropped an amusement park right into an old overgrown, gritty industrial park, right next to the freeway...which is basically what they did....what a waste SFEG is...only park I've been to that I really hate.

Michegan's Adventure-- before I found out that supposedly they have a great woodie, I drove right past it thinking, what a dump!  Plus it was raining, but still...

Indiana Beach isn't much until you you step out onto the bridge and then holy cow!!!!!!
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Does CCI know how to make a bad coaster?

Knoebels takes the cake.  We're all used to rich corporate owned parks that can be more glitter than substance.  However, I've had more fun at Knoebels than just about any other place out there.  Some larger parks could learn some important lessons from places like Knoebels.
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- Peabody

Alton Towers....I mean...you can't even see the rides...;)
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Divorced From Dependence since 1987!

Six Flags Great America, and obviously Cedar Point, but even World's of Fun has an impressive skyline (you can see mamba from miles and miles away on the highway.)

Hersheypark because most of the rides are either in the valley or covered by trees.  All you really see is The Great Bear and the Kissing Tower when you enter the parking lot.  Then when you get in, its a whole different place.

Coasterman Mike

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Total rides on Phantom's Revenge: 49
Total rides on Pittfall: 255
Total rides on Superman:UE : 633

I agree with Indiana Beach.  I didn't even go in by the bridge, but by the run-down entrance on the other side (by Cornball). I was sort of disappointed by the look, because it was these old, "worn" buildings, and a collection of cheap, old kiddieland rides with a roller coaster sprawling out over top of them.  One ride on Cornball changed my opinion of the park, and by the time I was walking on the jam-packed main midway at night, I concluded that IB has the best "amusement park" atmosphere of anywhere I've ever been and is also one of the neatest places I've ever experienced, amusement park related or not.

The other unimpressive first look I got was the first time I went to PKI ('93 or '94, I think - whenever Top Gun was new).  I remember being used to CP's skyline (which even then was pretty impressive) and coming up upon the park and only being able to see the Eiffel Tower and the lift hill of the Vortex from the road.  I was disappointed, but later found the park to be great when it came to coasters.  Besides, International Street is one of the most impressive parts of any amusement park I've been to.  Of course, Drop Zone, SOB, and Face Off help with the skyline now, too.

I really want to go to Coney Island.  I don't care how seedy and unimpressive it looks.

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"I'm just trying to find a decent melody...A song that I can sing in my own company."
- U2 - "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of"

Knoebels and Clementon Amusement park, Knoebels looks like a camp ground, that somebody threw rides into, Clementon Park looks like a carnival next to a Chemical infested lake.