This will be a discussion about Theme park things (general category) that shocked or surprised you the most. There will be no silly wand waving or fighting about how Universal it is much superior than Disney tolerated in the Thread.
I was most surprised to see how the bathrooms are not a mess. Given the sheer number of visits to a bathroom per day per visitor, I thought they would be rather rancid, but I was wrong. The major theme parks I have visited keep them fairly clean.
I was also surprised by Cheetah Chase in Busch Gardens Tampa. The first time we rode it, you felt like you would be launched right off the track after the first hill launch.
The price of a Beer is also shocking…
The amount of 3D/4D rides. There's more of them then I thought there was.
The fact that rides like spiderman 3D and Transformers the ride are better than some rollercoasters
That the WDW monorails reeked of the smell of urine. The NY subways don't smell that bad.
Way to keep things classy, Pastor.
TH, Brian's intro talked about restrooms, so Rob kept with the theme.
I am surprised that the major theme parks are so crowded all the time even though the ticket prices have hit $100 per day. Rooms on-site average $200-$300 per night and meals are often $20-$50 per person. And I don't know if this is a positive or negative development.
On the happy side, theme parks and amusement parks are mostly extremely safe and crime-free places to visit compared to everyday life in the real world.
What time the 3:00 parade is (the answer will shock you).
The backside of water.
Anything the Genie says during the Aladdin musical at DCA.
I'm going to assume that the 3:00 parade is at 3:00 in the afternoon....
Just how mediocre the spaghetti is at Via Napoli.
Tyler, there is an article in the archives, and in the site's book, that details that the answer isn't always 3pm. It could be "its not on" or it could be some other time depending on when it passes, or it could be asking what the best time is to stake out a spot, etc.
I was surprised by the difference between having an express pass and not having an express pass at Universal. My wife and I were able to hit all of the rides and most of the attractions across both parks in Orlando in less than a full day with a pass. We even had time to head back to our hotel and rest up for an hour or two before hitting some rides again before park closing. Without it, it would not be possible to do everything in two full days. What a difference skipping lines makes!
Express passes, especially the unlimited hotel express passes, change the entire theme park experience. No lines, most I ever waited was maybe 5 minutes and usually it's a straight walk on, takes away all the hassle and stress from the theme parks, and allows for a pure leisurely vacation.
How long the lines are
What gives with all the in-park Starbucks?
They're in all 4 WDW parks, both DLR parks, and Universal Studios Florida - at a minimum.
What's so special about Starbucks that gets them special treatment?
I don't think people remember how awful Disney coffee was before Starbucks. You may not like Starbucks, but it's better than the muck Disney served before.
Starbucks made it into the parks due to its popularity. If Peets Coffee was more popular they would have been in the parks. Starbucks is only special due to market share. Just as McDonalds used to be in the parks due to their popularity.
25 dollar parking at Great Adventure.
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Having to pay for parking when staying at Portofino Bay.
The price of beer.