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Notable post-entry plazas/mainstreets

Pink Cadillac

Pink Cadillac

Giga Poster
At most theme parks as soon as you've pushed through the turnstiles you are greeted with plazas encompassed by gift shops or long streets leading to an iconic focal point. Usually it's part of the park that is most forgotten by us but they can really set the tone for a fantastic day out and help get our bearings - especially for first time visitors.

Avoiding the obvious ones (disney) I am obsessed with Towers Street. Excusing the architecture and the crappy frogs the view of the sprawling lawns, lake and the towers obscured by mammoth specimen trees is just so magical.

As for a negative one, after going through one of the most unreal entrances at Efteling I was faced with.... a gift shop? Then had to choose to go either left or right, chose right and there was nothing but a theatre. I went the other way and although it was open there still wasn't much there. I had to walk all the way round before I could see Fata Morgana across the lake which itself was lovely. Wish it could have been the entrance though with the dancing fountains turned on.

What are other people's thoughts? What are some other best/worst examples? I know the topic is a bit dry but at least it's better than forum fun :p
 
^ I too love Towers Street- it's so rare to get such a beautiful view entering a theme park that hasn't been entirely manmade/manipulated in the last few decades.
 
I absolutely love Kings Dominion's International Street. It's so nice, and even has its own soundtrack. Also Dominator is right nearby <3

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I've always been impressed with Portaventura, really captures that Mediterranean feel....although I think they could make more of the area in terms of adding restaurants / bars to make it more of a city walk type addition to the park
 
Ones that stick in my mind are:

Alton Towers - What's not to like about the gorgeous lake and Towers view, with the sound of creds gently carried by the wind.

Phantasialand - Urgh, the outside is so ugly, like a 1960's urban multi-storey car park....and then you go inside and it's gorge.

Six Flags Over Texas - I don't usually feel claustrophobic or uneasy when I enter a park, but I felt horrible when I walked into SFoT. The facades are so towering and seemed to close in on me. I felt physically sick. I also found it quite garish which didn't help. Give me beige, open spaces every time!
 
Ian said:
Phantasialand - Urgh, the outside is so ugly, like a 1960's urban multi-storey car park....and then you go inside and it's gorge.
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I swear some psychologist designed that entrance to shatter your dreams and build you back up again. Love it though!

Although not a Main Street as such, Tivoli Gardens is definitely one of my favourites, especially upon entering at night with everything lit up. Port Aventura is another good shout.
 
I know all of Disney is a given, but I think Islands of Adventure deserves a shoutout. The Port of Entry is just beautiful and has one of my favorite theme park soundtracks ever. It always gets me so amped up for the day ahead. Then, it leads into that fantastic Lagoon view with Hogwarts and Jurassic Park far away.

Silver Dollar City also has a nice and cozy Main Street area. It is really just a great area to be in which is similar to the park itself. Full of trees, shading, and little touches of theming all over. Just calm and enjoyable.
 
Adventureland Iowa? Its like a bootleg Disneyland/World. a train station you walk under that gives way to a main street lined with shops... Expect suddenly there's a Huss Breakdance inside an arcade?

And while the park is rather undesirable, Elitch has a nice little front entrance way... At least, once you get past the entrance shop itself.
 
Oh god, think about American parks now and how I VOMIT thinking about Beech Bend. Granted, it was in 2007 when I last visited, but I remember being unimpressed by the shed entrance and walking out into a wasteland.
 
CanobieFan said:
Adventureland Iowa? Its like a bootleg Disneyland/World. a train station you walk under that gives way to a main street lined with shops... Expect suddenly there's a Huss Breakdance inside an arcade?
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This. It's almost like one of those Custom RCT3 Parks that has Six Flags take over a Disney Park. There's so many knock-off designs, and I love it! <3

I remember SFA being rather nice. It has loads of Colonial American-era buildings and statues. It's also quite wooded around there as well. Gotham City, however, is a very different story. </3
 
Ian said:
Phantasialand - Urgh, the outside is so ugly, like a 1960's urban multi-storey car park....and then you go inside and it's gorge.
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That sounds a LOT like Kings Island! I absolutely hate the entrance, but it is beautiful on the inside!
 
