What is the best park in North America outside of Disney and Universal?

[Walt Disney1955]

So, obviously not counting anything at WDW. Or Universal Orlando. Or Disneyland Resort, or Universal Hollywood.

What would be after those parks? And is it even close to the same sort of experience?

Is it Cedar Point for the thrill junkies, Dollywood for the warmth/theming or even one of the Sea Worlds or Busch Gardens?

 

[Pepper's Ghost]

I haven't visited all of these parks, so I'm not gonna vote. My vote would be so incredibly skewed because of my obviously lack of experience at all of them. As a teenager on vacation I was a huge fan of King's Island outside of Cincinnati.

 

[Disneyfan_76]

In my experience, Dollywood. The only one I haven't been to is Silver Dollar City and Canada Wonderland. Cedar Point and Busch Gardens Tampa are great parks though.

 

[disneyfireman]

Holy cow..they left Number one of the list....Who made this poll? Its like leaving Ferrari off of the list of the worlds best sports cars...lol. Well, not just my opinion..but that of the industry..and its NOT on the list.
KINGS ISLAND in Cincinnati. Year after year it is ranked 1st in attendance and by popularity..over its rival Cedar Point not just here in Ohio in but nationwide. King Island wins this question...and a little fun fact....Roy Disney helped design it. It is a spotless park like the Disney Parks..and It now has 3 record breaking coasters.. 4 actually...If you've never been there...wow you are missing out.
I will say out of the above mentioned....Knots Berry farm is the best...and thats not debatable....but without K.i. its not a real poll.

 

[sullyinMT]

Holy cow..they left Number one of the list....Who made this poll? Its like leaving Ferrari off of the list of the worlds best sports cars...lol. Well, not just my opinion..but that of the industry..and its NOT on the list. KINGS ISLAND in Cincinnati. Year after year it is ranked 1st in attendance and by popularity..over its rival Cedar Point not just here in Ohio in but nationwide. King Island wins this question...and a little fun fact....Roy Disney helped design it. It is a spotless park like the Disney Parks..and It now has 3 record breaking coasters.. 4 actually...If you've never been there...wow you are missing out.

Another “hidden” KI vote here. A very good Halloween celebration, too. Not HHN good, but above solid. And an award winning kids ‘area, to boot.

 

[Patcheslee]

KI as well, sadly Dollywoods coasters seemed surprisingly short compared to what I'm use to.

 

[Br0ckford]

So I chose Dollywood, only because that is the most recent for me. And by recent I mean 2008. But I remember it was a blast. The only other one I have been to was Sea World Orlando and that was like 1987 on a field trip in 7th grade when we lived in Daytona Beach. Now if 6 Flags Great America was there it would have been close. Spent junior and senior year summers hanging out there.

 

[Jrb1979]

So I chose Dollywood, only because that is the most recent for me. And by recent I mean 2008. But I remember it was a blast. The only other one I have been to was Sea World Orlando and that was like 1987 on a field trip in 7th grade when we lived in Daytona Beach. Now if 6 Flags Great America was there it would have been close. Spent junior and senior year summers hanging out there.

Wow. Thats a long time for going to other parks outside of Disney. In 2019 I visited 10 different parks alone. For me Cedar Point is one of the best. They have some of the best sit-down restaurants park wise and they have the best coaster in the world in Steel Vengeance.

 

[Br0ckford]

Wow. Thats a long time for going to other parks outside of Disney. In 2019 I visited 10 different parks alone. For me Cedar Point is one of the best. They have some of the best sit-down restaurants park wise and they have the best coaster in the world in Steel Vengeance.

Yeah I'm not much for going outside my comfort zone. I am actually planning a trip to Sea World San Antonio next year so we will see how that goes.

 

[Jrb1979]

Yeah I'm not much for going outside my comfort zone. I am actually planning a trip to Sea World San Antonio next year so we will see how that goes.

Check out Super Enthused on YouTube. Her vlog on Cedar Point was well done and does well to show off the park.

 

[Br0ckford]

Check out Super Enthused on YouTube. Her vlog on Cedar Point was well done and does well to show off the park.

I will do that. I keep seeing people talk about Cedar Point. Maybe I should branch out.

 

[Patcheslee]

Wow. Thats a long time for going to other parks outside of Disney. In 2019 I visited 10 different parks alone. For me Cedar Point is one of the best. They have some of the best sit-down restaurants park wise and they have the best coaster in the world in Steel Vengeance.

We're waiting to find out the fate of Top Thrill before attempting another visit. 2020 was a disaster for a first visit.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

Holy cow..they left Number one of the list....Who made this poll? Its like leaving Ferrari off of the list of the worlds best sports cars...lol. Well, not just my opinion..but that of the industry..and its NOT on the list.
KINGS ISLAND in Cincinnati. Year after year it is ranked 1st in attendance and by popularity..over its rival Cedar Point not just here in Ohio in but nationwide. King Island wins this question...and a little fun fact....Roy Disney helped design it. It is a spotless park like the Disney Parks..and It now has 3 record breaking coasters.. 4 actually...If you've never been there...wow you are missing out.
I will say out of the above mentioned....Knots Berry farm is the best...and thats not debatable....but without K.i. its not a real poll.

I was at King's Island in 2011. Great park, absolutely. I just ran out of options. Maybe I wasn't sure how to do this, but I couldn't do more than 10 on the poll.

 

[Jrb1979]

We're waiting to find out the fate of Top Thrill before attempting another visit. 2020 was a disaster for a first visit.

This year has been much better. We have been 4 times this year. Outside of 1 day that had school trips it's not been bad for wait times.

 

[EricsBiscuit]

Dollywood takes the cake with their amazing railroad

 

[disneyfireman]

Dollywood takes the cake with their amazing railroadView attachment 660082View attachment 660083View attachment 660084

Kings Island also has quite a railroad. Real steam like WDW

 

[CynBeth]

This is not on your list but we love Hersheypark. Of those included we have either not visited or did once but has been a long time. We have taken a day for Sea World Orlando every Disney trip so put that as the favorite.

 

[disneyfireman]

I was at King's Island in 2011. Great park, absolutely. I just ran out of options. Maybe I wasn't sure how to do this, but I couldn't do more than 10 on the poll.

Understood. Yeah I haven’t ever done a poll. Either

 

[Jrb1979]

Kings Island also has quite a railroad. Real steam like WDW

So does Cedar Point and it has a cool animatronic show.

 

[fgmnt]

I don't know how many parks in North America still have trains and gondolas in their parks, but the presence of both in the Busch Gardens parks elevates them significantly.