Alternatives to 'main Street' entrance

Bennymk

B
It occurred to me today as I was making a 'main Street' that I suddenly didn't want to do the same thing everyone else is doing.

I'm a little bored by the weird oldy worldy main Street entrances every theme park feels it must include.

Was looking for alternate ideas or influences. Real life parks that do something different.

I know planet coaster is extremely flexible and has endless possibilities and I'd just be interested to see what those less traditional among us may have created.

Also. Have a good day and get some sunshine
 

CrashTestGremlin

CrashTestGremlin
I'm thinking about doing something very comic-booky like marvel superhero island at islands of adventure. Lots of primary colors, tilted buildings leaning over the path. think that would be cool?
 

Darrett

Darrett
I'm in the same boat. What I'm doing is creating a wide Boardwalk. As you enter the park you cross a bridge over a small lake, so you can see the boardwalk in a semi circle ahead. Still somewhat of a Main Street, but it's wide instead of long.

Considering it takes me about 4 hours to make a building, I'll have it done in about two months.
 

Krux1

K
Bennymk said:
It occurred to me today as I was making a 'main Street' that I suddenly didn't want to do the same thing everyone else is doing.

I'm a little bored by the weird oldy worldy main Street entrances every theme park feels it must include.

Was looking for alternate ideas or influences. Real life parks that do something different.

I know planet coaster is extremely flexible and has endless possibilities and I'd just be interested to see what those less traditional among us may have created.

Also. Have a good day and get some sunshine
Click to expand...

theres a reason everyone is doing it though, as most parks are made this way, as it makes sense to have your main facilities at the park entrance for tons of management and marketing reasons.
 
Last edited:

ManiaMuse

M
I know what you mean, lots of samey 'main street' parks being built.

How about forgoing the whole buildings thing entirely as ist takes quite a lot of time and just doing something nice with terraforming/water/trees and branch off a few paths into different sections of the park as dictated by your terrain?

Lots of completely flat parks being built when the terrain tools are actually very powerful.
 
Last edited:

Ojin Migoto

O
Pretty sure that the reason so many people go for the Main Street Disney look is... well... Disney. It looms large over theme parks. ;p

Oddly, I never even considered doing a Main Street style entryway. I went for lower hanging fruit, and used the Planet Coaster theme pieces to create something that was more inspired by an kind of 1990s Nickelodeon aesthetic.

Like so!

20igrd2.jpg


The view from the entrance. That cliff to the left has a Cube at the top. ;p

2zfu682.jpg


The end of the 'Main Street', ending at the rather poor tribute to the Nickelodeon Studios Slime Fountain, with the entry to Fairytale... land... (... have I named things? I have not!) off to the right.
 

TheWhiteWhale

TheWhiteWhale
Bennymk said:
It occurred to me today as I was making a 'main Street' that I suddenly didn't want to do the same thing everyone else is doing.

I'm a little bored by the weird oldy worldy main Street entrances every theme park feels it must include.

Was looking for alternate ideas or influences. Real life parks that do something different.

I know planet coaster is extremely flexible and has endless possibilities and I'd just be interested to see what those less traditional among us may have created.

Also. Have a good day and get some sunshine
Click to expand...

I won a contest over at themeparkinsider.com called theme park apprentice. My opening land/Main Street was inspired by the ancient city of Petra and the Dwarven kingdoms of Tolkien. Huge temples and structures built into canyons and caverns. I've put a little work into creating in PC, but I switched focus to another land in the same park.

Here's a link to the full park proposal if you want to have a look http://www.themeparkinsider.com/discussion/thread.cfm?page=480

Hit Ctrl+F and type in Realms of Imagination. The Hero's Causeway is my opening land.

Now that you mention it, I'm going to return to building this as my next project after I finish my Villain Themed land (The Shadowlands)
 

matty b1

matty b1
I'm currently building a park with a more natural opening space. It's very neutral and low-key with emphasis on gentle hills and nature. The idea is to give the feeling of exploration and discovery, kinda like the scarecrow scene from Wizard of Oz with a lovely intersection (plaza) branching out to each world beyond the hills - beautiful winding paths leading to a completely different discovery.
 

Restless Bohemian

Restless Bohemian
I love Disney parks for a lot of different reasons but have always found main street U.S.A to be the dullest stretch of theme park real estate I've ever experienced. It's pretty but I can't walk through it fast enough and except for park arrival and departure I avoid it the rest of the day. I am, however, a big sucker for Cedar Points funway where the focus is on the flower beds and skyride center street with "anything goes" on either side.

Matty B - I like your concept of "winding paths leading to discovery." Especially if you find a way to make the design realistic/practical.
 

matty b1

matty b1
Thanks, it's something different and probably not the greatest idea in real life (not 'exciting' enough) but I love nature and couples with whimsical highlights (think Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel, Wizard of Oz style) it could be an enchanting way to enter a park, like portals to another world.?
 

Salmonman

S
It was quite by accident, but I ended up with a sort of asymmetrical center square for my Caribbean themed park. It's sort of like a main street, but less orthogonal.

D22mcEn.jpg
 

Funrir Woulfe

Funrir Woulfe
I think theme park "main streets" are a left over from fairs having "midways" granted the biggest difference is scale of course

I went the other way and created what "looks" like a main street, but it's more like a traditional midway with all the rides hiding behind facades of buildings, and my shopping street is a back street and not the one going through the middle of the park
 

cerealfruitcakes

cerealfruitcakes
How about a nature park? When you enter, it would look like a walk through the wilderness with winding paths branching off through heavily wooded areas. Have small stalls scattered about with rides peaking in and out of the trees.
 
Last edited:

Helena

Helena
It is good to look at real life parks over the world, for inspiration. Disney is not the only "template" to go.
 

Rieder

R
For some reason I keep visualizing an area that has been subject to an earthquake and all the buildings etc are all over the place and ruined. Then a Roller Coaster and other rides constructed over the top. Sort of Mad Max meets the Thunder Dome or something. Feel free to use the idea anyone. Be a long time before I can do anything like that. Not asking for it done, I just had to get the idea in print in case anyone may fancy it as a change from the norm. I don't particularly care if not, just an idea only.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom