 |
SAVVY TRAVELER By
Irene Croft Jr.
|
| |||
 |
|
||
According to the U.S. Travel Data Center, nearly two-thirds of travelers planning domestic vacations cited theme parks of major importance in selecting a destination. This translated last year into more than 335 million visitors from the United States and abroad, representing a surge in the popularity of these attractions. And these park-bound folks included seniors, singles and couples as well as the expected families with children.
According to trade magazine Amusement Business, the top-ranked 10 amusement parks in 2005 by order of attendance were: The Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World; Disneyland; Epcot; Disney-MGM Studios; Disney's Animal Kingdom; Universal Studios (Florida); Disney's California Adventures; Islands of Adventure at Universal Orlando; SeaWorld Florida; and Universal Studios at Hollywood.
Many of the larger parks, like the top 10, comprise complete destinations that lure visitors from around the world. These giant parks are flanked by hotels, restaurants, shopping malls and magnet cities and are serviced by airports and highways.
Smaller regional parks draw most of their visitors for a day's outing from a 100-mile radius and may be little-known outside their state. The destinations and the regional parks are locked in an ongoing marketing war to capture customers. Travel agents can alert you to package deals and incentives.
In addition to the rides and games at amusement centers, theme parks may offer historical village re-creations, cultural exhibitions, animal habitats, water attractions, science and technology displays, musical and stage productions and other satisfying diversions.
Heart-stopping roller coasters, nearly 500 across the country, are still the most popular rides. They come in two flavors — steel or wood construction — and provide thrills and chills at speeds up to 120 mph.
The continental top five, according to enthusiasts:
U.S. water parks, now numbering more than 300, have morphed from giant playpools into techno-designed water experiences featuring waves, white-water rapids, slippery serpentine slides and 80-foot drops. They are the fastest growing attraction in the amusement park industry. Heading the list are Schlitterbahn Waterpark in New Braunfels, Texas; Disney's Blizzard Beach, Kissimmee, Fla.; Raging Waters, San Dimas, Calif.; Water Country USA, Williamsburg, Va.; Splish Splash, Long Island, N.Y.; Soak City, Buena Park, Calif.; Water World, Denver; Six Flags White Water, Marietta, Ga.; Wet 'n' Wild, Las Vegas; and Noah's Ark, Wisconsin Dells, Wis.
The key to making the most of your visit to any theme park is to plan ahead, especially with young children. Because many of these parks are laid out on hundreds and even thousands of acres (28,000 at Disney World), you should obtain in advance brochures and a map of the attractions and restaurants and a schedule of special events during your visit.
At each park's Web site you'll find the information to plot a well-organized visit. Find amusement park Web site links at 123world.com/amusement. For Web sites, descriptions and details of most North American parks: americanmidway.com.
Plan where you want to be, at what time and how to get there in order to satisfy interests. The average visit lasts six to eight hours, so planning helps keep to a schedule that fits everything in.
Make the most of a visit.
Tim O'Brien's "The Amusement Park Guide" presents details on each park including special events, admission, operating season, hours, directions, rides, attractions, dining and more.
Irene Croft Jr. of Kailua, Kona, is a travel writer and 40-year veteran globetrotter. Her column is published in this section every other week.
