A thread for theme park enthusiasts, ideally non UK

[ZenNudist]

Would anyone be up for a thread to share our destination theme park experiences?

Anyone else really keen on theme park centred trips?

I have been taking my family (11 and 14yo boys plus me and DH) on theme park holidays every year since 2022. Our local (good) park (from north west) is Alton towers but we've now done (in order):
Universal/Disney Orlando
Phantasialand Germany
Europapark Germany
Efteling Netherlands

We also visted Siam Park In Tenerife which might top Volcano bay for waterpark experience. I feel like waterparks need their own separate discussion. I love Sandcastle in Blackpool (my closest one). We enjoyed the alton towers one but its quite small . I love love Rutlantica at europapark but it is not up there with siam park or Volcano bay. Rutlantica looks amazing and I liked the paying bands for buying food and drink and we had our own area to relax in.

I'm weighing up my options for next year. DH wants to go back to Orlando to see the new Universal park. I want to go to Portaventurer in Spain or maybe Energylandia near Krakow. I'm up for Liseberg in gothenburg but waiting for their water park to open. If there was a good theme park in Belgium I might go there and team with visits to Antwerp Ghent and Durbuy.

If no one else joins in i might bump by posting my thoughts on Efteling... 😀

Everybody going to Denmark knows about Tivoli in Copenhagen and Legoland in Billund, but the best Danish theme park for rides IMO is Djurs Sommerland near Aarhus. It is located just 15 minutes from Aarhus airport (Ryanair from Stansted) - and for the pp^^ considering Liseberg in Gothenburg, it can be combined with Djurs Sommerland by taking the ferry from Varberg in Sweden to Grenaa in Denmark.

Everybody going to Denmark knows about Tivoli in Copenhagen and Legoland in Billund, but the best Danish theme park for rides IMO is Djurs Sommerland near Aarhus. It is located just 15 minutes from Aarhus airport (Ryanair from Stansted) - and for the pp^^ considering Liseberg in Gothenburg, it can be combined with Djurs Sommerland by taking the ferry from Varberg in Sweden to Grenaa in Denmark.

Thanks for this. I was debating Efteling or Disney Paris but flashing neon candy floss has given Efteling the edge.

I cannot stand theme parks BUT I absolutely loved Dollywood, and the associated water park. They were brilliant and I highly recommend them!

If you're ever near Verona/Lake Garda, MovieLand is really quite good! It seemed a bit dated on first appearances, but we thoroughly enjoyed it! Nice and clean, not overcrowded, even in the middle of August. It has shows and attractions, a few rides (all fab!)

Theme park family here (even if I no longer do roller coasters). DC are now adults but still love a theme park holiday, I now prefer a city break or sightseeing trip, but will always be up for a visit to Orlando

Done
Disney in
Paris - great for a long weekend out of season to get a Disney fix, as long as the weather is OK
Florida - all parks, many times (a family favourite for the theming and the newer rides are great).
California - like the compact nature of the parks, and that it can be done in 3 days, tagged onto another West Coast trip
Hong Kong - back in the days when we had family working out there, always hot and crowded, no plans to ever return.
Tokyo - amazing place, would love to return
Not been to Shanghai, but it is on my bucket list.

Also in the US
Six Flags on the East Coast - great for the thrill rides, but only if you can go out of the main US summer, otherwise it is crazy busy.
SeaWorld - before the latest rides were added in Orlando, as this is now off my list due to their ethical practices
Busch Gardens - always a good day out for the thrill seekers, but part of SeaWorld, so I haven't been for a while
Universal LA - went years ago and have not been back
Universal Orlando- went multiple times when out DC were teenagers and planning a trip in the next 2 years to do the new park.

Around the world
Universal in Singapore, I really enjoyed this park
Tivoli in Copenhagen, didn't like this, but I really enjoyed Copenhagen, and it could be I just wasn't in theme park mode.

In the UK, I have been to all the main parks once, and didn't enjoy any of them except Legoland, which was always a day out in early May for the whole family until they became too old.

Disne has the characters but there is just something about Efteling that’s is special. Do have a look at winterling with hot wine and bonfires all around the park. They turn off the water rides bit then put up a huge marquee with a free ice rink and a luge slide. Enjoy ☺️

They didn’t have the marquee last time we went, but a lovely outside area with the ice rink and some food stalls, plus some fairground games.

We are Efteling fans and have been several times, last year when we went it was much busier, I think the adverts over here are working! I’m tempted by europa-park, but unsure whether the accommodation there is worth it, and the journey seems complicated. . .

Shame about the marquee but sounds like it’s still good @Myfanwyprice I have been trying to plan Europa park for a while I was inspired to go for it this year by

@Tomatocutwithazigzagedge

Who put a great post on another thread about theme parks regarding Europa park with some good travel advice.

Heide Park in north Germany near Hanover is def worth a visit ,https://www.heide-park.de/en/ you can tie it in with a visit to Belsen Camp, there is also Serengeti Safari park nearby which is a great day out , plus sudesee camping site which has a fab pool

Do you mind me asking you about Gardaland and whether it’s suitable for adults or just for young children? And am I remembering right that there is a water park next door ?

