'Shroomfest (Round 7) - BEACHES vs AMUSEMENT PARKS

[Waluigi Time]

THE COMICS HAVE ARRIVED

 

[Bugzzy]

Endorse: Amusement Parks

To be honest, I almost hate beaches. The water is too salty, the sand burns, those pesky seagulls stealing your food, and then there’s the horseflies. Those things STING! I have to go with amusement parks. All those thrilling roller coasters, the breathtaking views from the Ferris Wheel, and, best of all, you can win prizes! Can you win a prize at the beach? No! Can you win a prize at the amusement park? Yes! I’ve made up my mind, so don’t try to convince me otherwise.

Metal Knuckles out.​

 

[Revin]

to be continuity..............

 

[Roserade]

Better arguments later go beaches

 

[Shy Guy on Wheels]

I think it should be noted that Defunctland, coincidentally the greatest YouTube channel ever made, is a channel dedicated to the history of Theme Parks and their attractions. How would we be able to watch the history of a Garfield Dark Ride, or waste 2 hours learning everything about Disney FastPass without theme parks to serve as the basis for this content? When have beaches ever created such entertaining videos? This is why tonight, I will Endorse: Team Amusement Parks.

on a side note what real person has actually ever said "Amusement Park". I have only ever heard people call them Theme Parks.

 

[Hooded Pitohui]

Judge's Session #1

​

The first week of the 'Shroomfest comes to an end, which means it's time to award some bonus points! Which team has earned the points this week? What destination is looking more appealing right now? There's but one way to find out!

Before I go any further, though, I'd like to acknowledge that both teams have put forward some great posts this week. Choosing one team over the other is a particularly tough job during this opening week, as you'll see as we look through some highlights together. However, only one team can earn bonus points, so let's see what you brought to the table and which team prevails!

---

There’s also some fun activities and sports you can try, while going to the beach! First and foremost is beach volleyball which even have the word beach in the name! Take note that this sport is also an Olympic sport since 1996 Atlanta’s Summer Olympics. Have you seen Whack-a-Mole at the Olympic Games yet?

You can also do some exercices or even your workout at the beach. You should even try! Swimming or doing a walk a the beach are good ways to make good exercies to help stay healthy.

First of all, you can swim there all the time. It not only gets you lots of exercise, but it's also quite fun, and you can even bring along an inner tube if you want to relax amongst the waves. There's also surfing and beach volleyball as well, and while I've personally never tried these myself, they're pretty fun to watch. Some people even bring waterskis and water balloons there sometimes as well.

Team Leader Ninja Squid put team beaches on a very strong footing right away, pointing out not only the latitude of opportunity which beaches offer for those looking to get out and have fun, but also how beaches provide ample opportunities to exercise. Not only that, but I can't help but notice he cites three activities that cater to folks able to handle different levels of physically-demanding activity. You don't need to be an athlete to enjoy a swim in the ocean or a good long walk on the beach, but, conversely, if you're a more active type, it's not hard to get an intense game of volleyball going.

Toadettefan reinforces these points by bringing even more beach activities to the table. Bring a few toys down to the beach, and you open up a world of possibilities. If you're inclined to relax and float on an inner tube, you need not do any more. On the other hand, if you want to get up and get moving without tiring yourself out too much, you can run around and throw some water balloons. All in all, beaches provide quite a bit of leeway for folks looking to get out and get active!

But I still appreciate the opportunity; knowing that, if I ever completely snap and want to throw myself down a waterfall riding a poorly-whittled hollow log, there will be a person in a sweaty costume dancing next to me as I meet my end.

However, I'd be a poor judge if I didn't acknowledge this point while talking about the opportunities these vacation destinations offer. The thought that even the most risk-averse among us, those of us who like excitement in small doses, can go to an amusement park and safely and comfortably give ourselves a dose of excitement, take a chance on a thrill ride, let ourselves get lost in a fun house maze, or work out some aggression on bumper cars, it resonated with me. While you might not burn as many calories at an amusement park, clearly, there's plenty of opportunities for folks of all kinds to find something they enjoy and partake in an experience they may not usually partake in.

---

while plain sand may be an effective and ubiquitous means of holiday torture, i offer that there are much nicer-looking alternatives to the normal, dirty stuff you see upon many beaches worldwide. the next time you're looking for something to shove down your pants either voluntarily or not, why not spice it up with a range of gorgeous colours? colors which are far more pleasing on the eye than the artifical unholiness of amusement parks?

A bit has been said about the aesthetics of beaches this week, but GBA's world tour of unique beaches this week really highlighted the diverse looks of the world's beaches and brought to light just how striking a beach can look, both as a whole and, as star sand shows, when you take a closer look at a beach.

Amusement parks are testaments of scientific advancement and human ingenuity. Beyond the execs and investors that set prices and sell tickets, there are designers, engineers, and true artistic spirit. All that talent comes together, for once not to build weapons and destruction, but to create joy. The best coasters are designed meticulously, the progression of vertical and lateral G forces thoroughly analyzed, number and intensity of drops carefully calculated, and structures skillfully assembled, to be as exciting as possible while still staying safe.

[...]

