Strange Theme Parks - CoasterBuzz

Belantis should be in the Top 5 easily!

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Lake Compounce-So Fresh and So Clean Clean

BassHedz, what are some other parks that are on top of skyscrapers? Do they also have a 200+ foot tall coaster that dives off the sides of buildings? If so, I'd love to see some of those pics.

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If at first don't succeed, find out if the loser gets anything.

I don't see why Belantis should be in the top 5 easily? It's not really interesting, and only 2/5 of the entire park is finished, giving it just *one* major ride. Any fairs has a more impressive ride-count.

01) Kernies Familienpark
02) Korakuen Amusement Park
03) Six Flags Fiesta Texas
04) Plopsaland
05) Adventuredome
06) Galaxy Land
07) Stratosphere Tower
08) Bon-Bon Land
09) Ghost Town in the Sky
10) Suzuka Circuit

Any comments on those 10?

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Dutch Coastin' :: European coasters, thrills and theming!
*** This post was edited by DRNK 4/3/2003 2:43:44 AM ***

I wanted to suggest TIBIDABO in Barcelona. I wrote a long eulogy about this wonderful strange park in the "Port Aventura or Movie World"-Thread a few days ago here in the forum.

The location ontop of a mountain, next to a church makes it a beautifully located park, it has as well some very old and unique rides and you reach it by using an old funicular railway that climbs up the mountain.

I saw that you took out Europa Park, which is lacking in the strangeness department IMO;)

The other picks are very strange indeed, i agree.

Other strange parks: OCEAN PARK in Hong Kong is located ontop of a mountain which sits in the chinese sea. You can only reach it with a cableway or the worlds longest ESCALATOR which crawls up the mountainside! It has as well a spectacular logflume, that has its biggest plunge into a ravine which you dont see before because its reached through a tunnel. A custom Arrow looper is as well nicely located next to the cliffs.

I see that you took out Europa Park, which is indeed lacking in the strangeness dept. IMO;)

Blackpool Pleasure Beach comes to mind. This park is really strange for its whole appearance. Lets consider Fantasy Island: The biggest Vekoma inverted next to a trailer park... what more is there to say.

I would consider if Galaxyland is really on of the strangest. I mean there are lots of mall parks. Even custom made coasters are not too unusual for these parks. Think about the Kuwait park with the Intamin Pipeline which runs along the walls, or the newly built mall park in Kuala Lumpur, which is furnished by new Intamin rides galore.

Anyway, a very nice subject. I hope you will provide us with a link, or print the finished report here!

regards

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i was a teenage rollercoaster designer

I've replaced Plopsa Land with Ocean Park. I must admit that there are a lot more strange theme parks out there than I thought!

I'll send my research to the editor today, so I hope to have made an appointment with her before next week. I'll let you know if she's really going any deeper into strange theme parks than just a top 10. If not, I will do a feature on strange theme parks myself. This subject is just a bit too interesting not to do a feature on. :)

The strange aspect of Europa-Park is that it's really nothing more than a showroom for Mack's rides.

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Dutch Coastin' :: European coasters, thrills and theming!
*** This post was edited by DRNK 4/3/2003 5:12:45 AM ***

STOP THE PRESS!

I forgot a to post a very important thought (well, erm...you know...):

I think we´re doing Las Vegas no justice if only the Dome and the Tower is mentioned. WHOLE LAS VEGAS IS A THEME PARK! And easily the strangest on the planet!

I think this is a logic conclusion and not too far off for newspaper/magazine readers (what ever publication it might be).

This way you could include Plopsaland or another one.

I really like this subject....

greetings.

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those who do not remember the ride are condemned to repeat it!

Sorry tricktrack, the information is already sent. It's up to the editor now what's going to happen with the information.

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Dutch Coastin' :: European coasters, thrills and theming!

La Ronde was mentioned above. Some or all of the land it sits on did not exist before the Worlds Fair. They actually filled in the St Lawrence Seaway and extended the island to build the park.

How about Bible Land??! ;)

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"Know thyself!"

Yes, thats definitely a strange park. Isn´t it called HOLY LAND EXPERIENCE? Or are there more than one?

Also strange: Ghost Town in the sky made the (sad) news today on the main page. It seems to be about to close.

(question for people in the area and/or film buffs):

In a film called "Stroszeks last stand" by Werner Herzog the very depressed protagonist drives/walks around through a town which resembles the area of Ghost town. There is as well a chairlift and lots of tourist shacks. It looks very bleak, run down and off-season. In the end the protagonist shoots himself. The film was shot in the US in the end of the 70ies. It has a weird cult following because its known that singer Ian Curtis (Joy Division) killed himself after watching it on the eveneing before embarking on a US tour. (sort of a Kurt Cobain of the 80ies.)

Sorry for being off topic.

@DRNK: Nevermind. I am looking forward for the results.

greeets.

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Dr. Strangelove or how I stopped worrying and wagged the dog

I apologize for pulling this old topic out of the closet, but I really would like to know what became of the article!

DRNK could you fill us in please?!

thanks.

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i was a teenage rollercoaster designer

It would definitely be interesting to see how it turned out.

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Zero G Thrills - Moved and Improved

I think the Bible park you guys are referring to was called Heritage USA. I'm not sure it's still around. It had some water rides, but no major coasters.

Here I am. :) I'm still waiting for me copy, but as far as I know it is a big piece of ****. All they really did was make some nice tables featuring the most expensive theme park, the strangest theme park, the best roller coaster and the most dangerous roller coaster. If you like, I can ask my colleague to give me the pre-release version of the article. Well, the tables at least.

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Dutch Coastin' :: European coasters, thrills and theming!

And none of you mentioned the strangest of them all......Neverland Ranch? I mean, c'mon, it's located at someone's house, It's not open to the public, and heck, it's owned by Michael Jackson!!! How much stranger can you get??!!??

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Yeah, if coasters WEREN'T men we'd have Raging Cow instead!;)