8 of the World’s Best Theme Parks
If you’re looking for an easy thrill or family excursion, theme parks are an ever popular choice. The adrenaline rush from a twisting roller coaster or the spectacle of an enormous firework-lit festival can be hard to beat, but luckily, theme parks can be found in every corner of the globe. Amusement parks come in all shapes and sizes, so we’ve picked out some of the best examples in the world.
Universal Studios - USA, Florida
Universal has theme parks all over the world, but perhaps the most famous and popular destination is the Universal Studios park in Orlando. The park features a wide variety of elaborate movie themed rollercoasters and exciting shows. The varied attractions include Despicable Me, Terminator and Simpsons’ rides, offering excitement for pop culture lovers the world over. The park also has a newly opened Harry Potter area which allows visitors to dive into the world from the books, and even ride the Hogwarts Express!
Ocean Park - Hong Kong
Ocean Park is the largest theme park in Asia and contains a mix of both wild roller coasters and animal excursions. The park even has a cable car which offers spectacular views of the park’s sea animal and panda enclosures, as well as great views of the surrounding area. Those looking to explore some of the best theme park attractions in Asia should definitely add Ocean Park to their to-do-list.
Efteling - Netherlands
For a fantasy inspired theme park that is a little different to the rest look no further than Efteling in the Netherlands. The areas of the park have names like, Fairy Realm, Rough Realm, Travel Realm and Other Realm, which gives you an indication of the park’s fascinating environment. Its attractions are based on elements of fairy tales, myths and folklore, making it a great alternative for those who are tired of Disney and movie-inspired theme parks.
Beto Carrero World - Brazil
Beto Carrero World is the largest theme park in Latin America and opened it’s doors in 1991. The theme park is known for its distinct multi coloured castle, the Castelo das Nações, as well as for its many distinct park areas, which include a Germanic village, Old West section and Pirate Island. The park also has an animal area and extreme adventure section which makes it a great park to explore, for families and adrenaline seekers alike.
Europa Park - Germany
Europa park is the second most popular theme park in Europe, and celebrated its 40th birthday last year. The park celebrates European culture with its themed areas, with an Ireland development are due to be built this year, joining pre existing areas including France, Italy and England. That’s not to say that the theme park is a cultural affair however. The park is still home to some of the best, and oldest, roller coasters that you can find on the continent.
Port Aventura Park - Spain
Being just south of Barcelona and having excellent connections to not one, but two airports, Port Aventura is a very popular destination for Spanish holiday go-ers. The Furios Baco is the fastest rollercoaster in Europe, but the theme park also has an impressive acrobatics and fireworks display for those looking for a calmer experience. The park also boasts a water park connected to it, just in case you want to cool off from the hot weather. 2016 is set to see the official opening of a new Ferrari zone, bringing Ferrari themed attractions for visitors.
Six Flags Magic Mountain - USA / California
Originally opened in 1971 as Magic Mountain, the park has been through a number of developments and name changes since then and now covers 200 acres - holding the record for most roller coasters in an amusement park. The proximity to Los Angeles has given this park plenty of opportunity to be in the spotlight, and it can be seen in films and TV shows such as Glee, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and National Lampoon’s Vacation. The 19-rollercoaster-park is a must go for adrenaline junkies, but also features calmer rides for children.
Disneyland - USA / Paris/ Hong Kong/ Tokyo...
If we were to include all of Disneyland's enormously popular theme parks then our list would be very ‘house of mouse’ oriented indeed. There is a reason why the Disney amusement parks are top of a lot of people's favourite theme park lists, and why their influence reaches from the USA, to Paris and even Tokyo. The park has many renowned rides such as Space Mountain and It’s a Small World, which are replicated all over the world. The most notable parks are still in America, with the original Disneyland Park in California and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. However, there are many Disney parks around the world to visit, and they should be a definite addition to anyone’s list of must-see amusement parks.
