My Top 10 Favorite Amusement/Theme Parks as of 2026

Amusement/Theme parks are phenomenal. They allow you to feel free and honestly like a kid again if you are an adult. There are many aspects to these parks everything from food to theming and to the rides themselves. I have been blessed to go to more than 25 theme parks and have ridden over 200 roller coasters. Today, I will be talking about my favorite parks I have been to as of 2026.

July 26, 2026

By: Darius Malbon

Honorable Mentions: Busch Gardens – Tampa, Busch Gardens – Williamsburg, Six Flags Great America, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Knott’s Berry Farm, King’s Island, Six Flags Great Adventure, and Carowinds.

10. Six Flags Fiesta Texas – San Antonio, Texas

To start the list, we have a strong park that opened in 1992. It was built into a former limestone quarry, which is what the park is famous for utilizing towering 199-foot quarry walls to create dramatic coaster drops and natural back drops for spectacular nighttime projections and firework shows. For a Six Flags park, I can see one arguing that this has the best theming out of the Six Flags chain. They also have world class roller coasters such as Iron Rattler and Wonder Woman Golden Lasso which both are in my current top 20 roller coaster list.

9. Silver Dollar City – Branson, Missouri

Next on the list is one of the more surprising parks for me. I heard great things about the park but didn’t know what to expect. This 1880s-themed amusement park opened in 1960 and is built around Marvel Cave, a limestone cavern. It has everything from American craftsmanship, season festivals, and amazing food. You have to try the cinnamon bread (add the apples and peaches with icing if you can). The park also has record-breaking coasters such as Time Traveler and Outlaw Run with both being in my top 15 on my coaster list. In addition, the views here are amazing and the area as a whole is extremely beautiful.

8. Canada Wonderland – Ontario, Canada

Opened in 1981, this 330-acre amusement park is the largest theme park in Canada and features 18 roller coasters making it one of the top amusement parks globally for roller coaster count. This place has a soft spot for me because this was my first amusement park outside of the United States. The park itself is very busy but clean and has a nice esthetic. Wonder Mountain is a 150-foot-tall artificial centerpiece and is more than just a decoration. It acts as an energy-efficient cooling tower. They have seasonal events and legitimate coasters such as Leviathan and Yukon Striker. In addition, they have Alpen Fury (ranked #7 on my coaster list) which launches out of the park’s mountain and has amazing inversions.

7. Epcot – Orlando, Florida

Now, on to my favorite Disney Park: Epcot. This park opened in 1982 and today spans over 300 acres divided into four main neighborhoods: World Showcase, World Celebration, World Discovery, and World Nature. I will warn you, be ready to walk because this park is massive. Enjoy the different cultures and food at the World Showcase which currently has 11 permanent country pavilions. The shows and entertainment are great along with the fireworks at night over the water. This park has rides for everyone in the family whether young or seasoned or you like science or like thrill there is a ride for you. Test Track is one of my favorite rides out there. However, the highlight of the park for me is Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (ranked #32 on my coaster list).

6. Hershey Park – Hershey, Pennsylvania

Hershey Park is a 121-acre amusement park that was established in 1906. This is home to one of the best roller coaster collections in the country along with chocolate being the tasty theme across the park which is a nice touch. There is a waterpark, a zoo, and the Hershey Chocolate Factory which is a treat in itself. The park operates 15 major roller coasters including Candymonium, Storm Runner, and a monster of a roller coaster: Wildcat’s Revenge (ranked #12 on my coaster list).

5. Cedar Point – Sandusky, Ohio

Now, let’s go to Cedar Point which is nicknamed “America’s Roller Coast” and features 18 rollercoasters. This 364-acre amusement park was opened in 1870 along the shores of Lake Erie. The views of the water as you climb coasters and towers are amazing. You have the Lake Erie beach, hotel, restaurants, and theme park all in one location which is convenient. They have solid themed areas in the park such as The Boardwalk and Frontier Trail. This park is home to arguably the best rollercoaster collection in the world setting records for Hyper, Giga, and Strata coasters along with other records. In addition, Cedar Point is also home to my top 2 favorite coasters in the world: Maverick (ranked #2) and Steel Vengeance (ranked #1). Every theme park enthusiast needs to visit this park at some point!

