Went there today with my wife and son, had a thoroughly good family day out.
The new(ISH) Jumanji ride is very good, the other rides are entertaining.
However there are many areas of the park that is run down and needs some money spending, and to me it appears there's a lack of direction within the park. I went a few times as a kid, and the last time we went was 1997, I was 12 years old and I seemed to remember everything being much better, the theming much better, the correlation between the different areas worked together better, the park had more of a buzz about it (though I admit this buzz is most likely 12 year old me rose tinted specs)
https://youtu.be/jORYon3Xrqw?si=G9B-rnY5lw_ExjkE
I initially put it down to rose tinted glasses, and it may still be the case.
But the bubble works for instance, it's been really themed as the gruffalo, it's very nice the smells are great, it it was missing that extra bit, there was significantly less animation and things to look at, but the quality of the decor was abysmal also, I know it's just a ride, but when you've got a light blue backdrop with bright lights shining on it, you'd think to fill and tape the edges of the plasterboard and screw holes,
Croc drop is nowhere near as quality as ramases revenge was.
The re-design of terror tomb to a shooting laser tag, is ok, but again loses many of the animation elements and storyline that made it great. This incidentally is also now looking very run down, same as the log flume still good, not as good as it was but also very run down. Vampire ride still amazing, I hope they never get rid, but understand it has an operational lifespan so likely will be replaced at some point, it still has the same feeling as old but once again it's very run down, there's a common theme here, essentially everything is quite run down, even croc drops souvenir shop was cleared out and emptied and this ride was only implemented in 2019.
Having found a video on YouTube from back in 97 the park seemed much better kept and the rides a higher quality confirming it's not just rose tinted 12 year old me.
Anyhoo as I said, still had lots of fun and tbh that's what we went there for and thus the money was well spent and suppose really I can't grumble, it's just a shame In my opinion that there seems to be ever more cost cutting and visible cost cutting, yet at the same time trying to prise more money from ones coughers.
My boy loves them parks but need to be careful of age and height, he prefers rides the scarier the better, hates kiddies rides and thought Chessington was the next up from Lego land. Next summer will be thorpe park.
Though we are going to port Aventura at end of the month as the tickets came free with the holiday, just need the boy to grow 2cm between now and then so can go on the rides.
There's no question or anything within this, just thought I'd share an experience and see if others have the same or similar
The new(ISH) Jumanji ride is very good, the other rides are entertaining.
However there are many areas of the park that is run down and needs some money spending, and to me it appears there's a lack of direction within the park. I went a few times as a kid, and the last time we went was 1997, I was 12 years old and I seemed to remember everything being much better, the theming much better, the correlation between the different areas worked together better, the park had more of a buzz about it (though I admit this buzz is most likely 12 year old me rose tinted specs)
https://youtu.be/jORYon3Xrqw?si=G9B-rnY5lw_ExjkE
I initially put it down to rose tinted glasses, and it may still be the case.
But the bubble works for instance, it's been really themed as the gruffalo, it's very nice the smells are great, it it was missing that extra bit, there was significantly less animation and things to look at, but the quality of the decor was abysmal also, I know it's just a ride, but when you've got a light blue backdrop with bright lights shining on it, you'd think to fill and tape the edges of the plasterboard and screw holes,
Croc drop is nowhere near as quality as ramases revenge was.
The re-design of terror tomb to a shooting laser tag, is ok, but again loses many of the animation elements and storyline that made it great. This incidentally is also now looking very run down, same as the log flume still good, not as good as it was but also very run down. Vampire ride still amazing, I hope they never get rid, but understand it has an operational lifespan so likely will be replaced at some point, it still has the same feeling as old but once again it's very run down, there's a common theme here, essentially everything is quite run down, even croc drops souvenir shop was cleared out and emptied and this ride was only implemented in 2019.
Having found a video on YouTube from back in 97 the park seemed much better kept and the rides a higher quality confirming it's not just rose tinted 12 year old me.
Anyhoo as I said, still had lots of fun and tbh that's what we went there for and thus the money was well spent and suppose really I can't grumble, it's just a shame In my opinion that there seems to be ever more cost cutting and visible cost cutting, yet at the same time trying to prise more money from ones coughers.
My boy loves them parks but need to be careful of age and height, he prefers rides the scarier the better, hates kiddies rides and thought Chessington was the next up from Lego land. Next summer will be thorpe park.
Though we are going to port Aventura at end of the month as the tickets came free with the holiday, just need the boy to grow 2cm between now and then so can go on the rides.
There's no question or anything within this, just thought I'd share an experience and see if others have the same or similar
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