Favorite Theme Parks

[roadman65]

I recently started a thread about favorite roller coasters, but now I thought I would expand on it some by asking what are your favorite theme parks you have visited?  This country (and world) has many different theme parks and many have certain attractions out there that outdo the others.  Some are quite pricey like the Disney Theme Parks where you pay for the name and then you have smaller theme parks that are cheaper, do offer some thrill rides maybe with one of them that the big name parks cannot compare to, however all unique in their own way.


To me its hard to say which parks are better as each of them have different characteristics than the other.  Heck even Disneyland compared to Walt Disney World are very different and some have things that the other does not have making them not better than the other, but different!  For example the Pirates of the Caribbean in Anaheim, CA is twice as long as the one in Florida, and has two drops instead of one plus Disneyland lets you experience the lift at the end where the boats get lifted back up to the original starting level.  In Disney World, you disembark on the lower level to ride a speedwalk up to the original level while the boats get lifted while empty to the point of origin.  Plus California has the Matterhorn which Florida does not, but Florida still has the Peoplemover in Tomorrowland unlike the other.  Plus Disney in Florida has a bigger park than its sister park, but Anaheim has more rides. 

I cannot say one park is better than the other except by individual breakdowns.  Plus Disney for thrill rides is not in the running as its more of a family oriented theme park where parks like Six Flags, and even Parramount are more adventuring as they are geared more for the grown ups with kiddie areas with complete rides for the younger separate from the regular mainstream attractions.  So on the grown up level I would have to say Busch Gardens would be my favorite in that respect.  Disney, is more of an entertainment type of thing, if I could afford it, but still it fulfills.

Do any of you out there have a favorite park or favorite attraction at one particular park over the others, or even places you visit more than another?

[US 41]

Holiday World (Santa Claus, IN)

[getemngo]

Cedar Point. Beautiful location on its peninsula/island thing, and while I haven't been since Gatekeeper opened, none of the new rides in the last decade have disappointed me.

[Brandon]

Cedar Point. Beautiful location on its peninsula/island thing, and while I haven't been since Gatekeeper opened, none of the new rides in the last decade have disappointed me.

I'll second that.  I've been to several parks, including two of the Disney ones in Florida (MK and Epcot), and the best, IMHO, is always Cedar Point.

[vdeane]

Enchanted Forest Water Safari in Old Forge, NY.

[SSOWorld]

outside of the two Disneys - I've only been to two Six Flags - Magic Mountain and Great America.  I don't have a favorite, but I've been to MM enough to enjoy it thoroughly. (Helped to live 2 miles away from it )

[CNGL-Leudimin]

I know Six Flags Magic Mountain... thanks to Roller Coaster Tycoon 2 . I like to mess up that and other two Six Flags parks (Great Adventure and Over Texas), as well as the Belgian Walibi Belgium and the Dutch Walibi World (called Six Flags Belgium and Holland respectively in RCT2, as those were their names when the game came out), by adding "expressways" and turning bridges like this one into underwater tunnels.

Anyway, the only theme park I've visited in real life is one called Port Aventura somewhere in Catalonia.

[english si]

Thorpe Park, though probably aimed a bit younger than me, it has sort of followed me age-wise - when I was 7 or 8 that mattered a bit, when I was an older teenager, who cares.

It started as the kiddies (like under-7s) theme park, and like sister park Chessington*'s zoo had a farm. Then it had its water park expansion (OK, even in the summer, playing in the big paddling pool was often a no-go, but you didn't have to get changed for anything else: it just had a lot of water rides) and picked up a second roller coaster (backwards and in the dark) to complement the Flying Fish, as well as smaller attractions. A few years later (2002 ish?), they closed access to the farm and aimed for teenagers - Colossus (10 inversion roller coaster) and Depth Charge (boat ride with big drop and lots of water) as well as smaller thrill rides. Then came more roller coasters (Nemesis Inferno, Stealth, Saw, The Swarm) and thrill rides.

Also, until the Harry Potter Experience grows more (IIRC, Warner Bros planned a theme park there about 15 years ago - I can't imagine that it will not start picking up Potter themed attractions) it is my closest theme park.

*which was the Theme Park near London aimed at older kids before Thorpe Park took over, so around the age of 8 or 9, I enjoyed it more.

[Mdcastle]

Six Flags Great Adventure was fun because of Kinga Ka, and Nitro (one of the few rides along with Windseekers that actually scared me. Wisconsin Dells has two nice waterparks, with Noah's Ark having nicer rides and slides. (even though the ark burned down and no longer has a friendly family atmosphere since being bought by a big corperation) and Mount Olympus having an awesome wave pool. Carowinds was neat for the concept of being on a state and Nighthawk is one of the more underated coasters, Kings Dominion had a coaster that actually made me grey out at the bottom of the hill.

I can say I've been to Disney World now, but I didn't like it. Epcot was to dumb and dated and I was a 20-something guy, not a kid, in Magic Kingdom. I liked Harry Potter land at Islands of Adventure even though I haven't read any books or seen any movies.

[Laura]

My favorite amusement park is Hershey Park in Hershey, PA. I love the coasters and the variety of rides there. I've been there 8 times and it never gets old.


iPhone

[amroad17]

Before the large price increases, my three favorite parks I had been to were:

    1. Busch Gardens-Europe (formerly the Old Country); Williamsburg, VA
    2. Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom; Louisville, KY
    3. Coney Island; Cincinnati, OH

Yes, I have been to Disney World but this occurred in 1975--long before Epcot and many of the newer attractions there.  After all, the park had been open only four years.  I also have been to Busch Gardens-Africa (the Dark Continent) and Hersheypark.  Did not like the former but did enjoy the latter.

Yes, I also know these are not the biggest or the best, but I most likely will not be going to any theme park now with the prices they are now.  In the early 1980's I could buy a ticket for Busch Gardens for $12.95.  Even 10 years later it was only $19.95.  Don't feel like paying $60 or $70 to go now.

[bassoon1986]

Silver Dollar City in Branson, MO. I'm there now and it's more laid back than other parks I've been to. It's super clean and it's not loud like some parks with blaring music.

[ET21]

Great America is very nice, but I still love Disneyland to this day. Eventually I'll get to Cedar Point 

[cpzilliacus]

Disneyland was fine.  Even though I am a confirmed East Coast guy, I have never been to Disney World.

Cedar Point, IMO, was better than Disneyland.

[thenetwork]

Disneyland was fine.  Even though I am a confirmed East Coast guy, I have never been to Disney World.

Cedar Point, IMO, was better than Disneyland.

Cheaper, too!!!

Favorite Amusement Park:  Is a tie between Kings Island & Cedar Point...
Favorite Old Fashioned Park:  Kennywood in Pittsburgh...

[hotdogPi]

Are you sure that all of these are theme parks? Some of these seem to just be amusement parks, not theme parks (theme parks need to have a theme).

[74/171FAN]

I can say I've been to Disney World now, but I didn't like it. Epcot was to dumb and dated and I was a 20-something guy, not a kid, in Magic Kingdom. I liked Harry Potter land at Islands of Adventure even though I haven't read any books or seen any movies.

I went to Disney World for my first and only time when I was 16 (went to Epcot and Magic Kingdom) along with Universal (Studios and Islands of Adventure).  I agree that going to Disney World at 16 did not feel right as I did not enjoy it as much as I felt I should have.

[KEK Inc.]

Are you sure that all of these are theme parks? Some of these seem to just be amusement parks, not theme parks (theme parks need to have a theme).

Holy nitpicking Batman... 

[realjd]

Favorites: Epcot (great booze!), Busch Gardens Tampa, Universal Orlando (both parks), Cedar Point, and Kings Island.

[ET21]

Are you sure that all of these are theme parks? Some of these seem to just be amusement parks, not theme parks (theme parks need to have a theme).

Does it really matter?

[Alps]

Six Flags has a theme of Warner Brothers, even though everyone knows it's all about the coasters there.

Cedar Point probably has a theme. I really don't care. It's not something I've noticed as I race back and forth to maximize my input of 400 foot heights.

[SP Cook]

Of the parks I have been to, which are still in existance.

- Disney World.  Really it is four parks, so to break it down:

- Magic Kingdom.  Great place.  Everyone should visit at each stage in their and their children's lives. 
- Epcot.  Not bad, but kids get bored with all the history, and many of the displays are getting out of date, especially in the "world showcase" part.  Canada has been showing the same movie since the place openned, complete with Montreal and Toronto street scenes of late 70s Buicks and Plymouths.
- Animal Kingdom.  Really more of a zoo than a theme park.  Not really my cup of tea.
- Disney Studio.  IMHO, the best park for adults of the four.  Disney seems to work far harder to keep it up to date than Epcot. 

- Disneyland Park.   California's version is likewise good.  So similar that you notice the differences.  The very tight plot of land it is on, such that you can see the outside world, diminishes the effect.
- California Adventure.  Inovative and fun (idioticly Florida's Magic Kingdom has a replica of its signature "Soaring over California" ride.  What, they could not spend a few weeks and film a Florida version? )

- Six Flags - New Jersey.  One word.  Nasty.  Seemed to have not been cleaned or painted since built.

- Hershey Park.  Fun and interesting.  However the nearby tour of the chocolate factory, which is really a faux factory of set up displays, is stupid.

- Busch Garderns - Virginia.  My favorite park.  Well run, clean, inovative rides.  Thoughtful theme. 

- Le Rounde.  Montreal's Six Flags outpost, formerly part of the 67 World's Fair.  Dirty.  Longest lines I have ever seen, mostly because it is so understaffed that loading and unloading rides takes too long.  Also only has French maps.  Not hard to dope out, but Disney has maps in like 10 languages.  A park in a 1/3rd English speaking town, which also would serve as the nearest park for eastern Ontario, the Maritimes, and parts of northern New England, can't print an English map.  Probably political.

- King's Island.  Nice park.  Functional.   Not really much of a theme, though. 

- Carowinds.  Near replica (same builder) to King's Island.  Theme used to be southern, but PC makes it themeless now.  Still not bad.

- Universal Hollywood.  Love it.  Half park, half real tour of real studio.  Displays of olf movie and TV props thrown in.   

- Universal Florida.  Hate it.  Tight plot of land means most rides are really just indoor simulators.  Whole thing is just an ad for next summer's movie.

- Camden Park.  WV's only park.  Not really a theme park.  Place scares me.  Tax man hauled off half of the stuff for unpaid debts several years ago.  Much of the park is now just an empty field.  Several rides set unused because there is no money to fix them.  Remaining rides are mostly old carnival rides now too old to drag from place to place anymore.  Staff is dangerous looking.  It has this old wooden roller coaster that, supposedly, they are keeping going by canibalizing parts from one car to keep the other going and from parts from other parks that closed.  Close to running out of parts.  Probably will be the end of the place.  Probably be a walmart.