Sorcerer Mickey
Well-Known Member
I'm thinking that I went to Disney way too many times(around 5 times a year) and it got old fast. Just maybe. Haven't been there for a while now, though.
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#1 thrill park
- Thread starter ImagineerFan04
- Start date
Testtrack321
Well-Known Member
I'm wondering if Universal bribes Discovery since they always are #1 in some crap. #1 steel coaster, #1 park. Let me tell you, Universal shakes in it's boots compared to Cedar Point or Six Flags Magic Mountain.
A lot of people at Universal like and admire Cedar Fair's parks (although there are two different philosophies behind them), but no one has ANY fear or admiration for a Six Flags park. Six Flags is a ghetto company and a joke even in the amusement park industry.
The only real thrills I get at a Six Flags are when I am trying to get out of a fight with a gang.
The only real thrills I get at a Six Flags are when I am trying to get out of a fight with a gang.
AndyMagic
Well-Known Member
I think the reason Universal was number one was because it is the only park that mixes big thrills with great theming and high-tech rides. Cedar Point might have more coasters but there is more to a park than that. The average coaster costs about 15-20 million dollars, your average Universal attraction costs about 70-100 million. You can't really compare the two parks as one is an amusement park and the other is a theme park. Lastly, I don't see why anyone should be upset about Disney not being on the list. If they had a list for world's best theme parks, a Disney park would certainly be number one.
I didn't see the show, but I've seen lots of similar ones on the Travel Channel and the Discovery Channel. Usually, when they do a ranking of some sort, they explain the criteria for how they selected the winner. But it sounds as though a lot of posters on this thread are speculating as to what the criteria was. Is that because the show didn't state what it was? Maybe someone who saw the show can clarify. Just curious, as that could certainly make a difference on how closely I agree with the results.
Applying my OWN criteria, though, I would base it not so much on the NUMBER of thrill rides, but rather the QUALITY of thrills offered by each park. For example, Cedar Point might have one of the highest counts of coasters in the country (second to Magic Mountain, at last count, I believe), but with the exceptions of Milennium Force and XL-200, I don't think the individual rides there really stand out. IOA, by contrast, has considerably fewer thrill rides, but they are all incredible. The Hulk is, in my opinion (as well as quite a few coaster enthusiasts) the best coaster anywhere. Dueling Dragons are by far the best suspended coasters anywhere. So based on that alone, I would rank IOA over Cedar Point. As far as Six Flags is concerned, I agree with an earlier poster that Six Flags generally doesn't hold a candle to the Cedar Fair parks (i.e. Cedar Point, Valley Fair and Knott's Berry Farm). I've been to most of the Six Flags parks in the US and they generally have pretty mundane coasters. Magic Mountain is the one standout, though.
I wouldn't include Disney on a list of thrill parks, for the reasons stated by others on this thread. However I do consider Tower of Terror to be the best thrill ride anywhere. I know that Disney is "all about themeing", but the themeing on Tower of Terror actually increases the thrill element. Rather than relying solely on the drop(s) as the thrill of this attraction, the ride also uses some psychological thrills to create a completely immersive experience.
Applying my OWN criteria, though, I would base it not so much on the NUMBER of thrill rides, but rather the QUALITY of thrills offered by each park. For example, Cedar Point might have one of the highest counts of coasters in the country (second to Magic Mountain, at last count, I believe), but with the exceptions of Milennium Force and XL-200, I don't think the individual rides there really stand out. IOA, by contrast, has considerably fewer thrill rides, but they are all incredible. The Hulk is, in my opinion (as well as quite a few coaster enthusiasts) the best coaster anywhere. Dueling Dragons are by far the best suspended coasters anywhere. So based on that alone, I would rank IOA over Cedar Point. As far as Six Flags is concerned, I agree with an earlier poster that Six Flags generally doesn't hold a candle to the Cedar Fair parks (i.e. Cedar Point, Valley Fair and Knott's Berry Farm). I've been to most of the Six Flags parks in the US and they generally have pretty mundane coasters. Magic Mountain is the one standout, though.
I wouldn't include Disney on a list of thrill parks, for the reasons stated by others on this thread. However I do consider Tower of Terror to be the best thrill ride anywhere. I know that Disney is "all about themeing", but the themeing on Tower of Terror actually increases the thrill element. Rather than relying solely on the drop(s) as the thrill of this attraction, the ride also uses some psychological thrills to create a completely immersive experience.
