The Top 10 Theme Parks in the United States
#10 -
Six Flags/Hurricane Harbor
For the thrill seekers, you may want to plan a trip to one of Six Flags’ 23 US theme parks. We’ve visited a couple of them (Magic Mountain in the Los Angeles area and Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, Texas) and we can vouch that their rides are fast and electrifying! There is no shortage of fun and crazy roller coasters at the parks, such as Goliath, Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom, and Tatsu. They’ve partnered with DC Comics and Looney Tunes, so you’ll have the chance to interact with some of your favorite characters. If it is summertime, enjoy their waterparks (Hurricane Harbor), which offer tall slides, tide pools, lazy rivers, and more! Great for all ages and definitely brings the thrills!
#9 -
SeaWorld (Orlando, San Diego, San Antonio)
Entertaining and educating people since the mid 1960s, SeaWorld offers shows and attractions to the millions of people who walk through their gates each year. Enjoy their animal shows featuring dolphins, sea otters, and killer whales. On top of that, they pair the showcasing of aquatic animals, such as sea turtles and Beluga whales, with rides and roller coasters. Some years, they give free season tickets to teachers! It is a fun place for kids and families! In Florida, Seaworld operates three neighboring theme parks in Orlando. Their main park, Seaworld Orlando, combines thrill rides, shows, and educational animal exhibits. Discovery Cove focuses on animal experiences, from swimming with a dolphin to snorkeling in their Grand Reef. Finally, Aquatica is their waterpark that features a ton of thrilling rides. They even have a slide where you zoom past swimming dolphins. If you’re planning to go to any of these parks, check out the Seaworld Orlando website, where you can find a discounted ticket package that is right for you. You can also visit Aquatica in Southern California, where it’s located roughly 25 miles from their SeaWorld park.
#8 - Disney’s
California Adventure
Underrated for many years, Disney keeps adding to the excitement of their sister park in Anaheim, Disney’s California Adventure. For years, the Californian themed park’s leading attractions were the high speed roller coaster California Screamin’, the simulated Soarin’ over California, and the Hollywood Tower of Terror. Disney has steered away from the California branding and rebranded/added many exciting things. The roller coaster has got an Incredibles rebranding, you now go Soarin’ Over the World, and the thrilling tower now features the Guardians of the Galaxy. On top of that, there’s a brand new Marvel Avengers Campus area featuring many of your favorite heroes. Web Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure is the newest ride and great fun! And don’t forget Radiator Springs where you can see all of your favorite Cars characters or Midway Mania to visit all of your favorite Toy Story crew! This park is fabulous for all ages and offers many food, drink, and dessert options. A great option is to get a park hopper ticket to enjoy this park and Disneyland on the same day with a super short walk between parks. Great fun for everyone!
#7 -
Disneyland
The theme park that started it all, there’s nothing quite like the original! Experience the magic and adventure of Disneyland through their parades, shows, rides, restaurants, and more! Arrive early and grab some fast passes for some of the more popular rides, such as Space Mountain, Indiana Jones, and Star Tours. Their newest attraction, Star Wars Galaxy Edge, is an unbelievable feature for fans of the space opera. Download the Disneyland app to reserve a boarding pass for Rise of the Resistance and enjoy an interactive experience within Black Spire Outpost. Don’t forget the classic Pirates of the Carribean, Matterhorn, Big Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain, and the Haunted Mansion. Disney has magic and fun for all ages! The Downtown Disney area also offers a ton of restaurant and shopping opportunities so don’t miss out!
#6 -
Universal Studios Florida/Hollywood
Don’t get us wrong, we love all things Disney, but we have to say, Universal Studios has some great parks themselves! The Orlando park has a lot of cool attractions not available in Hollywood, like a second Harry Potter ride inside of Diagon Alley, Men in Black Alien Attack, Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon, the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, and more! On the West Coast, Universal Studios Hollywood is no slouch itself! It offers tons of fun rides, shows, experiences, and minions! Unique to this park is its studio park tram tour, which moves through movie sets, has a brush in with King Kong, and has a Fast and the Furious experience. Explore where film and T.V. characters come alive, including the Whos from Who-ville and the Simpsons! At both parks, Universal Studios Citywalk offers many dining and shopping options.
