Old west themes are 100% home-grown Americana: Knott’s Ghost Town and Disneyland’s Frontierland being original surviving examples. We were obsessed with an imaginary Wild West from 1950’s films and the Route 66 painted desert of the 1960’s. Still a US theme park staple in many ways (Cars Land, anyone?). International parks are paying homage to a cultural truth about America albeit not an entirely literal one. :-)
Yeah I miss when this was more prominent at parks across the world. My home park has lost most of its western area to random changes and I definitely miss it.
Great point. You could include a lot of different park lands on there like some of the areas of SFFT and SFOT as well as even some rides like the river raft at Holiday World. And while they don't represent the "old west" parks like Dollywood and Silver Dollar City have a lot of similarities to old western themes (though more like old country or old lumberjack/prospector.) And while SDC and Dollywood show a sentimental cleaned up stylized version of American history, there is no denying that they are very much American.
I think it's less about "Americana" than it is about Hollywood. The Western genre was the most-popular from the 1930s through the 1960s, and really didn't start dying off until the end of the 1970s. This may be incomprehensible to most, but take today's movie landscape and turn every superhero movie into a Western. And then add more Westerns. Seriously. Most Europeans who could afford to travel in the 20th Century tended to do so within Europe, so America was only what they saw in movies. Obviously they understood the Wild Wild West was our past, but their past was castles and ruins, and when they traveled around Europe they saw more castles and more ruins. Most European theme parks are oddly themed to Europe, so park planners looking outside the box basically had Asia and America. What was so different about America, except for its severe lack of castles and ruins? The American Southwest, an alien landscape (even to most of America!) with gunfights, the Gold Rush, cowboys, natives, trains, horses and cool costumes! It's not at all surprising it became a popular theme worldwide as it's almost fictional in its originality. What I find funny is we have three landscapes in the country that differentiate us from most places on the planet: the rock formations of the Southwest, the hot springs and geysers of Wyoming, and the forests full of redwoods and sequoias of the West Coast. While all were part of America's Old West, these features don't overlap, yet they often do in theme parks. Sometimes all three in the same land! Another reason this theme is so prevalent? Disney, of course. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was built in 1979. Most of these Wild West lands were created after that. I think the main reason geysers tend to be so tied into this Wild West theme is due to their existence on these coasters. John Wayne certainly wasn't soaking in a hot spring while admiring Monument Valley. I don't think I've seen one built prior to this that has them.
Great vlog! It's awesome to hear Sarah's first reactions on some of these. Furius Baco and Shambhala are so good! I also greyed out at the bottom of Shambhala's drop before, not sure if it was me being blinded by the sun though, it's pretty bright after the tunnel 🤣👍
Unfortunately I had two awful days the last time I visited this place due to the ridiculous one train operations even on busy summer days. Might come back to give it one more try though if they build something big again!
Hi Taylor. Nice video! I have send you a mail with the explanation why so many themeparks in Europe have a western theme. As it is not a short answer :-). Enjoy your time in Europe!
I wonder if Universal regrets selling this park. Also at 2:15 next to the ride names the express logos are still universals basically. They just replaced Universal with PortAdventura, even the x they didn’t end up changing lol
I like that the influence of Universal is still in this park in small ways. That Express logo is the exact same as Universal's albeit blue and with PortAventura on it. Lol!
Was there in Oktober with waiting Times of ~5 minutes... so 27x Shambala/day! But @tyler now they have good merch-t-shirts compare ho your 2018 visit; i Was very happy and fully packed. Cheers frpm germany
Western fiction was very popular in Europe. There were the romanticized novels of the German author Karl May that were incredibly popular. Certain German thinkers combined Manifest Destiny and Social Darwinism to disastrous consequences in World War 2. Western movies were popular in Europe after they had fallen out of fashion in the States, in part because of the distance from the politics of the American Indian Movement, which turned a lot of traditional western narratives on their heads. For example, what was called the Battle at Wounded Knee is now known as the Massacre at Wounded Knee. The Western theme is a good example of what Orientalism feels like. The American Old West is a very exotic and intriguing concept to Europeans who didn't have similar experiences in their densely populated continent, but to Americans it's a pretty short period in one sparsely populated portion of America that bears little resemblance to modern American life. It's similar to a Japan themed area filled with ninjas and pagodas but with no mention of densely populated cities, old people, or a love of baseball.
Hello friends, making my first visit to this park in august and had a question for all. If you stay at the hotels, Is park admission included with your stay, and included for every day that you stay in the hotel? Thanks in advance.
Underrated! Just went there and was expecting a rough and short ride. It was way more forceful and out of control than I was expecting! Still quick and not the smoothest, but felt like it was right there with red force in terms of launch and total ride experience
@@tomwilsonn Good to know. I was starting to plan a visit when CoVID hit. I do plan to stay at one of their hotels, and visit the park for at least two days.
Actually Europeans (Dutch people for instance) do not think that is what America is like. I grew up watchig American television shows so we have a pretty good view on what USA is like, i think. By the way, Efteling doesn't have an old west USA theme right?
