Editing Amusement park (section)

==History==
{{More citations needed|section|date=January 2023}}

===Origins===
[[File: Sea-On-Land.jpg|thumb|[[Frederick Savage (engineer)|Frederick Savage]]'s 'Sea-On-Land' [[carousel]], where riders would pitch up and down as if they were on the sea, was the first amusement ride installed in [[Dreamland Margate]] in 1880 England.]]
[[File:Vauxhall Gardens by Samuel Wale c1751.jpg|thumb|[[Vauxhall Gardens]] in [[London Borough of Lambeth|Lambeth]], United Kingdom, founded in 1661, one of the first [[pleasure garden]]s]]

The amusement park evolved from traditions in the European [[Middle Ages]]. An amusement park is a contemporary arrangement, designed to combine components of a fair, carnival, and theme park. An early example of an amusement park is the [[Bartholomew Fair]].<ref>{{Cite book| author=Salvator Anton Clave| title=The Global Theme Park Industry| year=2007| publisher=CABI| isbn=9781845932084| page=4}}</ref> By the 18th and 19th centuries, they had evolved into places of entertainment for the masses, where the public could view [[freak show]]s, [[acrobatics]], [[Magic (illusion)|conjuring]], and [[juggling]], take part in competitions and walk through [[menagerie]]s.

A wave of innovation in the 1860s and 1870s created mechanical rides, such as the steam-powered [[carousel]] (built by Thomas Bradshaw, at the [[Aylsham|Aylsham Fair]]), and its derivatives, notably from Frederick Savage of [[King's Lynn]], Norfolk whose fairground machinery was exported all over the world; his "galloping horses" innovation is seen in carousels today.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk/-/media/museums/downloads/learning/kings-lynn/a-history-of-savages.pdf?la=en |title=Frederick Savage, Victorian fairground manufacturer of King's Lynn |website=Norfolk.gov.uk |access-date=25 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180226032745/https://www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk/-/media/museums/downloads/learning/kings-lynn/a-history-of-savages.pdf?la=en |archive-date=26 February 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> This inaugurated the era of the modern funfair ride, as the working classes were increasingly able to spend their surplus wages on entertainment.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nfa.dept.shef.ac.uk/history/rides/history.html |title=Fairground Rides - A Chronological Development |publisher=University of Sheffield |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811021142/https://www.nfa.dept.shef.ac.uk/history/rides/history.html |archive-date=11 August 2011 }}</ref>

The second influence was the [[pleasure garden]]. [[Dyrehavsbakken|Bakken]] ("The Hill"), the world's oldest amusement park, opened in [[Continental Europe|mainland Europe]] in 1583. It is located north of [[Copenhagen]] in Klampenborg, [[Denmark]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bakken.dk/english/bakken-the-worlds-oldest-amusement-park|title=Bakken History -History about the hill|access-date=31 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150222033757/http://www.bakken.dk/english/bakken-the-worlds-oldest-amusement-park|archive-date=22 February 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://napha.org/LIBRARYRESOURCES/FactsFigures/WorldsOldestOperatingAmusementParks/tabid/70/Default.aspx|title=Worlds Oldest Operating Amusement Parks|publisher=National Amusement Park Historical Association|access-date=4 July 2017}}</ref>

Another example in early garden was the [[Vauxhall Gardens]], founded in 1661, in London. By the late 18th century, the site had an admission fee for its many attractions. It regularly drew enormous crowds, with its paths often noted for romantic assignations; tightrope walkers, hot air balloon ascents, concerts and fireworks providing amusement. Although the gardens were originally designed for the elites, they soon became places of great social diversity. Public [[firework]] displays were put on at [[Marylebone Gardens]], and [[Cremorne Gardens, London|Cremorne Gardens]] offered music, dancing, and animal acrobatics displays.<ref>{{Cite book|author=Wroth, A. E.|url=https://archive.org/details/londonpleasureg00wrotgoog|title=The London Pleasure Gardens of the Eighteenth Century|year=1896|publisher=MacMillan}}</ref>

[[Prater]], located in [[Vienna]], Austria, began as a royal hunting ground which was opened in 1766 for public enjoyment. There followed coffee-houses and cafés, which led to the beginnings of the [[Wurstelprater]] as an amusement park.

