The World’s 100 Best Theme Parks

European theme park in Rust, Germany, divided into themed sections based on France, Spain, Greece and Iceland. Roller coasters include Voltron Nevera and Silver Star, with ice shows and a Halloween season.

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Amusement park on the shore of Lake Erie in Sandusky with a large roller coaster lineup, including steel and wooden coasters. Halloweekends and Fright Fest run in autumn, and a public beach sits beside the park.

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Fairy-tale theme park in Kaatsheuvel, the Netherlands, set in woods with a Fairytale Forest and dark rides. Attractions include Droomvlucht, Symbolica and De Vliegende Hollander, and roller coasters for thrill seekers.

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Theme park in Brühl with themed areas such as Rookburgh, Asia and Colorado. Its roller coasters include Taron, Black Mamba and FLY, and the park runs shows such as Rock on Ice.

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Theme park in Urayasu, Japan, built around a Mediterranean harbor and a volcanic landscape. It has the Fantasy Springs area, Frozen, Journey to the Center of the Earth and Soaring, with parades and shows.

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Large amusement park in Zator with zones of roller coasters and family rides, a water park and Halloween haunted areas. Its zones hold a Viking area and the Choco Chip Creek landscape, with pools and slides open in summer.

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Historical theme park in Vendée, western France, with few rides. It stages live shows with horses, animals, stunt performers and fire.

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Family theme park in Romsey set in landscaped gardens with animal enclosures. Rides run from the Peppa Pig World area for young children to the Viking-themed Valgard area and water rides.

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Theme park at Walt Disney World near Orlando, Florida, centered on Cinderella Castle and Main Street, U.S.A. The park holds daytime parades, a fireworks show over the castle at night and the TRON roller coaster.

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Amusement park in Elysburg, Pennsylvania, set among trees in a wooded valley. It has wooden coasters, a Ferris wheel, a carousel, a swimming pool, classic rides, games and food stalls.

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Theme park in Anaheim, California, with themed lands, parades, fireworks and a Halloween event. A second park, California Adventure, shares the site.

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Theme park in Orlando built around a central lagoon and linked to Universal Studios by the Hogwarts Express train. Its themed lands hold Marvel, Jurassic Park and Harry Potter areas, roller coasters, water rides and shows.

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Theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, set in a valley of the Smoky Mountains. It has roller coasters such as Lightning Rod and Wild Eagle, a Dolly Parton exhibit, and the Great Pumpkin LumiNights festival in autumn.

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Theme park in Branson, Missouri, themed to the 1880s with craft demonstrations. Rides range from wooden and steel coasters to water rides, with shows, craft shops, cave tours and seasonal festivals.

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Family theme park and water park in Santa Claus, Indiana, with a holiday theme in each area. Roller coasters such as The Voyage and Thunderbird sit beside Splashin' Safari, with wave pools, a lazy river and water coasters.

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Theme park in Nimtofte, Denmark, with rides for toddlers and older children. Themed areas include Pirate Land, Dinoland and Mexico Land, with a water park and a Halloween event in autumn.

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Large theme park in Shanghai with themed lands for Zootopia, Toy Story and Tomorrowland, and a large castle. Rides include TRON Lightcycle Power Run, Pirates of the Caribbean and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, and parades and fireworks run in the evening.

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A roller coaster park in Valencia, California, with a large number of coasters and water rides. Areas include Looney Tunes Land, the DC area and Full Throttle, with coasters such as Tatsu, Goliath and Viper.

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Amusement park in central Gothenburg, Sweden, with roller coasters including Helix and Valkyria. Halloween brings pumpkin decorations and scare actors each October.

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Family theme park in the forest near Blokhus, Denmark, with roller coasters for adults and rides for young children. A water park is included in the entry price, and the grounds have free grills for guests who bring their own food.

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Family play park in Milovice, within driving distance of Prague. It has climbing frames, trampolines, giant swings, underground tunnels, a water world, a stone mine area and a farm with animals.

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Theme park in Marne-la-Vallée, France, with two parks built around Disney films. Themed areas cover Frozen, Marvel, Pirates of the Caribbean and Star Wars rides, plus parades, fireworks and a castle light show.

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Theme park in Soltau, Germany, with a hotel resort and large roller coasters. Colossos, Krake and Flight of the Demons are the headline rides with Halloween events in autumn.

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Theme park in Plailly near Paris, themed on Asterix with Gaulish, Egyptian and Greek areas. Roller coasters such as Toutatis, Zeus and Goudurix sit beside water rides and shows, including a diving show.

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Theme park in Penha with themed areas for children and families, shows such as Hot Wheels and Cowboy's Dream, and thrill rides. Waits for the main rides often run one to three hours, and fast pass access is sold separately.

