Top 10 Most Visited Amusement Parks In The World Bringing you the Latest News, Entertainment and More Top 10 Most Visited Amusement Parks In The World Have you ever wondered which are the most popular amusement parks in the world, then check out the official top 10 list of the most visited parks to visit! 10 Disney California Adventure 8 million visitors yearly Disney California Adventure, usually referred to as California Adventure, is located in Anaheim, California, owned by The Walt Disney Company and operated through its Parks and Resorts division. The site is 72-acres and is themed after the history and culture of the state of California. Opening in 2001, it is the second of two theme parks built at the Disneyland Resort complex. 9 Universal Studios Japan 10 million visitors yearly Universal Studios Japan is located in Osaka and is one of four Universal Studios theme parks that is owned and operated by USJ Co., Ltd, licensed by NBCUniversal. This theme park is very similar to the Universal Orlando Resort since it also contains many attractions from Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood. Most visitors are from Japan tourists and other Asian countries such as.

In 2005 Goldman Sachs became the largest shareholder in Universal Studios Japan which opened on 31st March, 2001. Visitors to the park in the first year reached 11 million making it the world’s fastest amusement park to achieve the 10 million. Since then, Universal Studios Japan has had approximately 8 to 10 million visitors every year. 8 Disney’s Hollywood Studios 10 million visitors yearly Disney’s Hollywood Studios was originally Disney-MGM Studios until the name was changed in 2008, it is the third of four theme parks built at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando, Florida on 1st May, 1989. This teme park covers 135 acres and is dedicated to show business getting its inspiration from the heyday of Hollywood from the 1930s and 1940s. In 2013, the park hosted approximately 10.11 million guests, making it the fifth most visited amusement park in the United States, and eighth-most visited in the world. The park is represented by The Sorcerer’s Magical Hat from the cartoon Fantasia.

7 Disney’s Animal Kingdom 10 million visitors yearly Disney’s Animal Kingdom is the fourth of four theme parks built at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando, Florida, opening on Earth Day, 22nd April, 1998. It is the second largest theme park in the world and it is the largest single Disney theme park in the world with an area covering 500 acres and the first Disney theme park to be themed entirely around animal conservation. Disney’s Animal Kingdom is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums, meaning they have met or exceeded the standards in education, conservation, and research. In 2013, the park hosted approximately 10.19 million guests, ranking it the fourth most visited amusement park in the United States and seventh most visited in the world. The park is represented by The Tree of Life. 6 Disneyland Park 10 million visitors yearly Disneyland Park originally called Euro Disneyland, is the first of two theme parks built at Disneyland Paris in Marne-la-Vallée, France, opening on April 12th, 1992.

Its layout and attractions are very similar to Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California and Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Bay Lake, Florida. This park covers a total area of 140 acres. Its theme is fairy tales and Disney characters. In 2013, the park had 10.43 million visitors making it the most visited theme park in Europe and the sixth most visited theme park in the world. The park is represented by Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant which is a replica of the fairy tale castle seen in Sleeping Beauty. 5 Epcot 11 million visitors yearly Epcot is the second of four theme parks built at Walt Disney World in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando, Florida. Opening as EPCOT Center on 1st October, 1982, and the park has a total area of 300 acres making it more than twice the size of the Magic Kingdom park. Themed to the celebration of human achievements such as technological innovation and international culture.

It is often referred to as a “Permanent World’s Fair.” In 2013, the park hosted approximately 11.22 million guests, making it the fifth most visited theme park in the world. The park is represented by a geodesic sphere spaceship Earth. 4 Tokyo DisneySea 14 million visitors yearly Tokyo DisneySea covers 176-acre, situated in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan, close to Tokyo. Opening on 4th September, 2001, it is owned by The Oriental Land Company, which licenses Disney characters and themes from The Walt Disney Company. Tokyo DisneySea attracted an estimated 14 million visitors in 2013, making it the fourth-most-visited theme park in the world. It is the most expensive theme park ever built with an estimated cost of over $4 billion. 3 Disneyland Anaheim 16 million visitors yearly Disneyland Park was originally called Disneyland. It is the first of two theme parks built at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, opening on 17th July, 1955.

It is the only park designed and built under the direct supervision of Walt Disney who came up with the concept of Disneyland after visiting various amusement parks with his family. 2 Tokyo Disneyland 17 million visitors yearly Tokyo Disneyland covers an area of 115 acres. It was the first Disney park to be built outside the United States, opening on 15th April, 1983. The park was constructed by Walt Disney Imagineering in the same style as Disneyland in California and Magic Kingdom in Florida. Tokyo Disneyland and its companion park, Tokyo DisneySea, are the only two Disney parks that are not wholly or partially owned by the Walt Disney Company. 1 Magic Kingdom 18 million visitors yearly Magic Kingdom Park also known as Magic Kingdom, was the first of the four theme parks at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando, Florida. Opening on 1st October, 1971. It was designed and built by WED Enterprises and its layout and attractions are very similar to Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California. This park is dedicated to fairy tales and Disney characters.

In 2013, the park had 18.58 million visitors which makes it the most visited theme park in the world for the fifth consecutive year. The park is represented by a replica of fairy tale castle Cinderella castle from the film made back in 1950. Just what are the most trafficked theme parks in the world? (25 Photos) : theCHIVE Just what are the most trafficked theme parks in the world? (25 Photos) Share 1 Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise – Annual attendance: 4,149,000 The amusement park was opened in 1993 and is located in Yokohama, Japan. It includes an aquarium, a hotel, a shopping mall, a marina and amusement rides. 2 Efteling – Annual attendance: 4,150,000 The fantasy-themed park, located in the Netherlands, has been around since 1952. The park’s attractions are based on ancient myths, legends, fairy tales and folklore and has attracted more than 100 million people since it first opened.