The concept of a fixed park for amusement was further developed with the beginning of the [[world's fair]]s. [[The Great Exhibition|The first World fair]] began in 1851 with the construction of the landmark [[The Crystal Palace|Crystal Palace]] in London, England. The purpose of the exposition was to celebrate the industrial achievement of the nations of the world and it was designed to educate and entertain the visitors.<ref name="Midway">{{cite web|title=World's Fairs (1853–1897): A New Idea |work=Midway Plaisance |url=http://www.icewind.net/themepark/History/h_worldfairs.htm |access-date=29 September 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071209022544/http://www.icewind.net/themepark/History/h_worldfairs.htm |archive-date=9 December 2007 }}</ref>

[[File:Ferris-wheel.jpg|thumb|The original [[Ferris Wheel (1893)|Ferris Wheel]] at the [[World's Columbian Exposition]] in [[Chicago]] in 1893]]
In the [[United States]], cities and businesses also saw the world's fair as a way of demonstrating economic and industrial success.<ref name="Midway"/> The [[World's Columbian Exposition]] of 1893 in [[Chicago]], Illinois was an early precursor to the modern amusement park. The fair was an enclosed site, that merged entertainment, engineering and education to entertain the masses. It set out to bedazzle the visitors, and successfully did so with a blaze of lights from the "White City."<ref name="Adams"/> To make sure that the fair was a financial success, the planners included a dedicated amusement concessions area called the [[Midway Plaisance]].<ref name="Midway"/> Rides from this fair captured the imagination of the visitors and of amusement parks around the world, such as the first steel [[Ferris wheel]], which was found in many other amusement areas, such as the [[Prater]] by 1896. Also, the experience of the enclosed ideal city with wonder, rides, culture and progress (electricity), was based on the creation of an illusory place.<ref name="Adams"/>

The "[[Midway (fair)|midway]]" introduced at the Columbian Exposition would become a standard part of most amusement parks, fairs, carnivals, and circuses. The midway contained not only the rides, but other concessions and entertainments such as [[Shooting range#Shooting gallery|shooting galleries]], [[Penny arcade (venue)|penny arcades]], [[games of chance]], and shows.<ref name="Alter">{{cite book | last =Alter | first =Judy | title =Amusement Parks | publisher =Franklin Watts | year =1997 | location =Amazing New York | isbn =0-531-20304-2 | url =https://archive.org/details/amusementparksro00alte }}</ref>

===Trolley parks and pleasure resorts===
{{Main|Trolley park}}
Many modern amusement parks evolved from earlier pleasure [[resort]]s that had become popular with the public for day-trips or weekend holidays, for example, seaside areas such as [[Blackpool]], United Kingdom and [[Coney Island]], United States.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/playfulcrowdplea0000cros|url-access=registration|title=The Playful Crowd: Pleasure Places In The Twentieth Century|author1=Cross, Gary Scott |author2=Walton, John K. |year=2005|publisher=Columbia University Press|access-date=7 February 2013}}</ref> In the United States, some amusement parks grew from picnic groves established along rivers and lakes that provided bathing and water sports, such as [[Lake Compounce]] in Connecticut, first established as a picturesque picnic park in 1846, and [[Six Flags New England|Riverside Park]] in Massachusetts, founded in the 1870s along the [[Connecticut River]].<ref name = "Samuelson">{{cite book | last =Samuelson | first =Dale | author2 =Wendy Yegoiants | title =The American Amusement Park | publisher =MBI Publishing Company | year =2001 | location =St. Paul, MN | isbn =0-7603-0981-7 | url =https://archive.org/details/americanamusemen00ajps }}</ref>

The trick was getting the public to the seaside or resort location. For [[Coney Island]] in [[Brooklyn]], New York, on the [[Atlantic Ocean]], a [[horsecar|horse-drawn streetcar]] line brought pleasure seekers to the beach beginning in 1829. In 1875, a million passengers rode the Coney Island Railroad, and in 1876 two million visited Coney Island. Hotels and amusements were built to accommodate both the upper classes and the working class at the beach. Its first amusement ride, a [[carousel]], was installed in 1876; the first [[roller coaster]], the "[[Switchback Railway]]", in 1884.

[[File:On the sands at Blackpool 1895.jpg|thumb|[[Blackpool Pleasure Beach|Blackpool Beach]] in [[Blackpool]], United Kingdom, in 1895]]
In England, [[Blackpool]] was a popular beachside location beginning in the 1700s. It rose to prominence as a seaside resort with the completion in 1846 of a [[Blackpool Branch Line|branch line]] to Blackpool from Poulton on the main [[Preston and Wyre Joint Railway]] line.  A sudden influx of visitors, arriving by rail, provided the motivation for entrepreneurs to build accommodation and create new attractions, leading to more visitors and a rapid cycle of growth throughout the 1850s and 1860s.

[[File:The promenade, Blackpool, Lancashire, England, ca. 1898.jpg|thumb|The [[photochrom]] at the Promenade in Blackpool, United Kingdom, {{Circa|1898}}]]
In 1879, large parts of the promenade at Blackpool were wired. The lighting and its accompanying pageants reinforced Blackpool's status as the North of England's most prominent holiday resort, and its specifically [[working class]] character. It was the forerunner of the present-day [[Blackpool Illuminations]]. By the 1890s, the town had a population of 35,000, and could accommodate 250,000 holidaymakers. The number of annual visitors, many staying for a week, was estimated at three million.

In the final decade of the 19th century, electric [[trolley line]]s were developed in many large American cities. Companies that established the trolley lines also developed [[trolley park]]s as destinations of these lines. Trolley parks such as [[Atlanta]]'s [https://web.archive.org/web/20110717085827/http://southernspaces.org/2008/vale-amusements-modernity-technology-and-atlantas-ponce-de-leon-park-1870-1920 Ponce de Leon Park], or [[Reading, Pennsylvania|Reading's]] [https://web.archive.org/web/20080113234227/http://www.defunctparks.com/parks/PA/carsonia/carsonia.htm Carsonia Park] were initially popular natural leisure spots before local streetcar companies purchased the sites, expanding them from picnic groves to include regular entertainments, mechanical amusements, dance halls, sports fields, boat rides, restaurants and other resort facilities.

[[File:Steel Pier 1910s edit.jpg|thumb|[[Steel Pier]] in [[Atlantic City, New Jersey]], {{Circa|1910s}}]]
Some of these parks were developed in [[resort]] locations, such as bathing resorts at the seaside in [[New Jersey]] and [[New York (state)|New York]]. A premiere example in New Jersey was [[Atlantic City, New Jersey|Atlantic City]], a famous vacation resort. Entrepreneurs erected amusement parks on piers that extended from the boardwalk out over the ocean. The first of several was the Ocean Pier in 1891, followed later by the [[Steel Pier]] in 1898, both of which boasted rides and attractions typical of that time, such as Midway-style games and electric trolley rides. The boardwalk also had the first Roundabout installed in 1892 by William Somers, a wooden predecessor to the [[Ferris Wheel (1893)|Ferris Wheel]]. Somers installed two others in [[Asbury Park, New Jersey|Asbury Park]], New Jersey and [[Coney Island]], New York.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.acmuseum.org/piers.html |title=New Jersey Online: Atlantic City Museum |publisher=Acmuseum.org |access-date=10 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724223606/http://www.acmuseum.org/piers.html |archive-date=24 July 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Benjamin J. Steinhauser|url=http://www.cityofatlanticcity.org/con_abo_historytimeline.asp |title=Timeline |publisher=City of Atlantic City |date=2 January 1905 |access-date=10 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719011147/http://www.cityofatlanticcity.org/con_abo_historytimeline.asp |archive-date=19 July 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Another early park was the [[Eldorado Amusement Park]] that opened in 1891 on the banks of the [[Hudson River]], overlooking [[New York City]]. It consisted of 25 acres.<ref>{{cite web|title=Eldorado Park 1948 by the Golden Jubilee Committee of WNY. |url=http://www.weehawkenhistory.org/view_item.php?id=161&back=0&category= |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130801031817/http://www.weehawkenhistory.org/view_item.php?id=161&back=0&category= |archive-date=1 August 2013 }}</ref>

