Top 20 Amusement Parks in the World
Twenty parks gives a wider, more practical picture than a top ten: it adds the challengers that come close to the elite and covers more of the map.
How they're ranked: each park's overall score blends sourced data on prices and waits with editorial thrill and family ratings, normalized across the index. Positions 1–20 are the twenty highest scores in that single ranking.
Why look past ten: the challengers in places 11–20 average 5.5 for value against 6.6 for the elite ten, so they are not uniformly better value. They add 4 more countries to the list. A park closer to your own trip, or one with a lineup you prefer, may suit you better than a higher-scoring destination.
Why parks 11–20 are worth the trip
The parks ranked 11–20 are not a consolation list; they're a different deal. The top ten is a tier of multi-day resort destinations, and much of this range answers with a simpler offer: a great park you can reach for the day. Liseberg sits in central Gothenburg, Cedar Point on a Lake Erie peninsula, and Six Flags Great Adventure an easy drive from New York and Philadelphia alike. For millions of visitors, a park like this fits a Saturday that a top-ten resort simply can't.
Value is a park-by-park trade-off, not a promise that every challenger is cheaper: Cedar Point's gate runs $60–95 against $109–199 at Magic Kingdom, while Energylandia has a much narrower listed ticket range. Other choices in this half include PortAventura, Parc Astérix and Disneyland Paris. Compare the listed ticket ranges on each park profile rather than assuming a lower rank means a lower price. If price decides the trip, this half of the list gives you more options to weigh against the elite ten.
The third is specialization, not a guarantee of shorter lines. A park in the 11–20 range is often a specialist — Cedar Point's coaster lineup, Dollywood's sense of place, PortAventura's multi-region grounds — and specialists reward visitors who arrive knowing what they came for. Crowd levels change by date; check the individual park's wait-time information rather than treating rank as a queue forecast. If that sounds like your kind of trip, the twenty below will repay a closer look.
The elite ten (1–10)
Germany's biggest theme park, with 15 areas themed to European countries. Europa-Park scores evenly on thrills and families (9.2 each), holds a park record (Golden Ticket Award for Best Amusement Park Worldwide) and has been open since 1975.
Score 9.5Thrill 9.2Family 9.2Value 6.2
#2Efteling
A Dutch fairy-tale park with storybook rides and top roller coasters. Efteling leans family (9.4) over thrill (8.4), holds a park record (One of the oldest theme parks in the world) and has been open since 1952.
Score 9.0Thrill 8.4Family 9.4Value 7.3
A classic Disney castle park, famous for spotless service and short waits. Tokyo Disneyland leans family (9.6) over thrill (7.8), holds a park record (First Disney park built outside the United States) and has been open since 1983.
Score 9.0Thrill 7.8Family 9.6Value 7.8
#4Everland
South Korea's largest park, set in gardens and home to a famous wooden coaster. Everland leans thrill (8.7) over family (8.3), holds a park record (Most-visited theme park in South Korea) and has been open since 1976.
Score 8.5Thrill 8.7Family 8.3Value 8.8
The world's most visited theme park, in Walt Disney World, Florida. Magic Kingdom is the best-rated family park in this group, holds a park record (World's most-visited theme park) and has been open since 1971.
Score 8.4Thrill 8.0Family 9.7Value 3.8
A Japanese park with one of the world's longest coasters and hot-spring baths next door. Nagashima Spa Land delivers the best value of any park in this group, holds a park record (World's longest roller coaster (Steel Dragon 2000)) and has been open since 1966.
Score 8.4Thrill 9.3Family 7.2Value 9.0
The first Disney park, in California — compact, walkable and packed with rides. Disneyland Park leans family (9.6) over thrill (8.2), holds a park record (The first Disney theme park) and has been open since 1955.
Score 8.4Thrill 8.2Family 9.6Value 3.5
A sea-themed Disney park widely called the most beautiful park ever built. Tokyo DisneySea leans family (9.4) over thrill (8.6), holds a park record (Most expensive theme park ever built at opening) and has been open since 2001.
Score 8.4Thrill 8.6Family 9.4Value 7.9
A small German park with incredibly detailed themed worlds and three big coasters. Phantasialand leans thrill (9.4) over family (8.0), holds a park record (World's longest multi-launch roller coaster (Taron)) and runs 3 extreme coasters.
