Last Monday was April Fools Day, and as part of the usual amusements associated with the day, Jeff Putz, the CoasterBuzz editor, created a site for a park called Charmland USA. The site is generally poking fun of the people who hate when parks remove trees and “atmosphere” from amusement parks for future attractions. It is interesting to note that there are two distinct camps when it comes to this issue. The first is those who want a park to maintain as many trees as they can. The other group enjoys open spaces more than trees. There are very few people who remain neutral on this issue.

Going along with last week’s theme, Cedar Fair seems to favor the second group. Their parks offer huge midways and a lack of trees. Most of the chain parks are guilty (if it is a bad thing) of lacking tress as well. Now I know that there are trees to be had in all of their parks, but there are a lot less then the tree friendly parks. What these parks do offer might be better. Huge open midways that allow you to not stand shoulder to shoulder with a sweat soaked guest. Capacity is the key word here. And for those of you who are not people persons, this is perfect. Think of these midways as eight lane super highways. They are fast, spacey, and hard to slow down.

In the other camp are those who want trees, and narrow, intimate midways. When I hear this I immediately think of Hersheypark. The midways are not wide, but they accomplish their goal. The narrow midways allow for the park to keep trees, but they really cut down on the amount of traffic that can get through. These midways can be compared to two lane highways. They can be fast, but become overwhelmed with too much traffic and slow quickly.

I’m a fan of the parks with trees. I like not being surrounded by concrete and being close to everything that is happening in the park. Being in an amusement park, I want the park experience. And when I think of parks, I think grass and trees, maybe a jungle gym here and there. So yes, I like tress with my amusement parks. It seems natural to have rides surrounded by trees. They obstruct your views of the rides adding a bit of mystery. The other big thing they add is shade. When it is 100 degrees out, and the asphalt is baking, don’t you wish there was a tree to provide a few degrees of relief? I know when I am in an open midway I do. I’m willing to sacrifice some speed and personal space for a feeling of comfort. Which camp are you in and why?

Discuss this update here.

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A Walk in the Park Podcast
The Coaster Critic