American Theme Parks

[Oriolesmagic]

Well since England got one I thought that maybe American Theme Parks should get a thread too! This is a place to talk about your favorite rides, parks or really anything theme park related in the U.S.A! Do you have a little theme park that you go to and would ike to show everybody? Post it here!

Here's a list of my favorites, you can do the same!

Favorite Park: Epcot (Walt Disney World)
Favorite Roller Coaster: Volcano: The Blast Coaster (Kings Dominion)
Favorite Dark Ride: Spaceship Earth (Epcot)
Favorite Water Ride: Splash Mountain (Magic Kingdom)
Favorite Restaurant: Mythos (Islands Of Adventure)
Favorite Show: The American Adventure (Epcot)

Mods if you think this is a bad idea please do not give me points just shut down the thread. Thank you!

[sykesie-92]

Haha, i really need to go to America:(
American parks are too fancy for there own good:sour:
-Brad

[abcde...]

Haha, I knew there was going to be an American one! I have never been, but I am planning to go to Florida next year!!

[willo22sly]

I live in england and have been to BGW and Disneyland Florida in America, easil BGW, a simply amazing park. Incredible lineup of rides.
willo22sly

[tycooner55]

BGE > Everything

[tycooner55]

BGE > Everything

Honorable mentions to BGA and CP

Edit: FAIL, I quoted instead of edited. Oops

[Cyberleader]

Favorite Park: Animal Kingdom (WDW)
Favorite Roller Coaster: KraKen
Favorite Dark Ride: Tower of Terror (DHS) (if that counts, there's no other real section for it)
Favorite Water Ride: Splash Mountain (MK)
Favorite Restaurant: Raglan Road (Downtown Disney) (if that counts, it's not inside a Theme Park, but it is in WDW.)
Favorite Show: No idea. Probably LMA, but that's PARIS'. :)

Oh yes, best mention I've only been to -
Magic Kingdom
Epcot
Disney's Hollywood Studios
Animal Kingdom
Sea World Orlando
Busch Gardens Africa
Universal Studios Florida
Universal Islands of Adventure

[Timberhawk]

Hmm, this is tough. I haven't been to very many American parks, but the ones I have were pretty good.

Favourite Park: Disneyland/California Adventure or Wild Waves
Favorite Roller Coaster: Timberhawk: Ride of Prey (Wild Waves) or Windstorm (Fun Forest)
Favorite Dark Ride: Splash Mountain (Disneyland)
Favorite Water Ride: Grizzly River Run (Cali Adventure) or Lumberjack Falls (Wild Waves)
Favorite Restaurant: n/a
Favorite Show: n/a

[Harpo]

I'm just waiting for the thread on the Best Upper Whatchacallistan Parks. Or, perhaps, the Best Pottsylvania Parks, where you absolutely HAVE to ride the Boris Badenov Brain Basher. (That's not a recommendation, that's a law -- all visitors to Pottsylvania must ride the Boris Badenov Brain Basher.)

For those who have absolutely no clue what I'm babbling on about, check out Rocky & Bullwinkle! :D

I've been very fortunate in that I've been to most of the parks in both North America and the U.K. There are a few I've missed for one reason or another, but not many.

My apologies to my friends in the U.K., but I'll take ALMOST any North American park over ALMOST any U.K. park. There are exceptions. For example, I'd be very pleased to have Alton Towers or Blackpool Pleasure Beach be within driving distance, while Pharaoh's Lost Kingdom in California is pretty much useless.

(Those are just a couple of examples, not anywhere near a complete list.)

I've just found, in general, that North American parks tend to be larger, with more to do.

Having said that, I had a blast on my 2 week trip visiting U.K. parks, and, if time and finances allowed, I would certainly enjoy doing such a trip again.

(Admittedly, if time and finances allow, I'd be more likely to go somewhere I've not yet been, but, if some rich person said, "Hey, I'm paying, let's go," I wouldn't even think about turning it down!)

[Alpengeist]

^Not to harp on this, but I would take the Germany and Scandinavia parks over the UK parks too. Though, any country that has Nemesis can't be that bad in my book.;)

As for American parks, here's my list.

