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by
Hollie Cooper
Site Editor
6-19-00
National Historic Landmark, the Giant Dipper roller coaster at the
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. |
Starting in the early
1900s, amusement parks emerged into mainstream America as a leading form
of family entertainment. Thousands flocked to places such as Coney Island
to see shows, eat different varieties of food and ride all types of rides.
Today, Americans still regard amusement parks as a fun-filled way to spend
their day. In fact, statistics show that 270 million people will visit
a theme park this year somewhere in America. That is roughly the amount
of people that currently live in the United States.
Now, I am not saying that the numbers indicate everyone in America this
year will visit an amusement park - some will visit more than once.
There are two different genres of amusement parks, regional and destination.
Regional parks, such as Six
Flags, aim to attract visitors within a 300-mile radius. Typically,
these types of parks do not compete with each other for anything besides
bragging rights; and those are typically best earned by a park's thrill
rides. If you have a spectacular roller coaster you have instant popularity.
The majority of the world's most famous roller coasters reside in regional
parks across the nation. One park in particular, Cedar
Point located in Sandusky, Ohio, boasts it "is home to the largest
collection of rides (68) and roller coasters (14) in the world!" Their
most recent coaster, "The Millennium Force" stands 310 feet high, it is
taller than the Statue of Liberty. This roller coaster was recently rated
the #1 wildest ride in America by A&E. Knott's
Berry Farm in Buena Park, California, ranked second on this list with
its not so invisible introduction of "The Ghost Rider."
Destination parks also include all kinds of rides and activities, but
they are geared more towards families who are vacationing. These parks,
such as Disneyland
in Anaheim, California, or Universal
Studios (locations in Orlando, Florida, Hollywood, California, and
Port Aventura, Spain), will take you longer to see and ride all that is
available. Many parks have taken this into consideration and planned accordingly
by having numerous hotels and resorts onsite for park visitors. A lot
of these parks focus on having fun through educational means. For example,
Epcot Center in Orlando, Florida, offers families the chance to "visit"
and learn about various countries by traveling through its regions. Disneyland's
"It's a Small World After All" boat-ride teaches children about different
races and cultures around the world through song, dress and elaborate
sets. Don't get me wrong, these parks also have their fair share of cool
thrill rides as well. Universal Studios' offers two roller coasters that
"serious" riders are sure to enjoy! "The Dueling Dragons" ride speeds
two coasters through all kinds of turns and twists and at one point the
two coasters are separated by only six inches. (Keeping your arms inside
the ride would definitely apply here.) "The Incredible Hulk" coaster shoots
its passengers out of a mountain at a speed of 0-40mph in four seconds.
Both types of parks also delight guests with elaborate shows that not
only offer great entertainment but also provide an air-conditioned haven.
Parks across the nation offer musicals, magic shows and comedy shows just
to name a few themes. These shows are written and performed to entertain
both adults as well as children, providing an opportunity for all ages
to attend and enjoy. Most parks provide guests with free brochures that
include a brief synopsis for each show, show times and its location.
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