Top 10 must-visit parks that aren’t Disney or Universal
Most “Top 10” lists of U.S. theme parks are filled with Disney and Universal parks in California and Florida, but new research reveals the 10 must-visit parks beyond the two big brands.
The study by social casino site Hello Millions analyzed over 500 parks across America (eliminating any Disney- or Universal-owned parks). They then calculated a total score out of 100 based on Google, TripAdvisor, and Yelp ratings, the percentage of 5-star reviews on each of the three platforms, and TikTok posts with relevant hashtags.
“These findings highlight some of the many amusement and water parks across America that are often in the shadow of Disney or Universal parks,” said Joerg Nottebaum from Hello Millions. “The parks listed in this study offer different themes and atmospheres that can provide a unique experience compared to Disney or Universal.”
10 Must-Visit Parks in the U.S.
#10 SeaWorld San Diego
Coming in tenth place with an index score of 58.83, SeaWorld’s original park in San Diego, Calif., is home to Emperor (the tallest, fastest, and longest dive coaster in California) and Arctic Rescue (the fastest and longest straddle coaster on the West Coast).
Photo courtesy of SeaWorld San Diego
#9 Dollywood’s Splash Country
With an index score of 60.63, Splash Country at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., features 16 slides and attractions, including Bear Mountain Fire Tower, Fire Tower Falls, Big Bear Plunge, and Mountain Scream.
Photo courtesy of Dollywood
#8 Aquatica San Antonio
Coming in at #8 with an index score of 61.12, Aquatica in San Antonio, Tex. recently opened the all-new multi-level interactive water play structure Tikitapu Splash.
Photo courtesy of SeaWorld San Antonio
#7 Hersheypark
The largest theme park in America, located outside of California, Florida, or Ohio, Hersheypark in Hershey, Penn., takes seventh place with an index score of 61.26. The park also has a 4-star rating on TripAdvisor and a 4.5-star rating on Google.
Photo courtesy of Hersheypark
#6 Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay lands in sixth place with an index score of 62.74. The 335-acre park offers animal exhibits, live shows, and thrill rides, including the new Phoenix Rising, which reaches speeds up to 44 mph. Overall, the park has a 4.5-star rating on Google, with over 70% of the reviews rating it five stars.
Photo courtesy of Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
#5 Knott’s Berry Farm
The former boysenberry farm in Buena Park, Calif., ranks fifth with an index score of 64.71 out of 100. Though smaller than most theme parks, Knott’s boasts 43 attractions, including the Xcelerator, which reaches 82mph in 2.3 seconds and a height of 205 feet. The park also hosts an annual Boysenberry Festival that honors the park’s agricultural beginnings, featuring boysenberry-themed foods and activities. Knott’s Berry Farm has a TripAdvisor rating of 4 stars and receives 1,603 TikTok posts per every 100,000 visitors.
Photo courtesy of Knott’s Berry Farm
#4 Water Country USA
Even though Water Country USA in Williamsburg, Va. only operates between May and September, it is still in fourth place of the ten must-visit parks across America with an impressive index score of 66.03 out of 100. Water Country USA has a 4.5-star review on TripAdvisor and a 3.8-star review on Yelp, with most reviews rating the park five stars (likely thanks to the recent addition of Nitro Racer: Supercharged, a six-lane, 320-foot bodysurfing slide).
Photo courtesy of Water Country USA
#3 Kings Island
Narrowly missing the second spot with an index score of 68.41, Kings Island in Mason, Ohio, is known for its giga coaster, Orion, which has a 300-foot drop and gave 1.5 million rides in 2023, making it the park’s most used attraction. Kings Island received a 4.6-star rating on Google from park-goers, and more than half of its reviews on TripAdvisor are rated five stars.
Photo courtesy of Kings Island
#2 SeaWorld Orlando
Earning SeaWorld a second (and second-place) spot on the list of ten must-visit parks in the U.S., SeaWorld Orlando scored 69.19, with 70% of all Google reviews rated 5-star or excellent, which gives the park an overall 4.4-star Google rating. SeaWorld is also one of the most posted amusement parks on TikTok, with there are 4,625 TikTok posts with SeaWorld Orlando content per every 100,000 visitors. SeaWorld Orlando just opened the Penguin Trek family launch coaster.
Photo by Matt Roseboom
#1 Cedar Point
Known as “The Roller Coaster Capital of the World,” Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, ranks number one with an index score of 83.01 out of 100. Based on park-goer reviews, Cedar Point has a 4.5-star rating on TripAdvisor and a 4.6-star rating on Google, so it’s no surprise it earned the top spot of the ten must-visit parks in America.
Photo courtesy of Cedar Point
“The rankings are missing mention of Six Flags, though as of July 2024, Six Flags did merge with Cedar Fair and now owns three of the parks listed in the ranking: Cedar Point, Kings Island and Knott’s Berry Farm,” Nottebaum notes. “According to the findings, some Six Flags locations have ratings as low as 3-stars on TripAdvisor, so it will be interesting to see if this new merger affects Cedar Point’s ranking in the future.”
Methodology
TripAdvisor was used to compile a list of over 500 parks and attractions across America. Parks that rated four stars or higher were analyzed.
A weighting was then assigned to seven factors, reflecting the importance of each one within the analysis. The factors, their source, and their percentage weightings are as follows:
- Google rating
- Percentage of 5-star Google reviews
- TripAdvisor rating
- Percentage of 5-star TripAdvisor ‘excellent’ rating
- TikTok posts with relevant hashtags
- Yelp rating
- Percentage of 5-star Yelp reviews
Once the weightings were assigned, the total score for the factors was calculated, producing an overall index score out of 100 for each entry, upon which the final ranking of the ten must-visit parks in the U.S. is based. The findings filtered out any Disney or Universal parks.
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