Favorite Park: IOA/USF
Favorite Steel Coaster: Superman-ROS (SFNE)
Favorite Wood Coaster: El Toro (SFGAdv.)
Favorite Dark Ride: 1.Spiderman (IOA) 2.TOT (DHS)
Favorite Water Ride:1.Dudley Do-Right (IOA) 2.Splash Mountain (MK)
Favorite Show: Finding Nemo/ Lion King (DAK)

[cpkidOH]

Favorite Park(s):Cedar Point and Busch Gardens Europe.
Favorite Steel Coaster:Maverick, CP
Favorite Wood Coaster:Right now it's Thunderbolt at Kennywood. But haven't been to Holiday World or Six Flags Great Adventure, both of which have wooden coasters that would be in my top ten.
Favorite Dark Ride:Curse of DarKastle, BGE
Favorite Water Ride:Congo River Rapids, BGA
Favorite Show:Lights, Motor, Action Stunt Show at Disney's Hollywood Studios
And I'll add:
Favorite Amusement Park Foods:BBQ from Trapper's Smokehouse at BGE, Potato Patch fries and deep fried Oreos at Kennywood.

[Garfield 06]

^Not to harp on this...
Did anyone else get that pun? :haha:

Best Major Park: IOA
Best Minor Park: Lagoon
Best Steel: X2/Space Mountain (DL)
Best Wood: Thunderhead
Best Darkride: The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman
Best Water: Popeye and Bluto's Bilge Rat Barges (That ride is UNBEATABLE!)
Best Flatride: Wind Surf-Top Spin (Ventura County Fair)
Best Themed Area: TIE-Golden State (DCA)/San Francisco/Amity (USF)
Best Simulator: The Simpsons Ride
Best Pay-Extra-To-Ride: Top Eliminator (Lagoon)
Suprise Hit: WICKED (Lagoon)

Seriously, about that last one, I will never stop raving about how darn good that ride is. Seriously, if you're ever in Utah, ride that sucker. You'll never forget it!

G-06

[SnooSnoo]

Best Major Park: BGE
Best Minor Park: Waldameer
Best Steel: Maverick
Best Wood: Boulder Dash
Best Darkride: The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman
Best Water: The Tubes at Waldameer
Best Flatride: Drop Tower at PKI

[Garfield 06]

Best Wood: Boulder Dash
Whoa...What happened to Toro's #1 fan?

That's something I thought I'd never see...

G-06

[TPM INC]

Best Major Park: BGE
Best Minor Park (I've been to): Canobie Lake park
Best Steel: Superman-ROS (SFNE)
Best Wooden: Gwazi (BGA) or l Toro (SFGAdv.)
Best Darkride: Not my type
Best Water: As long as you get wet, it's my favorite.
Best Flatride; Don't ride these that much so Xtreme Frisbie (Canobie Lake Park).

[Boston]

Favorite Roller Coaster: Volcano: The Blast Coaster (Kings Dominion)


A roller coaster that I think would actually be better without the scenery. :noob: Seriously, that mountain is all kinds of ****ed up.


Worst American Park: Cypress Gardens. Which is closing its doors for yet another refurb. Oh, did I mention that CG will be removing all the amusement rides in the refurb? Yeah.

[SnooSnoo]

Whoa...What happened to Toro's #1 fan?

That's something I thought I'd never see...

G-06

After the season, I usually review my season in terms of rides, how much I enjoyed each ride, if any got better or worse.. ect ect. It keeps my top rides always on the move and it keeps my feelings more up to date.

I rode Boulder Dash this year and contrasted it to my rides on El Toro. I rode them in back to back days, and I came off thinking BD was better. Of course, that's not to say Toro can't regain its number one spot.

[-LiLDaReDeViL5-]

Favorite Park: Magic Kingdom
Favorite Roller Coaster: El Toro
Favorite Dark Ride: Haunted Mansion (WDW)
Favorite Water Ride: RollerSoaker
Favorite Restaurant: TIE 50's Primetime Cafe (DHS) / Chef Mickey's (Contemporary Resort) / Olivia's (Old Key West)
Favorite Show: Illuminations

Yeah, Disney is just incredible. And I'm a Hershey fanboy...