Terrain roller coasters combine the high velocity high intensity action of a roller coaster with a natural aesthetic. They are built into lush environments and take advantage of ground curvature, as well as the natural fear factor of seeing a mighty oak careen towards you at mach speed. Also, some of them look really cool.

However, Gabumon once again waves the flag for team amusement parks and provides some striking points! It might not be as immediately apparent at a glance, but it's true that a great deal of thought, artistic vision, and even mathematics go into amusement parks. Entire teams of creative talent and engineers carry some of the world's largest amusement parks on their shoulders, pouring their passion into amusement parks and making them far more than piles of metal making money off of visitors, but works of art in their own right. Rollercoasters incorporating the natural aesthetic may well be the best example that could have been given to highlight how these creative folks take a plot of land and some general plans and find a way to turn it into something that sparks joy. Look a little deeper at amusement parks, and it's easy to see a certain beauty in them that certainly rivals the natural beauty of beaches.

---

I think it should be noted that Defunctland, coincidentally the greatest YouTube channel ever made, is a channel dedicated to the history of Theme Parks and their attractions.

Between the mentions of RollerCoaster Tycoon and Shy Guy on Wheel's point about the mesmerizing Defunctland, there's been some pleasantly surprising discussion of amusement parks in niche popular culture this week! It's hard to argue that the game and the YouTube channel haven't had an impact, considering the number of folks I've seen talking about the channel's videos (and its 1.35 million subscribers), and, not only have I heard plenty of folks recall their time playing RollerCoaster Tycoon, but the original RollerCoaster Tycoon did well enough that it was the second best-selling PC game in 2000, behind only The Sims, which is no little feat! These were two really good examples of amusement parks getting featured in some form of popular culture, and I applaud team amusement parks for bringing them forward.

Now, while I have to give the popular culture angle to team amusement parks this week, I do want to point out LTQ ensured beaches didn't go entirely unrepresented in the realm of niche popular culture. The "Man" meme is known around the Internet, and even here, you can't escape it. Post "man" anywhere on Discord, and you can be sure you'll rack up horse emote reactions. This made me laugh, and, hey, being entertaining isn't a bad way at all to drum up support for your team!

---

Are there shells? Half the fun is shells

In the sand, you can build sandcastles…until a wave destroys it and you have to start over. But what's even better is digging in the sand to find beautiful seashells like these!

Here, though, team beaches successfully highlights one of those fun aspects of beaches that aren't recaptured by amusement parks. Can shells be annoying at times? Certainly. They can also, however, be quite pretty with their range of shapes and colors, and digging in the sand or feeling for conch shells in the shallow waters off the shore to find them can make finding a cool shell particularly exciting. I haven't seen any points about finding something unexpectedly at an amusement park, and, it's true, shells are just neat to find and inspect.

---

As you can see, both sides have been on the ball this week! There's been some very interesting - and unexpected, at times - points raised in this discussion so far, as we've looked at everything from health benefits to engrossing YouTube videos to memes to engineering. It's a tough decision this week, I must reiterate, with both teams really making amusement parks and beaches look quite appealing, but I've made a decision.

Winner of Week 1
Team Amusement Parks
Congratulations, you earned +3 extra points in the EFFORT category!
​

I've been particularly impressed by the depth of some of your points this week. You went far in digging deep to highlight the appeal of amusement parks in terms of aesthetics and offerings, and left me considering some things I've never before considered about amusement parks.

---

beaches are water you cant drink surrounded by sand that you cant eat which also ruins all your food by making it taste grainy
amusement parks let you eat food from THE chef toad

Now, don't worry. I've noticed there's been a few mentions of food this week, too. I'm interested in hearing more on this subject, myself. I understand amusement parks offer concessions like pretzels and cotton candy, and that beaches are not only a great place to enjoy a pizza or succulent seafood (perhaps... I see here a mention of sand getting into food...), but often have nearby restaurants where you can chow down on a good sloppy burger. How true is this all? I'm not sure! Maybe I don't know the extent of the food offerings in amusement parks, and maybe I don't really know what makes for a good meal at the beach. That's where you come in!

Question of the Week: When it comes to food and dining options associated with your destination of choice, what does your side have to offer? I want to know what's on the menu and what makes it special! Don't get too hungry to post, because I expect there'll be a focus on food this week!

Of course, you're still welcome to make any points on any topic, but if you don't know what to focus on this week, answering this week's question might just help you give your team a boost!

'SHROOMFEST DEBATE ROUND 7 - WEEK 2 BEGINS NOW!
Reminder that you can vote once a week on the poll here.​

 

[Waluigi Time]

Wahaha! What did I tell you? Easy-peasy, right? But let's not get ahead of ourselves, we've still got the next two weeks to spend proving the superiority of amusement parks as a vacation destination!

Food, eh? Well, I'll spare the details of Cereal Land's planned menu offerings, those are a bit, ah, atypical...

