SeaWorld Orlando got more votes than any of the Disney Parks, and more votes than any of the Universal parks. In a USA Today 10 Best Poll, Sea World in Orlando beat out all the rest to claim the Best Amusement Park in the United States. According to USA Today, what set SeaWorld ahead of all the competitors was “Most famous as a marine zoological park, SeaWorld Orlando has made a name for itself in the world of high-octane thrill rides as well, including Manta – one of the only coasters of its kind in the world – and Mako, a hyper coaster with deep dives, high speeds and thrills aplenty. Young visitors can now walk down Sesame Street and interact with their favorite furry friends.”
Their polling methodology was for the editors to create a list of great amusement parks and then let their readers choose their favorite. It was no surprise to see 3 Florida parks on the list, but one suspicious omission. Universal Orlando did not make the top 10. And in other amusement park news, SeaWorld may look to further dominate the top 10. SeaWorld already owns the Busch Gardens parks on this list and just last week (2/1/2022) SeaWorld made an offer to buy Cedar Fair who own such parks as King’s Island near Cincinnati, and Cedar Point in Sandusky. Both of those parks also made this list of Top 10.
Here’s the 10 that made it. I’ve been to 6 of these on the list. How many for you?
10. Knott's Berry Farm - Buena Park, Calif.
Montezuma’s Revenge
9. Disney's Magic Kingdom - Orlando
Disney World entrance
8. Hersheypark - Hershey, Penn.
The Lightning Racer
7. Cedar Point - Sandusky, Ohio
Millennium Force, Steel Vengeance and Maverick coasters
6. Busch Gardens Tampa - Tampa
Cheetah Hunt
5. Dollywood - Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
Dollywood
4. Busch Gardens Williamsburg - Williamsburg
Tudor Village
3. Kings Island - Mason, Ohio
Diamondback
2. Silver Dollar City - Branson, Mo.
Silver Dollar City
1. SeaWorld Orlando - Orlando
Manta Ray Rollercoaster
