AMUSEMENT PARKS

10 Facts About Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios

In the weeks leading up to Halloween, the family-friendly characters that normally populate Universal Studios are replaced with killer clowns and chainsaw-wielding maniacs.

The Castle of Magical Dreams in Hong Kong Disneyland.

Why There Are No Ghosts in Hong Kong Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion Ride

Mystic Manor in Hong Kong Disneyland manages to honor the original Haunted Mansion ride while respecting cultural sensitivities at the same time.

Watch a Baby Chimpanzee Explore Coney Island in 1936

Shorty the Chimpanzee rides the merry-go-round and climbs on the Ferris wheel in this lighthearted 1936 newsreel.

The Ferris wheel is as beloved today as it was when it first debuted in 1893.

The Origins of 15 Classic Carnival Rides

From the Ferris wheel to the Tilt-a-Whirl, carnival rides have some fascinating origin stories. Discover more about the history of these popular attractions here.

Surprisingly, the top spot does not come with mouse ears.

The 10 Most Popular Theme Parks in the U.S., According to Visitor Reviews

Which of the nation’s most-visited theme parks cracked the top 10? Turns out, it wasn’t one of Disney’s own.

A Felonious Float (left) and some Pumpkin Cakes (right).

Felonious Floats and Pumpkin Cakes: Check Out These Recipes From ‘The Unofficial Universal Theme Parks Cookbook’

You don’t have to go all the way to Honeydukes to enjoy a good Pumpkin Cake—Ashley Craft’s latest cookbook has you covered.

Take a Ride Through the Scandalous History of the Tunnel of Love

You don't see too many Tunnel of Love rides at amusement parks today, but they once served an important—and risqué—social function.

Tourist boat passes in front of Niagara Falls on U.S. side.

The 10 Most Popular Tourist Attractions in the U.S.

Embrace your tourist status on your next vacation and pay a visit to one of these destinations.

Coney Island is an iconic New York City attraction.

11 Fun Facts About Coney Island

Like a rollercoaster, New York City’s Coney Island has ridden along a lengthy and bumpy history.

See What 5 Classic Theme Park Rides Look Like With the Lights On

Dark rides like Space Mountain are a lot less magical in full lighting.

Heike Mutter & Ulrich Genth via Phaenomedia

See What It's Like to Climb South Korea's 230-Foot-Tall Walkable Rollercoaster

SpaceWalk allows visitors to experience the aerial twists and turns of a rollercoaster without strapping into a car first.

Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey.

The 10 Tallest Roller Coasters on Earth

Attention, adrenaline-junkies: The steel behemoths on this list of the tallest roller coasters in the world will not disappoint.

Meal Ticket: This Man Goes to Six Flags Just for the Food

A man figured out that a season pass to Six Flags meant he could eat for about 20 cents per meal. It's a good plan, but you have to really like chicken balls.

15 Movie-Inspired Theme Park Rides That Cost More Than the Movies Themselves

From Disney's Splash Mountain to Universal's Jaws: The Ride, these theme park attractions exceeded the budgets of their movie inspirations several times over.

Shutterstock/Nana_Studio (stack of photos); Hulton Archive/Getty Images (parade)

4 Ways Amusement Parks of the Past Were Not So Amusing

Today's amusement parks have long lines, loud rides, and obnoxious patrons—but amusement parks of yore were far worse. They were bloody, sexist, racist, and basically a hellish mess.

Tommaso Boddi, Getty Images // Ken Jack, Tristar Media via Getty Images

Fowl Play: The Mystery Surrounding Fabio's Fatal Goose-to-Face Collision

In 1999, swarthy actor/model Fabio hopped on a roller coaster at Busch Gardens. He returned with a bloody face and a dead goose. But there's more than one theory to what exactly happened.

Alan Band/Keystone Features/Getty Images

11 Attractions From Disneyland's Opening Day

Many of these rides from Disneyland's grand opening in 1955 are still staples of the California theme park today.

Animatronic 'Jaws' shark from the Universal Studios Hollywood tram tour.

Going Fishing: When Universal Studios's Jaws Ride Terrorized Park Guests

The original 'Jaws' ride at Universal Studios Florida closed after two months—but not before terrorizing theme park guests (and their children).

Howl's Moving Castle, from the 2004 Hayao Miyazaki film, will be brought to life at Japan's new Studio Ghibli theme park.

You'll Be Able to Visit Howl's Moving Castle at the New Studio Ghibli Theme Park in Japan

When the new Studio Ghibli theme park opens in Japan, guests will get to see a giant replica of Howl's Moving Castle from the 2004 Hayao Miyazaki film.

12 Out-of-This-World Facts About Disney's Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge

Whether you’ve traveled to Disney's Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge or just ogled at it online, there are so many hidden details in the land to discover.

© Jorge Royan, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 3.0

The Psychological Tricks Disney Parks Use to Make Long Wait Times More Bearable

Wait times at Disney World and Disneyland can get long, but Imagineers use clever strategies to make the hours move faster.

Some of Disney's most beloved rides and attractions have gone the way of the Dodo.

21 Defunct Disney Park Rides and Lands

Did you know that Jackie Chan, Whoopi Goldberg, and Cher were once featured in a Disney ride? It sounds fun, but Superstar Limo didn't last long—and neither did these other Disney rides and lands.

Coney Island's most unusual attraction, Hell Gate, debuted in 1905.

The Coney Island Attraction That Took Its Riders to Hell

In 1905, visitors to Coney Island paid 10 cents to experience Dreamland amusement park’s latest—and most unusual—attraction: a water ride called 'Hell Gate.'

The Teddy Roosevelt-Inspired Roller Coaster That Killed 7 People at Coney Island

Between 1907 and 1915, Coney Island's Rough Rider-themed roller coaster killed seven people in two separate incidents.