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Thank you so much everyone for replying! 🙏 @JoshC. I took your advice - yesterday at Towers I reminded myself too look around to spot some “non teen groups” - and there were LOADS. @Martin Doyle That’s an interesting point about Efteling - abroad you do tend to notice more adults without kids visiting the parks. I think you guys are right - it’s a Thorpe thing. Now I think of it, it’s generally at Thorpe that I feel too old, standing alongside all the teens! I suppose other places (particularly Towers in the uk) don’t have that feeling so much (unless it’s school trip season!) You’re spot on there @Han30 - I completely agree, who bloody cares anyway! I can honestly see myself visiting the parks well in to my old age. Thinking back to yesterday at the fireworks, I can’t see myself ever not wanting to return!

See, it's things like this that cost a piddly amount of money but no-one seems to care - OK, so it's only numbers on the floor, but it just adds to the tatty feel of things (and no, that's not theming ) Those numbers haven't been replaced in donkeys. Boring topic, but it's something I've mentioned to @JoshC. before - the tarmac around Derren Browns Ghost Train - from point of it opening - looked awful where there were trenches dug and cables laid, the tarmac was a different colour and looked very tatty/messy - so I appreciate noone goes to a theme park to look at tarmac, but all these little things add up and add to the run down feel of the place.

On trips to Cedar Point, I have seen old couples walking around the park and still enjoying themself. I was at Efteling on Tuesday and again I saw people a wide variety of ages enjoying the park. So I wouldn't say there is a "too old" for going to theme parks. I suppose it entirely depends on how much you enjoy them personally as the years go by. I fully intend to be riding Steel Vengeance and Zadra well into my 70s if my health allows!!!

I think I accidentally clicked the wrong answer on the poll (I’m blaming my age 🤣 - the irony). Honestly I don’t think you can ever be too old for theme parks - if it is something you enjoy, go for it! I turned 40 last year (should probably change my forum name as I’ve been here 10 years and I’m no longer 30) and I don’t feel my age in general day to day life. That said I totally understand particularly Thorpe Park - because it is mainly teenagers that visit I can often feel a bit out of place but then I certainly don’t act my age so it doesn’t bother me - I usually visit the parks with my 17 year old niece and it’s not as noticeable as when I’m with my friend who is my age and her son because we are both in our 40s (don’t know if that made any sense - it’s been a long day!). I don’t think anyone at parks would be looking at you and thinking you are out of place unless they are extremely judgmental. I visited Thorpe a couple of times by myself when my ex worked at the park - first time I felt so uncomfortable at first and then after a while I thought sod it - people are out enjoying their day and won’t be scrutinising other guests or even noticing. Ive been an enthusiast for 21+ years but didn’t start visiting the Merlin parks regularly (more than my annual visit) until 2013. I did have a Tussauds pass in 2002 but that only covered off peak days for Thorpe and Chessington. So I was 32/33 when I became a regular visitor. Yeah I do feel old at times - but if I still enjoy parks when I’m 70 I’ll still be visiting. I totally understand being a bit self conscious but I honestly think these things are often more of a big deal in your head than in reality and the way we might feel is not a clear indication of what is real. Not sure if I’m making sense - it’s been a long day and I’m zonked. Also apologies for possibly typing an essay 🙈

For me, I only visited once this year for fright nights on Map holders night, well they suckered me in to buy a discovery pass anyway so congratulations on that Merlin. I don’t know if it’s just a thing with my age or height that I just don’t enjoy the park in the same way anymore. So for me Thorpe park hasn’t aged like a bottle of fine wine, it’s the man sitting on the curb with a 3L bottle of scrumpy jacks currently. It doesn’t know whether to be a thrill park engaging broke teens with the adrenaline rush they deserve or a family park catering to every member of the family. For me I want that thrill park as with Chessington and Lego both 30 mins away there is no excuse for another family park. Black mirror was fun but a one and done so meh. Fright nights for me had literally lost its spark. Yes the new maze was good, however 3 mazes at a scare event? At £10 each it’s just not enough for me. Plus the park is infected with those families watching family friendly dance shows and making sure that Timmy age 5 becomes a successful theme park vlogger, it just ruins the immersion of this is a scary event aimed to terrify. I really do miss 2011 fright nights which I think was the highlight for me. Experiment 10 and even the actors in the hazmat suits outside perhaps just walking back to the break room terrified me. The curse and 7, two great marquee attractions, which I miss dearly why not use the tent approach more. The asylum, always the best in my opinion especially when the actors were so passionate and embraced in some cases their own handicaps. Saw Alive, still one of my favourites from a themeing point of view however did this begin the lionsgate and AMC partnerships that in my opinion have done more harm then good? And to top it off we had a rollercoaster being built to heighten the excitement. #LC12. I just don’t ever see the park getting back to being anything as special as it was and I really do miss that and would probably prefer if we could just relive 2011 as a season in 2022, before all the abusing of systems and MAP holders not getting value for money on their £100 a year passes. Basically I’m bored of the park and fright nights now.