Top 10 Theme Park Attractions

Top 10 Theme Park Attractions

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Please keep your hands, arms, and legs inside the vehicle at all times, and prepare for fun! Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Theme Park Attractions. For this list, we’re not just taking a look at extreme rollercoaster rides, but also the most imaginative and exciting amusement park attractions that offer an immersive experience. We’ve excluded rides at water parks, like the Master Blaster, because that’s a list for another day.

You’ll go to Disney’s Animal Kingdom for the exotic wildlife, but you’ll stay to ride this roller coaster several times. Expedition Everest is like a cross between Matterhorn Bobsleds and Big Thunder Mountain, resulting in one of the most atmospheric attractions Disney has ever constructed. The ride gets off to a tranquil start, allowing passengers to appreciate the beautiful scenery. Once the Yeti shows up, though, we’re engaged in a thrilling chase to escape from Mount Everest. This is also notably the tallest mountain ride at any Disney theme park. Expedition Everest continues to blow us away with its gigantic scale and rich sense of adventure.

All Disney attractions are insanely creative, but few trigger the imagination quite like this Epcot favorite. As much a show as it is a ride, Journey Into Imagination has gone through a few alterations over the years. However, it’s always maintained the same basic premise: you can create anything with the tool of imagination, including a purple dragon named Figment. Educational, cultural, and endlessly inventive, passengers are encouraged to let their imaginations run wild by seeking out inspiration. With one little spark, you just might be the next Disney Imagineer.

#8: Space Mountain USA, France, Japan, Hong Kong

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While versions of this attraction exist at Disney’s Magic Kingdom-style parks in France, Japan, and Hong Kong, we’re going to focus on the American one here. When you’re at Disneyland, getting a fast pass for Space Mountain should be the first thing on your to-do list. This is much more than just another indoor rollercoaster. It’s an epic voyage that takes us to a futuristic spaceport, aboard a rocket ship, and through the vast recesses of outer space. The experience manages to be whimsical while also encompassing a certain level of dread. In space, no one can hear you scream but there is sure to be plenty of screaming aboard Space Mountain. The ride is even more exhilarating around Halloween when given a Ghost Galaxy makeover.

The “Superman” movies made us believe that a man can fly. Likewise, this blue and red rollercoaster will make passengers feel like they’re flying right alongside the Man of Steel. The ride commences at the Metropolis subway station where all hell breaks those. Passengers escape the chaos in Superman fashion, blasting into the sky faster than a speeding bullet. What better way to cap off your exhilarating flight than with the iconic Superman theme by John Williams? Located at Warner Bros. Movie World in Australia, Superman Escape makes all us non-Aussies want to take a trip down under.

Disney likes to pretend “Song of the South” never happened, but that controversial film would ironically inspire one of the company’s most beloved theme park attractions – which you’ll not only find at California’s Disneyland, but also at Tokyo Disneyland and Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. As far as log rides go, nothing can top Splash Mountain. Assuming you don’t mind getting a little wet, you’re bound to find your laughing place here. It’s packed with cheerful vibes, catchy music, and lovable animatronic characters. Oh, and of course there’s that climatic drop into the briar patch that always gets us giddy with excitement. Don’t forget to pose for the camera and pick up a photo on the way out.

#5: Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey USA, Japan

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This attraction alone is reason enough to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, whether it’s part of the Islands of Adventure in Orlando, Florida or Universal Studios Japan in Osaka. Simply standing in line is part of the fun as people tour the Hogwarts castle. Of course, the ride itself is also pretty mind-blowing, taking passengers on an enchanting adventure involving dragons, Quidditch, and Dementors. Making impeccable use of holographic images and animatronics, it feels like we’re really flying a broomstick with our favorite wizards. One of the most innovative rides of the 21st century, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey has been praised by fans and won the Golden Ticket Award for Best Dark Ride five years in a row.

As we all know, cloning dinosaurs and putting them in an amusement park probably isn’t a good idea. Constructing a “Jurassic Park” ride at Universal’s Islands of Adventure was definitely a good idea, though! This attraction integrates passengers into the original movie, starting off on a majestic note as the park is opened and we get to see John Hammond’s prehistoric beasts firsthand. Once the Velociraptors get loose, that relaxing sentiment ends - and the real fun begins. The ride is full of alarming set pieces, but the highlight has got to be the big finale as we come face to face with the T-Rex.

#3: The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror USA, Japan, France

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Drop towers are always fun, but the Tower of Terror takes things to a whole new level. This ride oozes with the gothic atmosphere that made “The Twilight Zone” one of the most absorbing shows ever to hit the airwaves – and this is especially true of the versions found in the U.S. and France. Walking through this eerie hotel, you’re overwhelmed with a wonderful sense of impending doom. Boarding the elevator, you feel as if you’re traveling through another dimension — a dimension of sound, a dimension of sight, a dimension of fun. When all’s said and done, there’s no ironic twist. However, there is a valuable life lesson: what goes up must come down, even in the Twilight Zone.

#2: The Haunted Mansion USA, Japan, Hong Kong

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Of all the rides in the Magic Kingdom, The Haunted Mansion just might be the most creative. This dark ride offers one unforgettable moment after another, from the stretching room, to the dancing ghost, to that crystal ball lady, to those barbershop quartet statues. Wow, Disney should totally make a movie out of this…well, Disney should make a good movie out of this. As for the ride itself, we’re always eager to hop aboard a Doom Buggie and come out to socialize, especially when “The Nightmare Before Christmas” gang drops by. By the way, Disneyland Paris’ version of the attraction is called Phantom Manor, in case you’re in that neck of the woods. Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions: Jaws U.S.A., Japan Pirates of the Caribbean U.S.A., Japan, France Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin U.S.A. Men in Black: Alien Attack U.S.A.

Nothing can quite top a good old-fashioned roller coaster and Millennium Force at Cedar Point is the mother of them all. From the second you take that 300-foot drop, this steel coaster will have you gleefully screaming a mile a minute. Then after it’s over, you’ll be screaming to ride it again and again. The first rollercoaster to utilize a cable lift and found in Sandusky, Ohio, Millennium Force proved to be a major game changer that has impacted thrill rides around the world. While other coasters have broken its records for height and speed over time, nothing has quite found that perfect balance like this bad boy has. Do you agree with our list? What’s your favorite theme park attraction? For more entertaining Top 10s published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.