There’s something kind of cheesy about theme parks and I sometimes feel a pang of a negative emotion - guilt? embarrassment? - when I admit that I enjoy spending time in them. I think perhaps I think they’re not considered a suitable pastime for ‘grown ups’. There’s a pervasive belief that we are meant to work hard and then spend our leisure time in socially acceptable ways - enjoying nature, or learning about history or culture - not riding roller coasters. I enjoy spending time in nature, I love museums, I thrive on tours where I learn new things and I bring my children along for all these experiences. Yet I also love the days when we get to stop thinking too hard and when we get to just enjoy each other’s company. Theme parks are carefully planned to be the type of environment that encourages us to forget the outside world for a little while - an environment designed to bring us together - and I think that’s one reason why I enjoy them so much.
All theme parks are not created equal, to state the obvious. Disney parks are truly immersive and like nothing else. We have been to Walt Disney World in Florida twice, and the second time we stayed ‘on property’, so we could have the full experience. When you wake up immersed in the theme, travel by themed transport and have everything connected at the tap of a wristband/phone, it’s easy to forget the outside world. But it’s more than that at Disney. Everything is so well done that it’s a ‘feast’ for the senses, a truly immersive experience with care taken in every detail. I appreciate the creativity and skill that must have gone into designing the Disney theme park environment, and that element of appreciation takes the experience to the next level. The food options are amazing, too. There are similarly well-themed and immersive parts of other theme parks (the Harry Potter-themed parts of the Universal Studios parks come to mind). Yet, often, ‘theme parks’ seem to be a collection of rides with very little theming in the queue areas - more a collection of thrills and exhilarating experiences to be enjoyed individually, one after another. And still, I love them. So, I ask myself, why?
It’s more than escapism, though I acknowledge the freedom that comes when you walk through the gates of a place where your only ‘responsibility’ is to have fun. I think perhaps it’s the likelihood that everyone in the family will enjoy the experience. The range of options available means that even if someone chooses to sit out one ride, they’ll likely enjoy another. Compare this to the beach, where most of our family has a great time, but one member dislikes the feel of sand. Or long bush walks, which often start out with everyone having fun, but often end with someone dragging their feet and asking to be carried. 😆 Museums or activities are often targeted at either the adults or the children, and while I happily tolerate anything that makes my children happy, those days aren’t really about us all enjoying the experience equally. Theme parks seem to have something for everyone and often, things we all enjoy equally. I love that.
Unfortunately, there’s a price attached to theme park experiences. Often it’s a very big price, especially once you factor in food, accommodation or transport. I enjoy trying to ‘hack’ the theme park experience to enjoy more for less, but it’s just a reality that enjoying the beach, the bush, museums and memorials is a more cost-effective option than visiting a theme park, most of the time. We have recently bought annual passes to a local theme park so we can test how much value we get from the tickets. Hopefully, when life gets busy, we can still squeeze in some quick visits to refill our ‘fun’ tanks and spend some quality time together!
We look forward to visiting some big theme parks again in the future. I have a feeling that we’ll appreciate these sorts of experiences more and more as we move into the teenage years!
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