Why California is the TRUE Theme Park Capital of the World.

[dweezil78]

Boy, do I hate to be so right. As stated before, all the parks in FL are becoming the MK. What Orlando theme parks need is VARIETY, which California has in spades.

Sorry... But can you define what a MK-style park even means? Is it a park with a variety of different lands, rides, shows, and restaurants? If so, there isn't that essentially the core of all theme parks? Disney paved the way for variety with parks like EPCOT and Animal Kingdom, two of the most unique major theme parks in the US. Despite the lack of vision and dumbed down changes at Epcot over the years, it is still an incredible park to visit. Animal Kingdom is just now finally coming into its own with additions like Pandora and a great evening package. I enjoyed the park so much on my recent trip that I visited it twice (one full day and one evening) when before I only spent a half day at best there.

People toss around 'MK style park' all the time, I don't really understand what that means. At the end of the day, all theme parks w/ exception of your Sea Worlds of the world, generally offer up the same type of fare. On the opposite side of the spectrum you have roller coaster parks which appeal to a select audience.

Studio parks are becoming a relic of the past simply due to the fact that we have far more exposure as to how movies are made now and the allure of that type of park isn't what it used to be. USH will always be exempt from this simply due to the fact that it IS a working studio, but even the focus there has shifted greatly over the past 5 years with a stronger focus on attractions and less on how the sausage is made.

 

[No Name]

Once you go bold, you never go back.

 

[Hattieboxghost110]

Because Walt Disney World (6 gates) is the flagship location for Disney Parks, and Universal Studios (3 gates) Florida Resort is the offical flagship for Universal Parks.

These two companies (Disney and Universal) set there flagship locations in or near Orlando, which also encouraged other smaller Theme park companies (Seaworld (3 gates), Busch Gardens (1 gate), Legoland (2 gates), Fun spot (3 gates), Old town, Gatorland, The Holy land Experience, ect) to setup locations around Orlando to feed off of their market. Those are (21 Theme Park gates) just themeparks in the Orlando area, there's a ton more on the coasts of Florida too.

Simply put, two of the largest Theme park chains decided to have their flagship in Orlando, making it the Theme Park capital of the World.

Read this:

http://www.wdwinfo.com/history/the-...n-orlando-under-disney-and-universals-shadow/

There is a dark side to the Disney/Universal market dominance in Florida.

 

[dweezil78]

There is a dark side to the Disney/Universal market dominance in Florida.

Yeah...the dark side is that shoddy little lame Florida roadside attractions and second/third/fourth rate parks don't cut it out in Orlando because people have higher expectations. None of the places listed in that article were ever worth checking out. I visited many of them as a kid and they often never looked anything like they did in the brochures!!!

 

[Hattieboxghost110]

hose are (21 Theme Park gates) just themeparks in the Orlando area

-Did you know that California has the MOST theme/amusement parks in America?
-Has more chains than Orlando/Florida? (In addition to Disney/Universal/Seaworld/Legoland, also has Six Flags, Cedar Fair)
-That there are theme parks present throughout the state, instead of a centralized location like Orlando, weakening Disney/Universal market dominance?
-Has the roller coaster capital of the world, Six Flags Magic Mountain?
-Is the birth place of theme parks, including Disney, Universal, Seaworld?
-Appeals to a wider market, other than children & families?
-Has amusements parks on a pier & next to the Pacific Ocean? (Florida/Orlando has nothing like this)

 

[nevol]

-Did you know that California has the MOST theme/amusement parks in America?
-Has more chains than Orlando/Florida? (In addition to Disney/Universal/Seaworld/Legoland, also has Six Flags, Cedar Fair)
-That there are theme parks present throughout the state, instead of a centralized location like Orlando, weakening Disney/Universal market dominance?
-Has the roller coaster capital of the world, Six Flags Magic Mountain?
-Is the birth place of theme parks, including Disney, Universal, Seaworld?
-Appeals to a wider market, other than children & families?
-Has amusements parks on a pier & next to the Pacific Ocean? (Florida/Orlando has nothing like this)

And is where all the theme park industry is based. Management and design teams. This is I think the strongest argument. Other markets might have more theme park resort destinations, but the idea of a theme park and the culture that creates these manifestations is based in Los Angeles.

 

[Hattieboxghost110]

Yeah...the dark side is that shoddy little lame Florida roadside attractions and second/third/fourth rate parks don't cut it out in Orlando because people have higher expectations. None of the places listed in that article were ever worth checking out. I visited many of them as a kid and they often never looked anything like they did in the brochures!!!

Dude. Not everything has to be Disney/Universal quality for it to be fun & entertaining!

There are days where I would rather go to this, than Disney.

 

[dweezil78]

And is where all the theme park industry is based. Management and design teams. This is I think the strongest argument. Other markets might have more theme park resort destinations, but the idea of a theme park and the culture that creates these manifestations is based in Los Angeles.

You're mixing industry w/ consumer facing business. Sure, Disney as a company has much of its operations based in Burbank and Glendale, but the average guest visiting WDW (an area 2x the size of Manhattan) doesn't know nor do they care about that.

