To Loathe Theme Parks

[devilinme]

All of them. Expensive, queues, incessant noise, terrible food

DS is desperate to go to Thorpe Park and I'd rather stick pins in my eyes. And, I've raged on how I hate the places so now have GUILT as he's said its ok, we won't go.

Tell me the great things about these places, not just that I will be with lovely DS for the day

It'll not kill you to go for one day

Well, it might....

I'm not a fan of British theme parks, they re extortionately priced for what you get. Orlando, on the other hand, is my happy place so I think YABU!

I've never taken my children. Hate them with a passion. They went with school and when they could go alone, they got year passes. I hate the Science museum too.

Same here- I hate them! I grew up literally next to one. I spent my childhood being dragged there in the height of summer 😧 (DD and DH love them.)
But I found, it's better to go theme parks abroad (not Disney). If you go outside their school holidays (Easter is best!), at least you can avoid the queues, the feeling of getting crushed and spending a whole day standing up! An added bonus is, that you can go on a ride more than once- if you find one that you like! The food is usually a bit better as well (but not by much!) Each country has a few... France, Germany or Holland is all easily accessible and worth a holiday.

Thorpe park wasn't always horrible. It became so when the big rides were brought in.
Remember Princess Diana and her boys on the log flume? It was fun back then but quite gentle. Perfect for young ones and then a play on the sand and dip in the "sea" on the artificial beach.
No loud music or crowds. Food was good too. I remember the crepes.

Windsor Safari was also very good, situated where Lego Land is now.
Although the animals were captive obviously, observing say the Elephants, whole families or "Elephant" for those seasoned African travellers, was across a walkway high above them, so no stress.

The gift shops were great. Every bit as good as those in Africa. I have lovely pictures of my little girl in her dungarees and pith helmet from Windsor Safari Park. That was 24 years ago.

Then when she was older we went to Alton Towers. OMW!

The whole site was filthy and that included the eating places. She loved it, but on leaving I just wanted to clean my shoes as empty wrappers were everywhere along with discarded food.
That was 19 years ago. I hated it. H had no opinion as usual and DD loved it, which is all that mattered.

I hate to think what they're like now.

We took Dd and friends to Thorpe Park for her 9th birthday. She forgot to put her harness on for a ride and I thought she was going to be killed. The attendant never checked and the music was so loud she couldn't hear me screaming at her. Luckily her friend who was sitting next door noticed. My DH just got hsi seat and didn't check her - self-centred !!!!! I will never kow if the ride would have worked without all people being harnessed into it but I was scared witless.

So, never went again. School took her to Chessington and I told them about her forgetting to activate the harness. Anyway, she came back OK! I cannot stand them and I think standards are low. She is now older and likes museums and galleries. Theme parks were a short-lived thing and DD2 never asked to go at all. She prefers theatre,dance and wildlife. Not everyone has to go to these places and not everyone really likes them. Spend the day doing something more enoyable! Don't follow the crowd! (The number of people on MN who plan their lives around Disney Florida amazes me - is there nowhere else worth going?)

You all need to come to legoland in Denmark. It's much nicer. Food is not cheap but pretty decent quality and there are loads of picnic tables.

We do AT every year-on free tickets though, no way would I pay the ridiculous full price.
Start looking for bogof offers or book online in advance to get a discount.
You may not like them but I'm sure you can manage it for DS.

Love Thorpe park. Live near it. Had annual passes care of MN. Thank you MN !! They were fab.
At 11, I would take a big group of him and his mates and just let them get on with it.

Since ds started secondary, he goes every few days, after school. Now he's older, Only last week, On his own, At Easter, a group of 12-20 of them. They've been loads of times this Easter.

I don't get your hatred. But if you've got younger kids and you live further away, I guess it's all not so attractive!!

My daughter's favourite was Little Canada on the IoW, now I think run by PGL.
My friends thought I was cruel to take her and leave her there.
Racing around all day, canoeing, making dens and generally having fun.
When I went to fetch her, she was unrecognisable.

I had delivered a little overweight girl. (PE teacher had said not to worry, as they grow in to their bodies.) Light brown hair and a smile.

I picked up this skinny, brown thing with white, and yes I mean white massed, tangled hair who almost growled at me for having the audacity to take her home. She would have stayed there for ever, had I allowed it.
She had been fed all she could eat, but just worked it off through fun.

I'd sooner save up for something like that than all that theme parks cost.

Sometimes school holiday clubs/scouts etc organise trips. It might be better for dc to go as part of a group trip.

Just back from Disney. Massive queues to pee/eat/do anything. Everything outrageously expensive. The whole thing was soul destroying.

Legoland was fine, not crowded at all when we went. However, Thorpe Park and the like is my idea of hell on earth. Fervently hoping that DS will go with school at some point as I will need serious drugs if I have to take him.

This thread so makes me think we'll do Disney in January again if we go. I think we were spoilt being queue free. We've got legoland planned and I've been looking at the app - some queus are an hour!!!

This thread so makes me think we'll do Disney in January again if we go. I think we were spoilt being queue free. We've got legoland planned and I've been looking at the app - some queus are an hour!!!

YANBU OP - DD expressed a wish to go to Legoland - I read the Tripadvisor reviews and that was enough to confirm we won't be bothering. I am amazed they are still in business TBH.

There is just one great thing. Just one.
Your children will enjoy.

That's it. But it's enough

I dont go on a thing but I dont mind them now Dds are adults I will never be in another 1 in my life. Does he have a friend you could go with? what I did object to was paying full price when I didn'tgo on anything.

I'm biased as I love theme parks!

My best childhood memory is on my birthday every year going to Alton towers (I now know it's because that's when the 2 for 1 tickets were!) but it was so exciting, the theme music, sharing a bag of doughnuts, the rides, getting to throw balls at things to win a teddy. Thinking back it was probably absolute hell for my dad but for us kids it was magical. He would always pack a picnic and we would have it on the grass or whilst queuing for rides and then get a chippy on the way home which saved on costs (5 of us used to go!).

I still get that childhood excitement going now, but it's not as good! Let him bring a friend the sit near to the rides watching him and waving and have a day mumsnetting on the sly

YANBU. They're all shit

YANBU. I hate them too. Overcrowded, overpriced, lots of additional costs (on top of the exorbitant fee to get in) like photos, snacks, drinks, food etc, and lots of waiting around (20 to 40 minutes for each ride sometimes) for a 90 second ride!

Hate them!

YANBU

Awful places. I'd rather gouge my eyes out with a spoon than go there during school holidays. Term time I can JUST tolerate, but only for a special occasion e.g. a birthday.

A friend has just bought one of these re-mortgage your house type Merlin pass things which allows you to suffer these places for free. WHY????????

Take them to diggerland
I spent my 65th birthday there with my family.
Blooming brilliant.
Watching my 23 and 12 year old drive a car to me a track was a he highlight.

Ok and my tiny little 7 year old granddaughter driving a big digger round another track was awesome

No queues either.

23....13year old driving a car round a track.

www.diggerland.com/where-are-we/