Amusement Today
Table:
Category
2019 Recipient
Location/Park

Best New Attraction Installation
Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
Universal's Islands of Adventure

Best New Roller Coaster
Steel Curtain
Kennywood

Best New Family Attraction
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
Disneyland

Best New Water Park Ride
Cutback Water Coaster
Water Country USA

Best Innovation
Yukon Striker locker storage system
Canada's Wonderland

Best Park
Europa-Park
Rust, Germany

Best Waterpark
Schlitterbahn
New Braunfels, Texas

Best Family Park
Dutch Wonderland
Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Best Wildlife/Marine Park
SeaWorld Orlando
Orlando, Fla.

Best Waterpark Ride
Wildebeest
Splashin’ Safari

Best Wooden Coaster
Phoenix
Knoebels Amusement Resort

Best Steel Coaster
Fury 325
Carowinds

Best Kids' Area
Dollywood
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Best Guest Experience
Dollywood
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Breakout Family Entertainment Center
C.J. Barrymore’s
Clinton Township, Michigan

Best Halloween Event of 2018
Halloween Horror Nights
Universal Orlando

Most Beautiful Park
Busch Gardens Williamsburg
Williamsburg, Virginia

Best Christmas Event of 2018
Smoky Mountain Christmas
Dollywood

Best Food
Knoebels Amusement Resort
Elysburg, Pennsylvania

Best New Show
Reuben’s Swashbuckling Adventure
Silver Dollar City

By analysing the tabular data as well as the context paragraphs provided at the end.

Provide an answer to this question: What is the maximum height of the ride located at the park that opened on March 31 , 1973 ? Provide just your answer in a JSON object {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Do not introduce information beyond the provided sources.