===Modern amusement parks===
[[File:Tivoligardens2.jpg|thumb|[[Tivoli Gardens]] in [[Copenhagen]], Denmark, opened in 1843. Tivoli is always evolving, Georg Carstensen said in 1844: "Tivoli will never, so to speak, be finished", a sentiment echoed just over a century later when [[Walt Disney]] said of his own Tivoli-inspired theme park, "Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world".<ref>{{cite news |title=Tivoli: Walt's inspiration for Disneyland |url=https://baltimorepostexaminer.com/tivoli-walts-inspiration-disneyland/2018/01/22 |access-date=23 September 2023 |work=Baltimore Post Examiner}}</ref>]]
The first permanent enclosed entertainment area, regulated by a single company, was founded in Coney Island in 1895: [[Sea Lion Park]] at [[Coney Island]] in Brooklyn. This park was one of the first to charge admission fee to get into the park in addition to sell tickets for rides within the park.<ref name="Adams"/>

In 1897, Sea Lion Park was joined by [[Steeplechase Park]], the first of three major amusement parks that opened in the [[Coney Island]] area. George Tilyou designed the park to provide thrills and entertainment. The combination of the nearby population center of [[New York City]] and the ease of access to the area made Coney Island the embodiment of the American amusement park.<ref name="Adams"/> Coney Island also featured [[Luna Park (Coney Island, 1903)|Luna Park]] (1903) and [[Dreamland (Coney Island, 1904)|Dreamland]] (1904). Coney Island was a huge success and by the year 1910 attendance on days could reach a million people.<ref name="Adams"/> Fueled by the efforts of [[Frederick Ingersoll]] who borrowed the name, other "[[Luna Park]]s" were quickly erected worldwide and opened to rave reviews.

The first amusement park in England, [[Blackpool Pleasure Beach]], opened in 1896, developed by W. G. Bean. In 1904, Sir [[Hiram Maxim]]'s Captive Flying Machine was introduced; he had designed an early aircraft powered by steam engines that had been unsuccessful and instead opened up a pleasure ride of flying carriages that revolved around a central pylon. Other rides included the 'Grotto' (a fantasy ride), 'River Caves' (a [[Roller coaster#Scenic railways|scenic railway]]), [[water chute]]s and a [[toboggan]]ing tower.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://entertainmentdesigner.com/history-of-theme-parks/the-history-of-pleasure-beach-blackpool-the-uks-number-one-amusement-park|title=The History of Pleasure Beach Blackpool: The UK's Number One Amusement Park|access-date=7 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213222256/http://entertainmentdesigner.com/history-of-theme-parks/the-history-of-pleasure-beach-blackpool-the-uks-number-one-amusement-park/|archive-date=13 December 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Fire was a constant threat in those days, as much of the construction within the amusement parks of the era was wooden. In 1911, Dreamland was the first Coney Island amusement park to completely burn down; in 1944, Luna Park also burned to the ground. Most of Ingersoll's Luna Parks were similarly destroyed, usually by [[arson]], before his death in 1927.