[zackness5]

Favorite Park: Hershey Park
Favorite Roller Coaster: Farenhite 97(maybe el toro as soon as i ride it)
Favorite Dark Ride: (ive only been on 2, so ill go on the one with the biggest theme work) The Dark Knight
Favorite Water Ride:Journey to Atlantis
Favorite Show: Shamu show at night.

[Garfield 06]

After the season, I usually review my season in terms of rides, how much I enjoyed each ride, if any got better or worse.. ect ect. It keeps my top rides always on the move and it keeps my feelings more up to date.

I rode Boulder Dash this year and contrasted it to my rides on El Toro. I rode them in back to back days, and I came off thinking BD was better. Of course, that's not to say Toro can't regain its number one spot.

Ahh...Thanks. I thought I was seeing things again...:bulb:

Has anyone noticed that this has just become another "Best So-and-so" Thread?

G-06

[Sno]

Best Major Park: Disneyland CA, SFMM or maybe even Animal Kingdom...
Best Minor Park: Waldameer
Best Steel: X2
Best Wood: El Toro/Ravine Flyer II
Best Darkride: Haunted Mansion (DL) , Indiana Jones: Temple of the Forbidden Eye
Best Water: Perilous Plunge/Journey to Atlantas (San Diego)
Best Flatride: Skyhawk
Best Themed Area: Golden State at California Adventure, or the New Orleans Square at Disneyland
Best Simulator: The Simpsons Ride
Best Pay-Extra-To-Ride: Thrill Shot (SFMM)
Suprise Hit: Maverick

Additionally, I would probably agree with Boston that Cypress Gardens is the worst park I've been to for a long while in the states (Scandia is also up there). I'm happy it's being refurbished. I would also put Six Flags America up there as well for many reasons.

[Coupon]

Best Major Park: Islands Of Adventure
Best Minor Park: Wild Waves
Best Steel: Kraken
Best Wood: Timberhawk
Best Darkride: The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman
Best Water: Blizzard Beach
Best Flatride: Ring Of Fire

[CedarPointer]

Favorite Amusement Park: Cedar Point
Favorite Theme Park: Kings Island
Favorite Traditional Park: Seabreeze
Favorite Dark Ride: Ghostwood Estate (Kennywood) (I'm leaving out Disney parks, since it's not really fair to compare them to other parks)
Favorite Restaurant: I haven't run into many that I like too much...
Favorite Show: All Wheels Extreme (Cedar Point)
Best Flatride: Demon Drop
Best Themed Area: Planet Snoopy at CP has a really nice atmosphere.
Best Pay-Extra-To-Ride: Skyscraper, Cedar Point (it was at Valleyfair! when I rode it, also, it's the only upcharge ride I've been on)
Surprise Hit: Diamondback, KI. I couldn't imagine a hyper going in there without looking hideous, but it isn't looking too bad at this point.

[Nethero]

Favorite Amusement Park: SFMM
Favorite Theme Park: BGE (and I live so far away :()
Favorite Traditional Park: um...
Favorite Dark Ride: Curse of DarKastle
Favorite Restaurant: Nations (not that it has anything to do with theme parks)
Favorite Show: Batman Water show
Best Flatride: Zipper
Best Themed Area: Germany (BGE)
Best Pay-Extra-To-Ride: Devil's Drop

[Cedar Point]

A roller coaster that I think would actually be better without the scenery. :noob: Seriously, that mountain is all kinds of ****ed up.

Considering the mountain wasn't originally designed to have a coaster going through it...

Doesn't make it any less ****ed up, though! ;)

[Wild 1]

Favorite park, Hershey Park
Favorite Coaster, Great Bear (at night) Day: Wild one
Favorite Darkride, This one at Funtown in Deleware
Favorite Water ride, Congo River Rapid's BGT
Best Flat, Wave Swingers