Hagrids Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure is a steel roller coaster located at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade section of Universal Orlandos Islands of Adventure theme park . The attraction , manufactured by Intamin , opened on June 13 , 2019 . Universal described the roller coaster as a highly-themed roller coaster that will take us into a different corner of the wizarding world , where guests will encounter some of their favorite characters and creatures . The attraction replaced the Dragon Challenge roller coasters , which closed on September 4 , 2017 . At $ 300M it is also the most expensive roller coaster ever built , surpassing the previous record of $ 100M by Expedition Everest . [ citation needed ]
Universal 's Islands of Adventure ( originally Universal Studios Islands of Adventure ) is a theme park located in Orlando , Florida . It opened on May 28 , 1999 , along with CityWalk , as part of an expansion that converted Universal Studios Florida into the Universal Orlando Resort . The resort 's slogan Vacation Like You Mean It was introduced in 2013 . Islands of Adventure is modeled after a journey of exploration , where guests embark on an adventure to visit a variety of themed islands . Initially , the park featured six islands . A seventh , The Wizarding World of Harry Potter , was added in 2010 , themed to the highly-successful Harry Potter franchise . It was Universal 's largest investment since the resort 's founding in 1990 . The expansion led to a significant increase in attendance , and in 2013 , Islands of Adventure ranked seventh domestically and eleventh internationally after hosting approximately 8.1 million guests . The eighth island , Skull Island , opened on July 13 , 2016 and is themed to the King Kong franchise .
Steel Curtain is a steel roller coaster at Kennywood amusement park in West Mifflin , Pennsylvania , near Pittsburgh . Themed to the Pittsburgh Steelers , the ride is located on the former site of the Log Jammer , a flume ride which closed in 2017 .
Kennywood is an amusement park located in West Mifflin , Pennsylvania . The park first opened on May 30 , 1899 , as a trolley park attraction at the end of the Mellon family 's Monongahela Street Railway . It was purchased in 1906 by F. W. Henninger and Andrew McSwigan , both of whom later formed the family-owned Kennywood Entertainment Company . The company later sold Kennywood , along with four other parks , in 2007 to Parques Reunidos , an international entertainment operator based in Spain . The amusement park features various structures and rides dating back to the early 1900s . Along with Rye Playland Park , it is one of only two amusement parks designated as a National Historic Landmark . Kennywood is also one of only thirteen trolley parks in the United States that remains in operation .
Star Wars : Millennium Falcon - Smugglers Run is a motion simulator attraction , based on the Star Wars film series created by George Lucas . Located in Star Wars : Galaxy 's Edge , the attraction opened on May 31 , 2019 in Disneyland , and opened on August 29 , 2019 in Disney 's Hollywood Studios . Park guests are seated in a 6-passenger motion simulator , themed after the Millennium Falcon . Guests go on an interactive smuggling mission with each guest on the attraction being assigned a different crew role . The attraction features appearances by Hondo Ohnaka , a character first seen in The Clone Wars , played by Robert Nairne and voiced by Jim Cummings ; and Chewbacca , played by Joonas Suotamo . The story is set between the films The Last Jedi ( 2017 ) and The Rise of Skywalker ( 2019 ) .
Disneyland Park , originally Disneyland , is the first of two theme parks built at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim , California , opened on July 17 , 1955 . It is the only theme park designed and built to completion under the direct supervision of Walt Disney . It was originally the only attraction on the property ; its official name was changed to Disneyland Park to distinguish it from the expanding complex in the 1990s . It is the oldest Disney Park in the world . Walt Disney came up with the concept of Disneyland after visiting various amusement parks with his daughters in the 1930s and 1940s . He initially envisioned building a tourist attraction adjacent to his studios in Burbank to entertain fans who wished to visit ; however , he soon realized that the proposed site was too small . After hiring a consultant to help him determine an appropriate site for his project , Disney bought a 160-acre ( 65 ha ) site near Anaheim in 1953 . Construction began in 1954 and the park was unveiled during a special televised press event on the ABC Television Network on July 17 , 1955 . Since its opening , Disneyland has undergone expansions and major renovations , including the addition of New Orleans Square in 1966 , Bear Country ( now Critter Country ) in 1972 , Mickey 's Toontown in 1993 , and Star Wars : Galaxy 's Edge in 2019 . Opened in 2001 , Disney California Adventure Park was built on the site of Disneyland 's original parking lot . Disneyland has a larger cumulative attendance than any other theme park in the world , with 726 million visits since it opened ( as of December 2018 ) . In 2018 , the park had approximately 18.6 million visits , making it the second most visited amusement park in the world that year , behind only Magic Kingdom , the very park it inspired .