Well, we can't talk about amusement park foods without bringing up cotton candy, or candy floss/fairy floss depending on where you're from. It comes in a bucketload of different flavors and colors (what fun!), so there's bound to be something appealing there for just about anybody. The two most popular are pink vanilla and blue raspberry - speaking of that, and here's an interesting fun fact! Blue raspberry-flavored cotton candy is actually one of the first documented uses of the flavor in the United States. It's pretty common now, so cotton candy's reach stretches even beyond the amusement park!

Cotton candy may be the thing that most people instantly think of when they hear amusement park food, but it's far from the only draw they've got! Check out this funnel cake!

Now I'm hungry. Shoot. That's a picture that says a thousand words, isn't it?

...What were we talking about again? Oh, right, amusement park food.

I could keep going, but this is a team effort, I can't just list everything myself and leave nothing for you guys to talk about! The great thing about amusement park food is that it can basically be whatever the proprietors want it to be, so we've got no shortage. Doesn't have to be something common to all amusement parks either, maybe you have a memory of a unique food item at an amusement park you went to one time that you'd like to share.

So get out there and make some good posts about all the great, sand-free food offerings amusement parks have! Don't forget to Endorse: Team Amusement Parks!

 

[Flygon64]

Come on Team Beaches you won't win like that...

Spoiler: [Play Track : Phoenix Wright: Trials and Tribulations - Courtroom Lobby ~ Neverending Overture]

Y-You're... Why are you here?!

I came to see how my favorite two new 'Shroomfest teams were doing.

I can safely say one is doing better than the other.

Now. I leave you to guess which one on your own.

Team Beaches!

...

Team Amusement Parks...

But why?!

Relax.

But why...
How are they doing any better than us?
We're giving out good points!

And the judge will be happy to keep giving out a good amount of points to Team Amusement Park . That's currently besides the... Well, point.

I don't...













​

All right, chums up, time to give this a shot beyond japes and meme comments.

Many have commented that amusement parks are expensive tourist traps that suck money out of your wallet, leave you exhausted, and generally make full use of the worst aspects of capitalism to bleed you dry and reduce you to an empty ex-consumer husk. What's more, rich jerk-offs like the amorphous blobs in charge of the Disney corporation have perverted the concept of amusement parks to be exclusive to the wealthy and turn up their nose at common folk like us. It is really, disgustingly bad and everything is ruined. What kind of argument could I pull out that will redeem all of this and turn it around into something positive and uplifting? Well, here it is:

Spoiler: The decisive argument

It's nothing!

The argument is a fabrication. It does not exist, all of this is bad, and nothing I say will make it unbad.

But so what?

Humanity and greed ruin another thing, what else is new? You think beaches are exempt from being exploited by corporations and ruined by trashy tourists like amusement parks were? The beautiful sand is littered with garbage, diseased fish carcasses, and worse. Go for a swim? Risk getting trash and condoms stuck to you, or catch a rash from the local sewer outlet that conveniently dumps next to the beach. Want a pristine ocean view? Whoops, fuel company lost another oil tanker and all the wildlife is glued together. Why, even if your beach is still relatively clean today, climate change deniers are hard at work right now to do nothing about melting polar ice and wipe those coast lines off the map for you. If you really look into it, you can find doom at every corner, be it at the beach or at a tourist trap. Thanks, 2022.

But all of this is depressing. Instead of looking at yet another thing that has been ruined by humans with poor impulse control, I want to focus on the positives.

View attachment 26867

Amusement parks are testaments of scientific advancement and human ingenuity. Beyond the execs and investors that set prices and sell tickets, there are designers, engineers, and true artistic spirit. All that talent comes together, for once not to build weapons and destruction, but to create joy. The best coasters are designed meticulously, the progression of vertical and lateral G forces thoroughly analyzed, number and intensity of drops carefully calculated, and structures skillfully assembled, to be as exciting as possible while still staying safe.

A roller coaster with heart is not just an ugly vomit machine, it is a piece of art. And before any fat cat can make big bucks off of them, there will be visionaries,



If you like nature over the raw twisted metal look, try checking out terrain roller coasters.

View attachment 26869

Terrain roller coasters combine the high velocity high intensity action of a roller coaster with a natural aesthetic. They are built into lush environments and take advantage of ground curvature, as well as the natural fear factor of seeing a mighty oak careen towards you at mach speed. Also, some of them look really cool. If you ever wanted to experience the terror of spinning your car through a forest uncontrollably but without the expensive mechanic visit or trip to the ER afterwards, give the terrain coaster a shot.

View attachment 26870

Here is a fact about your life (spoiler warning): You will likely never go to space. Or be a race car driver. Or do something else that is completely out of the ordinary unless you're very fortunate. But you can still experience the thrills of simulated G forces, or high speed travel, or whatever else you fancy, made available to you through the attractions of an amusement park. Want to be in a room full of mirrors but not freak out your landlord with your interior decorating? House of Mirrors! Want to feel existential dread getting lost in your garden's foliage but you only own a concrete yard? Hedge maze! Want to introduce your peers/parents/dog to your new friend Turb, but you're worried he's gonna look out of place if he comes to your apartment? Haunted house! Feeling road rage but you're already on some kind of police watch list? Bumper cars! Want to meet an adorable dragon? You can! And the list goes on.

