Next week, we will follow up with my list of the Top 10 theme parks I have visited and most want to visit again, with an opportunity for you to submit your own personal Top 10 theme parks list. And since that will be our Christmas week Top 10, we will offer a year-end thank you to one lucky respondent, so be sure to register now if you haven't yet, to be eligible for that giveaway.
So let's get to this week's list: I've been to a lot of theme parks (33 to be exact), but I have a lot left to go. Here are the Top 10 theme parks I haven't yet visited, but want to, someday.
Home to some of the world's most notable roller coasters, including our Theme Park Insider Award-winning El Toro, Six Flags Great Adventure is the only theme park in the TEA/AECOM annual attendance report's top U.S. theme parks that I haven't yet visited. With all my roadtrips and other travel over the years, I have visited 45 of the 50 U.S. states, missing at this point only Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and... New Jersey. I have no idea how I managed that.
Denmark's Tivoli Gardens isn't known for individual world-class attractions, but its legacy shaped the theme park industry, proving a model for a themed entertainment space that influenced Walt Disney's development of Disneyland, among many other designers and visionaries over the decades.
Once aligned with Universal Studios (though no longer), this Spanish theme park lures Europeans with top-quality roller coasters and abundant sunshine.
Home to the world's fastest roller coaster, Formula Rossa, Abu Dhabi's Ferrari World is one of the world's largest indoor theme parks, appealing both to the worldwide Tifosi of Ferrari faithful as well as to theme park fans.
6. Ocean Park
The world's most popular theme park not branded to either Disney or Universal, Hong Kong's Ocean Park offers a mix of thrill rides and marine mammal exhibits. Like Universal Studios Hollywood, the park is separated into two sections, one atop a mountain and one below. However, the separation at Ocean Park is much larger, and the two sections are connected by a funicular railway instead of a series of escalators.
5. Alton Towers
Featuring one of the world's best theme park castles (by virtue of actually being a castle!), Alton Towers blends theme with thrills to draw theme park fans into the English countryside. It's also located in my ancestral home of Staffordshire, so I probably ought to be ranking Alton higher than this!
4. Europa Park
Europe's most popular non-Disney theme park is a showcase for attractions designed and built by its owner, Mack Rides. With a centerpiece geodesic dome that evokes Epcot's Spaceship Earth, surrounded by roller coasters and other thrill rides, Europa Park offers a blend of themes and thrills should put this park on many fans' wish lists.
Mystic Manor. I really, really want to see Mystic Manor for myself. Plus, visiting Hong Kong Disneyland would allow me to say that I've visited every Disney theme park on Earth, as it's the only one I'm now missing.
The Osaka park is the only Universal theme park I've not yet visited, and offers the world's only opportunity to ride Back to the Future one more time, as well as to experience Jaws, The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter all in one theme park. And the park's Hollywood Dream: The Ride from all reports seems to be the delightful high-speed thrill that Universal Studios Florida's rough Rip, Ride, Rockit should have been.
1. Efteling
Anton Pieck's masterpiece is home to several of the world's best dark rides not found in a Disney theme park, including Theme Park Insider reader favorites Fata Morgana and Droomvlucht. And I would love to experience its themed dive coaster, Baron 1898, which opens next year.
What are the Top 10 theme parks you haven't yet visited, but wish you could?
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In January I am going for my first visit to TDL and TDS. And in June I will be visiting Efteling and PDL, so yay for me. ; )
Just missed the cut: Universal Studios Hollywood – I have visited this park before, back in the 70's but probably need to go again when they are done with all their copycat Potter construction. However, other than the park’s one of a kind tram tour, I struggle to think of a single reason to visit USH over USO. But maybe, one day, if someone gives me a free ticket, and I happen to be in the area, I’ll go.
10. Lagoon – I am sure this park will be a bit of a letdown, but it has a couple coasters that intrigue me, especially the new one, Cannibal.
9. Carowinds – Fury 325. ‘Nuff said.
8. Six Flags Fiesta Texas – I have heard many good things about this park, and not just about its rides, but also about its theming and shows. And who doesn’t want to ride a coaster that performs a zero-g roll on top of a rock quarry wall?
7. Six Flags Great America (Gurnee) – I used to visit Marriott’s Great America in Santa Clara quite a bit when I was a kid, but have never made it to their Chicago park. I am most anxious to ride Goliath, but the Whizzer reminds me a lot of the Zambezi Zinger which used to be at Worlds of Fun (sadly, my home park). The Zambezi Zinger was removed from WoF years ago… *sniff*
6. Six Flags Great Adventure – Kingda Ka and El Toro. Sure, I’ve heard from many people that Top Thrill at Cedar Point > Kingda Ka, but real Coaster Boys (and girls) have to find out for themselves.
5. Knoebels – I lose a lot of street cred for having not visited this park. I will rectify that issue one day.
4. Hersheypark – The last time I visited Hershey I believe they only had one or two coasters and whatever they had, I was too short to ride.
3. Six Flags Magic Mountain – I used to go to Magic Mountain quite often back in the days when Colossus was new, but since we moved from SoCal in 1981, I have not been back to the park. I almost visited back in 2013, but X2 was closed, so we added another day at Disneyland instead. Therfore, I still need to get back to the Coaster Capital of the World someday.