Water Country USA is a water park in Williamsburg , Virginia , United States . It is the Mid-Atlantic 's largest water park , and it offers live entertainment , shops and restaurants , water rides , and other family attractions , all of which have a 1950s or 1960s surf theme . It is owned by SeaWorld Entertainment . The park is just a few miles away from Busch Gardens Williamsburg , with which it shares clientele . Multi-park passes are available , and a parking pass at Water Country USA is valid for same-day entry to Busch Gardens Williamsburg .
Yukon Striker is a steel roller coaster located at Canada 's Wonderland in Vaughan , Ontario . Designed as a dive coaster from manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard , the ride opened to the general public on 3 May 2019 in place of SkyRider , a roller coaster that was removed from the park in 2014 . Featuring a height of 68 metres ( 223 ft ) , a length of 1,105 metres ( 3,625 ft ) , and a maximum speed of 130 km/h ( 81 mph ) , Yukon Striker is the world 's tallest , longest , and fastest Dive Coaster , sharing its height record with Valravn at Cedar Point . Its four inversions and drop length of 75 metres ( 245 ft ) also set world records among Dive Coaster models .
Canada 's Wonderland is a 134-hectare ( 330-acre ) theme park located in Vaughan , Ontario , a suburb approximately 25 kilometres ( 16 mi ) north of Downtown Toronto . Opened in 1981 by the Taft Broadcasting Company and The Great-West Life Assurance Company as the first major theme park in Canada , it remains the country 's largest . The park , currently owned by Cedar Fair , has been the most visited seasonal amusement park in North America for several consecutive years . As a seasonal park , Canada 's Wonderland is open daily from May to Labour Day , with weekend openings in late April and after Labour Day until October 27th . They removed Halloween day Halloween Haunt due to the transition between Halloween Haunt and Winterfest With seventeen roller coasters , Canada 's Wonderland is ranked second in the world by number of roller coasters , after Six Flags Magic Mountain ( 19 coasters ) and tied with Cedar Point ( 17 coasters ) . The 134-hectare ( 330-acre ) park includes an 8-hectare ( 20-acre ) water park named Splash Works . The park holds Halloween Haunt , a Halloween-themed event , each fall , as well as special events throughout the season , including various food festivals , as well as Celebration Canada , a month-long Canada Day festival , among others . Beginning in 2019 , the park launched WinterFest , a holiday-themed event that would extend the park 's operating season to late December . The park was known as Paramount Canada 's Wonderland when it was owned by National Amusements via Paramount Parks from 1993 to 2006 . Following Cedar Fair 's purchase of the park in 2006 , Paramount was dropped from the name . In 2018 , it was the most visited seasonal amusement park in North America as well as the second most visited Cedar Fair amusement park , behind Knott 's Berry Farm in California with an estimated 3.79 million visitors .
Europa-Park is the largest theme park in Germany , and the second most popular theme park resort in Europe , following Disneyland Paris . Europa-Park is located in Rust , in south-western Germany , between Freiburg im Breisgau and Strasbourg ( in neighboring France ) . The park is home to 13 roller coasters , the oldest being Alpenexpress Enzian , a powered coaster that speeds through a diamond mine , and the newest coaster being the Ba-a-a Express , a small kiddie roller coaster . Europa-Park has very high capacity roller coasters and attractions meaning the park can accommodate approximately 60,000 guests per day . It counted 5.7 million visitors in 2017 . It is also the location of the Euro Dance Festival . Since 2014 , Europa-Park has been named the world 's best amusement park by the Golden Ticket Awards . In November 2019 , Europa-Park 's Rulantica water park opened , along with a new themed hotel Krønasår .
Rust is a town in the district of Ortenau in Baden-Württemberg in Germany . It is also the home of the famous theme park Europa-Park . The Renaissance era Balthasar Castle is now part of the theme park . The protected floodplain forest Taubergießen is adjacent to Rust .