4. Universal Japan – Osaka, Japan

Let’s go overseas to the first Universal Theme park to be built outside of the United States. This place is the first theme park I’ve been to that is on a different continent than the USA. Built in 2001, this record-breaking fun spot has its own personality. There are a few similarities to other Universal parks such as the Super Nintendo World at Epic Universe and the Harry Potter Land at Islands of Adventure; however, USJ built the first Super Nintendo World.  Other aspects of the park include the Last Jaws ride, a Backward-Moving Roller Coast: Hollywood Dream Backdrop, Space Fantasy (Enjoyable coaster with music), and The Flying Dinosaur (one of the best flying rollercoasters on the planet). The added Japanese culture and themes to the park makes this a surreal experience.

3. Epic Universe – Orlando, Florida

The newest park on this list, Epic Universe, was opened in 2025. It spans 750 acres making it the largest Universal theme park in the US along with having multiple lands: Celestial Park, Dark Universe, Super Nintendo World, Harry Potter Land, and Isle of Berk. What makes this park special is that each land has its own identity all the way from the type of rides to the type of themes and food that is served. This park has one of the best indoor rides out there along with a world class dueling rollercoaster: Stardust Racers (ranked #8 on my coaster list). This park has some growing pains because it’s new; however, once they add more rides to spread out capacity and wait times, this park could potentially be ranked higher for me.

2. Islands of Adventure – Orlando, Florida

On to my favorite theme park in Orlando. Islands of Adventure has a ton of nostalgia for me. I still remember going down there when I was 11 years old with my Dad. This park opened in 1999 and still packs a powerful punch. It does a great job with the different themes for each land and how it connects each land to books such as Marvel, Jurassic Park, and Dr. Seuss. I enjoy the variety of rides such as the Jurassic Park ride, Kong ride, and even the Dr. Doom Drop Fearfall tower. This park is home to some of the best rollercoasters in the world such as The Incredible Hulk, Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure (ranked #31 on my coaster list), and the world class Jurassic World VelociCoaster (ranked #6 on my coaster list). I do also want to pay respects to an old coaster that is no longer there: Dueling Dragons (One of my favorite coasters of all time). This park has everything you need and having Universal Studios next door just enhances the experience.

1. Dollywood – Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Now, let’s talk about my favorite them park in the world currently. I am not going to lie, I was not expecting to enjoy this park as much as I did; however, there are so many aspects to love. This 150-acre park opened in 1986. The park esthetic is beautiful and very clean. Not only that, the views on top of rollercoasters and on the Drop Line 200-foot-tall drop tower are breathtaking. There are many themes in the park such as the Craftsman Valley, Wildwood Grove, Timber Canyon and Jukebox Junction. Every area has its very own feel which makes it unique. Dollywood also has world class shows that include singing, dancing, a dog show, a bird show, and many more. You can spend the whole day watching shows if you would like. In addition, this park has some of the best food of any theme park I have been to with everything from BBQ, Home Southern Cooking, and the CINNOMON BREAD! You have to try the CINNOMON BREAD! When it comes to rollercoasters, it has one of the strongest if not strongest family coaster line up of any park. Big Bear Mountain is a hit along with Wild Eagle. However, two coasters definitely are in a different league of their own which is Thunderhead (ranked #29 on my list) and Lightning Rod (ranked #16). With all these aspects working together, I definitely have to put this as my favorite park in the world.

Luke 4:10 – He will put His angels in charge of you to watch over you carefully.  

Disclaimer: This is for general and educational purposes. We are not liable for your travel engagements nor outcomes.

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