Amusement parks bring a spark of otherworldly excitement into your life, and that's ultimately a thing that has good in it. And believe me, I say this as someone who hates excitement! I am a yellow-bellied ninny who breaks out into cold sweats when the bus rolls down a mild slope slightly fast. But I still appreciate the opportunity; knowing that, if I ever completely snap and want to throw myself down a waterfall riding a poorly-whittled hollow log, there will be a person in a sweaty costume dancing next to me as I meet my end.

So please show some appreciation for what amusement parks can do. You can go to the beach after. There's probably one right outside the park anyway, as people have pointed out.

Or you can do neither and sit at home writing forum posts for 2 hours. I don't know why you would do that to yourself though. Don't.

Endorse: Take better care of yourself; love your life

Look here.

I don't get it.
​

Many have commented that amusement parks are expensive tourist traps that suck money out of your wallet, leave you exhausted, and generally make full use of the worst aspects of capitalism to bleed you dry and reduce you to an empty ex-consumer husk. What's more, rich jerk-offs like the amorphous blobs in charge of the Disney corporation have perverted the concept of amusement parks to be exclusive to the wealthy and turn up their nose at common folk like us. It is really, disgustingly bad and everything is ruined. What kind of argument could I pull out that will redeem all of this and turn it around into something positive and uplifting? Well, here it is:

Spoiler: The decisive argument

It's nothing!

The argument is a fabrication. It does not exist, all of this is bad, and nothing I say will make it unbad.

But so what?

Humanity and greed ruin another thing, what else is new? You think beaches are exempt from being exploited by corporations and ruined by trashy tourists like amusement parks were? The beautiful sand is littered with garbage, diseased fish carcasses, and worse. Go for a swim? Risk getting trash and condoms stuck to you, or catch a rash from the local sewer outlet that conveniently dumps next to the beach. Want a pristine ocean view? Whoops, fuel company lost another oil tanker and all the wildlife is glued together. Why, even if your beach is still relatively clean today, climate change deniers are hard at work right now to do nothing about melting polar ice and wipe those coast lines off the map for you. If you really look into it, you can find doom at every corner, be it at the beach or at a tourist trap.

​

First he starts off by addressing an opposing point made by the other team.
Then BAM he hits them with counterpoints.
Even the most loyal of Team Beach members would have to admit he's doing a good job building up the case for his team and taking ours down.

This is a game of taking hard blows and striking back even harder.
It's good to make points and build up your case at the beginning and not go on the offensive immediately.
However, don't expect the other team to hold back as long as you.
Chances are they're going to swing earlier and you're going to take a hit.
But you've got to realize that's not the end of it.
That's when you analyse what they just said and give their case a hit back.
Analysis.
That's going to be one of your most helpful tools.
Don't only analyse your enemy, reflect on yourself, analyse what your teammates have said too.
If you analyse every point of view made apparent to you, then you've got yourself a good place to start bringing the opposing team's case down.

I think I'm starting to get a better idea of what you're saying.

Thinking.
That's a good sign.

HEY! What do you think I am? Brain dead?

Now that you're thinking and understanding, I'd like to point your attention towards my next topic.​

as a geologist who hates sedimentary rocks and people, i'm always seeking alternative methods of torture whenever my assignments force me to stare at clumps of eroded minerals and not the really cool stuff that shoots up from the center of the earth. i'm also made of a collection of highly irritating materials, and thats why this pride month i've partnered with team beaches

you wish for perverted methods to torture tourists? when it comes to highly effective ones, you might suggest the terrifying rides featured in amusement parks. they can reach devastating heights, intense speeds, or mindbreaking mental assaults as you are forced to confront yourself in the mirror. but, their trials are temporary, and made by man. not to mention they're hideous, and lack the beauty of nature. amusement parks stand as twisted, perverse metal monuments to the desire of man to inflict self-torture on itself for pleasure. but, what is more terrifying than man-made horrors totally within your comprehension? that's right, naturally-sourced horrors beyond your comprehension.

and for that, i would look no further than sand. it is coarse, rough, gets everywhere, and is plentiful on beaches around the world. getting it in your or another's beach towel is a surefire way to ruin a holiday and inflict abstract torture on yourself and others as you spend the next week finding it in places you never thought possible.

while plain sand may be an effective and ubiquitous means of holiday torture, i offer that there are much nicer-looking alternatives to the normal, dirty stuff you see upon many beaches worldwide. the next time you're looking for something to shove down your pants either voluntarily or not, why not spice it up with a range of gorgeous colours? colors which are far more pleasing on the eye than the artifical unholiness of amusement parks?

let us begin a tour around some of the most unique-looking beaches our world has to offer.

experience an exfoliating, sandpaperesque lower abdomen scrub with a wider range of minerals than just quartz, such as the gorgeous jet-black beaches of hawaii, which are made of volcanic minerals quenched and immediately deposited on nearby shorelines. you'll really feel at one with the dark, abyssal beauty of the sea with this stuff in your board shorts.

