What is your "home park" abroad?

[Slamming Coastercore]

With restrictions mostly eased off and confidence in traveling returning, it’s been a real pleasure to see a plethora of new trip reports amongst the CFers here. After sucking our local cred wells dry; most of us are hungry to experience new thrills or revisit old favorites that have been off the menu for the last two years. It’s the latter that I want to focus on with this topic and it would be great to hear about those parks which you consider a home away from home.

Which is your most visited park outside of your home country?

My most visited park outside my home country is Phantasialand. Despite not being my favorite park in the world (although it is up there), its undeniable quality, convenient location and beautiful seasonal events have inspired me to make time to visit on 4 separate occasions. Every year between 2018 and 2021 I've been lucky enough to take in the gorgeous theming, mouthwatering food and the near erotic noises of Taron's LSM's. There are no plans to visit this year, which feels a little odd considering it’s been becoming a bit of an annual tradition now. I know that when I do come back though, it’ll feel just like home again.

There are a number of parks around Europe that I’ve visited 3 times, but I think Walilbi Holland will most likely be the next abroad park to join PL as my most visited. I’m so ready for more Untamed!!

Just so that it doesn’t get muddled, I think you can only count one visit per trip. For example;

• Matt N’s epic trip to Europa Park would only count as 1 visit, despite spending 3 days there.
• Or when I went to Florida in January I’d only count that as 1 visit to Islands of Adventure, despite going there on 5 separate days and non-consecutively.

 

[davidm]

Universal Studios Orlando

Distinctly remember thinking "OK done that now, I'll not come here again" after my second visit, but been back several times since then

 

[Tomatron]

Also Phantasialand.

Been 5 times in total, every other year since 2014, but haven't done a summer visit since 2016.

Next after that would be Dollywood, with 4 visits between 2007 and now.

 

[SimonProD]

Liseberg

Just love that park: The coasters, the flats, the poeple, the atmosphere - and you can win huge 2kg chocolate bars at the midway games.

 

[James F]

Walt Disney World
Universal Studios Florida

I have been fortunate enough to visit Florida 4 times, on our family's first visit back in 1999 we only did Disney and Universal. In 2002 we went back and also did Sea World making that 3 and in 2006 went to Busch Gardens Tampa for the first time making that twice as we went to again in 2014.

Outside or Florida. I'll be doing my third separate trip to Europa Park next week. Buzzin'

 

[Bentleya]

Great thread, I don’t really have anything to add - as I’m not a seasoned destination goon.

But it’s a nice insight to see others thoughts on parks you can readily head back to and still get the wow / buzz factor.

 

[Indy]

Europa Park for me. While I've spent multiple days at parks, Europa is the only one that I've visited on separate occasions. Frankly, I love the place and you don't have to twist my arm too hard to return.

 

[HeartlineCoaster]

Universal Studios Singapore for me, primarily because the country itself is my 'home abroad', but I do love the park regardless.

If it wasn't that, it would most likely be Liseberg by choice - I have actually spent more time there than any other park abroad, just over the course of less actual visits.

I'm not big on revisits as a whole, I'd always prefer to go somewhere new given half a chance. There's a mere handful of places I've been to more than twice now, parks like Phantasialand, Nagashima Spa Land, Walibi Holland and Holiday Park and in fact most of those were begrudgingly.

 

[Serena]

In terms of most visited outside the UK, there's quite a few parks for me as I spend a lot of time on tour and tend to nip in to theme parks where I can. This boosts the individual visit numbers outside of my normal theme park holidays.

Phantasialand takes the crown for me with a whopping 7 visits, this includes the trip I had there many years ago as a child with my German family. Efteling is just behind at 6, Tivoli Gardens is 5 (city centre parks where you can pay per ride are perfect for a quick visit whilst on tour). Europa, Toverland, Walibi Holland all sit at a respectable 4 visits.

I'm happy for PHL to be my Home From Home park. My grandmother lived in Koln and I have great childhood memories of the old rides. It's the kind of park I'm always in the mood to return to, no matter how recently I've been. Plus...y'know, Mystery Castle

 

[Kw6sTheater]

Galaxyland in Canada. I have family living in Edmonton, so visiting with them often entails a trip to West Edmonton Mall (home of Galaxyland). Since I was a toddler, I've been visiting Galaxyland sporadically for years, so I'm nostalgic for its quirky, cartoony space theming and unique ride lineup. Excited to return there this summer for the first time in 3 years.