3 Tivoli Gardens – Annual attendance: 4.200,000 Tivoli Gardens is a historic amusement park and garden located in Copenhagen, Denmark, and has been in operation since 1843. It is the second oldest amusement park in the world, and is believed to have had more visitors than any other park in history. 4 SeaWorld San Diego – Annual attendance: 4,311,000 The park rests on almost 200 acres, but is only open certain times throughout the year. 5 Walt Disney Studios Park – Annual attendance: 4,470,000 Walt Disney Studios Park is the second of two theme parks built at Disneyland Paris in Marne-la-Vallée, France, and opened its gates for the first time on March 16, 2002. It is dedicated to show business, focusing on movies, production, and behind-the-scenes action. Advertisement 6 Europa-Park – Annual attendance: 4,900,000 While it’s not the most visited theme park in the world, it is the largest in Germany and second most popular in Europe.

7 SeaWorld Orlando – Annual attendance: 5,090,000 SeaWorld Orlando has amusement rides, amazing shows, close-up encounters and is ideal for people who wish to connect to the sea. 8 Nagashima Spa Land – Annual attendance: 5,840,000 Nagashima Spa Land is a big amusement park in Kuwana, Japan. It features several roller coasters, thrill rides, kids’ rides, a giant Ferris wheel, and a water park that drives children crazy. 9 Universal Studios Hollywood – Annual attendance: 6,148,000 Universal Studios is one of the oldest and most historic studios that is still in use. It is the 9th largest park in North America. 10 Universal Studios Florida – Annual attendance: 7,062,000 Using movies and television as the theme, Universal Studios has been entertaining people since its opening in 1990. Advertisement 11 Everland – Annual attendance: 7,303,000 Everland is operated by Samsung Everland, which is a subsidiary of the Samsung Group, and is South Korea’s largest theme park.

12 Lotte World – Annual attendance: 7,400,000 Lotte World is a large amusement complex located in Seoul, South Korea. The park has the world’s largest indoor theme park, an outdoor amusement park called Magic Island, an artificial island in a lake linked by monorail, shopping malls, a luxury hotel, a Korean folk museum, sports facilities, and movie theaters. 13 Hong Kong Disneyland – Annual attendance: 7,400,000 Despite having a capacity of only 34,000 people (the fewest on the list) it manages to attract 7.5 million visitors a year. 14 Ocean Park Hong Kong – Annual attendance: 7,475,000 Better known as Ocean Park, this attraction is a marine mammal park, oceanarium, animal theme park, and amusement park situated in the Southern District of Hong Kong.

15 Islands of Adventure – Annual attendance: 8,141,000 Islands of Adventure is a theme park in Orlando, Florida, that opened on May 28, 1999, along with CityWalk, as part of an expansion that converted Universal Studios Florida into the Universal Orlando Resort. Advertisement 16 Disney California Adventure – Annual attendance: 8,514,000 Located in Anaheim, California, Disney California Adventure is a theme park that is owned and operated by the Walt Disney Company. 17 Universal Studios Japan – Annual attendance: 10,100,000 Opened in Osaka in 2001, Universal Studios Japan was the first theme park to ever hit 10 million visitors in its first year. 18 Disney’s Hollywood Studios – Annual attendance: 10,110,000 Disney’s Hollywood Studios is the third of the four theme parks built at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida.

19 Disney’s Animal Kingdom – Annual attendance: 10,198,000 Opened on Earth Day in 1998, Animal Kingdom Theme Park is the fourth of four theme parks built at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida, southwest of Orlando. 20 Disneyland Park (Paris) – Annual attendance: 10,430,000 Originally named Euro Disneyland, this was the first of two theme parks that were built in Marne-la-Vallee, France. It has been in operation since April 12, 1992. Advertisement 21 Epcot – Annual attendance: 11,229,000 Epcot has been around since 1982 and was the second of four theme parks built by Walt Disney in Bay Lake, Florida. The park is known for being represented by Spaceship Earth, the geodesic sphere found within the park. 22 Tokyo DisneySea – Annual attendance: 14,084,000 Tokyo DisneySea is a theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort located in Urayasu, Chiba, near Tokyo.

23 Disneyland – Annual attendance: 16,202,000 Disneyland is the first of two theme parks built at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It opened its gates on July 17, 1955, and it is the only theme park designed and built under the direct supervision of Walt Disney. 24 Tokyo Disneyland – Annual attendance: 17,214,000 The humongous theme park can be found in Urayasu, Japan. It is the most popular theme park in Asia. 25 Magic Kingdom – Annual attendance: 18,588,000 Magic Kingdom has been the most visited theme park for 5 years in a row. It was the first built of the four theme parks at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida. "Adapting Disneyland’s service strategy to Korea’s Everland theme park" by Haesun Paik 28 Abstract Disneyland is an American amusement park located in Anaheim, California, owned and operated by the Walt Disney Company. On July 18, 1955 the park was first opened to the public (Absolute Astronomy, 2009).

Tourists come from all over the world to experience Disneyland not only for theme park, but also for its well-known quality of service, proven time and again by returning visitors. Behind the Disney World being the first, Disneyland is the second most visited park in the world having more than 14,800,000 visitors (TEA and ERA, 2008). Korea is one of the fastest growing countries in Asia and tourists come to Korea with high expectations. However, Korea lacks to have a well-known attraction famous for its customer service that attracts foreign guests. Similar to Disneyland, Korea has its own theme park Everland. Everland was opened in 1976 in Kyonggi-Do, Korea, and is ranked as the 10th theme park in the world having 7,200,000 visitors in 2007 and is known for using their own characters and service strategies (TEA and ERA, 2008). Even though Everland attracts many visitors, it fails to deliver essential customer service and brand recognition.

In order to become a well known amusement park, Everland will need to look through Disneyland’s service strategy and understand how it attracts more guests, and develop a new service strategy. Keywords Amusement parks – Marketing; Customer service; Disney Parks; LLC; Korea Disciplines Hospitality Administration and Management | Marketing | Recreation Business Language English Repository Citation Paik, Haesun, "Adapting Disneyland’s service strategy to Korea’s Everland theme park" (2010). UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones. 558. Top 10 Amusement Parks in the World | Travel Far a Week Home » Extreme Travel » Top 10 Amusement Parks in the World Top 10 Amusement Parks in the World Posted on Jan 12, 2014 in Extreme Travel , Family Travel , Only The Best , Outdoor Travel , Travel Asia , Travel Destinations , Travel Europe , Travel North America , Travel Styles , Travel USA An amusement park is a large area fairground rides refreshments, games of chance or skills and other entertainments. They serve as entertainment sites for both adults and children and it can be a nice place to bond together with your children after a long week of working.

Amusement parks are a growing business in the United States and accounts for 54% of the worldwide revenue. There are many parks around the world but there are few best ones that can be sampled from this long list. The following are the top ten amusement parks in the world. 1. Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort Originally opened in the year 1971, Magic Kingdom had 17,536,000 visitors last year. One interesting innovation of the park was the building of secret utility tunnels called utilidors. These utility doors allowed actors to get to their designated areas without being seen by the public. Visiting VIPs were also allowed to use the tunnels. Currently, the major attractions are Space Mountain, Monsters Inc, laugh floor and fireworks display. The amusement park is always open the whole year and has been closed only five times. 2. Disney at Disneyland resort-California , U.S.A Officially opened in July 17 1955, Disneyland is the only Disneyland Park built under the supervision of Walt Disney. This amusement park became one of the two theme parks built at Disney Resort in Anaheim, California.

The other is Disney California Adventure Park, which was opened in 2001.Since its opening it has been on constant renovation. Some of the attractions in this park include, the Alice in Wonderland Ride, the Astro Orbitor and Big thunder Ranch. This amusement park is the second most popular with an average of 14,847 visitors last year. 3. Tokyo Disneyland-Tokyo, Japan This park was built after the blueprints of Disneyland in California and Magic Kingdom in Florida. The oriental Land Co., under the license from Walt Disney Co. , owns Tokyo Disneyland. This park was officially opened in April 15 1983. It features the World Bazaar, Westernland, Adventureland, Fantassyland, Tomorrowland, Critter Country and Mickey’s Toontown. The main attractions include Monsters, Inc. Ride and Go Seek, Hunny Hunt, Space Mountain, and Enchanted Tiki room. It had an estimate of 14,847,000 visitors last year(Image by Tom.Bricker ). 4. Tokyo Disney in Tokyo Japan This park was ranked the fourth most popular park in the world.

It had an estimate of 12,656,000 visitors last year. Tokyo Disney is estimated to be the most expensive theme park ever built. The total price used to build it was $4 billion. It also has a record of being the most visited park over a short period after it was opened. Five months after it was opened in 2011, the park had already had over 10 million visits. Tokyo Disney sea has seven main areas. These are; Mediterranean harbor, Lost River Delta, Port Discovery, Mermaid Lagoon, Arabian Coast, American Waterfront, and Mysterious Island. Its main attraction include rides like the Journey to the Centre of the earth, Aquitania and Raging Spirits, 5. Disneyland Park at Disneyland Paris Initially called Euro Disneyland park was officially opened in April 12 1992. The name was changed by the then CEO of Walt Disney “Michael Eisner” since he found the name to sound more glamorous. Its layout is similar to that of Magic Kingdom and that of Disneyland Park in Anaheim. The park occupies an area of 56.656 hectors and its main attractions are Phantom manor, Space Mountain and Disneyland Railroad.

It was estimated to have had 11,200,000 visitors last year. 6. Epcot at world Disney World Resort This is Disney’s animal kingdom and it was set for those people who love animals. Epcot is also a Centre for those who love science and technology and the world culture. The park was opened in October 1 1982. Its main areas are Future world, World Showcase, and EPCOT character Spot. Its main attractions include Mission Space Test track and Spaceship earth, which usually lights up at night. This park is twice the size of Magic land kingdom. It is 120 hectors and is estimated it had 11,063,000 visitors last year (Image by joseray1 ). 7. Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort It is estimated to have had 9,998,000 visitors last year. This is wildlife and a nature themed park. Opened officially in April 22 1998, the park was supposed to draw the attention of nature appreciation with animal conservation. It’s most famous attraction is expedition Everest, the dinosaur exhibit and the Kilimanjaro. 8.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios Initially, it was to become Walt Disney’s exclusive studio, where they were to shoot all their films. When the plan later backfired, it was turned into a showbiz themed park. It was later officially opened in May 1989.its main areas are, Hollywood, Boulevard, echo lakes, streets of America, animation courtyard, Pixar place, sunset. Some of the activities around are picture taking and autograph signing. 9. Universal Studios Japan USJ CO. owns and operates this park. Opened in March 31 2001, it is the biggest theme park in the entire of Japan. It is 54 hectares of land. Its areas are New York, Hollywood San Francisco, Jurassic Park Lagoon, Waterworld and Sesame Street Fun zone. The park is also opening another part, the Wizarding World of Harry Porter by 2014. Last year it had an estimate of 9,700,000 visitors. 10. Islands of Adventure ( Universal Orlando Resort) Islands of Adventure were first opened as a plan to convert Universal Studios Florida into the Universal Orlando Resort. This park has seven islands featuring a variety of attractions.

Their latest edition was finished in 2010. Pteranodon flyers are one of their main attractions. The park recorded an estimate of 7,981,000 visitors last year. When you visit the amusement park, ensure you child is kept at your view throughout the tour. In most cases, the parks are usually packed and losing your child in such an environment is the last thing you should expect. Top 10 World's Best Theme Parks - List Dose Article by lakshay malhotra , May 10, 2015 Around every bend is another epic adventure. Around every corner awaits another once-in-a-lifetime thrill. Take an unforgettable journey through the unique theme parks. Technically if you see, theme park is a collection of enjoyment – rides, attractions and other events. Be it children, the teens, the adults or the elderly, theme parks and the moments related to it are one of the best and most cherished chapters of one’s life. It is all about spending time with your loved ones. It is the feeling you get when you get a box of chocolates from your best friend. Children cherish it as one of the best moments spent with their parents, out of their busy lives.

They grow. They enter teenage. They see the theme parks as hangouts with their friends. They grow up. They get married. Theme parks then become one the ways to spent quality and fun time with their loved ones and their children. And when they grow up and become the elderly, they see count these moments spent with their grand children as the happiest and the last days of their life. Theme parks are like a box which when opened by a person, brings happiness and awesome memories to them. The food, the thrilling rides or the sound ones, the feeling of being with the important ones in the open air and breathing freely, one could live that moment forever. 10. Islands of Adventure at Universal Orlando Resort, Orlando, Florida, USA Largely spread on land, this theme park has 7 different islands with the themes Port of Entry, Marvel Super Hero Island, Toon Lagoon, Jurassic Park, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, The Lost Continent and the Seuss Landing. With more than 28 rides including 4 roller coaster and 3 water rides and number of event, this theme park has been a great attraction. Great food and luxury hotels make it worth living. 9.

Universal Studios, Osaka, Japan Following the tradition of Universal’s Hollywood and Orlando theme parks, this park takes guests on a fantasy trip through the world of American blockbuster movies, with thrill rides, live entertainment, back-lot streets, restaurants, shops, and other attractions based on actual movies. Board a boat for an encounter with a great white straight out of Jaws, escape a T-Rex as you roller-coaster your way through a setting of Jurassic Park, dream your way through the mega-coaster Hollywood Dream, fly and leap at high speed among skyscrapers in the Amazing Adventures of Spider Man — The Ride, and see, feel, and smell Sesame Street 4-D Movie Magic or Shrek’s 4-D Adventure (4-D in movie lingo means there are smells and other sensations). Most of the attractions have been dubbed into Japanese, so it helps to know the movies beforehand. Not to forget, its quiet expensive and the meal is just okay 8.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA Disney’s Hollywood Studios (originally Disney-MGM Studios until 2008), is the third of four theme parks built at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida, opened on May 1, 1989. Spanning 135 acres (54.6 ha), it is dedicated to show business, drawing inspiration from the heyday of Hollywood in the 1930s and 1940s. In 2011, the park hosted approximately 9.7 million guests, making it the fifth-most visited amusement park in the United States, and eighth-most visited in the world. Movie magic comes to life at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, awash in the glitz and glamour of Hollywood’s Golden Age. Step into the action with attractions based on blockbuster movies and top TV shows, and delight in exciting entertainment that puts you centre stage. With the vibrancy of a bustling movie set, this park features 8 sections: Hollywood Boulevard, Echo Lake, Sunset Boulevard, Streets of America, Commissary Lane, Pixar Place, Mickey Avenue and Animation Courtyard areas. 7.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA One of the four theme parks built at the Walt Disney World Resort. Covering 580 acres of land, since April 22, 1998 and was the first one to be themed entirely Walt Disney’s animal conservation philosophy. It is accredited by the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Apart from being know for entertainment, they have met and exceeded the standards in education, conservation, and research. The park hosted approximately 10 million guests, ranking it the fourth-most visited amusement park in the United States and seventh-most visited in the world. It is represented by The Tree of Life, a sculpted 145 feet (44 m), 50-foot-wide (15 m) artificial tree. Home to more than 1,700 animals across 250 species, the park reflects Walt Disney’s dedication to animals. Divided into 7 lands: Oasis, Discovery Island, Camp Minnie-Mickey, Africa, Rafiki’s Planet Watch, Asia and DinoLand, U.S.A. areas 6.

Epcot at Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA It is the second theme park built at the Walt Disney world. Spread 300 acres on land since 1st October, 1982. Idea behind building this theme park was the dedication to the celebration of human achievement, namely technological innovation and international culture. The park hosted approximately 12 million guests a year. The park is represented by Spaceship Earth, a geodesic sphere that also serves as an attraction. Equipped with exciting attractions, international pavilions and award-winning fireworks. Epcot reflects the achievements of the human spirit. It is divided into 2 sections : a. Future World, which features technological innovations b. World Showcase, which shares with Guests the culture and cuisine of 11 countries: Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, the United States, Japan, Morocco, France, United Kingdom and Canada 5. Disneyland Park at Disneyland Paris, Marne-la-Vallée, France Disneyland Park, originally Euro Disneyland is the first of two theme parks built at Disneyland Paris in Marne-la-Vallée, France, opened on 12 April 1992.

Designed and built by Walt Disney Imagineering, its layout and attractions are similar to Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California and Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Bay Lake, Florida. Spanning 140 acres (the largest Disney park based on the original,) it is dedicated to fairy tales and Disney characters. In 2012, the park hosted approximately 11,200,000 visitors, making it the most-visited theme park in Europe, and the fifth-most visited theme park in the world. The park is represented by Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant, a replica of the fairy tale castle seen in Sleeping Beauty. Top attractions are it’s a small world Space Mountain: Mission 2 Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast 4. Tokyo DisneySea, Tokyo, Japan Tokyo DisneySea is a 176-acre theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan, just outside Tokyo. It opened on September 4, 2001. It is owned by The Oriental Land Company, which licenses Disney characters and themes from The Walt Disney Company.

Tokyo DisneySea attracted an estimated 12 million visitors in 2009, making it the fifth-most-visited theme park in the world.In 2011, the park hosted 11.9 million visitors, making it the fourth most visited theme park in the world. Tokyo DisneySea was the second theme park to open at the Tokyo Disney Resort and the ninth park of the eleven worldwide Disney theme parks to open. Tokyo DisneySea was the fastest theme park in the world to reach the milestone of 10 million guests, having done so in 307 days after its grand opening. The previous record-holder was Universal Studios Japan 338 days after its opening. Tokyo DisneySea is also the most expensive theme park ever built, estimated to have cost over U.S. $4 billion. Nice and tasty food with affordable hotels and attractions like Tower of Terror, Storm Rider, Aquatopia, Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull, Raging Spirits, Journey to the Centre of the Earth and Flounder’s Flying Fish Coaster. 3.

Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo, Japan Tokyo Disneyland is a 115-acre theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan, near Tokyo.The first Disney park to be built outside of the United States. It was opened on April 15, 1983. The park was constructed by Walt Disney Imagineering in the same style as Disneyland in California and Magic Kingdom in Florida. There are seven themed areas in the park: a. the World Bazaar b. the four classic Disney lands: Adventureland, Westernland, Fantasyland and Tomorrowland c. Two mini-lands: Critter Country and Mickey’s Toontown. The park is noted for its extensive open spaces, to accommodate the large crowds that visit the park. The park hosts approx 13 million visitors, again ranking it as the world’s third most visited theme park. 2. Disneyland at Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, California, USA 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 under the direct supervision of Walt Disney.

It was originally the only attraction on the property, though it was slightly renamed to distinguish it from the expanding complex in the 1990s. 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 determine an appropriate site for his project, Walt bought a 160-acre 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 a number of expansions and renovations, including the addition of New Orleans Square in 1966, Bear Country (now Critter Country) in 1972, and Mickey’s Toontown in 1993. Disney California Adventure Park was built on the site of Disneyland’s original parking lot and opened in 2001.

Disneyland has a larger cumulative attendance than any other theme park in the world, with over 650 million guests since it opened. In 2011, the park hosted approximately 16.14 million guests, making it the second most visited park in the world that calendar year. The Disneyland Resort is world-famous for immersive attractions featuring masterful storytelling and unbelievable special effects Glide through the skies of the Golden State on the majestic Soarin’ Over California, race through the desert on Radiator Springs Racers or dare to explore the creepier side of Hollywood with a plunge down The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. Littler ones can dive beneath the waves on The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure, visit the streets of Monstropolis on Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!, play games with Woody and Buzz on Toy Story Mania!, or whirl above Paradise Bay with Mickey Mouse on Silly Symphony Swings. If you’re looking for a big thrill, it doesn’t get any better than rocketing around on California Screamin’ or splashing down on Grizzly River Run. Plus, there is so much more for both kids and adults, it’s hard to pick an attraction to start! 1.

Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA Magic Kingdom Park, commonly known as Magic Kingdom, is the first of four theme parks built at the Walt Disney World Resortin Bay Lake, Florida, opened on October 1, 1971. Designed and built by WED Enterprises, its layout and attractions are similar to Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California, and is dedicated to fairy tales and Disney characters. In 2011, the park hosted approximately 17 million visitors, making it the most visited theme park in the world for 2011. The park is represented by Cinderella Castle, a replica of the fairy tale castle seen in the 1950 film. Fairytale dreams come true for children of all ages at Magic Kingdom park. Delight in classic attractions, enchanting fireworks, musical parades and beloved Disney Characters across 6 whimsical lands. See fantasy become a reality as you explore Adventureland, Frontierland, Liberty Square, Fantasyland—open while undergoing the largest expansion in Magic Kingdom history!—Tomorrowland and Main Street, U.S.A areas.

Zoom through space, become a swashbuckling pirate and watch fireworks light up the sky over Cinderella Castle. Related posts: Disneyland's Grand Opening Store After years of planning, Walt Disney's very first theme park Disneyland opened its gates at 2:30PM on Sunday July 17, 1955 in Anaheim, California. Television crews, Art Linkletter, Ronald Reagan, Bob Cummings, the Mouseketeers, Thurl Ravenscroft, California Governor Goodwin J. Knight and over 28,000 guests witnessed the opening of Walt's dream. Broadcast on ABC at 4:30PM, it was the biggest live telecast to date. Eighteen-year-old Bob Penfield operated the King Arthur Carousel that day - he was suppose to operate Peter Pan's Flight, but the attraction kept breaking down. "On Opening Day I remember standing on the Carrousel when they lowered the drawbridge for the first time and all of the kids came running across." Penfield went on to become the longest working Cast Member in Disneyland history! Charlie Ridgway, a reporter working for the Los Angeles Mirror-News was covering the opening of Disneyland on that hot July day.

He later went on to work for Disney as a publicist before relocating to Orlando, Florida to run Disney's public-relations department for thirty years! Actor Ronald Reagan (who would later become president of the United States) introduced 53-year-old Walt Disney - "And now, Walt Disney will step forward to read the dedication of Disneyland." Walt christened his 160-acre park with these now famous words (penned by Winston Hibler): The park offered 5 themed lands with a total of 18 attractions . Disneyland opened as invitation only on this day, given to studio workers, construction workers, the press and officials of company sponsors. (The park opened to the general public the following day - July 18 .) Because tickets to the grand opening were counterfeited, a surprising 28,000-plus attended. The day was marked by numerous disasters, including a traffic jam, a shortage of food, and a gas leak in Fantasyland. Even a chunk of window from the Mark Twain Steamboat crashed on the head of an invited state senator!

Disneyland encouraged visitors to arrive before 4:15PM, as during the live ABC telecast the park's gates were closed from 4:20PM to 5:30PM. Cast Member Ron Dominguez was working as a ticket taker at Disneyland's main gate. "I was a Ticker Taker. Opening Day was a hectic day. The plan was to invite people at different hours so that we could spread out all of the arrivals. But it didn't work out that way. Everyone wanted to come out early to see the stars." Dominguez would spend his entire career at the park eventually becoming a top executive (between 1971-1994). Ironically he grew up on one of the Anaheim orange groves later purchased by Disney for the theme park. The Dominguez family house was located just about where the entrance to the Pirates of the Caribbean is! Celebrities visiting Disneyland that day included Frank Sinatra, Jerry Lewis, Sammy Davis Jr., Danny Thomas, Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher. July 17, 1955 was known by Disneyland old-timers as "Black Sunday" (because of the numerous mishaps) ...

yet in those first 7 weeks more than a million people walked down Disneyland's Main Street USA! OPENING DAY OPENING OF DISNEYLAND Nine-year-old Bonnie Williams was an opening day guests because her church youth group was invited. She was among the first children to cross the drawbridge into Fantasyland and ride Disneyland's rides! "I remember seeing Walt," she says. "He looked like a giant. I told him, 'I saw you on TV!' The whole day was magical. I felt like a real princess." "To all who come to this happy place: welcome. Disneyland is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past...and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams and the hard facts which have created America ... with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world." THIS SITE MADE IN THE USA A rusty-haired 12-year-old named Tom Nabbe also visited Disneyland. Tom and his mom stood outside the park's entrance seeking autographs from Hollywood stars who were visiting. They spotted entertainer Danny Thomas exiting and Tom's mom asked him for an autograph.

As he signed he asked her, "Have you been in the park?" Upon learning she hadn't, Thomas gave her two extra free passes! Tom and his mom became invited guests of Danny Thomas! (Two days later, Tom landed a job as a "newsie," hawking The Disneyland News on Main Street. In 1956 Nabbe became the park's first Tom Sawyer and in 1971, became Walt Disney World's monorail manager!) Firehouse Five Plus Two, a Dixieland jazz band made up of Disney Studio employees and led by animator Ward Kimball, appeared at the firehouse on Main Street for the opening ceremonies. The group, made up of Harper Goff, Danny Alguire, Clarke Mallery, Monte Mountjoy, Ed Penner, and Frank Thomas, later played at the dedication of Frontierland. "Walt told us to wander around the park and play wherever there was a crowd. We were the first mobile band at Disneyland!" -Ward Kimball Disney consultant Harrison "Buzz" Price, who a few years earlier had chosen the then-sleepy agricultural town of Anaheim as the location for Disneyland, attended opening day.

"I was on the bridge that led to Sleeping Beauty's Castle, and it was full of people. We couldn't move. and the asphalt was sticky. I looked down and saw Frank Sinatra, and he was cursing." Actor Fess Parker, famously known in 1955 as TV's Davy Crockett, led the opening-day parade dressed as the famous frontiersman and riding a horse! ''There were so many people I couldn't see the park!" he later explained. The Mouseketeers were first introduced to the public during the live broadcast of the Disneyland opening day festivities. All 24 members were featured in the inaugural Main Street parade and were showcased with their very own musical production number. (Mickey Mouse Club would make its national television premiere on October 3, 1955 .) Future Disneyland President Jack Lindquist was there on opening day ... but as a guest. He was working for an ad agency and one of his clients, Kelvinator (an appliance company) invited him. "It was so overcrowded, and it was I think 105. I don’t know, but very very hot. But traffic wasn’t a problem, they had a great system of directing traffic.

It came right into the parking lot, and then everything came to a halt. You had tickets that said enter at 1PM. Well, the people that had tickets that said 8am, 9am, 10am weren’t leaving. They were just adding more people going in, nobody was coming out." "It’s not apparent at a casual glance but this street is only a scale model. We had every brick and tile and gas lamp made 5/8ths true size. This cost more, but it made the street a toy, and the imagination can play more freely with a toy. Besides, people like to think that their world is somehow more grown-up than Papa’s was." -Walt Disney on Disneyland's Main Street Also among the first children to run through Sleeping Beauty Castle was young Robb Fischle. He was also one of the first to experience Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. Starting in 1972 he worked at Disneyland and today is a park Security Officer! "Main Street, U.S.A. is America at the turn of the century - the crossroads of an era. The gas lamps and the electric lamps, the horse drawn car and the auto car.

Main Street is everyone's home town ... the come true." -Walt Disney "Tomorrowland ... a vista into a world of wondrous ideas, signifying man's achievements ... a step into the future with predictions of constructive things to come. Tomorrow offers new frontiers in science, adventure and ideals ... the challenge of outer space, and the hope of a peaceful and unified world." -Walt Disney "Opening Day? It was wonderful! I was loading jungle boats and Bob Cummings microphone wire kept getting wrapped around my neck! I was supposed to be working on the Mark Twain but they didn't have my uniform by opening day. Well, the Mark Twain had too many operators and the jungle didn't have enough, so I went to the jungle for a year. There were no microphones on the boats then and you shouted yourself hoarse with a megaphone. I didn't like to give the spiel so they sent me to the shooting galleries for ten years. I made Walt Disney pay on the shooting gallery. Yep. Sure did. That's the rules... no different for him than anyone else! Walt wanted things perfect.

He had an open mind and asked advice of the operators saying, 'How can you improve?' He loved kids." -Homer Holland (original Cast Member) Imagineer Harriett Burns, the first woman ever hired by Walt Disney in a creative rather than an office capacity, was there on July 17 as well. "Oh, the crunch. Oh my gosh. We were all assigned different places... each person at the studio. They didn’t want everyone in the same area. They thought we’d be spaced out and sort of be “hosting” in different areas. But, it was just so crunched. They had counterfeit tickets and there was just this mob of people and it felt like 110 degrees. The asphalt was melting, every woman wore heels and my heels would sink into the asphalt. It was a miserable hot day." "On the opening day of Disneyland, we (Mouseketters) were in Walt Disney's private apartment above the Main Street Fire Station when the gates of the park opened for the first time. I was standing next to him at the window, watching the guests come pouring through the gates.

When I looked up at him, he had his hands behind his back, a grin from ear to ear, I could see a lump in his throat and a tear streaming down his cheek. He had realized his dream. I was only twelve years old at the time, so it didn't mean as much to me then. But as the years go by, that image of him becomes more and more endearing." -Sharon Baird "Disneyland will always "I think what I want Disneyland to be most of all is a happy place—a place where adults and children some of the wonder of life, of adventure, and feel better because of it." -Walt Disney Young Martin Gushwa visited the park on that historic day as well. "I was one of the kids that ran across the bridge and then thru the castle the day the park opened," Marty happily recalled. After high school and during his college years he worked at the Disneyland Hotel restaurants. "After my wife and I started a family we began buying annual passes and used to take the girls to the park every Sunday after church. My oldest daughter went on to work with the Disney Kids Clubs and also for one contract on one of the Disney Cruise ships.

A couple of years ago we purchased the DVD set of the opening day at the park. I swear I can pick me out of the group of kids on the bridge." "Disney was a dreamer and a doer ... while the rest of us were talking about the future, he built it. The things he taught us at Disneyland about street planning, crowd movement, comfort humanity, etc, will influence builders, architects, urban planners for the next century." -writer Ray Bradbury 10 Most Popular Theme Parks in the World | US City Traveler US City Traveler Theme Parks 10 Most Popular Theme Parks in the World 10 Most Popular Theme Parks in the World June 2, 2014 E-mail Theme parks are great fun for the whole family, and as countries realize the profit potential that these giant resorts can bring in, more and more are sprouting up all over the world. There will always be the super-conglomerate motherships of amusement parks, such as Walt Disney and Universal Studios, but these mega-corporations don’t hold all of the monopoly.

Many other countries are getting a slice of the pie as time progresses and people realize that they want – and would pay big money for – a theme park in their city or country. It may come as no surprise that Walt Disney Parks and Resorts brings in more than twice as many people annually as the #2 company on the list of amusement park corporations (126.5 million versus 54 million), but this is a list about the individual parks around the world, not the corporations. Theme parks might not be for everyone (i.e. people that hate long walks and longer lines), but as far as wholesome family fun goes, it’s hard to think of a better place to bring your kids. 10) Lotte World – Seoul, South Korea South Korea squeaks by on the list with Lotte World, bringing in nearly 6.5 million attendees in 2012.

The theme park has two main sections, an outdoor artificial island called “Magic Island,” linked with a monorail, shopping malls, a hotel, a museum, and movie theaters, and the world’s largest indoor theme park, called “Adventure.” Adventure is a four-level amusement park, beginning with Underland, with rides such as the viking ride Conquistador, The Adventures of Sinbad, and 15 other rides. Floor 2 has an indoor roller coaster with a constant near-crash feeling, and floors 3 and 4 have similar high-octane rides. 9) Hong Kong Disneyland – Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China The first Disneyland to crack the list comes from the world’s most populated country. It is owned by the Hong Kong International Theme Parks, and brought in 6.7 million people in 2012. To prevent cultural backlash, Disney incorporated Chinese customs and traditions when designing the resort, including adherence to feng shui. For instance, a bend was put near the entrance of the park so good qi energy wouldn’t flow into the South China Sea. The park is divided into seven “lands,” or themed areas where guests that enter are unable to see or hear any other land.

These are: Main Street, USA, designed to resemble early 20th-century Midwest towns; Adventureland (jungle-themed); Fantasyland (Disney’s classic characters); Tomorrowland (a utopian vision). In 2009 three new lands were opened: Toy Story Land, Grizzly Gulch, and Mystic Point. 8) Everland – Yongin, Gyeonggi-Do, South Korea Surprisingly, South Korea makes two of the first three entries. Everland opened in 1976, and is South Korea’s largest theme park, bringing in 6.85 million people in 2012. Everland is operated by Samsung, and along with its main attractions, has a race track, a zoo, and a water park known as Caribbean Bay. In 2006, the park introduced T Express, the first, largest, and steepest wooden roller coaster in South Korea, and the 6th longest wooden coaster in the world at over a mile long.

In 1985, the Jigu Maul (“Global Village”) was introduced in 1985 as the first dark boat ride in South Korea, showing worldwide traditions, cultural customs, and sceneries from over 18 countries. 7) Ocean Park Hong Kong – Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China Together with Hong Kong Disneyland, Ocean Park is one of the two large theme parks in Hong Kong and the most visited theme park in the Greater China region. Opened in 1977 by then-Governor of Hong Kong Sir Murray MacLehose, it brought in 7.4 million attendees in 2012, and has over 80 attractions, including a marine mammal park, an animal theme park, an oceanarium, and of course an amusement park. Covering 226 acres, the park is separated into two areas by a large mountain, The Summit (Headland), and The Waterfront (Lowland). The areas can be reached by a mile-long cable car, or the Ocean Express railway. Besides the attractions, Ocean Park was the first institution in the world to find success in artificial insemination of bottlenose dolphins, as well as developing many new breeds of goldfish.

6) Universal Orlando Resort – Orlando, Florida, USA The first US park to crack the list, Universal is owned by the third largest amusement park corporation in the world, Universal Studios Recreation Group, bringing in 35 million people to their parks annually. Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure make up this resort. While Universal Studios brought in 6.2 million people in 2012, it was the newly released Wizarding World of Harry Potter in 2010 that single-handedly carried Islands of Adventure up 29% in attendance, helping bring in a whopping 8 million people annually. The Islands of Adventure is a place of exploration, where visitors travel to seven distinctly themed islands, including The Port of Entry, The Lost Continent, Jurassic Park, Seuss Landing, Toon Lagoon, Marvel Super Hero Island, and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. 5) Universal Studios Japan – Osaka, Japan One of four Universal Studios theme parks, Universal Studios Japan is owned and operated by USJ Co., Ltd. with a license from NBCUniversal. The park opened in 2001, and had 9.7 million visitors in 2012.

Many of their visitors are Japanese tourists and tourists from other Asian countries. The attractions are arranged in nine areas of the park, including New York (with Spider-Man and Terminator rides), Hollywood, San Francisco, Jurassic Park, Snoopy Studios, Hello Kitty Fashion Avenue, Sesame Street Fun Zone, Lagoon, Water World, and Amity Village. In 2014, the park will get its own Wizarding World of Harry Potter, a tenth area hoping to boost income and visitors. 4) Disneyland Paris – Marne-la-Vallée, France Disneyland Park (11.2 million visitors), and Walt Disney Studios Park (4.8 million visitors) make up France’s Disneyland. Disneyland Park is based off of the original Disneyland in Anaheim, California, and Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. It is dedicated to Disney characters and fairy tales, and with 11.2 million visitors in 2012, is the most-visited theme park in Europe and the fifth-most visited in the world. The park opened in 1992 as Euro Disneyland, but the ‘Euro’ was phased out in 1994 after failing to meet financial expectations.

Instead, Disney decided to identify the park with one of the most romantic cities in the world: Paris. Disneyland Paris is divided into five themed “lands,” with 49 attractions. These include: Main Street USA, Frontierland, Adventureland, Fantasyland, and Discoveryland. 3) Tokyo Disney Resort – Tokyo, Japan Comprising of two parks: Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea, these two theme parks are the third and fourth most visited in the world, with 14.8 million and 12.6 million visitors in 2012, respectively. Tokyo Disneyland was the first Disney resort to be opened outside of the US, back in 1983. It is owned by the Oriental Land Company. These two parks are the only Disney parks not wholly or partially owned by the Walt Disney Company. There are seven themed areas in the Disneyland section. DisneySea opened in 2001 and was the fastest theme park in the world to reach 10 million visitors, in just 307 days (beating out former record-holder Universal Studios Japan by 31 days). Tokyo DisneySea is the most expensive theme park ever built, estimated to cost over U.S. $4 billion.

DisneySea is a nautical themed park of exploration, with seven unique “ports of call.” 2) Disneyland Resort – Anaheim, California, USA “The Happiest Place on Earth.” I’m sure it comes as no surprise to most readers that Disney has dominated the latter half of this list. Disneyland is the second most visited theme park in the world, with almost 16 million visitors in 2012, while its expansion Disney California Adventure brought in 7.8 million people. Disneyland was the first Disney theme park to open, back in 1955, designed and directly supervised by Walt Disney. California Adventure was opened on Disneyland’s original parking lot, and opened in 2001. With over 650 million guests since opening its doors, Disneyland has the largest cumulative attendance of any theme park in the world. Disneyland is home to such fabled and legendary rides as It’s a Small World, the Matterhorn, Space Mountain, Treasure Island, and many, many more. 1) Walt Disney World Resort – Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA Disney World is the mother of all theme parks.

It is the most visited vacation resort in the world, bringing in 52.5 million people annually, with 24 hotels, four theme parks, two water parks, four golf courses, and numerous other recreational venues. Magic Kingdom was the original theme park to open in the complex (and is the most visited theme park in the world, #1 on our list at 17.5 million visitors annually), followed by Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The three theme parks besides Magic Kingdom could all be in the top 10 here, as each of them bring in over 10 million people per year, but we decided to clump them all together so that Disney World didn’t take over this whole list). At it’s peak, the resort was the size of San Francisco (30,000 acres), and twice the size of Manhattan. Whether you like it or not, Disney World is the epitome of theme parks, and is truly deserving of the tagline: “The Most Magical Place on Earth.” Related Post

Question: What amusement park, the second most visited park in the world in 2010, was first opened on July 17, 1955?
Answer: Disneyland