such breathtaking vistas! it makes one want to dive right in and coat one's ass like dunking a soft-serve ice cream in powdered oreo cookies!
but! you cannot! your cheeks will never partake in such delights! * i dramatically rush you through the hall of beaches into the next exhibit *

have you ever wanted to understand how a bag of green pop rocks feels? you may hypothetically do so at papakolea beach, one of the only green-sand beaches in the world. these are eroded sand crystals made of olivine, the main mineral of the earth's mantle. how does that relate to pop rocks, you may ask? ask more questions like that and i'm going to pop rocks in your eyes after we finish this tour. * i push you down in front of the next exhibit, while two surly golems of olivine grab your shoul-

sand doesn't just take the form of round, irritatingly irregular minerals, as "star sand" is made of small shells with sharp points to match. You can shove a whole galaxy of stars down your pants in the beautiful waters of the okinawa islands, provided you are rich enough to afford the hypothetical fines. but as i once said to my weeping friend who i'd just absolutely crushed in mario party, the stars are not for thee!

as you may have guessed, there is one point of contention against these naturally beautiful forms of torture, and that is beaches as unique as these are often preserved or listed as heritage sites to prevent artificial erosion through millions of tourists shoving these minerals down their pants. the form of free torture would be so popular, that these beaches must be banned from public use, while heritage listed amusement parks still charge you for their use and are built in places that defile nature in other ways.

does that make sand a less viable or beautiful method of torture in general? no. as previously asserted, it gets, and is, everywhere. and if you wanted the special flavoured sand you could probably ask the locals of these beaches to indulge you as they give you strange looks. dont ask me i am not a lawyer

man itself has acknowledged there is no torturous beauty worth truly preserving in amusement parks, even as it attempts to build monuments of self-punishment reaching ever greater heights and more eye-searing shades of neon. sand (and therefore beaches), as a torturing device, is bountiful in nature and contributes to some of the most beautiful and preserved natural vistas of the world. and even in the less beautiful places, you will find it just waiting to be shoved down your pants entirely for free, and once you do, you'll keep finding it in truly unimaginable places for days to come. a naturally-sourced horror beyond your comprehension

* i turn off the lights then turn them back on again and suddenly i am right behind you holding a jar of sand *

now, with my assault of horrible and facetious prose nicely bottled, i am off to collect more sand and perhaps throw myself into a volcano. team beaches WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Comparison.

​

you wish for perverted methods to torture tourists? when it comes to highly effective ones, you might suggest the terrifying rides featured in amusement parks. they can reach devastating heights, intense speeds, or mindbreaking mental assaults as you are forced to confront yourself in the mirror. but, their trials are temporary, and made by man. not to mention they're hideous, and lack the beauty of nature. amusement parks stand as twisted, perverse metal monuments to the desire of man to inflict self-torture on itself for pleasure. but, what is more terrifying than man-made horrors totally within your comprehension? that's right, naturally-sourced horrors beyond your comprehension.

​

Ha! Good to see one of your teammates knows how this game works.
Now, this is somewhat similar to what I previously talked about.
While not directly addressing something the opposing team said, he does make an opposing point against their case.
Here's the important part, while stating the negative aspects of roller coasters, he proceeds to generally provide examples of how beaches are better in those aspects.
Comparison will be a VERY important tool when making posts such as these.

While I mentioned this is mainly a game of taking blows and striking back...
You don't always have to be the one who deals the last blow.
If you're feeling confident that your argument will outweigh whatever comes at it, then I'd say "Go ahead." just say it, don't wait for them to strike first.
Listen, I'm not some sort of rulebook you should follow to a T, you do you.
In the end, this is just advice from a guy who's been on this battlefield before and personally I think you should hear this old man's advice out but you're going to have to do your own thing.

Well, Mr.Armando, you've talked a lot to today about making counterpoints and analyzing or whatever.
But you haven't done any of that yourself!
Why don't you say something if you know all about this stuff!
Help your team out.

(Ugh, not that smile again...)

I'm not here to fight today. I'm not a part of Team Beaches nor am I a member of Team Amusement Parks.

Then what was that all for?!
What was the point.

I want to see everyone put up a good fight.

And that wasn't exactly happening.

(Talk about harsh!)

Hey, Team Amusement Parks, keep up the good work.
Team Beaches, the fight isn't over quite yet!

With that all said, I think I'll Endorse:A cup of Jo

Wooo.... That took a lot out of me.




​

 

[Hooded Pitohui]

As a general reminder to everyone, please make sure any posts you make contribute something to the event. You can post most anything - so long as they follow the forum rules and the event rules - in support of a team, but please try to clearly advance a team's cause in some form or fashion with what you post.

Thank you for your cooperation!

 

[Flygon64]

that took me multiple hours to write.
:kleepain:

Endorse:Team Beaches

I told you.

I GET IT.

Now, beaches are better than amusement parks in some aspects, so let's focus on bringing those aspects to light.
Of course that's just my suggestion.
You've torn my soul to pieces, bird.
To pieces.
Go Beaches, you've still got a chance.
I've given you my support so go get'em.