Schlitterbahn is an American brand of water parks and resorts owned by Cedar Fair . It was previously a company that was family-owned-and-operated by the Henry family that was based in New Braunfels , Texas . Schlitterbahn opened its first location , Schlitterbahn Waterpark Resort , in 1979 . At its peak , the company consisted of five outdoor waterparks , two indoor waterparks , and three resorts . Schlitterbahn 's outdoor water parks are seasonally-operated , typically open from late April through mid-September , while its indoor locations operate year-round . Two parks are located in Texas . On June 13 , 2019 , Cedar Fair entered an agreement to acquire two of Schlitterbahn 's properties in Galveston and New Braunfels for $ 261 million . The deal , which closed in early July 2019 , gives Cedar Fair the option to purchase Schlitterbahn Waterpark Kansas City for $ 6 million within 120 days of the transaction which Cedar Fair declined to do . Additionally , the rights to the Schlitterbahn name were included in the acquisition .
New Braunfels ( /ˈbrɔːnfɛlz/ ( listen ) BRAWN-felz ) is a city in Comal and Guadalupe counties in the U.S. state of Texas known for its Germanic Heritage . It is the seat of Comal County . The city covers 44.9 square miles ( 116 km2 ) and has a 2018 estimated population of 84,612 .
Dutch Wonderland is a 48-acre ( 19 ha ) amusement park just east of Lancaster , Pennsylvania in East Lampeter Township , appealing primarily to families with small children . The park 's theme is a Kingdom for Kids . The entrance to the park has a stone imitation castle façade , which was built by Earl Clark , a potato farmer , before he opened the park in 1963 . The Clark family sold Dutch Wonderland in 2001 to Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company . They also operate Wonderland Mini-Golf , and Old Mill Stream Campground at the same location and the Gift Shop at Kitchen Kettle Village , in nearby Intercourse , Pennsylvania . On November 12 , 2010 , Hershey Entertainment announced that they sold Dutch Wonderland to Palace Entertainment . [ not verified in body ] The park has 32 rides , plus a tropical-themed interactive water play area called Duke 's Lagoon . The park also has an extended season , open for Happy Hauntings and Dutch Winter Wonderland events for Halloween and Christmas . The park is part of a larger area in Lancaster zoned for entertainment , dining , lodging , and conferences .
Lancaster ( /ˈlæŋkɪstər/ LANG-kə-stər ) is a city located in South Central Pennsylvania which serves as the seat of Pennsylvania 's Lancaster County and one of the oldest inland towns in the United States . With a population of 59,322 , it ranks eighth in population among Pennsylvania 's cities . The Lancaster metropolitan area population is 507,766 , making it the 101st largest metropolitan area in the U.S. and second largest in the South Central Pennsylvania area . The city 's primary industries include healthcare , tourism , public administration , manufacturing , and both professional and semi-professional services . Lancaster hosts more electronic public CCTV outdoor cameras per capita than cities such as Boston or San Francisco , despite controversy among residents . Lancaster was home to James Buchanan , the nation 's 15th president , and to congressman and abolitionist Thaddeus Stevens .
SeaWorld Orlando is a theme park and marine zoological park , in Orlando , Florida . It is owned and operated by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment . When combined with its neighbor Discovery Cove and Aquatica , it forms SeaWorld Parks and Resorts Orlando , an entertainment complex consisting of the three parks and many hotels . In 2018 , SeaWorld Orlando hosted an estimated 4.594 million guests , ranking it the 10th most visited amusement park in the United States .
Orlando ( /ɔːrˈlændoʊ/ ) is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Orange County . Located in Central Florida , it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area , which had a population of 2,509,831 , according to U.S. Census Bureau figures released in July 2017 . These figures make it the 23rd-largest metropolitan area in the United States , the sixth-largest metropolitan area in the Southern United States , and the third-largest metropolitan area in Florida . As of 2018 , Orlando had an estimated city-proper population of 285,713 , making it the 71st-largest city in the United States , the fourth-largest city in Florida , and the state 's largest inland city . The City of Orlando is nicknamed the City Beautiful , and its symbol is the Linton E. Allen Memorial Fountain , commonly referred to as simply the Lake Eola fountain at Lake Eola Park . The Orlando International Airport ( MCO ) is the thirteenth-busiest airport in the United States and the 29th-busiest in the world . Orlando is one of the most visited cities in the world primarily driven by tourism , major events , and convention traffic , in 2018 the city drew more than 75 million visitors . The two largest and most internationally renowned tourist attractions in the Orlando area include the Walt Disney World Resort , opened by