Top 10 Pop Culture IPs That Would Make Awesome Theme Park Attractions

With its vast multiverse of awe-inspiring worlds and colorful characters, one could make an entire theme park out of this phenomenal IP. In the mood for a daredevil’s rush? Embark on a daring mountain adventure with Zendikar’s Kor via a rock-climbing and/or bungee-jump style attraction. Wanna watch an epic live show? Witness the grand confrontations between the denizens of Theros and the mythological monsters standing at their doorsteps. Want something more exciting? Fly with Dragons on the war skies of Tarkir! Care to get frightened? Throw in a dark ride that transports guests through the grounds of New Phyrexia, or an indoor maze attraction that delves them into Innistrad! Endless possibilities.

As one of the biggest entertainment franchises since, well, ever, it’s only fitting that these fantastic ponies receive some form of theme park presence. They’ve been admired through several generations, so it’s clear that an attraction featuring these magical creatures would be one reminiscent of a classic Disney dark ride, no height or age restrictions needed or wanted. However, with My Little Pony’s rapid expansion to other media, an entire themed land designed after the Crystal Empire wouldn’t be too bad either. Other attraction concepts can include the classic carousel, but perhaps with unique aesthetics, or maybe even an interactive live show thatgets the audience in on the excitement and the magic.

If the Portal Gun did exist, we would definitely be scraping people off their living room ceilings and driveways before too long. With this first-person shooter’s gameplay concept designed to give players quite the weightless rush, a roller coaster attraction would be the most suitable type here, perhaps even with VR. Sound too simple? Well then, make it an indoor coaster styled after Aperture Science. Furthermore, make the coaster a stand-up one, allowing riders to truly feel like they’re the ones rushing and hopping from point A to point B. Just be sure to throw in a few straight-down vertical dives for maximum adrenaline. Also, don’t forget the eerie “the cake is a lie” writing for the waiting line.

Known for their distinctive visuals and out-of-this-world live shows, this heavy metal band’s core lies in their captivating and thematic theatrics. With their entire discography illustrating a grand sci-fi mythology featuring the band members as galactic barbarian warriors, Gwar has pretty much crafted the setting and narrative for a potential ride developer; it’s just a matter of building it. Perhaps an indoor coaster with a space battle theme featuring the band’s music in the background? Think: Disney’s Space Mountain meets Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster starring Aerosmith… However, given Gwar’s shock-rock horror imagery, we’re not saying the mouse should take on this endeavor. Six Flags or Universal would probably be a better fit.

It definitely wouldn’t be an attraction for children or for the faint-of-heart, but boy what a visually intense and heart-pounding ride it’d be. So how could a hypothetical developer make this work? Think about this: Disney’s “Haunted Mansion,” utilizing the same omnimover track system and doom-buggy vehicles, but in a far more intense and chilling setting. Also, instead of 999 happy haunts, you get a thousand frightening fiends looking to eat you alive or turn you inside-out. Too friendly? Well, what if we threw in some guns and had you blasting for dear life? Something like Universal Studio’s “Men In Black: Alien Attack,” but with animatronics that are far less cheesy.

A theme park attraction based on a rap group? Hear us out. Instead of a ride or show, imagine how cool it would be to see Ancient China come alive, with awesomehip-hop music playing all around? Much like the Wu-Tang Clan, the idea would be to fuse two seemingly mismatched cultures into a living, breathing musical Mecca. A good point of reference would be Disneyland’s Pirate’s Lair, except, it would be a themed-island that only age-appropriate guests can sail to and enter. And, instead of a Pirate themed land, we’d have essentially Epcot’s China Pavilion with a dose of Disney World’s old Pleasure Island entertainment district thrown in for good measure.

With two incredibly imaginative and awe-inspiring worlds within this video game franchise, the possibilities for not just a ride, but for an entire themed land are endless! Have you ever wanted to feel that thrilling rush of soaring through Columbia’s skyhook rail system? How does a gliding or flight-style roller coaster that ends with a climactic encounter with the Songbird sound? Right?! What’s that? You’re more of a Rapture person? Well, that could be just as easily covered via an indoor log flume or raft adventure that takes you directly into the creepy and stagnating halls of the submerged city. Plus, who wouldn’t want a photo op with the fan-favorite Big Daddy?

With the many theme park and ride re-creations built using Minecraft, isn’t it high time the actual property got one of its own? Okay, so maybe not an actual park, but how about a family-friendly play area where parents and their children can climb, move around, and slide down blocks together? Essentially, a much larger and Minecraft-themed playground similar to Super Silly Fun Land at Universal, minus the water – though that could work too. If all of that looks and sounds too child-friendly, maybe toss-in a mine coaster in the vein of Disney World’s Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. Much like Minecraft itself, that ought to satisfy all ages.

Who wouldn’t want to go on a fun, hilarious, and space misadventure with Leela, Bender, and Fry? Much like “The Simpsons Ride,” a “Futurama” attraction would be designed with simplicity in mind, with guests boarding a motion simulator resembling the Planet Express ship - leave the immersion to the line-up. At that point, all developers would need is a story, or maybe a few, to give passengers a unique experience with each ride. Similar to what Disney did with Star Tours: The Adventures Continue, riders could visit different planets and get themselves into all sorts of trouble, courtesy of the crew’s clumsiness and incompetence.

Before we pitch away our top pick, let’s have a look at a few honorable mentions:
“Dune” franchise (1965-)
“Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War” franchise (1987-)
“The League of Extraordinary Gentleman” franchise (1999-)

With Universal now commanding The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, an equally mesmerizing fantasy world centered on “Game of Thrones” could easily be a tourist-attracting contender. The thrilling ride concepts for this imaginative world are without end. Perhaps a stand-up drop-tower attraction that’ll make you feel like you were thrown from a tower? Or, how about a Dragon-themed flying coaster that has you soaring throughout the seven kingdoms? All that sound a bit too rehashed? No problem, just add a dinner show featuring an immersive and intense re-creation of the Red Wedding massacre! Just… no kids allowed.

Do you agree with our list? Which pop-culture IP would you like to see come alive in a theme park? For more otherworldly Top 10’s published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com!