Furius Baco, like many attractions across the resort, just aren't that great. Add in the fairly mediocre operations and lack of quality indoor attractions, and PA just isn't what it should be. Fast Pass is basically essential, which says it all. Beyond the Instagrammable vistas of the park, which are beautiful, it just sort of ebbs away.
What the hell is up with all that graffiti in the exit of Shambhala? Not even Six Flags is that trashy, and the quality of people at Six Flags leaves a lot to be desired.
The ride is awful. Uncomfortable, Jerky and crap layout. I'm not a B&M fan boy but this ride sits in the same park as Shambala. The best B&M in Europe.
Old west themes are 100% home-grown Americana: Knott’s Ghost Town and Disneyland’s Frontierland being original surviving examples. We were obsessed with an imaginary Wild West from 1950’s films and the Route 66 painted desert of the 1960’s. Still a US theme park staple in many ways (Cars Land, anyone?). International parks are paying homage to a cultural truth about America albeit not an entirely literal one. :-)
This.
Yeah I miss when this was more prominent at parks across the world. My home park has lost most of its western area to random changes and I definitely miss it.
Fair point, didn’t think about it that way!
Great point. You could include a lot of different park lands on there like some of the areas of SFFT and SFOT as well as even some rides like the river raft at Holiday World. And while they don't represent the "old west" parks like Dollywood and Silver Dollar City have a lot of similarities to old western themes (though more like old country or old lumberjack/prospector.) And while SDC and Dollywood show a sentimental cleaned up stylized version of American history, there is no denying that they are very much American.
I think it's less about "Americana" than it is about Hollywood. The Western genre was the most-popular from the 1930s through the 1960s, and really didn't start dying off until the end of the 1970s. This may be incomprehensible to most, but take today's movie landscape and turn every superhero movie into a Western. And then add more Westerns. Seriously. Most Europeans who could afford to travel in the 20th Century tended to do so within Europe, so America was only what they saw in movies. Obviously they understood the Wild Wild West was our past, but their past was castles and ruins, and when they traveled around Europe they saw more castles and more ruins. Most European theme parks are oddly themed to Europe, so park planners looking outside the box basically had Asia and America. What was so different about America, except for its severe lack of castles and ruins? The American Southwest, an alien landscape (even to most of America!) with gunfights, the Gold Rush, cowboys, natives, trains, horses and cool costumes! It's not at all surprising it became a popular theme worldwide as it's almost fictional in its originality.
What I find funny is we have three landscapes in the country that differentiate us from most places on the planet: the rock formations of the Southwest, the hot springs and geysers of Wyoming, and the forests full of redwoods and sequoias of the West Coast. While all were part of America's Old West, these features don't overlap, yet they often do in theme parks. Sometimes all three in the same land!
Another reason this theme is so prevalent? Disney, of course. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was built in 1979. Most of these Wild West lands were created after that. I think the main reason geysers tend to be so tied into this Wild West theme is due to their existence on these coasters. John Wayne certainly wasn't soaking in a hot spring while admiring Monument Valley. I don't think I've seen one built prior to this that has them.
And yes, Furius Baco is an underrated ride. I have ridden it hundreds of times and I bypass the roughness and love the intensity and the launch.
Great vlog! It's awesome to hear Sarah's first reactions on some of these. Furius Baco and Shambhala are so good! I also greyed out at the bottom of Shambhala's drop before, not sure if it was me being blinded by the sun though, it's pretty bright after the tunnel 🤣👍
Beautiful park! Can't wait for part 2!
Unfortunately I had two awful days the last time I visited this place due to the ridiculous one train operations even on busy summer days. Might come back to give it one more try though if they build something big again!
Hi Taylor. Nice video! I have send you a mail with the explanation why so many themeparks in Europe have a western theme. As it is not a short answer :-). Enjoy your time in Europe!
I wonder if Universal regrets selling this park. Also at 2:15 next to the ride names the express logos are still universals basically. They just replaced Universal with PortAdventura, even the x they didn’t end up changing lol
You should come in summer, they open Templo del fuego and the park is open until 12
What does Sarah like better? Shambhala or Nitro? Great vlog by the way :)
I like that the influence of Universal is still in this park in small ways. That Express logo is the exact same as Universal's albeit blue and with PortAventura on it. Lol!
Was there in Oktober with waiting Times of ~5 minutes... so 27x Shambala/day! But @tyler now they have good merch-t-shirts compare ho your 2018 visit; i Was very happy and fully packed. Cheers frpm germany
I’m from the UK & I definitely don’t think America looks like the Wild West theme in parks lol.
Really enjoyed the vlog!
It's a shame here in Europe quite a lot of rides at these parks are closed over winter. Hopefully you'll come back some time in the summer again.
I wonder if taylor has ridden Flying Dreams at Ferrari Land. I know he wanted to ride it last time, but he chose the other dark ride.
Tried to ride it this time but the line was at least an hour and a half long
This is my 2nd favourite ride in the resort, sure it is short but it was really fun!