the Walt Disney Company in 1971 , and located approximately 21 miles ( 34 km ) southwest of Downtown Orlando in Bay Lake ; and the Universal Orlando Resort , opened in 1990 as a major expansion of Universal Studios Florida . With the exception of Walt Disney World , most major attractions are located along International Drive with one of these attractions being the Wheel at ICON Park Orlando . The city is also one of the busiest American cities for conferences and conventions ; the Orange County Convention Center is the second-largest convention facility in the United States . Like other major cities in the Sun Belt , Orlando grew rapidly from the 1980s up into the first decade of the 21st century . Orlando is home to the University of Central Florida , which is the largest university campus in the United States in terms of enrollment as of 2015 [ update ] .
The wildebeest ( /ˈwɪldɪbiːst/ WIL-dih-beest , /ˈvɪl-/ VIL- , plural wildebeest , wildebai or wildebeests ) , also called the gnu ( /njuː/ NEW or /nuː/ NOO ) , is an antelope in the genus Connochaetes . It belongs to the family Bovidae , which includes antelopes , cattle , goats , sheep , and other even-toed horned ungulates . Connochaetes includes two species , both native to Africa : the black wildebeest or white-tailed gnu ( C. gnou ) , and the blue wildebeest or brindled gnu ( C. taurinus ) . Fossil records suggest these two species diverged about one million years ago , resulting in a northern and a southern species . The blue wildebeest remained in its original range and changed very little from the ancestral species , while the black wildebeest changed more as adaptation to its open grassland habitat in the south . The most obvious way of telling the two species apart are the differences in their colouring and in the way their horns are oriented . In East Africa , the blue wildebeest is the most abundant big-game species ; some populations perform an annual migration to new grazing grounds , but the black wildebeest is merely nomadic . Breeding in both takes place over a short period of time at the end of the rainy season and the calves are soon active and are able to move with the herd , a fact necessary for their survival . Nevertheless , some fall prey to large carnivores , especially the spotted hyena . Wildebeest often graze in mixed herds with zebra , which gives heightened awareness of potential predators . They are also alert to the warning signals emitted by other animals such as baboons . Wildebeest are a tourist attraction but compete with domesticated livestock for pasture and are sometimes blamed by farmers for transferring diseases and parasites to their cattle .
Holiday World & Splashin ' Safari ( known as Santa Claus Land prior to 1984 ) is a combination theme park and water park located near Interstate 64 and U.S. 231 in Santa Claus , Indiana , United States . The theme park is divided into four sections that celebrate Christmas , Halloween , Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July with rides , live entertainment , games , and attractions . Holiday World contains three wooden roller coasters : The Raven , The Legend , and The Voyage , as well as Thunderbird ( a Bolliger & Mabillard launched Wing Coaster ) and The Howler . The safari-themed water park includes the world 's two longest water coasters : Wildebeest and Guinness World Record Holder Mammoth , numerous family raft rides and water slides , two wave pools , junior-sized wave pool , two children's-sized water slide areas , a lazy river , two family tipping bucket .
Phoenix is a wooden roller coaster located at the Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg , Pennsylvania . Prior to its purchase by Knoebels and its subsequent relocation in the mid-1980s , it was operated under the name The Rocket at Playland Park in San Antonio , Texas .
Knoebels Amusement Resort ( /kəˈnoʊbəlz/ ) is a family-owned and operated amusement park , picnic grove , and campground in Elysburg , Pennsylvania . Opened in 1926 , it is America 's largest free-admission park . The park has more than 60 rides including three wooden roller coasters , one steel roller coaster , a 1913 carousel , and a haunted house dark ride . The amusement park is owned and operated by the Knoebel ( pronounced kuh-NO-bel ) family , who also operate a lumber yard next to the park . The park 's name has traditionally been spelled Knoebels without the apostrophe , and appears that way on all official park advertising and correspondence . The park straddles the line between Northumberland and Columbia Counties . The complex is mainly in the Columbia County townships of Cleveland and Franklin and is in Ralpho Township on the Northumberland County side of the South Branch Roaring Creek . The park and its rides have won awards from organizations such as Amusement Today , American Coaster Enthusiasts , and the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions . In 2014 , Travel Channel rated Knoebels one of their Top 10 Family Friendly Amusement Parks in the United States . America 's Number One Amusement Park In 2008 , the parks dark ride was the subject of a one-hour documentary , Laff In The Darks Behind The Scenes At Knoebels Haunted House .