 

[CrashCoaster]

PortAventura - used to go annually since 2006 (I was 3 at the time, because I remember it being pre-Baco), but haven't been now since 2019, and before that 2015. That being said, it's without a doubt the park I've visited the most outside of the UK and it remains my all-time favourite park.

 

[Christian]

If you don't count Denmark as abroad then Energylandia is my home park abroad. It's the foreign park I have visited the most and also a park that always has something major new whenever I go. It also helps that Krakow has loads of cheap flights.

 

[Howie]

Great topic!
Walibi Holland for me with 4 (+1) separate visits, the +1 being my tragic Griswold incident of 2003. Actually got as far as the park gates we did before finally conceding that the place was indeed closed. If there had been a moose out front, I would have punched it's face in.
Visited again when it was open in 2007, 2017, 2019 and last month. It's just so quick and easy to get to. I can leave my house at 6am and be riding Untamed by lunchtime. Love it!
Port Aventura and Toverland are tied in 2nd place with 3 visits each.
Efteling, Europa, Walibi Belgium, Plopsaland, Universal & SeaWorld Orlando are all on 2 visits each.
Thassit. Everywhere else is currently a one-and-done for me, although the three big Swedish parks will be joining the double-hit list fairly soon.

 

[coasteraddict10]

DLP is my most visited abroad park at 3 times not been in ages though.

 

[Nicky Borrill]

Energylandia... I honestly can't tell you how many times I've been. Multiple times per year, usually 3 or 4 trips a year, (think I managed 5 last year) each with 3 or 4 days on park. (Only 1 trip so far this year!!! (4 days on park.) And with the Florida expense, I think that'll be it until Halloween!)

Then Phantasialand, Again no idea of numbers, I visit Wintertraum at least once every year, (twice this year!) Again, usually with multiple days on park. Plus I have visited in the summer a few times too (I don't like summer there)

Then Walibi Holland, I made 5 trips over during Untamed's opening year, including the live. And I've been twice in the years since. Always single day visits for this park though.

Interesting fact, P&O happened to be doing a crazy special to Rotterdam from Hull in the months following Untamed's opening, where for £80 you could get the ferry from hull, with a cabin overnight on Sunday, visit the park on Monday, then a cabin overnight on the Monday night ferry home... Our Pub is closed on Mondays and I'd be back home for Tuesday morning. I took full advantage of this, 2 nights accommodation and transport for £80! It was called a mini cruise - with vehicle, if anybody wants to look out for them offering it again... It appears they are at the very least offering the 'no vehicle' cruises again, but no online booking at the moment, and I haven't bothered to call the booking line to see if the 'with vehicle' option is still available... https://www.poferries.com/en/mini-cruises/rotterdam-mini-cruise

 

[ThomVD]

Phantasialand for me as well. It's a 2 hour drive away from me and I've been there more times than I can count. Aside from Efteling, it's by far my most visited park (prob been there as much as Walibi Holland and Toverland combined) and I've gone there with many different people.

 

[spicy]

Abroad park would be Disneyland Paris, must have had at least 20 odd trips there in my lifetime. Love that resort and with the Eurostar being so convenient I can actually get there quicker than a road trip to Alton Towers.

 

[chainedbanana]

Toverland, Efteling and Europa are my 'at least once a year' parks that don't need any new creds to get me back.....I just need a fix of them, I feel 'at home' in them - I suppose in a similar way people return to same resort each year!

As a non driver - Efteling is actually much easier to get to than Towers for example!

I visit them more than any UK park! i.e. I'd rather not waste my ££ on UK parks when I can save and go to my favs sorry not sorry!

 

[Sandman]

1. Phannyland
2. Toverland / Port Aventura
3. Efteling

 

[Bathtub Gin]

This would probably be Energylandia for me. I have family not too far away, so I'll be out there again before long.

Very much looking forward to some more quality time on Zadra and Hyperion.