MKCustodial
Well-Known Member
Disney wasn't on a thrill park list? Thank you very much for the wonderful news, you just made my week! :sohappy: :sohappy: :sohappy: :sohappy: :wave:
ToTBellHop
Well-Known Member
Some of you are correct: parks shown on the Travel Channel pay them to showcase the parks on their site--this show is a few years old, and came out before Disney was even working with the Travel Channel--no single park at Disney would have gotten very high on the list, but I think, especially come late July/early August, the Walt Disney World Resort, as a whole, would score pretty high on the list, as it has a great mix of thrill rides...although, in my own little world, the Tower of Terror is enough to make MGM the best thrill park in the world lol...
Testtrack321
Well-Known Member
My problem isn't that Disny isn't on the list, just how Universal is always convienetly on top, despite major competition at CP, AT, and other parks. I mean really, one show they say that the best coaster is Magnum, but then a year latter they say Hulk is, yet Hulk was over 2 years old and didn't even make it up on the list last year! You really have to wonder.
AndyMagic
Well-Known Member
Hulk wasn't on the list in it's first few years for the same reason other brand new rides don't make the list. It takes a few years for a ride to become noticed. Also, I remember when that top ten show aired, there was an online poll going on at the same time at the Discovery Channel site and Hulk was number one in votes as well.
Tim G
Well-Known Member
Excuse me, but Disney is a "THEME" parkOriginally posted by JLW11Hi
Some might call it a theme park, too
and the others are amusement parks... which is not a matter of speaking, but rollercoaster parks, are really not themed..
the only park which has got a bit of theming is IOA, but absolutely no magic...
MKCustodial
Well-Known Member
I think that was a bit of sarcasm over what Sherm said...
MKCustodial
Well-Known Member
Ok, now I think you misunderstood ME! :lol: I meant that what JLW11Hi said was a bit of sarcasm directed at Sherm... At least, that's how I saw it... Does it make sense now? :lookaroun
NakedMickey
New Member
To me the poll was justified in there choice of Universal. Univesal is a thrill park, that has also mananged to theme their parks. They have some of the most amazing rides around and the layout and look of IOA is worth the 50 dollars alone.
Disney is not a thrill park, it's a family park and has made a name for itself because of the fact that they market to families. It's a place where everyone can go. Disney has a had a rash of thrill rides lately simply because a one important group has lost interest in Disney: Teens. Disney has noticed that they have lost touch with this group and they are trying to bring them back. I love Disney but in reality if I asked many of my friends (who are about 18 or so) where they want to go most of them would say IOA.
I love Disney but like I've said many times before, Universal and Disney are completely different parks that are marketing to two different types of groups. I think that right now they are doing about the same considering that many people who come to Florida go to both parks.
Disney is not a thrill park, it's a family park and has made a name for itself because of the fact that they market to families. It's a place where everyone can go. Disney has a had a rash of thrill rides lately simply because a one important group has lost interest in Disney: Teens. Disney has noticed that they have lost touch with this group and they are trying to bring them back. I love Disney but in reality if I asked many of my friends (who are about 18 or so) where they want to go most of them would say IOA.
I love Disney but like I've said many times before, Universal and Disney are completely different parks that are marketing to two different types of groups. I think that right now they are doing about the same considering that many people who come to Florida go to both parks.
miamimickey72
New Member
Well I am new to the forums and this is my first posting...lets see!
I also saw the Travel Channel show and can tell you that some of them parks should not even be on that list. I have been to Island of Adventure and must say its a fun park. But nothing has that magical touch like a DIsney park.
You must remember that Disney is a classic which has been around for MANY years....and many more to come. Universal has only had the chance to Copy disney on things like City Walk (their version of DownTown Disney) and to have resorts on property...but thats all it is a copy of Disney. Now Sea World also has their own night time adult park and its just that another copy of Disney.
Disney is and always will be a classic and a leader in theme park.
I also saw the Travel Channel show and can tell you that some of them parks should not even be on that list. I have been to Island of Adventure and must say its a fun park. But nothing has that magical touch like a DIsney park.
You must remember that Disney is a classic which has been around for MANY years....and many more to come. Universal has only had the chance to Copy disney on things like City Walk (their version of DownTown Disney) and to have resorts on property...but thats all it is a copy of Disney. Now Sea World also has their own night time adult park and its just that another copy of Disney.
Disney is and always will be a classic and a leader in theme park.