#5 -
Universal Islands of Adventure
If you’re a Harry Potter fan, then you’ll definitely want to purchase the Universal Studios park hopper ticket. This type of ticket is the only one that has access to a very cool feature: the Hogwarts Express. The Hogwarts Express recreates the experience Harry, Ron, and Hermoine had when they travel to Hogwarts for the start of the school year. This is also how you can switch over to the other theme park without having to go all the way back to the park’s entrance. As for Universal Islands of Adventure, it’s an awesome theme park in its own right! It has Marvel themed rides (Universal has the theme park rights for many Marvel characters on the east coast), a Jurassic Park ride, and rides based on some of your favorite cartoons. The Spiderman ride is amazing!
#4 - Epcot
This isn’t your mother’s Epcot anymore. Disney has made a great effort to add new and exciting attractions to this unique park. They have several upcoming attractions based on popular characters on the way. Some of those are based on Moana, Ratatouille (this was a great ride at Disney Paris!), and the Guardians of the Galaxy. But of course, Epcot’s focal point is its incomparable World Showcase, which is a trip around the world of sorts. You’ll walk around a beautiful lagoon, stopping and seeing a representation of 11 countries. Each country has food, drinks, a ride, and/or a show. It’s a really cool place, and it’s only going to get cooler. Just make sure to check the weather as there is not much cover as you travel around the Epcot world. From China to Mexico, Morocco and even Mars! Epcot will have you traveling around the world in no time.
#3 - Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Home to Pandora-The World of Avatar and the Kilimanjaro Safaris, Animal Kingdom does not disappoint. Visit the Tree of Life and who knows what might happen (this is where we got engaged)! Visit the animals all around the park...monkeys, birds, and giraffes, oh my! Take a ride on Expedition Everest and the Kali River Rapids and eat at one of their many restaurants or food stands. Like Disney, you can grab a refreshing Dole Whip to cool off in the summer heat. You can even partake on a jungle trek or explore Dino-Land. This park is highly recommended for animal loving families.
#2 -
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Lights, camera, action! Disney’s Hollywood Studios is the park that brings Hollywood magic to Florida (and we’re not talking about the city known as Hollywood, Florida). This park has the attraction: Star Wars Galaxy Edge. If that isn’t enough, it’s home to their Pixar attractions, the Hollywood Tower of Terror, and much, much more. If you’re a fan of any of these properties then this park is a can’t miss. If you want to dine like a star of Hollywood’s Golden Age, visit the Brown Derby, which pays homage to the former Hollywood staple of the same name. There are many different ticket options for all of Florida’s parks, so check online ahead of time to see what works best for you. Then, hop on one of the many rides and have fun!
#1 - Magic Kingdom
Is there anything better than Disney World? The important thing to know about a trip to Disney in Florida is that there are four very different theme parks (and that’s not even mentioning the water parks!). You’ll want to check out the different attractions at each park to see which you want to do. A park hopper ticket is an option, allowing you to jump between parks on the same day. That however, will cost you time as you’ll have to wait for a shuttle to take you over and wait in line to get in. We generally like to do a park a day. As for Magic Kingdom, it’s the Florida equivalent of Disneyland. You’ll find Snow White’s Castle, Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, and most things you love from Disneyland. Of course there’s some differences, but that’s just part of the fun. They have many food and drink options, rides galore, even the classics, like Pirates of the Carribean, and of course a fantastic fireworks show and parade! There are also numerous resorts to stay at close by, so plan ahead online and download the Disney app for maps and ride info. Super place for kids, teens, and adults...it’s Disney right? Don’t stop here, visit Disney Springs for dinner, shopping, and dessert to cap off your day.
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