Welcome
To:
Top Eight Amusement Parks in the U.S.A.
1. Cedar Point - Peninsular perfection. It
doesn't get any better than this if it's coasters that you're craving. Even
with the stubborn rollout of 2003's record-breaking Top-Thrill Dragster
addition, Cedar Point is a masterpiece. While half of the park's collection
of 16 roller coasters is forgettable, it's the other half that wins you over.
The blazing speed of Millennium Force, being thrust towards the Lake Erie
shoreline on Magnum XL 200, the inverted perfection of Raptor -- it only gets
better. Located off a Sandusky causeway the park swallows the thrill peninsula
whole, complete with various on-site resorts, cottages and a top-notch
campground. Two substantial kiddie play areas and a solid assortment of flat
rides fill the areas that coaster track leaves behind.
2. Universal Orlando's Islands of Adventure
- Orlando finally grew up in 1999 when Islands of Adventure was born. It's
quality over quantity as the park offers a few amazing rides rather than
countless mediocre ones. Spider-Man is, hands down, the most impressive --
and immersive -- dark ride in America. Dueling Dragons brings a new meaning
to thrilling near-misses. Popeye's raft ride is the country's best water
raft attraction. Between the amazing eats at Mythos and the charm of the
detailed touches in each of the five "islands" it was billed as the park
for the 21st Century. Believe it.
3. Disneyland - Approaching 50 years and
still the theme park benchmark, Disneyland may not have the luxury of space
allowed to its Floridian Magic Kingdom sibling but it makes up for it by
offering more attractions in one park with the aura of pixie dust in its original
form.
4. Magic Kingdom - As Florida's most popular
park Magic Kingdom is tucked away deep in Disney's massive land holdings
in Orange County (more than 40 square miles). While the park is missing some
of Disneyland's best attractions like Indiana Jones or even some nostalgic
staples like Alice in Wonderland, Mr. Toad and Pinocchio, Magic Kingdom has
the ability to cheat your mind into thinking that you are in another world.
While you will find better dining options at EPCOT and better thrill rides
at Disney Studios, it's the classiest park in the country. Really.
5. Paramount King's Island - The best traditional
amusement park for young families, King's Island offers a massive children's
area that dwarfs the competition. But it hasn't forgotten the thrillseeker
either. Son of Beast is the world's first -- and only -- looping wooden coaster.
It's also the biggest. The park also takes thrill rides indoors with its
Tomb Raider ride and its Flight of Fear coaster.
6. Six Flags Magic Mountain - It's the flagship
Six Flags park with the wildest coasters ever created. The only problem is
that maybe they're too wild because their operating schedules are spotty
at best. The park's hilly terrain is also rough as the day wears on. But
when X, Goliath and Deja-Vu are running, it is the most intense
amusement park in the country.
7. Hersheypark - Maybe it's the free Chocolate
World tour just outside of the turnstiles that puts one in such a sweet
dispositions, but if this is Hershey's Kiss it's well worth the pucker. With
one of the more complete collections of throwback rides and attractions to
go with recent efforts to ramp up the park's coasters, Hersheypark is
sweetness.
8. Holiday World - Not the biggest, but clearly
the friendliest and most attentive to patron's needs, Holiday World is a
seasonally-themed wonderland in Indiana. Free sodas. Free sunscreen. The
generosity carries over into one of the best waterparks to be included with
a park's admission. Raven and Legend are a pair of testaments to how good
wooden roller coasters can be when they're cared for right while a decent
collection of flat rides fill the park that resonates with holiday
cheer.
To find out more about these parks, check out ParkOutlet.com for a list of official amusement parks and nearby hotels.
TopEight.com is an established free site geared towards ranking the best of the best since 2002. If you disagree with the findings, that's fine, it's why we can all have our own personal TopEight.com lists. Need to contact us? Sure!
|
|
Copyright 2001 - 2005 TopEight.com |