(Friendly reminder to everyone more like a personal stab to my arteries)​

 

[Yoshi the SSM]

From the Pinna Park page on the Super Mario Wiki:
a yellow Toad near the cannon leading to the island claims the island is called "the pineapple": "pinna" being a pun on "piña", the Spanish word for pineapple

 

[HedgehogGaming]

Let us not forget that beaches are free, while for amusement parks you need to pay. You need to pay for the rides, you need to pay for the foods... For beaches, you dont need to spend your money at all!

 

[Lin Beifong]

Well, let's deliberate the matter of costs. Amusement parks need to make an amount of money because they need to finance the operation and upkeep of all their machinery and pay their staff. But they are on the more expensive side, that is immutably correct.

But how "free" are beaches really?

I'd argue that this lack of need for expenses exists only in a vacuum. "You can just walk onto a beach and sit down, and you're living the beach experience", right? Well, no. Maybe if you're lucky enough to live near the coast, but I certainly don't. I live pretty far inland and if I want to visit a proper saltwater non-artificial beach, I'm probably looking at a 6 hour car drive. Said car does not run on groovy vibes and swimming enthusiasm either, no, it wants some good old-fashioned petrol, which in today's times is starting to approach luxury good status.

And then if I'm suffering a 6 hour drive to the sand pit, I'm not gonna just do a quick flip into the shallows off the nearest springboard and hop back in the car so I'm back home for sundown, no, I'm going to besiege that beach for a couple days at least so the trip was worth it. So I'm going to need a hotel or some other form of lodging on top of that. And this isn't even going into stuff like getting proper beach attire, food (which the beach does not generously and automatically provide, you have to buy that yourself just like anywhere else), etc..

So all in all, I'm looking at an expense in the realm of a small vacation here. That's not really free, is it? I could buy a new computer with that kind of money.

Make no mistake, a trip to the amusement park will also take a huge sledgehammer to my bank account's undercarriage. But their distribution, at least here, is a bit more even and I can reach one in a semi-comfortable 1-2 hour ride. Which means bizarrely, going to the money-guzzling tourist trap would most likely cost me less than the wholesome coastal family fun.

 

[HedgehogGaming]

Beaches are natural (mainly). Amusement parks are man-made. That means that not only you are closer to the nature, but you can also see the wildlife: palm trees and other plants and water birds, crabs, maybe turtles or dolphins too.

Everything (almost) is artificial in amusement parks. Theres only metal, plastic, LEDs and other things like these everywhere. And in todays world, people start getting used to these too much, and it always seems like a great break to stop being next to these.

And yes, I am aware of the fact that beaches are not always plastic-free, but they are always more natural than amusement parks.

 

[Bugzzy]

You can get cotton candy at an amusement park. Can you get cotton candy at the beach?

 

[BBQ Turtle]

OK, I'm definitely ready to weigh in here. I've noticed a lot of people have been saying that theme parks are noisy and not relaxing, which isn't entirely true- much like beaches, theme parks can be filled with screaming kids, loud music and machinery noises (beaches aren't always free from speedboats, lifeboat vehicles and the like)- but there are often areas of them that are quiet and relaxing. Not all theme parks are rollercoasters on blocks of concrete.

I'll be sticking to the UK for my examples, go with what I know, but even so, the atmosphere of a theme park when all of the rides aren't operating and you're just walking through a park, that by itself is nice. But most parks here have quiet areas. Legoland Windsor is built on the site of an old safari park, and retains a lot of the landscaping- including the lake down by the park's hotels, which often sees a lot of wildlife such as waterbirds and insects. And many theme parks that integrate zoos often have these areas quieter for the comfort of the animals- you can see some of the rides in the distance, but for the most part the areas are surrounded by animal enclosures with planting. Many parks feature large lakes, including Alton Towers, which also has the ruins of the towers and a huge amount of gardens filled with fountains, statues and planting, some of which dates back over 100 years. Again, you can see lots of the park's coasters, but the area is quiet and a large part of the park and its history. And a number of smaller parks are built in and around woodland areas- appropriately enough, the ones that come to mind are Oakwood, Greenwood and Woodlands.

And the best example of a relaxing theme park I can think of is Blackgang Chine. While not being so heavily ride-based, it's the UK's oldest theme park and largely consists of walkthrough attractions. It's placed right on the coast (the views from their rollercoaster cliffhanger are amazing), and features themed areas based on things like fairytales and the wild west. The park features so many beautiful quiet areas throughout, though I think the one I'd like to highlight is the path to the wild west town- the path is surrounded by woodland planting while giving views out over the sea, and is a nice walk on a sunny day- especially if you're a fan of gravestone puns, as the area also features light theming as boot hill. Areas similar to this appear throughout the park, and even though it's not the biggest park, it is a really nice day out that's very different to what you might expect from theme park.



Now, the other thing I wanted to mention is something that beaches don't quite have, to my knowledge, in the same way that theme parks do- music. And I don't just mean speakers playing any sort of song- I'm talking about the custom soundtracks that many rides at larger theme parks have. This music often ties into the theme of the ride and is played throughout, and a lot of it becomes quite popular with fans of the park. I've put a few examples of some of my favourites in the spoiler, I couldn't find a few of the pieces I wanted to online, and some of these are likely affected by personal experience, but I do think these are some really good pieces of theme park music.