Fury 325 is a steel roller coaster located at Carowinds amusement park in Charlotte , North Carolina . Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard , Fury 325 opened to the public on March 28 , 2015 . It features a 6,602-foot-long ( 2,012 m ) track that reaches a maximum height of 325 feet ( 99 m ) , making it the fifth-tallest roller coaster in the world and the tallest overall among roller coasters that use a traditional chain lift hill . Riders experience speeds of up to 95 miles per hour ( 153 km/h ) , winding through high-speed curves and passing over and under the park 's main entrance . Fury 325 has also been voted the world 's best steel coaster in Amusement Today 's Golden Ticket Awards for four consecutive years beginning in 2016 , ending Millennium Force 's six-year streak .
Carowinds is a 407-acre ( 165 ha ) amusement park , located adjacent to Interstate 77 in Charlotte , North Carolina . Although it has an official North Carolina address , the park is located along the North Carolina-South Carolina state line , with a portion of the park also located in Fort Mill , South Carolina . The park opened on March 31 , 1973 , at a cost of $ 70 million . This was the result of a four-year planning period spearheaded by Charlotte businessman Earl Patterson Hall , who was inspired to build the park by a 1956 trip to Disneyland and a dream of bringing the two states closer together . Owned and operated by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company , Carowinds also features a 27-acre ( 81,000 m2 ) water park , Carolina Harbor , which is included with park admission . The park has a Halloween event called SCarowinds and a winter event called WinterFest .
Dollywood is a theme park jointly owned by entertainer Dolly Parton and Herschend Family Entertainment . It is located in the Knoxville-Smoky Mountains metroplex in Pigeon Forge , Tennessee . Hosting nearly 3 million guests in a typical season - mid-March to the Christmas holidays - Dollywood is the biggest ticketed tourist attraction in Tennessee . In addition to standard amusement park thrill rides , Dollywood features traditional crafts and music of the Smoky Mountain area . The park hosts a number of concerts and musical events each year , including appearances by Dolly Parton and her family as well as other national and local musical acts . It is also the site of the Southern Gospel Museum and Hall of Fame . The theme park is the anchor of Parton 's 150-acre ( 61 ha ) Dollywood amusement destination , which also includes the 35-acre ( 14 ha ) sister water park Dollywood 's Splash Country , the 20-acre ( 8.1 ha ) Dollywood 's DreamMore Resort and Spa , and the 5-acre ( 2.0 ha ) Dolly Parton 's Stampede Dinner Attraction .
Pigeon Forge is a mountain resort city in Sevier County , Tennessee , in the southeastern United States . As of the 2010 census , the city had a total population of 5,875 . Situated just 5 miles ( 8 km ) north of Great Smoky Mountains National Park , Pigeon Forge is a tourist destination that caters primarily to Southern culture and country music fans . The city 's attractions include Dollywood and Dollywood 's Splash Country as well as numerous gift shops , outlet malls , amusement rides , and musical theaters .
Clinton Charter Township is a charter township and a census-designated place ( CDP ) of Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan . It is a part of Metro Detroit . As of the 2010 census , the township had a total population of 96,796 , and is Michigan 's most populous township . It is also the tenth largest municipality in Michigan . The township is socioeconomically diverse , a mix of middle class communities and also including many upscale and exclusive areas that many notable people , such as Eminem , call home . Clinton Township is home to many parks , notably George George Memorial Park . The main branch of the Clinton River , for which the township was named , runs through Clinton Township .
Halloween Horror Nights ( formerly known as Fright Nights ) is an annual special event that occurs at Universal Studios theme parks in Florida , California , Singapore , and Japan . The parks remain operational during the day and transition to Halloween Horror Nights at night . The Halloween-themed event occurs during the fall season and features haunted houses , scare zones and live entertainment , many of which use Universal Studios ' characters . Its intended audience are teenagers and young adults .
