Does Theming Matter?

[GamRCFreak]

This has come up in another topic and I did a search for it and didn't find anything so here's the question, Do a rides theming and location amplify how good a ride is or would a ride and it's clone be the same at different parks no matter what the theme of the ride is?

[SFGA 11]

Yea I think theming does matter because it gets you more in to the ride. And it is cool with the surroundings.

[DejaVuGurl1203]

in my opinion theming is not that big of a deal to me at all. For example, if Batman: The Ride had no theming or anything, it would be the same experience to me.

[coastrcorey]

To me themeing is a huge plus... I mean, I can live with it if a ride doesn't have it, but it's great to see it. It makes the line a ton more fun to wait in (Batman for example)...

[Soxman]

It has everything to do with rides! The best parks in the world are the best due to theme (Disney, Universal). Batman is my favorite ride at the park because of the music and the station. The thing I am really mad at Six Flags for is their lack of theme. At Islands of Adaventure the theme adds to the excitement. Even Cedar Fair does a good job with theme (Knotts Berry Farm, Worlds of Fun). Any Six Flags park shouldnt be known as a Theme Park, but a Coaster Park. Great American may have some good coasters, but their park would be in the top ten if they put a little more thought into the theme of each ride. They really went cheap on the character cut outs on Superman. The best example of theme at Great America, other than Batman, would be all their stores where coasters exit (Hero Store). It is sad that they only care about theme where they can make extra money.

[Chitown]

Soxman.Six Flags doesn't specialize in theming.Do you have any idea how expensive it was for Universal to theme their IOA park? They spent 200 million alone on their Spiderman ride.SFGAm has enough simple theming to go with the different territories.

[Soxman]

In all of their ads Six Flags considers themsevels a Theme Park. I agree they are not a Theme Park and they dont try to be a Theme Park, but I remember when Great America was a very good Theme Park. It just upsets me that they moved away from that catagory. It is part of the fun.

[InsaneNewman]

I agree completely Soxman... and Chitown, the themeing of Batman and SWT is all anyone expects. It doen't have to be as elaborate as IOA. Just bring Yankee Harbor, for instance, up to the level of SWT; and theming (quality)of Superman up to the level of Batman, and you'd find a lot more people happily living in the fantasy world that THEMEparks are supposed to provide.

[cexd]

Superman would be so much cooler with a city scape. it would be a hell of a lot more thrilling to leap tall buildings in a single bound than leap tall piles of dirt.

[goldmember]

I had that thought too of flying through a little city. I knew it would never happen though.

[coastrcorey]

That would be the best themeing for Superman... They could position the buildings so that it feels like you're going to run into them.

[NoUseForAName]

Yes it matter alot in my opinion. Look at Batman for example. Even the theming on that ride gets me pumped for the ride. Plus its something to look at while waiting.

[coasterzak]

I really could care less about theming, when you're on the ride it's not that huge of a deal. I was impressed with B:TR line at SFGAm, but that's just the queue line.

[SfGaMownz]

Themeing helps make the ride experience better, but it doesn't take away from the experience if it isn't present.

[InsaneNewman]

See, I disagree. Themeing emphasizes the excitement of a ride, and is just as crucial as the ride itself. Can you honestly say that you would be happy, for instance, if the whole park was perfectly flat pavement (no landscaping or water features), buildings were all random throughout the park, and had absolutely no significance to the ride or surroundings, and there were no characters, music, or shows? As long as SF built a 500ft roller coaster, you would sacrifice all that? Because that's all themeing. It's why I love IoA, not for the rides. (well, I do like the rides, but there aren't enough). So what makes the day fun? THEMEING. Being lost in a fantasy world is what a themepark is all about, and I for one will miss it.

[coasterzak]

I think I would be happy. A ride is a ride. When you're going 120 mph in a coaster seat, do you care what the back of the train looks like or what the side of the train says? No, at least I don't! I'm screaming my head off and having the time of my life. This was all hypothetical though, I'm yet to get on dragster.

[DejaVuGurl1203]

I totally agree with you coasterzak. I don't care about theming... I care about riding coasters!

[NegativeGeez]

theming only matters if it is done poorly, like the s:uf 'theming.' noone complains about the batman or dragster theming because they did such a great job of it, but pitiful attempts like character cutouts are useless. i think if youre going to smear a super hero's name on a coaster, you should surround riders with the themes and scenery that make that particular superhero unique.i have heard that they are removing the wheels, spoiler, and fake engine off the back of dragster and adding seats to increase capacity...that, to me, is a hideous idea. those trains are AMAZING, and it would greatly take away from the aesthetic pleasure of the ride. would you want to ride a coaster with no paintjob? to me, coasters are more than just something to get your kicks on. they are amazing creations that should have just as much aesthetic value as they thrill value, and they should have a personality of thier own.

[NegativeGeez]

edit: double post...my bad.

[InsaneNewman]

Look at it this way: it's something to look at while spending 2 hours i line for the ultimate coaster.

[Chitown]

Can you honestly say that you would be happy, for instance, if the whole park was perfectly flat pavement (no landscaping or water features), buildings were all random throughout the park, and had absolutely no significance to the ride or surroundings, and there were no characters, music, or shows?

You pretty much described Cedar Point. Compared to CP, SFGAm at least makes an attempt at theming.

[goldmember]

Negativegeez, the trains for TTD had the wheels, spoiler and the engine taken off when I rode it on June 20. I don't understand why its just in the news now. I think theming adds to the ride experience. I never would have liked disaster transport at CP if it wasn't in the dark. I think it helps alot.

[coastrcorey]

What Chitown? Cedar Point isn't just flat pavement with no water or landscaping! I was just there, and I thought they had way better landscaping than us... The grass was perfectly green, had tons of flowers, and plenty of trees. And, how can you say there's no water, it's surrounded by water. Besides, there are a few fountains through the park.

[coasterzak]

I agree about CP. It is very nicely landscaped, it is just none of those are actual theming. The park is very well kept, it is just none of that is specific to a ride.

[T_Biggs]

I think he was just pointing out the parts of the quote like "buildings were all random," and "absolutely no significance." The place has great landscaping, if you ask me, but very poor themeing. But, Cedar Point, after all is an amusement park, not theme park.But they do have a lot of water features, not including the lake. There are a couple of fountains, and the lagoon where Paddlewheel, Force, Iron Dragon, Mantis, Corkscrew, and coat rack are really add to the rides. I can't imagine the point of Iron Dragon if it had no lagoon. I don't think it would have a point.Great America, though, uses water just as much, maybe more. The reflection pond, V2, Batman, Whizzer, Demon, and both water flumes use it very well. Maybe at one time River Rocker used it, too, (maybe it does now,) but I've never seen it's pool filled. No park, though, can use water better than Busch Gardens Tampa. They have live hippos in it! Along with all kinds of other things. But they also have the worst use for water, Rhino Rally...