The Not-So-Magic Kingdoms

Forget Disney. If Barack Obama wants to know where the world goes to play, here are five global theme parks he should visit.

BY STEFAN ZWANZGER AND ISAAC STONE FISH | JANUARY 19, 2012

PARAMOUNT PARK, Murcia, Spain

What would be "an exceptionally promising major theme park venture," according to Zwanzger, who visited in November 2011, for now is just a dusty field. The $1.5 billion Paramount amusement park is slated to include rides based on the movies Mission Impossible and Titanic. That is, if the country doesn't run out of money first; Moody's just downgraded Spain's credit rating and the International Monetary Fund predicts the country's gross domestic product will contract 1.7 percent in 2012 and 0.3 percent in 2013, hardly a good environment in which to build an amusement park. For those who argue that the president hasn't paid enough attention to Europe, here's a U.S.-based company that's trying to inject a bit of life back into the continent.

 SUBJECTS:
 

Stefan Zwanzger is the founder of the website www.thethemeparkguy.com.

Isaac Stone Fish is an associate editor at Foreign Policy.

ALEXANDER JAMES

10:34 PM ET

January 19, 2012

Cool list I hadn't before seen

Never heard of Disney Sea in Japan but it doesn't surprise me Disney's there. Sounds like a cool theme park. With all that's happened to Japan in the last year with their economy, aftermath from the tsunami, fallout from Fukushima Dai-ichi, their Yen falling like Fap Turbo on the currency exchanges, and other turmoil.

I look at their economy improving and their resilience with respect. And hopefully the president will tour these theme parks after he's out of office and not on the taxpayers' dime.

 

PUCK101

6:10 AM ET

January 20, 2012

Places Obama should visit .

Certainly not Amusement parks , but important nonetheless . Try visiting Arlington National Cemetery more often , and not just for photo-ops putting wreaths on a grave on Veteran's day. That is before you think about dragging us into another Mid-East crisis, and good advice for future Presidents as well.
Try visiting what use to be our National Treasures and Wonderful Old-Time neighborhoods before the Greedy were allowed to turn the Landscape into Condominiums and Strip Malls. Try visiting a True Christian Church instead of a Mosque and praying to God and not Mohammed . Then we might receive some of His Graces instead of the Swamp into which you are leading us. Try visiting the place where the Constitution is exhibited and try to remember all the hype that was afforded you as to being a Constitutional scholar at Hahvahad , when in the aftermath you seem to show that you either know nothing about it, or choose to ignore it's rules. Try remembering the other side of your makeup. All we hear out here is that you are an African-America . Never once have I heard you or your pundits refer to the Caucasian side . A little habit that might bode well for all those in the land that insist on doing the same. If you want to ease Racial Tensions this might be the first step. Putting America second in the phrase reminds us too much of your wife

 

KORVOSCOP

11:40 AM ET

January 20, 2012

Disney on december

Forget Disney. If Barack Obama wants to know where the world goes to play, here are five global theme parks he should visit
fashion Should be interested?...what you think/

 

MONGO46538

2:20 PM ET

January 20, 2012

Hope for the World

Don't forget Dream City in Northern Iraq

 

AMIYNA

8:22 AM ET

January 21, 2012

Ami

I've been reading FP for almost a decade and this is by far the most useless article I've ever read by this publication. Mistakes can be excused. I just hope this is not the beginning of a trend.