Weekly Topic: Does Theming Matter?

This weeks topic comes from News Plus Notes (which for my money is the best coaster blog on the internet) and he raises the questions does theming matter on a coaster?

I am split in two on this one. I expect themed coasters out of theme parks and the only parks I consider theme parks are Universal and Disney. Now this has given us some absolutely incredible immersive themed coasters like Revenge of the Mummy and . One thing that pisses me off is when these huge budget (and huge admission prices) places install off the shelf poorly themed coasters like Mulholland Madness or Primeval Whirl.

When it comes to regional parks I really don't expect immersive theming, pretty much cause of how expense good theme really is like Everest at 100 million or Mummy at 40 million. This is WAY out of the price range of six flags or cedar fair. I really don't mind that most of the big time rides at SF/CF parks are unthemed, because how can you theme something the size of Millenium Force/Nitro/Voyage, you can't the cost would be absurd. I mean even look at something like Dueling Dragons at IOA, it has arguably the greatest queue line ever built but the ride itself is just a unthemed B&M invert.

And a lot of the time when a smaller park tries to theme a ride the results are pretty weak, some example of lame themed regional rides:
Disaster Transport
Skull Mountain
BORG Assimilator

Now thats not saying regional parks can't do a good themed ride take for example:
Exterminator
Blazing Fury
and especially the incredible Mystery Mine

That said i have a general response to does theming matter?
I like it when its done well, don't when its ghetto, understand some rides are to large for a theme, want themed rides in theme parks and think Mystery Mine rules.

Other Blog Responses:
Theme Park Village
Coasterdom
The Coaster Critic