Western fiction was very popular in Europe. There were the romanticized novels of the German author Karl May that were incredibly popular. Certain German thinkers combined Manifest Destiny and Social Darwinism to disastrous consequences in World War 2. Western movies were popular in Europe after they had fallen out of fashion in the States, in part because of the distance from the politics of the American Indian Movement, which turned a lot of traditional western narratives on their heads. For example, what was called the Battle at Wounded Knee is now known as the Massacre at Wounded Knee. The Western theme is a good example of what Orientalism feels like. The American Old West is a very exotic and intriguing concept to Europeans who didn't have similar experiences in their densely populated continent, but to Americans it's a pretty short period in one sparsely populated portion of America that bears little resemblance to modern American life. It's similar to a Japan themed area filled with ninjas and pagodas but with no mention of densely populated cities, old people, or a love of baseball.
I wonder how PortAventura would be if it was still a Universal park to this day….
Ferrari Land might not happen
@@pizzaman8918 Probably not. However they probably would still get an Intamin launch coaster like Red Force due to Universal’s ties to Intamin.
The back rows are blocked off for disabled access riders. Typically they use the back row so they are evacuated first in the event of a breakdown.
Same! Baco is my favourite ride at PortAventura
Hello friends, making my first visit to this park in august and had a question for all. If you stay at the hotels, Is park admission included with your stay, and included for every day that you stay in the hotel? Thanks in advance.
Its as rough as your cameras image stabilisation!
The prologue to Coasting thru Europe
Sarah did you like Shambhala or Nitro better?
100% underrated. Short but very sweet.
Underrated! Just went there and was expecting a rough and short ride. It was way more forceful and out of control than I was expecting! Still quick and not the smoothest, but felt like it was right there with red force in terms of launch and total ride experience
Shambhala is without a doubt the best bm hyper ever
Im swedish and yes when i think of america i think of the wild west, skyscrapers and a hella lotta theme parks
Actually when I think of a lot of theme parks packed into a small area, my mind immediately jumps to Europe.
Sometimes I can't lie, I get really jelly of all the awesome parks yall get to go to Around the world on a weekly basis
the La Liga restaurant opened the other day. I saw a Spanish vlogger cover it. Did I get what was going on, Vaguely
Furius baco is one of the best coaster in spain😮❤
The time I went to Spain in 2018 I was bummed I didn't get out to the theme park myself.
Those wait times are disastrous. I hate the way this park forces you to get fast passes. Such a racket.
If you stay at their hotels you can get a fast pass that lasts your whole stay. It’s annoying but well worth it.
@@tomwilsonn Good to know. I was starting to plan a visit when CoVID hit. I do plan to stay at one of their hotels, and visit the park for at least two days.
Definitely underrated!
Is August Immelmann Footers?
Did you also ride Dragon Khan?
That’s coming in part two!
I loved furious baco. A few seats are complete duds (rear wing seats) but apart from that it’s awesome.
Hurricane Condor is one of the best drop towers ever it’s a shame you missed it
Clicked so fast!
Actually Europeans (Dutch people for instance) do not think that is what America is like. I grew up watchig American television shows so we have a pretty good view on what USA is like, i think. By the way, Efteling doesn't have an old west USA theme right?
This is today?
Furius Baco, while it's looks hella rough, looks really intense 🔥
Like you said, it's the old west. Nobody actually thinks that this is how the US looks like.
Awesome video!
El diablo is way better on the last row. The drop out of the station got me by surprise !!
Furious Baco is the best intamin I've ever ridden and Shambhala is the best B&M.
She never said if she prefers Shambhala over Nitro.
Furius Baco, like many attractions across the resort, just aren't that great. Add in the fairly mediocre operations and lack of quality indoor attractions, and PA just isn't what it should be. Fast Pass is basically essential, which says it all. Beyond the Instagrammable vistas of the park, which are beautiful, it just sort of ebbs away.
Is it a Mack wing coaster? It’s confusing me lmao
It's an Intamin wing coaster
@@CoasterStats oh ok thanks. Are there any other intamin wings? I’ve never seen one before
@@m4gn5g62 there are other Intamin rollercoasters they call "wing coasters" like Skyrush or Flying Aces
But there is nothing similar to Furius Baco
@WaterishDog X isn’t intamin
@@CoasterStats Ah I see they are cool. More like a floorless imo
Launch is good, but it is overrated.. Hurts so much with those Shoulder Straps... Once was enough...
I kind of like it
The question is is nitro better
He ranked shambala as the best b&m hyper some time ago I think
Still have to wear masks outdoors at European parks?
Baco is a terrain coaster that is trying hard, in a park that has no terrain.
Definetly underrated, its awesome for one or two rides in a row but after that it gets painful
Yes football theme
Europeans really think America is like that. To me its just oil, oily food and muscle cars.
It is how we think America was
What the hell is up with all that graffiti in the exit of Shambhala? Not even Six Flags is that trashy, and the quality of people at Six Flags leaves a lot to be desired.
I' american and that's what I think americas is like lol
Furious Baka
sussy baco
The ride is awful. Uncomfortable, Jerky and crap layout. I'm not a B&M fan boy but this ride sits in the same park as Shambala. The best B&M in Europe.
Furius boro Zzzzzzzz