The Universal Orlando Resort , commonly known as Universal Orlando Studios and Universal Studios Orlando , formerly Universal Studios Escape or simply Universal , is an American theme park and entertainment resort complex based in Orlando , Florida . The resort is operated by Universal Parks & Resorts . It is wholly owned by NBCUniversal , a division of Comcast . Universal Orlando is the second-largest resort in Greater Orlando , after the Walt Disney World resort , covering 541 acres of land . Universal Orlando consists of two theme parks ( Universal Studios Florida and Universal 's Islands of Adventure ) , a water park ( Volcano Bay ) , a night-time entertainment complex ( Universal CityWalk Orlando ) , six Loews Hotels ( Loews Portofino Bay Hotel , Hard Rock Hotel , Loews Royal Pacific Resort , Cabana Bay Beach Resort , Loews Sapphire Falls Resort , Universals Aventura Hotel ) , and an upcoming park , Epic Universe . All of the hotel resorts offer Early Park Admission into The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Universals Volcano Bay . Additionally , the Loews Portofino Bay Hotel , Hard Rock Hotel and Loews Royal Pacific Resort offer free unlimited Universal Express Pass for use at participating rides at Universal Studios Florida and Universals Islands of Adventure . There are similar products valid at Volcano Bay , Halloween Horror Nights , and Rock the Universe . Universal Orlando is one of the most visited resorts in the world , with an annual attendance of 21 million in 2017 . Universal Orlando is the flagship resort of Universal Parks & Resorts , especially due to the competitive nature between the resort and Walt Disney World .
Busch Gardens Williamsburg ( formerly known as Busch Gardens Europe and Busch Gardens : The Old Country ) is a 383-acre ( 1.55 km2 ) theme park located in James City County , Virginia , United States . Located about sixty miles ( 100 km ) northwest of Virginia Beach , the park was developed by Anheuser-Busch ( A-B ) and is owned by SeaWorld Entertainment . It opened on May 16 , 1975 , adjacent to Anheuser-Busch 's brewery and near its other developments including the Kingsmill Resort complex . The park is themed around various European countries and as such was originally called Busch Gardens : The Old Country . In 1993 , the park was renamed Busch Gardens Williamsburg before briefly being named Busch Gardens Europe in 2006 until it returned to the Williamsburg name in 2008 . Similarly , its sister park in Florida was originally called Busch Gardens : The Dark Continent until it was officially renamed Busch Gardens Tampa Bay until a brief switch to Busch Gardens Africa from 2006 to 2008 . In 2015 , the estimated attendance of 2.78 million makes it the twentieth most-visited park in the US . In addition to its landscaping and European theme , Busch Gardens is widely known for its roller coasters , including Griffon , Alpengeist , and Apollo 's Chariot , which won No . 4 best steel coaster in 2012 from the Golden Ticket Awards .
Williamsburg is a city in the U.S. state of Virginia . As of the 2010 U.S. Census , the population was 14,068 . In 2018 , the population was estimated to be 14,896 . Located on the Virginia Peninsula , Williamsburg is in the northern part of the Hampton Roads metropolitan area . It is bordered by James City County and York County . Williamsburg was founded in 1632 as Middle Plantation , a fortified settlement on high ground between the James and York rivers . The city served as the capital of the Colony and Commonwealth of Virginia from 1699 to 1780 and was the center of political events in Virginia leading to the American Revolution . The College of William & Mary , established in 1693 , is the second-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and the only one of the nine colonial colleges located in the South ; its alumni include three U.S. Presidents as well as many other important figures in the nation 's early history . The city 's tourism-based economy is driven by Colonial Williamsburg , the restored Historic Area of the city . Along with nearby Jamestown and Yorktown , Williamsburg forms part of the Historic Triangle , which attracts more than four million tourists each year . Modern Williamsburg is also a college town , inhabited in large part by William & Mary students and staff .
Elysburg is a census-designated place ( CDP ) in Ralpho Township , Northumberland County , Pennsylvania , United States . It is seventy miles north of Harrisburg . The population was 2,194 at the 2010 census . The area 's biggest attraction is Knoebels Amusement Park , which is known for having two wooden roller coasters and free admission .
Silver Dollar City is a theme park in the US state of Missouri . Opened on May 1 , 1960 , the park is located between Branson and Branson West off of Missouri Route 76 on the Indian Point peninsula of Table Rock Lake . The park is an 1880s-themed experience that fits Branson 's vision as a family-friendly vacation destination with down-home charm . Silver Dollar City 's operating season runs from mid-March until late December , with the park closed during the months of January and February . Silver Dollar City is owned by Herschend Family Entertainment .