2. Knott’s Berry Farm – Like Magic Mountain, I used to visit this park in my youth. Back then I think they had one coaster, Corkscrew, and classics like the Timber Mountain Log Ride and the Calico Mine Ride. I should have revisited Knott’s when I returned to SoCal back in 2013, but the rumors about Calico’s revamp were swirling so I decided to wait. Now I definitely need to revisit the park… and soon.
1. Busch Gardens Tampa – Despite all the doom and gloom around the SeaWorld/Busch parks, I regard BGT as the park I most want to visit in the US that I have not visited before. It appears to have an excellent assortment of coasters along with a nice complement of exhibits, shows, and food. My next trip to Florida WILL include a stop at BGT if at all possible.
As for my personal list, I've got a three page list of all the parks I'd like to visit. I update it annually, but at the moment the following are my top ten:
10. Phantasialand (a mid-size German park with some outstanding looking rides)
9. Six Flags Over Texas (just because it's the original Six Flags)
8. Silver Dollar City (I loved Dollywood and this park is similar)
7. Heide Park Resort (one of Europe's biggest thrill parks with some creative rides)
6. Kennywood (this was my grandparents' local park when they were growing up)
5. Liseberg (4 world class coasters and numerous other unique attractions)
4. Busch Gardens Tampa (Busch Gardens Williamsburg is one of my favorite parks)
3. Alton Towers (ever since I discovered this park on RCT I've wanted to visit)
2. Europa Park (Mack's showcase park and the German equivalent of Disneyland)
1. Universal Orlando Resort (or rather all the Orlando parks in general...yes, I know this is cheating)
I didn't list any of the Asian parks on here (Tokyo/Hong Kong Disneyland, Universal Studios Japan/Singapore, etc.) mainly because while I'd like to visit the parks I'm not so sure how much I'd like traveling to Asia.
There is good news Kids under 12 in Economy no longer attract the levy.
Also, be on the lookout for changes that may make flying to Scotland (Edinburgh and Glasgow) cheaper as the Scottish Government is supposed to be getting the power to lower this levy.
At the moment British Airways don't get the idea that people don't always want to go through London, but during the Scottish Independence referendum they were supportive of Independence for APD reasons... maybe they'll bring back a minihub up here....
Also, to the poster who mentioned Phantasialand, TPR's Phantasialand page has quite a bit of information about it. I don't want to over-promote other fan sites on here, but I will say that Theme Park Review's Park Index is the best source of information I've found for international parks. On most sites, it's rare to hear about European and Asian parks outside of Disney/Universal or really well known parks like Alton Towers.
Those are the main ones on my list. But it would be cool to also visit some Japanese parks like the Disneyland/DisneySea :)
10. Canada's Wonderland
9. Hong Kong Disneyland
8. Alton Towers
7. Kennywood
6. Eiftling
5. Tokyo Disneyland
4. Six Flags Great Adventure
3. Disneyland Paris
2. Universal Studios Japan
1. Tokyo Disneysea
Not sure I've got a ten, but my five would be:
1. Tokyo Disneyland/Sea
2. Puy du Fou
3. Hong Kong Disneyland
4. Cedar Point
5. Holiday World
And yes, let's be honest - Shanghai looks like it's going straight to the top for *everyone* when it opens.
People are missing some European gems like Grona Lund in Sweden (glad someone mentioned Liseberg, also great), as well as several great Danish, Dutch, Belgian, and German parks (nice to see Heide Park on someone's list). Check out Hansa Park, Plopsaland, Toverland, the Walibi parks, and Farup Sommerland, among others.
Don't forget Lotte World and Everland in South Korea, which are both amazing. I also didn't see Waldmameer, another great American park.
I don't understand the Great Adventure hate. It's our home park, it's got a great coaster and ride collection, and we always have a great time there. In fact, we always have a great time at any park, even tiny weird ones where we don't speak the language. Attitude makes a big difference when you're trying to have fun.
Next up for us: Philippines, Indonesia, and China in 2015. Have a great holiday and new year, everyone!
Ocean Park is a pretty terrible day, to be honest. When I went with my girlfriend, we did the animal side of things which is quite interesting. When I went with another mate, we did the rides.... and they're just fairground rides. Don't take the train up, either, the cable cars are far better as you get to see Hong Kong's natural beauty.
HKDL is a fantastic park, though, especially for couples or young families. Thrill seekers need not apply, go to Universal Singapore for that (another fantastic park I've had the pleasure to going to).
Alton Towers is a joy of a park, probably the only "real" theme park in my home country.
I haven't been to Port Aventura in a long time, since it was Universal owned. But I still remember that absolute peach of a ride: Dragon Khan. World's largest (at the time) loop.
Parks that I want to experience, but haven't had the chance yet, include the Japanese Disney / Universal parks, and the California parks. Hopefully I'll see Japan within the next year or so. California will remain a dream for now.
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Once upon a time, there was a park called Wonderland Sydney (nee Australia's Wonderland). It like the other King's parks had a Hanah Barberra land, other common elements in rides...
...Including my much missed first Roller Coaster, the Bush Beast, a close copy of which exists as the Wilde Beast in Canada.
I guess its as close as I'm going to get unless the "New Wonderland" project happens in Sydney (and I get back to Australia of course).