Spoiler: Music

(To be fair, I haven't been on this incarnation of the ride, but I just love the vibe of this music, it's super catchy. Got stuck in my head for ages after hearing a clip of it just once.)

(Yes I miss Bubbleworks greatly, but I only got to ride it on one day and I never forgot the music. I was so happy when I finally found it online. Apologies that this has a small cut out partway through.)

(And this here is a great ride that I actually love a lot more because of the music! It's another hear it once, get it stuck in your head job. I've put both the music for the attraction and the queue here, same them but I think it's just that good. IMAScore do some amazing work, definitely check out some of their other stuff, even if this one isn't for you.)

(I totally haven't been looking for an excuse to share some of this stuff for months)

And of course, there's lots more beyond that. As the music usually pairs with the ride theme, if there's a certain type of music you're looking for, just find a ride to match. Want something spooky? See what ghost trains have to offer. Tense and dramatic? Have a look at some big coasters or drop towers? Something more gentle and relaxing? Try something from dark ride or slow-moving boat ride with a similar theme. Or if you fancy some upbeat stuff, try some midsize coasters and water rides, you'll be surprised what you find sometimes. And if you find one you really like, sometimes you can find variations of it in related rides and areas- most bigger rides have an on-ride/station version and a queue line variant, music in the associated area can often include excerpts, and sometimes multiple rides in the same area use rearrangements of the same tune. This is actually present throughout the Knight's Kingdom at Legoland Windsor, where the area music, Dragon coaster and Merlin's Challenge are all based around the Dragon's theme song.

And my final music note for now, and a bit of a pop culture one too. Alton Towers have, for years, used "In the Hall of the Mountain King" in their advertisements and have incorporated it into the theme tunes of a number of their rides and attractions- to the point that I have actually heard people who don't know the original name of the piece, or even that it is classical music, refer to it as the Alton Towers music. That's quite some impressive marketing if you ask me.

 

[Bugzzy]

Yup. Even though amusement parks are more expensive, it shows off an immense amount of quality.

 

[Flygon64]

Now, the other thing I wanted to mention is something that beaches don't quite have, to my knowledge, in the same way that theme parks do- music.

It's a shame no one here's going to the 2022 Baja Beach Fest it seems.

Uh... That's a bit of a random rebuttal. What even is "Baja Beach Fest"?

It's one big event, that's what it is.

It's a beach-side music festival that was founded in 2018 that's held annually at Rosarito, Baja California, Mexico!

You put a lot of into apasionamiento into those words!
Uh that's correct? Right?

We're going to have to find some ways to learn Spanish that are better than Google Translate for you at some point.

¡Ay! I try...

Back to the point, founded by Aaron Ampudia and Chris Den Uijl, it's a festival that celebrates Reggaeton and Latin music.
The first festival started off as a simple one-day event, but boy did it not start off small!
The first Baja Beach Fest ended up hosting over 15 thousand people and featured performances by music artists such as Bad Bunny and Yandel and many more.
In 2019 it had expanded to a two-day event and hosted 30 thousand people, double the amount of people at the previous event!
It featured even more artists such as Nicky Jam and others.
Now in 2022 it'll be a four-day event featuring more artists than ever before.

Well that seems interesting.

You bet.

While beaches don't have music in the same manner as theme parks, we've still got our fair share of tunes!

I bet Team Beach knows more about how music relates to the beach, eh? Even I got to admit big music festivals are definitely not the best thing in the world in a good amount of ways. It'd be nice to hear what else you've got to say beach gang, we're all ears.










​

 

[Bugzzy]

OBJECTION!

Amusement parks have more parties than beaches. Therefore, your argument helps Team Amusement Parks.

 

[Flygon64]

OBJECTION!

Amusement parks have more parties than beaches.

Put a little bit more spirit into it.
Care to provide a couple of examples to help out your team a bit? I'd be interested to see a couple from you.

Ever heard of beach parties?
You've might've of.
There are thousands of guides out there on how to throw a good one.
Want to take a listen to this playlist?

Spoiler

Mark Ronson - Uptown Funk (Official Video) ft. Bruno Mars

Official Video for Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsListen to Mark Ronson: https://MarkRonson.lnk.to/listenYDSubscribe to the official Mark Ronson: h...

www.youtube.com

Simply, beach parties are VERY popular to say the least.
Team Beach could probably testify.
Ever heard of an amusement park party? I personally haven't.
I would love to hear about a couple if you know some.


​

 

[Bugzzy]

Simply, beach parties are VERY popular to say the least.
Team Beach could probably testify.
Ever heard of an amusement park party? I personally haven't.
I would love to hear about a couple if you know some.

Gladly.

List of popular amusement parks to hold a party:

1. Walt Disney World
2. Disneyland
3. Sesame Place
4. Six Flags
5. Universal Orlando Resort
6. DisneySea
7. Hershey Park
8. Kings Island
9. Cedar Point
10. SeaWorld

For a full list, click here.

