Family Theme Park Defends Titanic Ride Against Woke Critics
A British fruit farm is facing criticism for its Titanic-themed children's slide that simulates the 1912 disaster which killed 1,500 people, with parents calling it distasteful.
The controversial attraction is situated at Graveley Fruit Farm in Hitchin, a facility that has operated since 1981 and offers berry-picking, playgrounds, and other family activities, according to Ben Cost writing in New York Post.
For approximately three dollars per ride, children can board a replica of the doomed ocean liner complete with boarding passes printed as tickets and the ship’s name prominently displayed on the exterior. The attraction itself is even marketed using the term “wreck.”
Similar to the fate of its real-world counterpart, the mock Titanic elevates riders into the air before sending them plummeting down one of four slides, ultimately landing on a crash mat in what amounts to a historical disaster-themed descent.
Though the Titanic ride has existed for several years, parental criticism has only recently intensified. Many have expressed outrage over creating children’s entertainment based on a catastrophe that claimed 1,500 lives when the vessel struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic on April 15, 1912.
One commenter condemned the attraction as one of the most distasteful, disrespectful and strange attractions for children, expressing disbelief that the farm had created a game and ride based on such a tragedy.
Others questioned the naming choice entirely, suggesting that a simple color change or alternative name would make the ride far less offensive and more suitable for children. Some critics compared the concept to hypothetically creating a Twin Towers-themed attraction and pledged to boycott the farm.
According to the Sun, representatives from Graveley initially apologized and promised to change the name immediately, insisting they were making no joke about the disaster.
However, the attraction retains its Titanic branding as of publication. Farm manager Will told the Daily Mail that while they had initially renamed the ride under pressure from critics, they ultimately reversed course after considerably more people urged them not to surrender to the woke brigade.
The manager noted that approximately five hundred people use the attraction daily, and only a handful have expressed offense. He argued that Titanic has become essentially a byword in the English language, adding that no survivors or children of survivors remain alive today.
With information from New York Post
