Wanna Go Parking?

I have a friend who applied to become a Disney imagineer. He didn’t get the job, but I admired his passion for their mission.

One day, I want to build the theme park of the future. I want to step outside the model that we now know and design a place where people are not only entertained, but interconnected. So that you leave with a full heart not just an empty wallet. Using the same creative process it takes to be an imagineer (or to write a novel for that matter) but taking it one step farther.

To do this, I’ll need to find the answer to the question "What were you looking for when you decided to go to a theme park?" I’m sure there will be some different answers. Thrills. Relaxation. Adventure. But you can get thrills driving down the highway really fast, relaxation by taking a nap, and adventure getting lost in the woods. All by yourself. And yet, most folks head to the theme park with a group or a special someone.

I think what people may really be interested in is having a shared experience outside the humdrum of everyday life without worrying for their safety. And for the promise of satisfying this desire, they’ll endure long drives, queue lines, hot sun, enormous crowds, and huge expense.

It must be a pretty important need.

And unfortunately things seem to often break down as soon as you burst through the turnstiles, grab a park map, and learn that everybody in your party has a different idea about which attractions will best meet this need. So, you’re left either heading your separate ways or choosing to ignore the whining.

I'm probably a snob about this, but there are some parks that have at least gotten part of the formula right. And I appreciate them for it. My three favorite (existing) theme parks so far, and we’ve visited quite a few, are:



Universal’s Islands of Adventure, Orlando, FL
Fantastic park theming. To me this is one of the pillars of a great park. I want to forget I’m in a park, forget I’ve got to go back to work in a few days, and immerse myself in the themed environment. From Seuss Landing to Marvel Superhero Island to the fabulous newspaper comic strip-themed Toon Lagoon, Islands of Adventure does a great job. The sights, sounds, and smells all cooperate to provide the atmosphere. Disney’s resorts do a great job of this, too, but they aren’t a park per se.

Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, VA
The theming is good here as well, but it’s their park engineering that wallops the competition. And that is my second pillar of a great park. Attraction ingress and egress, food and bathroom locations, plentiful shade, cleanliness, consideration of small children and those with special needs, park layout, etc, etc, etc. are top notch. And it’s amazing how the attitude of the visitors is so greatly improved.

Legoland, Carlsbad, CA
Thinking outside the box. My third pillar. Perhaps, it’s because of their foreign roots, but Legoland dared to step outside the traditional Disney or Six Flags park model. They have allowed their creativity to extend beyond what name to give the requisite log flume ride, tea cup rides, and bumper cars or what obscure record they can claim for their coaster. The attractions open the door to teamwork, interaction, and activity rather than wearing yourself out trekking across the park and standing in line and then collapsing into the passive attraction for a rest. There is something to be said for the familiar, but at theme park prices, I want something new and different.

Lastly, I will make a couple of admissions:

My favorite attraction is not located at any of these parks. It’s the combination coaster, dramatic dark ride, special effects extravaganza known as Revenge of the Mummy located at Universal Studios. I could do it a hundred times and come out grinning from ear to ear each time.

And it is definitely hard to top the romantic feeling of walking down Main Street USA in the Magic Kingdom at 1 am when it’s barren and feels like Walt created his wonderful world just for you.

But enough about me, I want to hear about:

-- Your favorite park
-- Your favorite park attraction
-- Your worst park experience ever
-- What you look for in a theme park
-- Which park is most underrated in your opinion
-- Tips about little known parks or anything else theme park related.

Theme Parks