Sponsors in the parks

[bmac]

I've always been a person who didn't really mind companies sponsoring rides and areas of parks. Some casual examples would be Mountain Dew and Kumba, Snickers and Nitro and that one year deal that Cedar Point had with Top Thrill Dragster and the NHRA (I think that was 2005?). But in some cases it can be a little bit extreme, like what has happened with Six Flags and Alton Towers in the last few years. Six Flags sparked an interesting reaction when they decided it was okay to wrap rides in sponsors like this:

this

and this.

Now don't leave out Alton Towers with the invasion of Fanta:

and

Now Six Flags dropped the wrapping deal after Shapiro got ousted in 2010, but the sad thing is Kia has developed such a good relationship with the parks they're starting to wrap the trains again:

exactly where do you guys stand with sponsors? love em? hate em? apathetic?

 

[ParkLogic_Chris]

Fantastic when discreet, as it provides funds for the parks to expand...when it's in your face such as the Fanta, or six flags wrapping though I can't stand it.

A perfect example is PortAventura's sponsored yogurt stall in the Far West, it wasn't until I looked up at the sign I saw it was sponsored as it blended in perfectly with it's surroundings and never once began to dig into the theme.

 

[davidm]

Similar recent thread viewtopic.php?f=20&t=34374

(not having a go at you - just you might find some opinions in there!)

 

[Luxornv]

and that one year deal that Cedar Point had with Top Thrill Dragster and the NHRA (I think that was 2005?).

I don't recall them ever doing that, but if it was 2005, that was before I started following coasters closely and I just never read that. Those two just go together, and I think it would only add to the theme and make it feel more like a real drag race.

I was a drag racing fan first though, and the cars are plastered with sponsors. I got used to that, and it never bothered me in that sport. However, when it comes to other things, it bothers me when sponsors begin appearing on stuff where they previously had no business. Not to mention those wraps are very annoying and ruin pictures.