A lot of Fantawild's stuff. They follow the whole "street leading to a castle" thing, but a lot of them look lovely, the Dreamland parks especially.
 
I love Phantasialand's main street! The wave swinger looks so good siting where it does.
Disneysea has an awesome main street. The view is so good you forget that it is all under cover.
 
I love Hershey's entrance myself! It feels so low key and subtle yet extremely welcoming. SDC is the same way, it feels exactly like an 1880s town square.

More bold ones I like are KI's right in my backyard (love how the giant ugly mansard turnstile building acts as the perfect barrier between the outside world and magical International Street and SFA's big awesome Main Street.
 
As mentioned above I love Phantasialand and how you walk down around the carousel and onto old Berlin, other notable ones that I've visited were Cinecitta world which only lacked atmosphere because the park was empty, and the bit before you split off to the two universal parks in Florida, I was absolutely buzzing and the place was packed as the sun was going down.

The worst I've seen is probably Drivilet. The entrance is atrocious along with most of the park to be quite frank. Some bits aren't too bad it's just a shame they are right at the back and don't contribute to first impressions.
 
I know I've already posted, but, even if its obvious, I think Disneyland's Main Street USA really does deserve some credit. It was the first one for goodness sake! Seriously, there is just something to the way it is designed. Going underneath the train station then emerging into this older, small town, usually with horse drawn carriages and streetcars going by. Then, going onto the Main Street and seeing that beautiful castle at the end. This really applies to every single Disney Castle park, and that shows just how well it works. It's a brilliant effect that just wows me every time. Not to mention that DL Main Street USA is one of the most amazing and adorable places in the park.

One more shoutout here. I have to talk the wonders that are the Oasis/Discovery Island at Animal Kingdom. Animal Kingdom is, I believe, America's best themed theme park, and these two opening areas exemplify that. Walking through them on the way to the center is so calm yet mysterious. Unlike Adventureland, there is an odd sense of danger to the whole area. The foilage is truly towering, and the path seems long and winding. Then, BAM, you see the Tree of Life. What a moment it is every time. I just love the Tree of Life and the way it looks bathed in the morning sun. What makes that opening area so fantastic though is all the little hidden trails and areas to explore. Its a choice for each visitor really. You can go along the beaten path or choose to go into these little trails and find your own way there. While people racing for Avatar Land may not feel this way, I think it is an interesting perspective at least. Ok, that's enough outta me. Though, I am tempted to do another long post about DCA's Buena Vista Street.
 
Edward M said:
I know I've already posted, but, even if its obvious, I think Disneyland's Main Street USA really does deserve some credit. It was the first one for goodness sake! Seriously, there is just something to the way it is designed. Going underneath the train station then emerging into this older, small town, usually with horse drawn carriages and streetcars going by. Then, going onto the Main Street and seeing that beautiful castle at the end. This really applies to every single Disney Castle park, and that shows just how well it works. It's a brilliant effect that just wows me every time. Not to mention that DL Main Street USA is one of the most amazing and adorable places in the park.

One more shoutout here. I have to talk the wonders that are the Oasis/Discovery Island at Animal Kingdom. Animal Kingdom is, I believe, America's best themed theme park, and these two opening areas exemplify that. Walking through them on the way to the center is so calm yet mysterious. Unlike Adventureland, there is an odd sense of danger to the whole area. The foilage is truly towering, and the path seems long and winding. Then, BAM, you see the Tree of Life. What a moment it is every time. I just love the Tree of Life and the way it looks bathed in the morning sun. What makes that opening area so fantastic though is all the little hidden trails and areas to explore. Its a choice for each visitor really. You can go along the beaten path or choose to go into these little trails and find your own way there. While people racing for Avatar Land may not feel this way, I think it is an interesting perspective at least. Ok, that's enough outta me. Though, I am tempted to do another long post about DCA's Buena Vista Street.
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You've sold me on this, would agree!

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