Nobody's mentioned Kalkar Wunderland in Germany! (On the Rhine near the Dutch border.) https://www.wunderlandkalkar.eu/en Has anyone been?

I have, but I'm childfree and not a theme park fan. Great place to visit, mind you, if you're researching what to do with a converted, never-commissioned, nuclear power station... Architecturally and historically fascinating. I'd love to know how it works as a family attraction.😀

This is my current hyper fixation. I really want to take my 11 yr old to Efteling and Europapark. But...im a scaredy cat, more of a monorail and boat ride lady. My son is up for all the big coasters. He went to Oakwood last year with school and went on the 2 big coasters. My question is, can he go on the big rides alone? I get worried about him not being strapped in properly (he is autistic, so doesn't always have the words to say if there was a problem/follow instructions as well as someone else).

I am also not confident driving abroad so we'd need to get public transport but I think that's fine.

Rutlantica looks fantastic. We also have been watching youtube channels and our favourite chap went to Funny World which isn't far from Europapark so he's put that on the list as well.

I'm in Orando right now - done Universal & Epic. Epic was AMAZING really really amazing, my youngest cried because he said the Mario section was the best day of his life, it was like being in the game quite literally, i grew up playing the first edition of mario and every version after and it just seemed so sureeal. Stardust racer was INSANE! Highly recommend if you love roller coasters - scariest and best one I've ever been on. The water fountain light show was absolutely fantastic and even I got teared up when it played the Mario theme song, magical.

Epic has been the highlight of the trip, everything about it was unreal. The portals were so fun & the frankenstein/dracula animatronins were insane! Highly Highly recommend to anyone visiting. It's our last day today and im gutted!

If a trip to the USA is on the cards, maybe try Cedar Point, Ohio. I worked there many years ago as a student. It was an amazing theme park.

You could combine it with Kings Island in Cincinnati.

@feejee

I love the big rides but I also love Efteling which I would say doesn’t have anything comparable to what is on offer at Energylandia for example.

What it does have is fabulous experience rides and shows. It r really hard to say without knowing your son how he’d fair on his own but I believe that if you pushed to be slightly more than monorail that you could do 2 days in Efteling without going on a coaster.

My Mum doesn’t like rides but she went on things like Simbolica and droomvlucht and the Raveleijn show and had an amazing experience. Thats without the fairytale forest.

I he did go on his own on the bigger rides all I can say is the park is about as well run as can be and the safety is on point. Have you considered queuing and then not going on the ride. I have seen that before.

We did drive to get there which is only an he from Rotterdam via Hull but I suspect that’s a faff for you in Oakwood is local.

Hope that helps you maybe need to start a MN Coaster club 😀

ps have a look at Plopsa du Pane Thats is also fantastic

Gardaland is fantastic. Exceeded my expectations

I’m the only one in family that likes a theme park.
In fact I made my first job a nanny job si I could get to Disney World at 18.

Now I like more theming, quirky places. One-off my favourites is Tibidado in Barcelona. Rides are tame but the haunted house was so good I might have wet myself a bit! I was laughing from fright and terrified from start to finish.

@Manontherun

puy du fou was disappointing, kids just weren’t that interested. Didn’t excite like Disney or europaparc though this was a while ago. Also did futurascope which again wasn’t great at attention holding and samey.

Love love love it
we have since tried DLP and hated it. DLP is just one giant rip off IMO. Loved everything about Efteling especially the food.

im a scaredy cat too. So much at Efteling for us- “dark rides” they call them which was just incredible
my son went on the hardcore stuff by himself aged 9 though it wasn’t busy when we were there which helped We just met him at the exit.
there is a delightful mild roller coaster called Max and Moritz (technically two different rides that “dance” together) that we all loved

My kids were 9 and 7 when we went but tbh the adults loved it too. I think it probably charm all but the most surly/ speed junkie teenager. There are some definitely “scary” rides but most are on the tame end and some people might find the scary ones on the tame end of the spectrum

sorry I don’t know about accessible accomodation but I’d be astonished if it wasn’t well organised for that. We stayed in a treehouse which sadly would not be accessible friendly

Hi - we're off to Phantasialand shortly with older teens.

Any tips/advice?

How do we get from Cologne, where we're staying, to the park?

What else is there to do in/around Cologne? We won't have a car.

Thanks :)

We loved Puy du Fou! It's not a traditional theme park - there are no rides. But it's totally bonkersly spectacular in every other way, particulary if you book far enough in advance so you can see the night shows and stay on site.

We have been to
rainbow magic land Rome
Garda land
Movie land ( both lake garda )
Port aventura
Blackpool pleasure beach
Etnaland in Sicily

We are doing a theme park weekend next year. Im now interested in Tivoli in Copenhagen. Os it very old / small ???
Or krakow ???

I definately have found my people too