The Top 10 Amusement Parks in America

Copyright © 2010-2013 Ryan Hogan

The deciding factor in selecting the top ten amusement parks in America was the answer to the following question: is the park worth a trip across country? If the park is in Florida is it worth the trip from the West Coast? If the park is in California is it worth the journey from Boston or Baltimore? If the answer was yes, the park qualified for inclusion.

The list also favored parks associated with popular franchises (Disney, Marvel Comics, Peanuts, and Sesame Street just to name a few). While this may put off some adults (okay, most adults), kids love the characters. And after all, amusement parks are all about the kids.

English: The Contemporary Resort in Walt Disney World Resort (Orlando) Nederlands: Het Contemporary Resort in Walt Disney World Resort (Orlando) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

1. Walt Disney World Resort
Location: Lake Buena Vista, Florida
Phone: 407-939-7675
Website: " target="_blank">http://disneyworld.disney.go.com
Size: 25,000 acres
Rides: They don't have "rides" they have "attractions."
Operating Season: Hours vary by season.
Top Attractions: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Disney's Animal Kingdom

Walt Disney World Resort is the largest and most-visited amusement park on the planet. There's not enough summer to see and do everything Disney World has to offer. Sure the resort is a "little" commercialized, but with 25,000 acres of high quality fun Disney World is the prime vacation spot for both the young and the young heart.

Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World Resort (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

2. Universal Orlando Resort
Location: Orlando, Florida
Phone: 407-363-8000
Website: " target="_blank">http://www.universalorlando.com
Size: Unknown
Rides: 25+
Operating Season: Hours vary by season.
Top Attractions: Universal Studios Florida, Universal's Islands of Adventure, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Wet 'n Wild Orlando, City Walk Orlando

Universal Orlando Resort is a smorgasbord of family fun. Many of its amazing rides and attractions, including 4-D adventures and state-of-the-art roller coasters, are based on popular movies and television characters like Harry Potter, Shrek, The Simpsons, and Marvel Comics. Yet, as cool as Spider-Man and the Hulk are they can't beat the mouse and that's why Universal Orlando is number two.

3. Cedar Point
Location: Sandusky, Ohio
Phone: 419-627-2350
Website: " target="_blank">http://www.cedarpoint.com
Size: 364 acres
Rides: 75 total, 17 roller coasters
Operating Season: May through Early November
Top Attractions: 17 roller coasters, water rides, Challenge Park, Planet Snoopy

Many amusement park enthusiasts put Cedar Point on the top of their "Best of" lists. That's because it's probably the best pure amusement park in the world. After all, its 17 roller coasters are the most of any park on the planet. Besides the coasters, visitors can get all wet at their world famous water park, Soak City, or enjoy one of their many exciting live shows. Cedar Point comes in it at number three because, well, to put it bluntly, it's in Sandusky and it doesn't have the cool franchises like Disney World and Universal Orlando.

4. Disneyland Resort
Location: Anaheim, California
Phone: 714-781-4565
Website: " target="_blank">http://disneyworld.disney.go.com
Size: 510 acres
Rides: 1 (see #1)
Operating Season: Hours vary by season.
Top Attractions: Disneyland, Disney's California Adventure, Downtown Disney

Disneyland Resort contains two amusement parks, one is the famous Disneyland, which opened in 1955, and the other is Disney's California Adventure. The two parks, together with Downtown Disney and various hotels, attract more than 20 million visitors every year. So why is this legendary resort only number four on our list? Is it because of the song "It's a Small World (After All)" incessantly repeats during the ride of the same name? Yes.

5. Busch Gardens Europe
Location: Williamsburg, Virginia
Phone: 800-343-7946
Website: " target="_blank">http://www.buschgardens.com/bgw/default.aspx
Size: 250 acres
Rides: 25 total, 5 roller coasters
Operating Season: March through October
Top Attractions: Roller Coasters, Sesame Street Forest of Fun, Special seasonal events

In case you didn't glean it from its title, Busch Gardens Europe has a European theme going on. It also has a small but highly rated set of roller coasters. When your stomach needs a break from the thrill rides, the park offers several relaxing but entertaining Broadway style shows. Busch Gardens is a great place to visit during the holidays.

6. Six Flags Great Adventure and Wild Safari
Location: Jackson Township, New Jersey
Phone: 732-928-1821
Website: " target="_blank">http://www.sixflags.com/greatadventure/index.aspx
Size: 260 acres for Great Adventure, 350 acres for Wild Safari
Rides: 46
Operating Season: March through November
Top Attractions: Roller coasters, 350-acre wildlife preserve, Looney Tunes pals

Due to its close proximity to New York and Philadelphia, Six Flags Great Adventure is one of the most popular amusement parks in the North East. Great Adventure is known for its spectacular roller coasters like Nitro, The Ride, Kingda Ka, and El Toro. Its 350-acre wildlife preserve is home to 1,200 animals and the park boosts that it's the largest "drive-thru safari" outside of Africa.

7. Canada's Wonderland
Location: Vaughan, Ontario, Canada (Greater Toronto Area)
Phone: 905-832-8131
Website: " target="_blank">http://canadaswonderland.com
Size: 330 acres
Rides: 48 thrill rides
Operating Season: May through October
Top Attractions: Planet Snoopy, The Mighty Canadian Minebuster, Riptide, Drop Tower, Psyclone, Whitewater Bay, Hollywood's Stunt Spectacular

Canada's Wonderland is renowned for its great variety of roller coasters, probably the best assortment on the continent. In fact, if you ignore the United States, Canada's Wonderland has the most roller coasters of any amusement park in the world. This is also the most visited seasonal park in North America. Canada's Wonderland is about 30 minutes from downtown Toronto.