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A large theme park in woodland in Staffordshire, built around a castle and gardens. Its areas include Forbidden Valley, the Wicker Man, CBeebies Land and X-Sector, with many roller coasters and an aquarium.

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Amusement park on the Baltic Sea coast near Sierksdorf with themed areas, roller coasters and a freefall tower. Most rides suit younger children, and height limits keep taller riders off several coasters.

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Compact Disney theme park in Hong Kong with themed lands for Frozen, Toy Story and Tomorrowland. Rides include Big Grizzly Mountain, Hyperspace Mountain and Mystic Manor, with a nighttime fireworks show and a Halloween villains parade in autumn.

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Theme park with the Boulder Beach water park and several roller coasters, set in landscaped grounds. Scarywood, a Halloween event, adds haunted houses and costumed actors.

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An amusement park in Gyeongju's Bomun tourist complex, built around roller coasters and water rides. Its rides include Draken, Krak and Skol 'n' Hearty, with a summer water park and a winter sledding area.

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Theme park in Anaheim, California, across the esplanade from Disneyland. It has Cars Land, Pixar Pier and Avengers Campus, the Incredicoaster and nighttime lights.

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Theme park on Lake Garda in Castelnuovo del Garda, Italy, with themed areas for children and adults. Its coasters include Raptor, Oblivion and Mammut, and Halloween decorations and the Preda maze appear in October.

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Family amusement park in the Aube, in a wooded setting near Champagne vineyards, with themed areas, rides for toddlers and thrill rides for older visitors. Its Cabaïana hotel is on site, and the Nigloween event runs in autumn.

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Film-themed park on Sentosa island in Singapore, with areas built around Shrek and the Minions. The park has few thrill rides, led by Battlestar Galactica, Revenge of the Mummy and Transformers, plus a Water World show.

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Amusement park in central Helsinki, reached by public transport, with rides for children, teenagers and adults. Its roller coasters include the wooden Vuoristorata and the multi-launch Taiga.

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Cinema-themed amusement park in Lazise, Italy, with stunt shows and rides based on films. It has about 30 attractions such as Magma, Superjet and Disaster.

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Amusement park in Mason, near Cincinnati, with a large roller coaster lineup, a Snoopy-themed children's area and a Halloween event. Haunted houses cost extra during the autumn event.

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Disney theme park in Urayasu, a town near Tokyo. Rides such as Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain and Beauty and the Beast, character shows, parades and a seasonal Halloween event.

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Regional amusement park and water park near Charlotte with roller coasters including Fury 325 and Copperhead Strike. In autumn it runs Scarowinds, a Halloween event with haunted houses and mazes that cost extra.

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Water park and theme park in Subang Jaya, Selangor, combining slides, a wave pool, dry rides and a wildlife park. Night Zoo and Scream Park run as separate areas alongside the day attractions.

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Theme park in Osaka built around Universal film franchises and Super Nintendo World. Rides include The Flying Dinosaur, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Donkey Kong and Yoshi's Adventure, plus Halloween zombie scenes in the evening.

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A family park in Sottrum built around play structures and animal areas, with no roller coasters or motorized rides. Areas include climbing structures, water playgrounds, pedal boats, a farm walk and treehouses for overnight stays.

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Theme park in the coffee region of Colombia, near Montenegro, with coffee museums and live culture shows. Its grounds hold roller coasters, a train, cable cars and a coffee show that runs once a day.

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Dinosaur-themed family park in Kleinwelka near Bautzen, Germany, with life-size sculptures spread through a forest. Play areas, a water playground and the Forgotten World exhibit sit among the figures.

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Theme park in Williamsburg with areas themed on European countries such as Germany and Ireland. Its roller coasters include Verbolten and Big Bad Wolf's Revenge, and its Halloween event, Howl-O-Scream, runs in the autumn with haunted houses.

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Christmas-themed family park in Jefferson, near the White Mountains. Family rides, a water park open in summer, Elf University scavenger hunt, reindeer feeding and a sky sleigh ride over the park.

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Dinosaur-themed family park in Zwolle with animated life-size dinosaurs spread over a compact, walkable site. Its areas include a Dino Lab for digging and fossils, climbing towers, mini-golf and laser tag.

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Amusement park in Farmington, Utah, with a water park and a range of roller coasters, including Cannibal and Primordial. Halloween event Frightmares runs in the fall with haunted houses and street performers.

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Theme park in the Pembrokeshire countryside in Wales, set among trees. It has two large coasters, Megafobia and Speed No Limits, plus water rides, Treetops and kids rides.

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Theme park outside Guatemala City, divided into plazas with replicas of famous sites and rides of all kinds. A water park sits next door, and the plazas mix European and Mayan themes.