 

[Torchic]

A lot of the rides at amusement parks are very scary and frightening, especially if you have some sort of motion-sickness and get queasy or seasick. You get spun around quite a lot, and many people hate to see someone's vomit on the ride they're entering. Beaches, on the other hand, are pretty harmless. Sure, there might be a few mosquitoes buzzing around and maybe a few crabs or yucky green algae in the water, but unless the tide comes in, you can spend as much time at the beach as you want, without having to pay anything.

The food at an amusement park can also be quite sweet, sugary, greasy, messy, and tooth-aching as well. Cotton candy and caramel apples tastes great, but they are very sticky. Candy apples are tough to chew, and many of the fried foods (funnel cakes, corndogs, deep-fried Mars bars, elephant ears, etc.) are fattening and greasy. And as for the drinks, they usually only serve soda or snowcones, which are full of sugar and syrup. Pretty soon, you'll be headed straight to the dentist's office with tons of cavities to be filled. I don't care if the food at Disneyland, Disney World, Universal, or Super Nintendo World looks appetizing, because 95% of that food is sugary stuff that'll ruin your teeth for eternity! You don't want your day of fun to end like that, do you?

In contrast, most people have to bring their own food to the beach, unless you live in a big city. For most, this means breaking out the mini bbq and cooking hamburgers, hotdogs, or meat skewers on the grill, with toasty marshmallows for dessert. Some people also bring popsicles, ice cream, or a cold drink (including fruit juice, lemonade, smoothies, etc.) to help them cool down in the hot sun, and if you're feeling narcissistic, you can even relax while your servant brings you the drink you asked for. The good thing is, with a lot more healthy options, the beach won't ruin your teeth as much as the amusement park. So not only are you keeping active, but you're also maintaining a healthy diet, and your teeth will thank you for it!

 

[Bugzzy]

A lot of the rides at amusement parks are very scary and frightening, especially if you have some sort of motion-sickness and get queasy or seasick. You get spun around quite a lot, and many people hate to see someone's vomit on the ride they're entering. Beaches, on the other hand, are pretty harmless. Sure, there might be a few mosquitoes buzzing around and maybe a few crabs or yucky green algae in the water, but unless the tide comes in, you can spend as much time at the beach as you want, without having to pay anything.

The food at an amusement park can also be quite sweet, sugary, greasy, messy, and tooth-aching as well. Cotton candy and caramel apples tastes great, but they are very sticky. Candy apples are tough to chew, and many of the fried foods (funnel cakes, corndogs, deep-fried Mars bars, elephant ears, etc.) are fattening and greasy. And as for the drinks, they usually only serve soda or snowcones, which are full of sugar and syrup. Pretty soon, you'll be headed straight to the dentist's office with tons of cavities to be filled. I don't care if the food at Disneyland, Disney World, Universal, or Super Nintendo World looks appetizing, because 95% of that food is sugary stuff that'll ruin your teeth for eternity! You don't want your day of fun to end like that, do you?

In contrast, most people have to bring their own food to the beach, unless you live in a big city. For most, this means breaking out the mini bbq and cooking hamburgers, hotdogs, or meat skewers on the grill, with toasty marshmallows for dessert. Some people also bring popsicles, ice cream, or a cold drink (including fruit juice, lemonade, smoothies, etc.) to help them cool down in the hot sun, and if you're feeling narcissistic, you can even relax while your servant brings you the drink you asked for. The good thing is, with a lot more healthy options, the beach won't ruin your teeth as much as the amusement park. So not only are you keeping active, but you're also maintaining a healthy diet, and your teeth will thank you for it!

100% true!

 

[Lin Beifong]

sugary stuff that'll ruin your teeth for eternity!

That's a bit over-dramatic, isn't it? Teeth don't usually disintegrate the moment sugar touches them. The nutritional scores of the food are poor, but you also aren't going to shovel that crap into your mouth on the daily. It's food made for taste that you're going to eat like, once, as a special treat. Preferably on your cheat day if you're following a dietary plan. You're not going to end up fat and toothless as long as you employ basic sensibility.

You can also like, brush your teeth before going to bed. Blinding smile saved.

I'd also like to point out that some of those beach treats listed, namely marshmallows, ice cream and fruit juice, aren't slouches in the hidden sugar department either. Especially store-bought juices can very quickly make you rack up those calories. And if you're firing up the grill, be careful about your selection and quantity of meats (beware of hamburgers), as well as those rich grill sauces.

If you want to be on the nutritionally safe side though, you can bring your food to beach areas with lots of seagulls. They're specifically trained dietary assistants that will helpfully try to prevent too much stuff from reaching your mouth.

 

[Torchic]

I will point out that some people do bring fresh fruit to the beach, including watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, and pineapple. If you live in a tropical place like Hawaii or Australia, you can even get your fruit straight from the palm trees! Some people even use coconut shells to carry their drinks inside, with a little paper umbrella for garnishing. And if you're looking to please a crowd, a fruit salad might do the job, as you can use any fruit you like, without that sugary sauce regular salads have! However, in most areas, these fruits are a rare sight at the beach, as they are more expensive compared to more common fruits like apples, oranges, bananas, and grapes. Bugs might also munch on them, and you have to use them at the right time before they go rotten. But other than that, they're great sources of nutrition and vitamins, so they're pretty healthy as well!