Banksy's Dismaland - The Anarchist Theme Park Not Suitable for Children

in photography •  8 years ago  (edited)

The saddest theme park in the world was the best theme park I've ever been to. Pure truth.

I had the lucky change of going to Banksy's theme park Dismaland. It primarily focused on the sadness of life and the police state agenda we're surrounded by. Opens your mind to mess of the system we live in.

Online tickets were sold out, but some people said it was purposely like that to add to the whole miserable experience of going to the theme park. Outside people were queuing for hours as staff said the park was full (not by a long shot,20 people inside). Already dishearten yet so excited we waited and waited.

You have to go through real security and then you go through fake security which ironically were both useless. The cartoon security of course was a complete act, but it was hilarious. Airport security experiences came flooding back. Step aside, pad down. Staff got paid to interrogating people, asking if I was hiding anything in my hair. "Any bombs, guns, or drugs sir?"

Inside was the saddest ensemble of theme park truth. As if you took the fakeness out of Disney land. It was magical!

The best part about the park was actually the really shitty intercom system that would beep on in a high pitched screech. Then a creepy childs voice would say very strange brainwashing sentences that made you confused.

For a somewhat virtual reality experience I filmed this 360º video so you can look around and have a listen to that shitty intercom.

Let's continue with some more photos.

Security guards would shout "move along" and nothing to see here". The staff were paid to be sad. The place was so dirty your mother would cry and queues were purposely delayed to add to the misery. I really enjoyed the lack of rules and truthfulness.

Banksy created hands down the best theme park experience I've ever had. :(

I took more video than photos, so be sure to check the 360º video if you want to experience the beauty that is Dismaland.

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I didn't know this existed until 5 minutes ago and I'm happy I stumbled upon this. Great way to paint a clear message of dissatisfaction with authoritarian rule by letting people voluntarily go to kingdom of sadness and shit to shine insight on the paradigm we face today that they cant just walk out of like Dismaland. The state is cancer and needs to be abolished but only with understanding it can we combat the current system. The supposed "good guys" of this world are junk gropers, lying thieves, and insecure snoops. Fuck authority :)

That was the most beautifully written comment against the power that be I've ever read. Thanks for the inspiration and reminder :)

Hahaha thanks I appreciate it. Freedom is on its way. It starts in the minds of the people like you.

I was also lucky enough to visit Dismaland. It was an awesome experience, thanks for sharing this so others can experience it.

I want to go!! Where is it?

It's now closed, used to be in Bristol, England.

It was a temporary thing, so it's closed now. It was located in Weston-super-Mare in Somerset, England.

This was a fantastic place to visit last year, but I couldnt get tickets and I really wanted to go :( - my cousin was luckier and did go and he said it was amazing and surreal. Maybe another time if he does one....

If you really want something in life, just go for it. Forget the tickets and turn up at the door. Then you can say, at least I tried. We didn't have tickets and tried.

Thanks for sharing this @daxon, as someone who frustratingly only just missed out on going to Dismaland, I really enjoyed the 360 video experience you recorded. It does a great job of translating the grimness of it all. I now feel suitably depressed. Success.

Thanks @yogi.artist! Glad you liked it, we only had 3 hours inside, I would have camped there amongst the depression.

Looks very cool :) Like some sort of theme part in the future after some major war that's a parody of Disney hah. Did they take fingerprints too like Disney strangely does with tickets?

What kind of camera do you use for 360 video? For some reason the video loads in 360p and I thought my internet was just being crappy since it's usually auto HD...

I used 6 gopros, and a lot of processing time. Now I'm switching it to a 2 gopro rig for a quicker turn around time. No finger prints for Dismaland, too busy shouting at people :)

it's like a TSA convention in your living room. banksy, showing things as they really are. thanks.

I really wish I could visit this in person, but I watched the documentary and it looks amazing! Im a huge banksy fan

nice destination and its one of a kind, #notsafeforkids

Looks like reality at times... :coffee: