Amusement parks
An amusement park is a recreational area that offers various attractions, such as rides and games, as well as events for entertainment. A theme park is a specific type of amusement park that organizes its structures and attractions around a central theme, often featuring several areas with distinct themes. Unlike temporary and mobile funfairs and carnivals, amusement parks are permanent and designed for long-term operation. They are more complex than city parks and playgrounds, typically offering attractions that appeal to a wide range of age groups. While amusement parks often include themed areas, theme parks emphasize more intricately designed themes that center around a particular subject or group of subjects.
Amusement parks evolved from European fairs, pleasure gardens, and expansive picnic areas designed for recreation. Additionally, World's Fair and other types of international expositions influenced the emergence of the amusement park industry.
Bakken ("The Hill") in Klampenborg, Denmark; Wurstelprater in Vienna, Austria; and Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark are the three oldest operating amusement parks in the world. Lake Compounce, which opened in 1846, is considered the oldest continuously operating amusement park in North America.
History
Origins
The amusement park evolved from traditions in the European Middle Ages. An amusement park is a modern concept, designed to merge elements of a fair, carnival, and theme park. An early example of an amusement park is the Bartholomew Fair. By the 18th and 19th centuries, amusement parks had transformed into venues of entertainment for the masses, where the public could witness freak shows, acrobatics, conjuring, and juggling, participate in competitions, and stroll through menageries.
A wave of innovation in the 1860s and 1870s gave rise to mechanical rides, such as the steam-powered carousel built by Thomas Bradshaw at the Aylsham Fair, along with its derivatives, particularly from Frederick Savage of King's Lynn, Norfolk, whose fairground machinery was exported worldwide. His "galloping horses" innovation can still be seen in carousels today. This marked the beginning of the modern funfair ride era, as the working classes increasingly spent their surplus wages on entertainment.
The second influence was the pleasure garden. Bakken, known as "The Hill," is the world's oldest amusement park, having opened in mainland Europe in 1583. It is situated north of Copenhagen in Klampenborg, Denmark.
Another example of an early garden is Vauxhall Gardens, founded in 1661 in London. By the late 18th century, the site charged an admission fee for its many attractions. It regularly attracted enormous crowds, with its paths often noted for romantic assignations; tightrope walkers, hot air balloon ascents, concerts, and fireworks providing amusement. Although the gardens were originally designed for the elite, they soon became places of great social diversity. Public firework displays were held at Marylebone Gardens, and Cremorne Gardens offered music, dancing, and animal acrobatics displays.
Prater, located in Vienna, Austria, began as a royal hunting ground and was opened to the public in 1766 for enjoyment. This development led to the establishment of coffee houses and cafés, which marked the beginnings of the Wurstelprater as an amusement park.
The concept of a fixed park for amusement was further developed with the beginning of the world's fairs. The first World fair began in 1851 with the construction of the landmark Crystal Palace in London, England. The purpose of the exposition was to celebrate the industrial achievement of the nations of the world and it was designed to educate and entertain the visitors.
In the United States, cities and businesses viewed the world's fair as a means of showcasing economic and industrial success. The World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 in Chicago, Illinois, served as an early precursor to the modern amusement park. The fair featured an enclosed site that combined entertainment, engineering, and education to engage the masses. It aimed to mesmerize the visitors, achieving this with a dazzling display of lights from the "White City." To ensure the fair's financial success, the planners included a dedicated amusement concessions area called the Midway Plaisance. Attractions from this fair captured the imagination of visitors and influenced amusement parks worldwide, including the first steel Ferris wheel, which appeared in places like the Prater by 1896. Furthermore, the concept of an enclosed ideal city filled with wonder, rides, culture, and progress (electricity) was based on the creation of an illusory space.
The "midway" introduced at the Columbian Exposition became a standard feature of most amusement parks, fairs, carnivals, and circuses. The midway included not only rides but also various concessions and forms of entertainment such as shooting galleries, penny arcades, games of chance, and shows.
Trolley park
Many modern amusement parks evolved from earlier pleasure resorts that became popular with the public for day trips or weekend holidays, such as seaside areas like Blackpool in the United Kingdom and Coney Island in the United States. In the United States, some amusement parks developed from picnic groves established along rivers and lakes, which offered bathing and water sports. For instance, Lake Compounce in Connecticut was first established as a picturesque picnic park in 1846, and Riverside Park in Massachusetts was founded in the 1870s along the Connecticut River.
The key was attracting the public to seaside or resort locations. For Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York, situated on the Atlantic Ocean, a horse-drawn streetcar line began transporting pleasure seekers to the beach in 1829. By 1875, a million passengers used the Coney Island Railroad, and in 1876, two million visited Coney Island. Hotels and amusements were constructed to cater to both the upper classes and the working class at the beach. The first carousel was installed in the 1870s, followed by the first roller coaster, the "Switchback Railway, " in 1884.
In England, Blackpool became a popular beachside destination in the 1700s. It rose to prominence as a seaside resort with the completion of a branch line to Blackpool from Poulton on the main Preston and Wyre Joint Railway line in 1846. A sudden influx of visitors arriving by rail motivated entrepreneurs to build accommodations and create new attractions, leading to more visitors and a rapid cycle of growth throughout the 1850s and 1860s.
The photochrom at the Promenade in Blackpool, United Kingdom, c. 1898
In 1879, large sections of the promenade at Blackpool were wired for lighting. This illumination and its accompanying pageants reinforced Blackpool's status as the most prominent holiday resort in the North of England, along with its distinctly working-class character. It was the precursor to the modern-day Blackpool Illuminations. By the 1890s, the town had a population of 35,000 and could accommodate 250,000 holidaymakers. The estimated number of annual visitors, many of whom stayed for a week, reached three million.
In the final decade of the 19th century, electric trolley lines were developed in many large American cities. Companies that established the trolley lines also created trolley parks as destinations for these lines. Trolley parks, such as Atlanta's Ponce de Leon Park and Reading's Carsonia Park, were initially popular natural leisure spots before local streetcar companies purchased the sites and expanded them from picnic groves to include regular entertainment, mechanical amusements, dance halls, sports fields, boat rides, restaurants, and other resort facilities.
Some of these parks were developed in resort locations, such as bathing resorts along the seaside in New Jersey and New York. A prime example in New Jersey is Atlantic City, a renowned vacation destination. Entrepreneurs built amusement parks on piers that extended from the boardwalk out over the ocean. The first of several was the Ocean Pier in 1891, followed later by the Steel Pier in 1898, both of which featured rides and attractions typical of the era, including Midway-style games and electric trolley rides. The boardwalk also had the first Roundabout installed in 1892 by William Somers, a wooden predecessor to the Ferris Wheel. Somers later installed two additional Roundabouts in Asbury Park, New Jersey, and Coney Island, New York.
Another notable early park was the Eldorado Amusement Park, which opened in 1891 on the banks of the Hudson River, overlooking New York City. It spanned 25 acres.
Playland (also known as Playland at the Beach and Whitney's Playland beginning in 1928) was a 10-acre seaside amusement park located next to Ocean Beach, at the western edge of San Francisco, California, along the Great Highway where Cabrillo and Balboa streets are now. It began as a collection of amusement rides and concessions in the late 1800s, and was known as Chutes At The Beach as early as 1913. It closed Labor Day weekend in 1972.
Modern amusement parks
Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark, opened in 1843. Tivoli is always evolving, as Georg Carstensen remarked in 1844: "Tivoli will never, so to speak, be finished." This sentiment was echoed just over a century later when Walt Disney said of his own Tivoli-inspired theme park, "Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world. " The first permanent enclosed entertainment area, regulated by a single company, was established in Coney Island in 1895: Sea Lion Park at Coney Island in Brooklyn. This park was one of the first to charge an admission fee to enter and also sold tickets for rides within the park.
In 1897, Sea Lion Park was joined by Steeplechase Park, the first of three major amusement parks that opened in the Coney Island area. Designed by George Tilyou, the park aimed to provide thrills and entertainment. The combination of the nearby population center of New York City and the area's ease of access made Coney Island the embodiment of the American amusement park. Coney Island also featured Luna Park (1903) and Dreamland (1904). It was a huge success, and by 1910, attendance on peak days could reach a million people. Fueled by the efforts of Frederick Ingersoll, who borrowed the name, other "Luna Parks" were quickly erected worldwide and received rave reviews.
The first amusement park in England, Blackpool Pleasure Beach, opened in 1896 and was developed by W. G. Bean. In 1904, Sir Hiram Maxim's Captive Flying Machine was introduced; he had designed an early aircraft powered by steam engines that had been unsuccessful. Instead, he opened a pleasure ride consisting of flying carriages that revolved around a central pylon. Other rides included the 'Grotto' (a fantasy ride), 'River Caves' (a scenic railway), water chutes, and a tobogganing tower.
Fire was a constant danger during that time, as much of the construction in the amusement parks of the era was wooden. In 1911, Dreamland became the first Coney Island amusement park to completely burn down, and in 1944, Luna Park also went up in flames. Most of Ingersoll's Luna Parks were similarly destroyed, often through arson, prior to his death in 1927.
20th century
The shoot-the-chute ride at Dreamland, Coney Island, circa 1905. During the Gilded Age, many Americans began working fewer hours and had more disposable income. With newfound money and time to spend on leisure activities, Americans sought new venues for entertainment. Amusement parks, established outside major cities and in rural areas, emerged to seize this economic opportunity. These parks served as a source of fantasy and escape from reality. By the early 1900s, hundreds of amusement parks were operating in the United States and Canada. Trolley parks dotted the outskirts of many cities. Parks like Atlanta's Ponce de Leon and Idora Park near Youngstown, OH, transported passengers to traditionally popular picnic grounds, which by the late 1890s also often included rides like the Giant Swing, Carousel, and Shoot-the-Chutes. These amusement parks were frequently modeled after nationally known parks or world's fairs, bearing names like Coney Island, White City, Luna Park, or Dreamland. The American Gilded Age was, indeed, the Golden Age of amusement parks, which reigned until the late 1920s.
The Golden Age of amusement parks also included the advent of the kiddie park. Founded in 1925, the original Kiddie Park is located in San Antonio, Texas, and is still in operation as of 2022. The kiddie parks became popular all over America after World War II.
This era witnessed the emergence of new innovations in roller coasters featuring extreme drops and speeds designed to thrill riders. By the end of World War I, the public craved even more exhilarating entertainment, a demand satisfied by roller coasters. Although the advent of the automobile offered people additional options for entertainment, amusement parks post-war continued to thrive, while urban amusement parks experienced declining attendance. The 1920s is aptly referred to as the Golden Age of roller coasters, marking a decade characterized by a surge in the construction of these rides.
In England, Dreamland Margate opened in 1880, featuring Frederick Savage's carousel as the first amusement ride installed. In 1920, the Scenic Railway rollercoaster debuted to great success, attracting half a million passengers in its first year. The park also included other rides common to the era, such as a smaller roller coaster, the Joy Wheel, Miniature Railway, The Whip, and the River Caves. A ballroom was built on the site of the Skating Rink in 1920, and in 1923, a Variety Cinema was constructed there. Between 1920 and 1935, over £500,000 was invested in the site, continually adding new rides and facilities, culminating in the Dreamland Cinema complex's construction in 1934, which stands to this day.
Until 2011, the Blackpool Pleasure Beach ranked among the top free attractions in Britain. The park has been continuously developed, requiring frequent large-scale investments. Numerous new rides have been constructed, including the Virginia Reel, Whip, Noah's Ark, Big Dipper, and Dodgems. In the 1920s, the Casino Building was constructed and still stands today. In 1923, land was reclaimed from the sea front, marking the period when the park relocated to its current 44-acre (18 ha) site, above what became Watson Road, built under the Pleasure Beach in 1932. During this time, architect Joseph Emberton, known for his work in the amusement industry, was brought in to redesign the architectural style of the Pleasure Beach rides, working on the Grand National roller coaster, Noah's Ark, and the Casino Building, among others.
The Great Depression of the 1930s and World War II in the 1940s led to a decline in the amusement park industry. The war prompted the affluent urban population to relocate to the suburbs, television emerged as a new source of entertainment, and families visited amusement parks less frequently.
By the 1950s, factors such as urban decay, crime, and even desegregation in the ghettos led to changing patterns in how people chose to spend their free time. Many of the older, traditional amusement parks closed or burned to the ground. Many were demolished by the wrecking ball to make way for suburb and housing development. In 1964, Steeplechase Park, once the king of all amusement parks, closed down for good. The traditional amusement parks that survived, such as Kennywood in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, and Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, did so against the odds.
Inspired by the layout of Tivoli Gardens theme park in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1951, Walt Disney conceived the idea of an amusement park next to the studios in Burbank. The park was to be called Mickey Mouse Park, situated across the street, featuring a western area with a steam-driven paddleboat, a turn-of-the-century town, and a midway. However, it was rejected by the Burbank city council due to concerns about a carnival atmosphere. In 1952, he established WED Enterprises to design the park, which was now planned to be built in Anaheim. By 1953, he managed to convince bankers to fund the park, aided by studio artist Herb Ryman, who created an aerial drawing of Disneyland. By July 1954, construction had begun with a one-year deadline. Disneyland opened on July 17, 1955, and just two months later, it welcomed its one millionth guest. The financial success of Disneyland revitalized the amusement industry. Busch Gardens Tampa, which opened as a garden and bird sanctuary in 1959, was among those inspired by Disney. Six Flags Over Texas debuted in 1961, themed around the six countries that once ruled over Texas. In 1964, Universal Studios Hollywood opened to the public, featuring a studio tour of their backlot with multiple adventure scenes, transitioning into a proper theme park. That same year, SeaWorld San Diego opened, showcasing a variety of aquatic and marine life.
Originally intended to host Walt Disney's visionary concept, EPCOT (Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow), Disney executives opted to focus on constructing the park at Walt Disney World prior to developing the city. After six years of development, Walt Disney World opened its gates to the public on October 1, 1971. Designed as a larger East Coast version of Disneyland, it featured most attractions from Disneyland (excluding Liberty Square and the Hall of Presidents), making it the most ambitious project ever undertaken by Walt Disney Productions, and thriving notably during the holiday crowds of Thanksgiving. In 1982, Walt Disney Productions launched the second park at Walt Disney World, EPCOT Center, inspired by Walt Disney's futuristic ideals and World's Fairs. Similar to a World's Fair, the park showcased the latest technologies in an area called Future World, alongside cultural pavilions in World Showcase.
In 1987, Disney announced its plans to open its third Disney World park, Disney-MGM Studios, in 1989, featuring a working backlot. However, Universal realized that its Californian backlot tour could not operate as a standalone attraction adjacent to Disney World (especially now that Disney was building one in Disney-MGM). To adapt, it broke down segments of its California tour into individual attractions, including Jaws, Disaster!, and Kongfrontation. Disney-MGM Studios opened on May 1, 1989, with two major attractions: The Backlot Tour and The Great Movie Ride. The original concept for the park began as an EPCOT pavilion but evolved into a park designed as a "half day" attraction, complementing the rest of the resort. The remainder of the park was themed around 1930s Hollywood and showcased lost elements of Hollywood, such as the Brown Derby. Universal Studios Florida was launched on June 7, 1990 (one year later than planned), to great fanfare; however, its primary attractions faced severe technical difficulties. All three major attractions (Jaws, Disaster!, and Kongfrontation) were nonoperational and suffered significant technical issues. Disaster! and Kongfrontation were repaired by the end of June, but Jaws required a complete rebuild and reopened three years later. Nonetheless, Universal learned from its opening day experience and began conducting exit surveys and offering special ticket deals.
In 1992, Disney opened its first European park, Euro Disneyland, outside Paris, France, designed to resemble the Magic Kingdom in Florida. It catered to European tastes through changes, including the removal of Tomorrowland and its replacement with Discoveryland, themed around great futuristic thinkers of European culture such as H. G. Wells and Jules Verne. A recession in the French economy and significant public backlash against the park led to financial difficulties, putting it in debt. However, this did not deter Disney from expanding Disney-MGM Studios with The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror in 1994 and building their fourth Walt Disney World park, Disney's Animal Kingdom.
21st century
In the early 1990s, following the opening of Universal Studios Florida, Universal sought to create a second theme park aimed more at children and their families. Universal acquired the theme park rights to various properties, including Marvel and Dr. Seuss, to build the park around. In 1999, Universal Studios opened Universal Studios Islands of Adventure under the new resort name of Universal Studios Escape. The park was reportedly designed by former Disney Imagineers who had left after the financial difficulties of Disneyland Paris. In the late 1980s, the Oriental Land Company, the owners and operators of Tokyo Disneyland Resort which opened in 1983, sought a second park. None of the existing non-Magic Kingdom parks satisfied the Japanese audiences, but one discarded concept for Disneyland's second gate inspired a new project: DisneySea. Tokyo DisneySea is themed around stories based on the ocean and nautical adventures. It was constructed at a cost of ¥335 billion and opened on September 4, 2001. The park's two signature attractions are a modernized version of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Journey to the Center of the Earth.
In the early 1990s, Michael Eisner sought to model Disneyland after the resort style of Walt Disney World. Plans were made for multiple hotels, including one inspired by the Grand Floridian Hotel, and a new west coast version of EPCOT, termed WESTCOT. However, WESTCOT never materialized due to local resistance from residents, escalating costs, and the financial fallout from Disneyland Paris. Following a corporate retreat in Colorado, Disney executives opted to create a park themed around California, allowing guests to experience the essence of California within the confines of the Disneyland Resort. This park would be constructed across from Disneyland on its 100-acre parking lot. Disney's California Adventure became the largest disappointment Disney ever produced, as it was set in modern times and parodied contemporary California with its cheap, superficial, and flat backdrops. The park aimed at adults, offering gourmet food and serving alcohol. Upon its opening on February 8, 2001, it met a tepid reception due to its lack of attractions, unsatisfactory environment (for instance, Hollywood Studios Backlot was themed to resemble a modern-day movie backlot of Hollywood), and excessive focus on shopping and dining. When John Hench, an original Imagineer who had collaborated with Walt and served as a chief creative executive since Imagineering's inception, was asked for his thoughts on the park, he reportedly remarked, "I preferred the parking lot."
Walt Disney Studios Park in Paris was the second Disneyland Paris park. Disney had to develop a second park or risk losing the land to the French government. The park opened on March 16, 2002, with only three rides and a California Adventure style theme. However, Hong Kong Disneyland was of higher quality than the other black sheep but still lacked the number of attractions needed, similar to California Adventure and Walt Disney Studios Park. It opened on September 12, 2005, with only four lands and faced exorbitant wait times on opening day for everything from rides to food.
In the early 2000s, the Harry Potter book series written by J.K. Rowling became a pop culture phenomenon. Universal and Disney entered a bidding war for the theme park rights to the books, with Disney appearing to triumph after Rowling signed a letter of intent with them. However, Rowling was disappointed by Disney's small-scale plans for an omnimover attraction themed to the Defense Against the Dark Arts class, which included just one shop and one restaurant in the former submarine lagoon at Magic Kingdom. Additionally, she was unhappy with the lack of creative control and ultimately exited the deal. Next, she approached Universal but was initially dissatisfied with their proposal to transform the Islands of Adventure's Lost Continent area. To address this, J.K. Rowling secured creative control from Universal, compelling them to create a full-scale, realistic re-creation of Hogsmeade and Hogwarts rather than refurbishing an existing area. The project was announced in 2007, and in 2010, the land opened to the public, becoming part of Universal Orlando.
Today, there are over 475 amusement parks in the United States, ranging from mega-parks to those operated by Warner Bros., Disney, Six Flags and NBCUniversal.
The amusement park industry's offerings range from immersive theme parks such as Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, the Disneyland Resort and Universal Orlando Resort to thrilling coaster parks such as the Six Flags parks and Cedar Fair parks. Countless smaller ventures exist across the United States and around the world. Simpler theme parks directly aimed at smaller children have also emerged, such as Legoland.
Examples of amusement parks in shopping malls exist in the West Edmonton Mall, Pier 39, and the Mall of America.
Family fun parks starting as miniature golf courses have begun to grow to include batting cages, go-karts, bumper cars, bumper boats and water slides. Some of these parks have grown to include even roller coasters, and traditional amusement parks now also have these competition areas in addition to their thrill rides.
In 2015, theme parks in the United States had a revenue of US$8 billion, and theme parks in China had a revenue of US$4.6 billion, with China expected to overtake the United States by 2020.
Other types of amusement parks
Educational theme parks
Some parks use rides and attractions for educational purposes. Additionally, Holy Land USA and the Holy Land Experience are theme parks designed to inspire Christian piety. Dinosaur World entertains families with dinosaurs in natural settings, while SeaWorld and Busch Gardens also provide educational experiences. Each of these parks houses thousands of animals, fish, and other sea life in numerous attractions and exhibits focusing on animal education.
Established in 1977, Puy du Fou is a renowned theme park located in Vendée, France. It focuses on European, French, and local history and has received numerous international awards.
Family-owned theme parks
Some theme parks evolved from traditional amusement park enterprises, such as Knott's Berry Farm. In the 1920s, Walter Knott and his family sold berries from a roadside stand, which grew to include a restaurant serving fried chicken dinners. Within a few years, the lines outside the restaurant often became several hours long. To entertain the waiting crowds, Walter Knott built a Ghost Town in 1940, using buildings relocated from authentic old west towns such as the Calico ghost town in California and Prescott in Arizona. In 1968, the Knott family fenced the farm, charged admission for the first time, and Knott's Berry Farm officially became a theme park. Because of its long history, Knott's Berry Farm currently claims to be "America's First Theme Park." It is now owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company. Lake Compounce in Bristol, Connecticut, may be the oldest continuously operating amusement park in the United States, having opened in 1846. Santa Claus Town, which opened in Santa Claus, Indiana, in 1935 and included Santa's Candy Castle along with other Santa Claus-themed attractions, is considered the first themed attraction in the United States- a precursor to the modern theme park. Santa Claus Land, renamed Holiday World in 1984, opened in 1946 in Santa Claus, Indiana, and many people argue that it was the first true theme park despite Knott's history. In the 1950s, the Herschend family took over operation of the tourist attraction Marvel Cave near Branson, Missouri. Over the next decade, they modernized the cave, which attracted large numbers of visitors waiting to take the tour. The Herschend family opened a recreation of the old mining town that once existed atop Marvel Cave, which eventually became the theme park Silver Dollar City. The park is still owned and operated by the Herschends, who also have several other parks, including Dollywood, Kentucky Kingdom, and Wild Adventures.
Regional parks
The first regional amusement park, as well as the inaugural Six Flags park, Six Flags Over Texas, officially opened in 1961 in Arlington, Texas. This amusement park was the vision of Angus Wynne Jr. and played a significant role in shaping the modern, competitive amusement park industry. In the late 1950s, Wynne visited Disneyland and was inspired to create an affordable, accessible, and larger amusement park filled with fantasy. Following Disney's lead, he incorporated subdivisions within the park that reflected various themed lands. These subdivisions included the Old South and other areas that echoed Wynne's background. By 1968, the second Six Flags park, Six Flags Over Georgia, opened, and in 1971, Six Flags Over Mid-America (now known as Six Flags St. Louis) was established near St. Louis, Missouri. That same year, the Walt Disney World resort complex was opened in Florida. In 1991, Warner Bros. partnered with Village Roadshow to open their own Warner Bros. Movie World, the only movie-themed park in Australia. Warner Bros. continued their theme park ventures by opening Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi in the UAE and Parque Warner Madrid in Spain.
Admission prices and admission policies
'Steel Force' and 'Thunderhawk' are two roller coasters at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom in Allentown, Pennsylvania. At 5,600 feet (1,700 m) long, Steel Force ranks as the eighth-longest steel roller coaster in the world, featuring a first drop of 205 feet (62 m) and a top speed of 75 miles per hour (121 km/h).
Amusement parks generate a significant portion of their revenue from the admission fees paid by guests. Additional revenue streams include parking fees, food and beverage sales, and souvenir purchases.
Practically all amusement parks operate using one of these two admission principles:
Pay-as-you-go
In amusement parks ,using the pay-as-you-go scheme, guests can enter the park at little or no charge. They are then required to purchase rides individually, either at the attraction's entrance or by buying ride tickets (or a similar exchange method, like tokens). The cost of each attraction is often based on its complexity or popularity. For example, one guest might pay one ticket to ride a carousel, but four tickets to ride a roller coaster.
The park may allow guests to purchase a pass that provides unlimited admissions to all attractions for a specified duration. A wristband or pass is then shown at the entrance of the attraction for admission.
Disneyland opened in 1955, adopting a pay-as-you-go format. Initially, guests paid ride admission fees at the attractions. However, the challenges of managing large amounts of coins quickly led to the development of a ticket system that, while now obsolete, remains part of amusement park terminology. In this new system, guests purchased ticket books containing tickets labeled "A, " "B," and "C." Rides requiring an "A-ticket" were typically simple, while "B-tickets" and "C-tickets" were for larger, more popular attractions. Eventually, the "D-ticket" was introduced, followed by the "E-ticket, " which was reserved for the biggest and most elaborate rides, such as Space Mountain. Smaller tickets could be upgraded for use on larger rides; for example, two or three A-tickets equated to a single B-ticket. Disneyland, along with the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, ultimately discontinued this practice in 1982.
Pay-one-price
An amusement park using the pay-one-price scheme charges guests a single admission fee. Guests are subsequently given access to most of the attractions, usually including flagship roller coasters, in the park as often as they wish during their visit. A daily admission pass, also called a day pass, is the most basic fare on offer, with alternatives including season tickets which offer holders admission for the entire operating year[53] (plus special privileges for the newest attractions), and express passes which gives holders priority in bypassing lineup queues for the more popular attractions.
Parks that utilize a pay-one-price admission format often feature attractions not included in the admission fee; these are known as "up-charge attractions" and may consist of Skycoasters, go-kart tracks, or skill games where prizes can be won. All Warner Bros. Theme Parks, including Warner Bros. Movie World, Warner Bros. World, and Parque Warner Madrid, adhere to this scheme.
When Angus Wynne, founder of Six Flags Over Texas, first visited Disneyland upon its opening in 1955, he noted the park's pay-as-you-go format as a reason to make his park pay-one-price. He thought that families would be more likely to visit his park if they knew in advance how much it would cost to attend.
Rides and attractions
Mechanized thrill rides are a defining feature of amusement park attractions. Early rides include the carousel, which originally developed from cavalry training methods first used in the Middle Ages. By the 19th century, carousels were common in parks around the world. Another ride that shaped the future of amusement parks was the roller coaster. The origins of roller coasters can be traced back to 17th-century Russia, where gravity-driven attractions, initially consisting of individual sleds or carts riding freely down chutes on specially constructed snow slopes with piles of sand at the bottom for braking, were used as winter leisure activities. These crude and temporary curiosities, known as Russian Mountains, marked the beginning of the quest for even more thrilling amusement park rides. The Columbian Exposition of 1893 served as a particularly fertile testing ground for amusement rides and included some that the public had never seen before, such as the world's first Ferris wheel, one of the most recognized products of the fair. In the present day, many rides of various types are centered around specific themes.
Parks contain a mixture of attractions that can be divided into several categories.
Rameses revenge at Chessington World of Adventures in Greater London is a Huss Top Spin ride and the first of its kind to incorporate a water element.
Flat rides
Flat rides are typically regarded as those that transport their passengers in a plane generally parallel to the ground.
There is a core set of flat rides that most amusement parks have, including the Enterprise, Tilt-A-Whirl, Gravitron, chairswing, swinging inverter ship, twister, and top spin. However, there is constant innovation, with new variations of ways to spin and throw passengers appearing in an effort to continue attracting customers. Manufacturers such as Huss and Zamperla specialize in creating flat rides, among other amusement attractions.
Roller coasters
The Junker roller coaster at PowerPark amusement park in Kauhava, Finland, features multiple roller coasters, typically constructed of timber or steel. Essentially, a roller coaster ride involves a specialized railroad system with steep drops and sharp curves, where passengers sit securely in cars, often linked together to form a train. Some roller coasters include inversions, such as vertical loops, that turn riders upside down. Over the years, many manufacturers have produced a variety of roller coaster types.
Railways
Amusement park railways have a long and varied history in American amusement parks and abroad. Some of the earliest park trains were not actually trains; they were trolleys that brought park patrons from the cities to the parks, which were located at the end of regular rail lines. Established parks like Kennywood in Pennsylvania were known as trolley parks. The earliest park trains, which operated solely within the park's boundaries, such as the ridable miniature Zephyr Railroad at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom, were mostly custom-built. A few park trains, including the Disneyland Railroad, Walt Disney World Railroad, and Dollywood Express, run on locomotives that had service careers on common carrier railways. Amusement park railways tend to be narrow-gauge, meaning the distance between their rails is less than the 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge railroads. Common narrow gauges found on amusement park railroads include 3 ft (914 mm) gauge, 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge, 2 ft (610 mm) gauge, and 15 in (381 mm) gauge.
Water rides
Amusement parks with water resources typically offer a variety of water rides, including the log flume, bumper boats, rapids, and rowing boats. These rides tend to be gentler and shorter than roller coasters, making many of them suitable for all ages. Water rides are particularly popular on hot days.
Dark rides
Dark rides, which overlap with both train rides and water rides, are enclosed attractions where patrons travel in guided vehicles along a predetermined path, passing through various illuminated scenes that may include lighting effects, animation, music, recorded dialogue, and other special effects.
Haunted houses
A haunted house is an attraction designed to scare its guests for thrills. It typically overlaps with dark rides. Most open during the Halloween season, but some operate year-round. Most feature actors, lighting, darkness, fog, and animatronics.
Ferris wheels
Ferris wheels are the most prevalent type of amusement ride at state and county fairs in the US.
Transport rides
Transport rides serve to move large numbers of guests from one area to another, providing an alternative to walking, particularly in parks that are extensive or divided into remote sections. Types of transport rides include chairlifts, monorails, aerial trams, and escalators. Ocean Park Hong Kong is renowned for its 1.5-kilometre (0.9 mi) cable car that links the Lowland and Headland areas of the park, and for housing the world's second longest outdoor escalator in the Headland. Both transportation systems offer scenic views of the park's hilly surroundings and, although initially designed for practicality rather than excitement or pleasure, have evolved into notable attractions in their own right.
Food
At amusement parks, food stands serve a variety of food and beverages. They offer snack items like cotton candy, ice cream, fried dough, funnel cakes, candy apples or caramel apples, and french fries. Meal options may include pizza, hamburgers, hot dogs, and chicken. Beverages may consist of soda, coffee, tea, and lemonade. Junk food items such as deep-fried candy bars, deep-fried Twinkies, Dippin' Dots ice cream, blooming onions, and "deep-fried butter on a stick" are among the delicacies found at food stands. Local and regional specialties, alongside ethnic foods, are often available, including empanadas and tacos.
External links
- More information is available at [ Wikipedia:Amusement_parks ]
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