Let’s be honest: amusement parks are the best place to go when you’re bored. They have rides and games, plus they’re full of people-watching opportunities and distracted parents with kids in tow. But not every amusement park is created equal. Some places offer more than just roller coasters and cotton candy; they also have a rich history that goes back decades — or even centuries! Here’s a list of some of our favorite popular amusement parks from around the world.
Disney World
Disney World is on of the most popular amusement parks in the world, located in Orlando, Florida. Disney World is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is the most visited theme park in the world, with over 20 million visitors each year. It is also the most visited vacation resort in America, with approximately 52 million visitors annually.
Disneyland
If you’re traveling to California and want to experience the magic of Disney, Disneyland is the place to go. Located in Anaheim, this amusement park has been entertaining people since 1955, when it opened its doors for its first guests. Since then, it’s significantly expanded and includes two parks: Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure.
The biggest draw of Disneyland is its expansive collection of rides and attractions that will keep both children and adults entertained for hours on end. There are over 30 different attractions available, with more being added each year! Whether you’re looking for adrenaline rushes, relaxation time in a nice restaurant, or an enjoyable stroll through a garden full of flowers—there’s something here for everyone!
Universal Studios
The Universal Studios theme park is in Orlando, Florida. It’s a movie-themed park and is owned by NBCUniversal. The park was opened in 1990, and it became trendy because of its rides and attractions based on famous movies such as Harry Potter and The Simpsons. In 2017, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter was opened at the Universal Studios theme park, making it one of the most popular amusement parks worldwide, with 16 million visitors annually.
Magic Kingdom
The Magic Kingdom is the first of four theme parks built at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida. It opened on October 1, 1971, and was the first part of the complex to open. The park is represented as a “theme park,” with its entry gate being Main Street USA, a replica of an 1800s-1910s small town. There are many different lands within this central area, such as Adventureland, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland.
The Magic Kingdom consists of six themed areas: Adventureland; Frontierland; Liberty Square; Fantasyland; Tomorrowland; Main Street USA
Epcot
If you love international culture and technological innovation, Epcot is the park for you. The theme park at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida is dedicated to both of these things and global peace through understanding and communication.
The park is divided into two sections: Future World and World Showcase. The Future world features pavilions devoted to five main topics: Innovations, Imagination, Energy, Discovery, and Earth. These five areas contain rides and exhibits that allow guests to experience the world around them uniquely. Guests visiting Epcot can also head to one of its water parks or check out Disney’s Animal Kingdom or Hollywood Studios if they want something different from what’s available at Epcot itself!
If variety is your thing, then don’t worry because there’s plenty going on here all year round! Epcot hosts seasonal festivals such as Flower & Garden Festival (March-May), Food & Wine Festival (September-November), and International Festival of Arts & Culture (April). In addition, they also have fireworks displays every night during the summer months, which should not be missed!
Disney’s California Adventure
Located in Anaheim, California, this park is a perfect spot for both adults and kids of all ages. Disney’s California Adventure has been around since 2001. It features attractions that are based on movies, like “Monsters Inc.” and “California Screamin’,” as well as rides inspired by famous Disney shows such as “Frozen.”
Suppose you want to get a good look at the exterior of Disneyland without waiting in line for hours (and potentially missing everything else). In that case, this is the place for you!
Visitors can enjoy attractions such as Soarin’ Over California, Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Grizzly River Run, and Toy Story Midway Mania! These rides are sure to keep you on your toes while having fun! Located right next door to Universal Studios Hollywood is Universal’s Islands of Adventure theme park, which features some pretty awesome rides too!
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
The seventh of most popular amusement parks in the world is Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which opened in 1989 and is a Walt Disney World Resort theme park.
This park has a Hollywood Boulevard, Sunset Boulevard, and a production studio. It also has Toy Story Land and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. There are two other sub-lands that you can explore as well: Pixar Place and Animation Courtyard. This place is known for its parades, shows, entertainment venues, rides, and more!
Islands of Adventure
Islands of Adventure is a theme park in Orlando, Florida, that opened on May 28, 1999. It features six themed islands: Port of Entry, Marvel Super Hero Island, Toon Lagoon, Jurassic Park, and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (which has since expanded to include Diagon Alley).
Each island has unique attractions and rides that allow guests to experience everything from exploring ancient ruins to riding alongside comic book superheroes such as Spider-Man or the Incredible Hulk.
Six Flags Magic Mountain
Six Flags Magic Mountain, also known as Magic Mountain and Six Flags Magic Mountain, is a theme park located in Valencia, California. The park opened on May 30, 1971, with only nine rides. It was originally owned by the Newhall Land and Farming Company; however, it was sold to Premier Parks in 1993 who then sold it to Time Warner Entertainment (now WarnerMedia) in 1998. In 2018, Six Flags took over ownership of the park because of their acquisition of Time Warner Entertainment’s parks division. The park features several roller coasters, including Twisted Colossus, which is one of only four hyper coasters in North America. It also has a waterpark called Hurricane Harbor that features 15 slides, including two-speed slides named Splash Out and Black Snake Summit, respectively, along with other attractions such as a lazy river rafting ride Lazy River Bayou and many more!
Busch Gardens – Tampa Bay, Florida
Busch Gardens is a theme park in Tampa, Florida. Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is a 400-acre (1.6 km2) theme park and zoological garden located in the city of Tampa, Florida. It opened on March 31, 1959, as an attraction adjacent to Anheuser-Busch’s brewery in Tampa. The park was originally designed by Hubert Vogelsang and incorporated several buildings from the 1964 New York World’s Fair. It was acquired by SeaWorld Entertainment in 1989 and combined with their adjacent park SeaWorld Orlando to become Busch Entertainment Corporation. It has been owned by Blackstone Group since 2010. In 2017, Blackstone took over operations from former owner SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment under its subsidiary Merlin Entertainments Group until 2022, when the contract expires.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are a lot of popular amusement parks out there. The thing that makes them unique is their location and attractions. Some are located near the ocean, while others are located in mountains or deserts. Some have roller coasters, whereas others have water rides (or both!). Whatever your favorite type of park may be (or if you’re just interested in finding out about new ones), we hope this list helped give you some ideas on where to go next time!