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Dinosaur theme park in the Ostrava area, set in woodland with models of prehistoric animals. Its attractions include moving models, a walking stegosaurus, a 3D cinema and the DinoExpress train.

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Family amusement park in Kevelaer for children up to 12, with water slides and climbing structures. Its attractions include walk-through airplanes, a giant Lego hall and a farm barn, and barbecue areas can be rented.

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Family amusement park in Haltern am See, Germany, spread over large wooded grounds. It has climbing structures, slides, marble runs, water play areas, a toboggan run and go-karts.

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A fairytale-themed family park set in the woods near Ruhpolding, on a hillside with a steep walk up from the car park. Its areas include fairytale scenes, a mine, playgrounds, water slides and a Gerstlauer roller coaster.

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Theme park in Buena Park with themed areas such as Ghost Town, Camp Snoopy and the Boardwalk. Its roller coasters include GhostRider, Xcelerator and Montezooma's Revenge, and seasonal events include Knott's Scary Farm and Knott's Merry Farm.

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Theme park in Johannesburg, South Africa, beside a casino, with a gold-mining theme. It has roller coasters, an underground mine tour and areas for young children.

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Theme park in Sochi with a Russian fairy-tale theme, a dolphinarium, circus shows and roller coasters. Paid fast-track tickets shorten queues for the main attractions.

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Indoor theme park on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, with the whole park enclosed and air-conditioned. It has themed zones such as Gotham City, Metropolis and Bedrock, plus character meet and greets.

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Storybook park in the forest near Turner, Oregon, with walk-through fairy tale scenes, a log ride and a bobsled coaster. A theater stages live shows, and a Western town has remote-control boats.

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Theme park with rides and wildlife areas in Coomera on the Gold Coast, next to WhiteWater World. Thrill rides such as Steel Taipan and King Claw, family rides, a Wiggles show, a tiger show and animal encounters.

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Amusement park in Lengenfeld in Saxony, with a fairy tale forest and several roller coasters. Roller coasters such as El Toro, Dynamite, a wooden coaster and the newer Donnerfind, plus water rides, dinosaur trails and a Halloween event.

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Amusement park in Santiago, Chile, beside the Parque O'Higgins metro station. It has roller coasters, water rides, spinning and swinging rides, lockers and food stands, and a move to San Bernardo is planned.

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Theme park in Vimmerby, Sweden, built around the children's books of Astrid Lindgren, with stage sets for Pippi Longstocking, Emil of Lönneberga and other stories. Live shows run in every themed area, and the sets can be entered between performances.

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Indoor theme park in Denpasar, Bali, next to a shopping mall. It has roller coasters, go-karts, VR and horror-themed rides, shooter games, live shows and a parade.

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A small amusement park in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, with rides for children and adults, a Ferris wheel and a roller coaster. Its rides include Cataclisma, a ghost train, a Skywalker and bumper cars, and the park hosts birthday parties.

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Resort theme park in Belek near Antalya, Turkey, with a water park, roller coasters and a hotel on site. Nickelodeon zones, a dolphin show and evening light shows sit alongside the rides.

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Historic amusement park in central Copenhagen, one of the oldest in the world. It has gardens with seasonal themes, including Halloween and Christmas decorations, light shows on the lake, theatre performances and concerts, and rides from wooden roller coasters to carousels and boat rides.

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Spiritual entertainment park in Shirdi, a few minutes from the main temple. Shows on the life of Sai Baba, 5D films such as Lanka Dahan, a train ride past replica temples and a laser show in the evening.

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Family park in Stavern that combines a farm with animals, a water park, mini golf and quad bike tracks. Free gas grills let guests cook their own food, and most activities are included in the entry fee.

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Amusement park in St Petersburg with extreme, family and children's rides across green grounds. Seventh Heaven and the Big Russian Slide give views over the city and the Gulf of Finland.

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Open-air historical show park in Toledo, Spain, with staged productions of Spanish history. Daytime shows include Allende la Mar Océana and A Pluma y Espada, and The Dream of Toledo is staged at night.

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Family park in the Vosges mountains with a Wild West theme, a pirate ship ride and a freefall tower. The park is compact, with attractions close together, and height limits keep smaller children off many rides.

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Children's amusement park in São Bernardo do Campo, set among trees. Rides for small children, a farm with petting animals, a cable car, a Ferris wheel, a submarine ride and a dinosaur area.

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Seasonal amusement park in Bracebridge, Ontario, themed around Christmas. Its attractions include Elf School, a Candy Cane Express train, reindeer feeding and a nightly parade.

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Movie-themed park in Dubai with zones built around DreamWorks, Lionsgate and Smurfs Village, and indoor areas for hot weather. Height limits keep young children off many attractions.

