I’m sure it’s obvious, but I am a big fan of theme parks. If one vacation was just me going to a theme park every day, I would be very satisfied. That may seem like too much for some, but for me it’s fantastic. Here is a list of theme parks that would make my top ten. Some I’ve been to and some I haven’t but I would like to visit. Both factored into my ranking. Also let it be known that I am not counting water parks.
1. Walt Disney World Resort (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom) – I felt that I had to choose at least one Disney property and, in the end, I chose Walt Disney World Resort simply because there’s more to do there! There are four theme parks and each have a quite different experience. You can have a classic Disney experience, a “World Showcase” adventure, ride the movies, or check out some cool animals. As I said before, it was difficult to rank all the Disney parks so that may come in a future post.
2. Universal Orlando Resort (Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure) – Similar to Disney, I wanted to pick one Universal property and just like Disney, I picked Orlando simply because there’s more to do at this resort. At Universal Studios Florida, you can ride movie favourites include Revenge of the Mummy, The Simpsons Ride, and E.T Adventure. At Islands of Adventure, favourites include The Incredible Hulk Coaster, Jurassic Park, and Dudley Do Right’s Ripsaw Falls. At both, you can visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter which presents two distinct areas: Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley. You can even take the Hogwarts Express between the two. There will be a third theme park created in the future called Epic Universe and that will be very exciting since it will have a Nintendo themed land.
3. SeaWorld Orlando – I have been to only one SeaWorld, the one in Orlando. They have some really cool roller coasters including the Kraken, Orlando’s only floorless coaster, and the Manta, a flying coaster. Since I’ve left, there’s been a few new coasters such as the Mako, a hyper coaster, and the Ice Breaker, a launch coaster and a new one coming in 2023. Other rides include Infinity Falls and Journey to Atlantis, one of my favourite water rides as it’s themed entirely on Greek Mythology.
4. HersheyPark – Who doesn’t love a theme park themed all around chocolate? This park has several roller coasters for the thrill enthusiasts. Wooden ones like Comet, inverted ones like Great Bear, and steel ones like Candymonium. Other rides include Coal Cracker, Reese’s Cupfusion, and the Hershey Triple Tower. There are plenty of dining options where visitors can try out many chocolate options. Nearby is ZooAmerica and Hershey’s Chocolate World where you can go on a free chocolate tour ride.
5. Knotts Berry Farm – What originally started out as a berry stand and chicken restaurant has now become one of the most visited theme parks in North America. The Ghost Town in the park has a real western theme where visitors can go on an old stagecoach ride, or the Calico Mine Ride. There are sever roller coasters here as well such as the Silver Bullet, the Ghostrider, and the Xcelerator!
6. Busch Gardens Tampa Bay – This park is about 1 hour and 30 minutes from Orlando and just happens to be owned by SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment. Here you can experience sever roller coasters including the all new Iron Gwazi, Cheetah Hunt, and Sheikra. You can also visit several animals including rhinos, sloths, cheetahs, tigers, lions, and more.
7. Six Flags Magic Mountain – This park has lots of roller coasters, both wooden and steel. Favourites include Apocalypse, Goliath, and the Gold Rusher. There are several rides and attractions based on DC Comics in the park including BATMAN the Ride, The Riddler’s Revenge, and Justice League: Battle for Metropolis.
8. Canada’s Wonderland – The only Canadian park on this list, I have not been to this park in a while, but I would like to go back at some point. At the time, there was a new roller coaster, the Behemoth. It was the first time I rode a dive coaster, so it was truly a terrifying yet thrilling experience. The Behemoth is still there along with a classic carousel ride, A Backlot Stunt Coaster, and Boo Blasters on Boo Hill where you get to shoot ghosts with laser guns in your tram! Spooky!
9. Dollywood – Who doesn’t love Dolly Parton? Here’s a theme park that’s partly owned by the country music legend and has some attractions themed around Dolly’s life including a replica of her old childhood home, her old tour bus, and a museum containing some memorabilia. There are plenty of roller coasters such as Thunderhead, Tennessee Tornado, and the Mystery Mine. In 2023 there will be a new roller coaster opening called Big Bear Mountain.
10. Cedar Point – This theme park is in Sandusky, a short trip away from Cleveland, Ohio. I’ve been there before and the main focus I would say is the roller coasters as there are 17 of them. One of them the Top Thrill Dragster is so fast that it goes to 120 miles per hour in less than four seconds. That ride is going to be replaced by a new experience soon so that will be interesting. This is also one of the few theme parks where if you wear glasses, you need to either put them away while riding or wear a band so they don’t fall off.
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