 

[dweezil78]

Dude. Not everything has to be Disney/Universal quality for it to be fun & entertaining!

There are days where I would rather go to this, than Disney.

Sure those are great. Gatorland, however, is not. I'm just offering my opinion on the article you provided -- not the debate about which state holds the dumb worthless title of theme park capital of the world.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Heck, those beachside parks look better than DCA.

 

[Hattieboxghost110]

but the average guest visiting WDW (an area 2x the size of Manhattan)

Yet WDW can't manage to run a nighttime parade in one of their 4 theme parks?
Keep their classic Fantasyland dark rides such as Snow White's Scary Adventures & Mr. Toad's Wild Ride?
Do a proper expansion with Mickie & Minnie Runaway Railway instead of gutting Great Movie Ride?

What happened to the blessing of size?

 

[Hattieboxghost110]

Sure those are great. Gatorland, however, is not. I'm just offering my opinion on the article you provided -- not the debate about which state holds the dumb worthless title of theme park capital of the world.

Of course you care. Or else you wouldn't be posting on this thread all the time. For example, I don't care about Disneyland Paris so I never post on their threads.

My point is that not everything has to be 1st rate theme parks like Disney & Universal. I STRONGLY DISAGREE with you, 2nd & 3rd rate amusement parks have their place in the market. Seaside parks don't have anything like Haunted Mansion or Forbidden Journey, but it's still fun as hell and shouldn't cease to exist just because it's not up to Disney standards.

 

[joejccva71]

Think I'll choose Florida theme parks over California and I lived in California for many years after the military.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

 

[dweezil78]

Of course you care. Or else you wouldn't be posting on this thread all the time. For example, I don't care about Disneyland Paris so I never post on their threads.

My point is that not everything has to be 1st rate theme parks like Disney & Universal. I STRONGLY DISAGREE with you, 2nd & 3rd rate amusement parks have their place in the market. Seaside parks don't have anything like Haunted Mansion or Forbidden Journey, but it's still fun as hell and shouldn't cease to exist just because it's not up to Disney standards.

Ok...but this thread is about 'THEME PARKS' which - at least to me, maybe not you - are a very different beast than piers, little amusement parks, and tourist traps. Little local coaster parks and zoos are fun to visit on occasion, no doubt, but they are not the same thing as theme parks.

 

[dweezil78]

Yet WDW can't manage to run a nighttime parade in one of their 4 theme parks?
Keep their classic Fantasyland dark rides such as Snow White's Scary Adventures & Mr. Toad's Wild Ride?
Do a proper expansion with Mickie & Minnie Runaway Railway instead of gutting Great Movie Ride?

What happened to the blessing of size?

I think too many people are basing their opinions here on way too many different criteria. This isn't a thread about quality or business decisions. In my eyes it boils down to consumer intent -- why do people book trips to Florida vs booking trips to California. If you want to debate business decisions, park maintenance, etc, I personally don't understand why that belongs in a thread like this.

 

[Hattieboxghost110]

Ok...but this thread is about 'THEME PARKS' which - at least to me, maybe not you - are a very different beast than piers, little amusement parks, and tourist traps. Little local coaster parks and zoos are fun to visit on occasion, no doubt, but they are not the same thing as theme parks.

A theme park is an AMUSEMENT PARK with a central theme.

Universal Studios=Not really a central theme, just a collection of hot IP's.

Disney=Getting away from central theming, in favor of promoting their latest IP.

I know you like to pimp Animal Kingdom, but it's really just a zoo with IP's. (Avatar, Dinosaur, Indiana Jones, etc.)


theme park
ˈTHēm ˌpärk/
noun

1. an amusement park with a unifying setting or idea.
   
   
   

 

[Hattieboxghost110]

Think I'll choose Florida theme parks over California and I lived in California for many years after the military.

There's no problem with that. May I ask why you prefer FL parks?

 

[dweezil78]

I know you like to pimp Animal Kingdom, but it's really just a zoo with IP's. (Avatar, Dinosaur, Indiana Jones, etc.)

I honestly don't like to pimp AK. Hadn't really been a fan until this last trip. I like to give praise where/when it is due and I feel like it is due there. Just out of curiosity, have you been there? There are spots in that park that I feel are absolutely jaw dropping and transcend anything you'd get out of a ride/attraction.

No point in going around debating the definition of a theme park. I don't think we'll ever see eye to eye on that, and that's fine. IMO a real theme park provides a certain level of immersion that you don't get with a typical amusement/coaster park. If you don't think that, that's cool too. I'll live.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

The only theme park that feels truly unified is Disneyland. I think it's the idea behind the park and how it's changed and grown while remaining fundamentally the same over the years. The other parks feel like they've outlived their original thematic intentions and have become quite random with their additions while much of what remains feels stale!

Then you have TMK, a watered-down touristy version of DL. The worst thing you can say about that park and the truest. It just doesn't know what it wants to be. It's DL-esque but without the atmosphere and fun of quaint old charming DL. So then what good is it?