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Theme park in Universal City near Los Angeles, built around a working film studio. Themed areas include Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Super Nintendo World, The Simpsons' Springfield and the Fast & Furious ride, plus Halloween Horror Nights in autumn.

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Family theme park in Winter Haven, Florida, built around LEGO models and brick play areas. It has a water park, a Sea Life aquarium, coasters, rides for young children and an on-site hotel.

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Indoor theme park inside the American Dream mall, with Nickelodeon characters, roller coasters and flat rides for young children and adults. Its rides include the Shellraiser and Slime Streak coasters, and a Paw Patrol play area for younger children.

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A cultural theme park in Facatativá near Bogotá, built around Muisca history with live shows, guided tours and games. Areas include a Colombia show tent, games, a guided Muisca tour and camping.

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Family amusement park in the Lviv region set in a forest, with a dinosaur park, trampolines, slides and a Disco Coaster. Carousels, swings, a rope park and live deer sit among the trees.

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Amusement park beside Canobie Lake in Salem, with a water park and rides such as the Yankee Cannonball. It has a log flume, the Boston Tea Party ride, a lazy river and Screamfest haunted houses in autumn.

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Seaside amusement park in Santa Cruz, California, beside the beach and the ocean. It has the Giant Dipper wooden roller coaster, arcade games, carnival games, and food stands along the boardwalk.

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Theme park with a water park in Bibra Lake, Perth. Thrill rides such as the Abyss, Kraken and Goliath, water slides, go-karts and a kids' area called Dragon's Kingdom.

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Strawberry-themed adventure village in Döbeln, Saxony, with a farm shop, food stalls and rides for children. The grounds hold a tractor track, a corn maze, a barrel train and a hotel.

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Prehistoric park on Rügen, with life-size dinosaur models along a 1.5 km circular path through a forest. Some models move and make sounds, and the grounds include playgrounds, fossil digs and archery.

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Theme park in Jackson, New Jersey, with a roller coaster line-up and the Hurricane Harbor water park beside it. Fright Fest in autumn adds haunted houses and scare zones in the evenings.

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Theme park on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, under a large red roof, with Ferrari branding throughout. It has fast coasters such as Formula Rossa and Flying Aces, plus go-karts and an e-sports arena.

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Fairy-tale theatre park in the forest in Mora, Sweden. Costumed actors perform stories with trolls, elves, goblins and dragons on several stages and walk among visitors between the shows.

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A family theme park in Retford for children up to about 12, built around themed villages, play areas and small rides. Areas include a tractor ride, Crash Landing soft play, sand pits and a farm, with lodges on site.

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Fairy tale park in Enkhuizen, aimed at young children. A fairy tale forest with small houses, playgrounds, rides for toddlers, a petting zoo, carousels and short shows, with free parking.

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Family theme park in Straßwalchen, Austria, near Salzburg. Themed areas include the Helios roller coaster, Dracula's Castle, Mami Wata and Pendula, plus Halloween decorations.

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Amusement park and water park in Allentown, Pennsylvania, with a wooden roller coaster and a Snoopy kids area. Wildwater Kingdom water park sits beside it, and a Halloween Haunt adds haunted mazes.

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Family park set in woodland in north Wales, with rides powered by solar and kinetic energy. It has a roller coaster, water slides, play areas, archery, a barefoot trail and a petting area.

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Christmas-themed amusement park at the foot of Pikes Peak near Colorado Springs, in Cascade. Rides are mostly for young children, with a zip line, a train, a magic show, a Santa visit and glassblowing in the shops.

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Dinosaur-themed family park near Tenby in Pembrokeshire. A woodland dinosaur trail with animatronic models, a guided safari, a dancing dinosaur show, and play areas such as trampolines and soft play.

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Family amusement park near Kołobrzeg with open grounds, a pond and a mini zoo. It has a large indoor play area, a Viking village, a Dragon roller coaster and a water park that opens in summer.

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A family theme park on the cliffs above Ventnor on the Isle of Wight, among the oldest parks in the country. Its themed areas include Cowboy Town, Dodo Valley and a dinosaur walk, with a few rides and water slides.

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Boardwalk amusement park in Ocean City, New Jersey, close to the beach. It has two roller coasters, a Ferris wheel, a log flume, bumper cars and an arcade.

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Small family-owned amusement park in Hamilton. It holds two roller coasters, a carousel, a Tilt-a-Whirl, a Ferris wheel and a small train, along with an arcade and a covered picnic area.

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Family theme park in Rotherham with themed overnight cabins on site. Its areas include dinosaurs, the Wild West, pirates and an animal zone, with rides for young children.

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