Parents admit that they force themselves on theme park rides just to keep the kids happy.
A trip to a theme park is without doubt a great treat for children but it is more likely to fill their parents with trepidation, as they are forced to face their fears of feeling horribly sick and physically dizzy by going on rides just to keep their kids happy.
Almost nine out of 10 mums and dads would rather give in to pester power and stomach going on a theme park ride so they don’t feel bad for disappointing their children, according to the survey by Hampshire family theme park, Paultons Park.
But ironically it’s not the dramatic dips and dives of rollercoasters that upset parents the most, it’s the teacups and roundabouts they just can’t stand. Nearly half of parents surveyed, compared to almost a quarter, said they feel far worse after a spell of spinning on the teacups than a ride on a rollercoaster.
In fact, even the humble housespider was deemed more fearsome than a rollercoaster - more than 35% of parents said getting a spider out of the bath was the thing they would least like to do, whereas scary movies and rollercoasters only attracted 28% and 14% respectively.
But when it comes to rollercoasters, the survey found that the British public seems to have a love-hate relationship with them. A third admit to being thoroughly scared of rollercoasters but, despite this, still can’t resist their pull, while four in 10 say they just love the thrill of them. However, one in five people would do everything in their power to avoid going near one.
Stephen Lorton, commercial director at Paultons, said:
“While we found most parents are prepared to force themselves to go on a ride just to make their children happy, the survey also revealed that nearly one in five parents actually persuade their children to go on a theme park ride because they wanted to go on it too. When you run a theme park, it’s clear to see that parents will do anything to keep their kids happy. We regularly see parents staggering off the roundabouts only to get back on again when their children want to go on it one more time."
April 2009
Take a look here for more information on Paultons Park
The survey was commissioned to mark the opening of Paultons Park’s new £1 million ride EDGE
Survey sample of 1000 carried out by Paultons Park , 73% female, 27% male
TheBabyWebsite says:
Paultons Park is a family theme park in Hampshire offering over 50 different family rides and attractions. Set in 140 acres of parkland, Paultons lies on the edge of The New Forest, near Southampton. What’s great about Paultons Park is that there’s something for everyone. There are thrilling rides like EDGE – new for 2009 - which swoops and spins through the air reaching a height of 15 metres on a giant disc that travels along a 90-metre track with a ‘camelback’ hill, while the Cobra Rollercoaster is ideal for both children and adults alike as it has the perfect balance between fun and thrill. Then there are gentler rides like Trekking Tractors or the Magic Carpet Ride which are less likely to strike fear into the less adventurous. And for families who don’t enjoy rides, no matter how gentle they are, there are extensive gardens, a wonderful collection of exotic birds and animals and Water Kingdom, an 8,500-square foot kids’ splash park which features more than 20 different ways of getting wet including water jets, giant tipping buckets, sprays, fountains, and super soakers. |
Canvas Holidays 2012
