Which major theme park have you gone the longest without visiting?

[Matt N]

Hi guys. Over the years, I’m sure that most of us have visited quite a few different theme parks; each year, I personally visit a mixture of old favourites alongside trying to mix the odd new park or two in there as well to enhance my repertoire and increase my coaster and park counts. Trying to visit new parks can sometimes mean that there isn’t enough time to revisit some previously visited parks, however, and as the years rattle on, a park can sometimes get pushed down and down the list until you realise that you haven’t visited in a number of years. With this in mind, my question for you today is; which major theme park have you gone the longest without visiting? Which major park have you not visited in a ridiculously long time?

 

For clarity, I say “major” because I’m aware that the hardier credit counters among us will likely have a number of “one-and-done” type parks where the main draw is the +1 from a Wacky Worm, Go-Gator or similar that they visited years ago and will probably never revisit.

 

I’ll get the ball rolling with my answer.

 

Personally, the major place I have gone the longest without visiting is Disneyland Paris. I have not been back to Disneyland Park or Walt Disney Studios Park since 27th March 2011. I’m not actually sure why we never went back after our first visit (although I imagine our discovery of Florida in 2012 could have something to do with it), but for whatever reason, I have not been back to DLP since 2011.

 

Other than the two DLP parks, there is only 1 other park where my last visit was more than 5 years ago, and perhaps surprisingly given my general level of enmeshment with the UK Merlin parks, that is Chessington World of Adventures; my last visit to Chessington was on 26th July 2014. It was actually one of my first ever parks as a young child when I first visited in 2009, with Vampire and Runaway Train (as it was then known) being my 4th and 5th coasters respectively, but I’ve only ever been back twice more, in 2013 and 2014, and I have not visited for close to a decade now. My parents never had much desire to return once my sister and I passed a certain age (I was talking to my dad about parks the other day, just before our visit to Flamingo Land, and he described Chessington as one of only two UK parks he’s ever considered “a bit lame”, with the other being Drayton Manor), and to be honest, the park hasn’t tempted me as much as some others. The addition of Mandrill Mayhem did make it more tempting, however, and I’m revisiting for the first time in close to 10 years next month!

 

After those two, the park I’ve gone the longest without visiting jumps all the way up to 2019, which I’d still consider relatively recent…

 

But which major park have you gone the longest without visiting? Which major park have you not visited in a really long time? I’d be really interested to know!

[MattyB]

I would say the Florida parks.  Haven't been since 2009.  Would love to get back out there at some point as there has been many additions since!

[Han30]

I visited DLP in 2000 and always wanted to go back - 23 years later and I’ve not yet returned.

 

Other than that I went 11 years not visiting Thorpe Park - I had a pass in 2001/2002 and visited a fair amount then life happened.  Back then I wasn’t a huge thrill seeker (Tidal Wave was my limit) but I was an enthusiast and followed the construction of Colossus then was too scared to ride it when it opened 🤣.  Fast forward 11 years to 2013 and I revisited and finally put my big girl pants on (with the help of some awesome members on here) and beat my fear of heights and/or puking on some poor unsuspecting person sat next to me (god bless motion sickness meds)

[Mark9]

PortAventura.

 

It's been ten years and it would take a lot to get me to go back. 

 

After that it's Magic Mountain, Knotts Berry Farm and Discovery Kingdom which I last went to in 2014. 

[Matt 236]

Another one for the Port Aventura club. 
 

It has been six years since my first (and only) visit. With other trip priorities and the park’s countless operational faults, I’m still not overly convinced to return yet. Even with Uncharted. 
 

Oakwood is another one, 8 years so far. More likely to return there. 
 

It’s been almost 5 years since I did Mingo & LWV. The latter I doubt I’ll ever visit again. 

[Cernuschi]

Thorpe Park - now in my 30's I am free to travel further and even though its the closest to me, I have had very little appetite to visit for the last 10 years.

 

Hyperia may change that - maybe it will even entice me to not wait another 10 years!