8. Legoland California
Location: Carlsbad, California
Phone: 760-918-LEGO
Website: " target="_blank">http://www.legoland.com
Size: 128 acres
Rides: 50+
Operating Season: Hours vary by season.
Top Attractions: Miniland, Legoland Water Park, Dino Island, Fun Town, Pirate Shore, Imagination Zone

Everything is better when it's made out of Lego's. Amusement parks are for kids but this park's height requirements really favor vertically-challenged young ones. Legoland is laid out in nine areas each with a different theme. One of the most popular areas of the park is Miniland. In this area, artists have used Legos to construct several American landmarks to 1:20 scale.

9. SeaWorld San Diego
Location: San Diego, California
Phone: 800-25-SHAMU
Website: " target="_blank">http://seaworld.com/sandiego/default.aspx
Size: 189 acres
Rides: 8
Operating Season: Hours vary by season.
Top Attractions: Journey to Atlantis, Wilde Arctic, Lights, Camera, Imagination 4-D!, Sesame Street Bay of Play, Dolphins, Orcas

SeaWorld Adventure Parks Tycoon (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

SeaWorld is a classic. Since opening in 1964, SeaWorld San Diego has delighted visitors with exhibits, rides, and of course, its wonderful marine wildlife. SeaWorld is near the bottom of our list because it lacks the thrill rides of other amusement parks and it maybe too educational for some kids. Still, SeaWorld has enough things to do and see to make it a viable vacation destination.

10. Knoebels Amusement Resort
Location: Elysburg, Pennsylvania
Phone: 800-487-4386
Website: " target="_blank">http://www.knoebels.com/index.asp
Size: Nearly 300 acres
Rides: 55
Operating Season: April through September
Top Attractions: Twister, Flying Turns, Haunted Mansion, Grand Carousel, 3 Ponds Golf Course

Knoebels is a straight-forward, non-pretentious, kid-friendly, family-run amusement park. The park was created to entertain, not to sell merchandise-no ubiquitous cute and furry corporate mascots here. Knoebels has the best amusement park food in the country and bills itself as "America's Largest Free Admission Park." You can buy rides a la carte or via a day pass.




About the Author:
Ryan Hogan writes for ParentingFun411.com, a website that offers parents who want to have fun all kinds of useful resources such as a directory of fun parenting businesses like toy stores across America. Also read the parenting blog that offers great information for parents such as the top amusement parks in America. Learn more at: http://www.ParentingFun411.com/


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Best flowers for the 4th July?

A Fourth of July fireworks display at the Washington Monument. Location: WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (DC) UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (USA) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Fourth Of July Flowers Copyright © 2006-2013 Wesley Berry, AAF

Your Fourth of July celebration could begin and end with a real bang when you use flowers to accent and decorate the day. If you're thinking you need to stick with the traditional red, white, and blue carnation arrangements you normally see on Independence Day, think again! Flowers come in so many varieties and they're so easy to customize to the occasion that the possibilities are endless.

If you're planning on throwing a Fourth of July celebration, contact your local florist for help in choosing the perfect floral arrangements and other accents to make your party memorable and your guests feel special. When you decorate with fresh flowers, it shows your guests that you've taken the time to think about how you can make the surroundings beautiful and enjoyable for them. Your florist can make doing so easier than you ever thought possible.

Your florist is a professional designer who is able to create just the pieces you need to accent and beautify your party location. And, he or she will also have unique, fun ideas that you could use as party favors, to recognize special guests, and to use as centerpieces.

English: (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Because flowers come in so many different colors, you'll have a huge selection to choose from even if you decide to go with the traditional red, white, and blue theme. Although your florist will be able to show you many flowers he or she has available, here are some flower varieties in the traditional colors to get you started:

Red Flowers: Roses, tulips, carnations, anthurium, gladiolus, freesia, lily, gerbera, chrysanthemum.

White Flowers: Asters, gladiolus, freesia, hydrangea, lily, orchid, chrysanthemum, rose, snapdragons.

Blue Flowers: Delphinium, gladiolus, liatris, irises.


All these beautiful red, white, and blue flowers can be used in many different ways for your party. Your florist can create small, simple centerpieces, or large and elaborate pieces to place in more spacious areas. You can also ask your florist to make special napkin rings or provide single stems to tuck into your napkins or place at each setting. These can double as party favors that your guests can take home. And, since the Fourth of July is a day to celebrate the freedom of our country, you might also consider having corsages and boutonnieres made to honor guests who served in the military.

Talk to your florist about the endless possibilities for using flowers in your Fourth of July celebration. He or she is sure to have many great ideas to suit your needs and light up your party more brightly than the fireworks in the sky.


About the Author:
Wesley Berry is member of the American Academy of Floriculture (AAF) and President of Wesley Berry Flowers, a successful multi-million dollar floral business that was established in 1946. As a member of the Henry Ford Hospital Community Relation Board he has contributed to the community at large. He owns both a brick and mortar and an internet flower delivery business. Visit Wesley Berry Flowers on the web at www.800wesleys.com.


Read More Articles by Wesley Berry, AAF
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Fashion and Accessory Shopping Online

Emilie M. handbags for sale online.



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A set of SHY shoes and handbags from the Spring/Summer 2004 collection. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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