Thompsons' Tips for Theme Park Fun!
Because we take fun seriously
Welcome!
We love theme parks and have found that when people know this about us, they ask for our advice about where to go. So we thought we’d share our love of theme parks and all of our top tips here, for others to make use of.
There is a big range of theme parks from the fantastic to the dismal, and we’ve experienced that full range. If a theme park invests money in new rides and theming then it can be one of the most fun and enjoyable days out. But if you go to an old theme park with little (or no) investment made, please don’t think this is representative of what we love. It isn’t, and a badly designed theme park can be a very depressing experience.
ABOUT US
We are Joe and Hayley Thompson, we got married in 2005 and we live in Hertfordshire in the UK with our cat Millie.
For both of us, our favourite coasters are hyper-coasters which feature big drops, banked turns and lots of airtime moments. That said, we also love the dark rides which are more like simulators. Universal (Orlando) does these rides so well and Harry Potter and The Forbidden Journey is our favourite ride of all time.
Our current Coaster Count (the number of different rollercoasters we have both ridden) is 246.
About Hayley: I enjoy working with young people, reading and love animals of all kinds. I have always enjoyed theme parks since my Uncle Charlie and Auntie Julie first took my cousin Jemma and I to Alton Towers when I was just about tall enough to go on the biggest rides. I get travel sick on rides which spin and do little else, though I am fine on spinning coasters (that spin as you go along a track).
Whilst hyper-coasters and dark rides are my favourite types of rides, I also love launch coasters which get up to high speeds very quickly. Basically the higher and faster the better!
About Joe: I am living and breathing proof that it is possible to go from fear to fun. Until the age of 20 I was terrified of theme park rides and would not go on anything scarier than a mine train. Then (somehow) Hayley persuaded me to go on Air at Alton Towers. For over an hour in the queue I was unsure if I would be able to get on it. I did, and I have never looked back since.
My favourite rides are either dark ride, simulator-type experiences or rollercoasters which provide lots of airtime and weightlessness. I do also like launch coasters, although not quite as much as Hayley.I work in financial services regulation and play a lot of sport in my spare time.