Score 8.3Thrill 9.4Family 8.0Value 6.0
A California thrill park with about 20 roller coasters. Six Flags Magic Mountain leans thrill (9.6) over family (6.7), holds a park record (World's first fourth-dimension roller coaster (X2)) and runs 5 extreme coasters.
Score 8.1Thrill 9.6Family 6.7Value 5.8
The challengers (11–20)
Europe supplies the most parks in this half (5). These ten span different kinds of visit: coaster-led days, story-driven resorts and city-accessible parks. Their position reflects the combined score, not a prediction of where they will land after the next recalculation.
If coasters drive the decision, compare Cedar Point and Energylandia by their ride lineups, not their overall rank alone. If your group wants a mix of rides and atmosphere, look at Dollywood or Liseberg. Each profile shows the park's individual scores and ticket range so the choice can be made around your own priorities.
This is not a separate editorial vote: positions 11–20 are drawn directly from the same curated index as positions 1–10. The full ranking includes the remaining parks, filters and map. Explore every ranked park if none of these twenty fits your destination or budget.
Florida's strongest thrill line-up, home to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Universal Islands of Adventure leans thrill (9.6) over family (8.3), holds a park record (Golden Ticket Award for Best Steel Coaster (VelociCoaster)) and has been open since 1999.
Score 8.0Thrill 9.6Family 8.3Value 2.8
#12Cedar Point
An Ohio park on Lake Erie known as the roller coaster capital of the world. Cedar Point posts the strongest thrill rating in this group, holds a park record (Top Thrill Dragster: world's tallest and fastest coaster) and runs 5 extreme coasters.
Score 8.0Thrill 9.7Family 7.3Value 6.1
#13Liseberg
Sweden's much-loved garden park in Gothenburg, with excellent wooden coasters. Liseberg leans thrill (8.6) over family (8.3), holds a park record (Most-visited amusement park in Scandinavia) and has been open since 1923.
Score 7.9Thrill 8.6Family 8.3Value 5.4
An Osaka movie park, home to Super Nintendo World. Universal Studios Japan scores evenly on thrills and families (9.0 each), holds a park record (World's first Super Nintendo World) and has been open since 2001.
Score 7.9Thrill 9.0Family 8.9Value 6.8
Europe's most visited theme park, with the most decorated Disney castle. Disneyland Park (Paris) leans family (9.2) over thrill (8.0), holds a park record (Most-visited theme park in Europe) and has been open since 1992.
Score 7.8Thrill 8.0Family 9.2Value 5.2
A sunny Spanish resort park with six themed worlds near Barcelona. PortAventura Park leans thrill (8.8) over family (8.0), holds a park record (Tallest roller coaster in Europe at opening (Shambhala)) and has been open since 1995.
Score 7.7Thrill 8.8Family 8.0Value 6.5
A New Jersey thrill park with record-breaking coasters and a safari. Six Flags Great Adventure leans thrill (9.3) over family (7.2), holds a park record (Largest drive-through safari outside Africa) and runs 3 extreme coasters.
Score 7.6Thrill 9.3Family 7.2Value 5.6
#18Energylandia
A fast-growing Polish park that keeps adding big new roller coasters. Energylandia leans thrill (9.0) over family (7.5), holds a park record (Europe's tallest and fastest RMC hybrid coaster (Zadra)) and runs 3 extreme coasters.
Score 7.6Thrill 9.0Family 7.5Value 6.3
#19Parc Astérix
A French park based on the Asterix comics, with strong roller coasters. Parc Astérix leans thrill (8.6) over family (8.0), holds a park record (Second most-visited theme park in France) and has been open since 1989.
Score 7.6Thrill 8.6Family 8.0Value 6.0
#20Dollywood
A Tennessee park in the Smoky Mountains, with live music, crafts and great coasters. Dollywood scores evenly on thrills and families (8.5 each), holds a park record (Golden Ticket Award for Best Christmas Event) and has been open since 1986.
Score 7.6Thrill 8.5Family 8.6Value 4.5
By region
- Europe: 8 of 20
- North America: 7 of 20
- Asia: 5 of 20
Want parks 1–50, filters and comparisons? Browse the full ranking.