===20th century===
[[File:Dreamland Chutes.jpg|thumb|The shoot-the-chute ride at [[Dreamland (Coney Island, 1904)|Dreamland]], in [[Coney Island]], {{circa|lk=no|1905}}]]
During the [[Gilded Age]], many Americans began working fewer hours<ref>{{cite web|url=http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/6645/ |title=Eight hours for what we will! |publisher=Historymatters.gmu.edu |access-date=10 August 2011}}</ref> and had more disposable income. With new-found money and time to spend on leisure activities, Americans sought new venues for entertainment. Amusement parks, set up outside major cities and in rural areas, emerged to meet this new economic opportunity. These parks served as a source of fantasy and escape from real life.<ref name="Adams"/> By the early 1900s, hundreds of amusement parks were operating in the United States and Canada. Trolley parks stood outside many cities. Parks like Atlanta's Ponce de Leon<ref>{{cite web|url=http://southernspaces.org/2008/vale-amusements-modernity-technology-and-atlantas-ponce-de-leon-park-1870-1920 |title=Vale of Amusements: Modernity Technology, and Atlanta's Ponce de Leon Park, 1870–1920 |publisher=Southernspaces.org |date=15 January 2008 |access-date=10 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717085827/http://southernspaces.org/2008/vale-amusements-modernity-technology-and-atlantas-ponce-de-leon-park-1870-1920 |archive-date=17 July 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and Idora Park,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.defunctparks.com/parks/OH/Idora/idora.htm |title=Idora Park - Youngstown, OH |publisher=Defunctparks.com |access-date=10 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110810033921/http://www.defunctparks.com/parks/OH/Idora/idora.htm |archive-date=10 August 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> near Youngstown, OH, took passengers to traditionally popular picnic grounds, which by the late 1890s also often included rides like the Giant Swing, [[Carousel]], and [[Shoot-the-Chutes]]. These amusement parks were often based on nationally known parks or [[List of world's fairs|world's fairs]]: they had names like [[Coney Island]], [[White City (Shrewsbury, Massachusetts)|White City]], [[Luna Park, Coney Island (1903)|Luna Park]], or [[Dreamland (Coney Island, 1904)|Dreamland]]. The American Gilded Age was, in fact, amusement parks' Golden Age that reigned until the late 1920s.

The Golden Age of amusement parks also included the advent of the kiddie park. Founded in 1925, the original Kiddie Park is located in [[San Antonio, Texas]], and is still in operation {{As of|2022|lc=y}}.<ref>{{cite web |title=amusement parks |url=http://www.kiddiepark.com |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713145720/http://www.kiddiepark.com/ |archive-date=13 July 2011 |access-date=10 August 2011 |publisher=Kiddiepark.com}}</ref> The kiddie parks became popular all over America after World War II.

This era saw the development of new innovations in [[roller coaster]]s that included extreme drops and speeds to thrill the riders. By the end of [[World War I]], people seemed to want an even more exciting entertainment, a need met by roller coasters.<ref name="Rutherford">{{cite book | last =Rutherford | first =Scott | title =The American Roller Coaster | publisher =[[MBI Publishing Company]] | year =2000 | location =Osceola, WI | isbn =0-7603-0689-3 | url =https://archive.org/details/americanrollerco00scot }}</ref> Although the development of the automobile provided people with more options for satisfying their entertainment needs, the amusement parks after the war continued to be successful, while urban amusement parks saw declining attendance.<ref name="Adams"/> The 1920s is more properly known as the Golden Age of roller coasters, being the decade of frenetic building for these rides.<ref name="Rutherford"/>

[[File:Scenic Railway 2.tif|thumb|Scenic Railway at Margate in [[Kent]], United Kingdom, in the 1930s]]
In England, [[Dreamland Margate]] opened in 1880 with Frederick Savage's [[carousel]] the first amusement ride installed. In 1920 the [[Scenic Railway (roller coaster)|Scenic Railway]] [[rollercoaster]] opened to the public with great success, carrying half a million passengers in its first year.<ref name=million>{{cite news|newspaper=independent.co.uk|title=The Things I've Seen: Margate Scenic Railway|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/the-things-ive-seen-margate-scenic-railway-1423452.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106211913/http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/the-things-ive-seen-margate-scenic-railway-1423452.html |archive-date=2012-11-06 |url-access=limited |url-status=live|date=18 June 1994 | location=London | first=Magnus | last=Mills | access-date=1 May 2010}}</ref> The park also installed other rides common to the time including a smaller roller coaster, the Joy Wheel, Miniature Railway, The Whip and the River Caves. A ballroom was constructed on the site of the Skating Rink in 1920 and in 1923 a Variety Cinema was built on the site. Between 1920 and 1935 over £500,000 was invested in the site, constantly adding new rides and facilities and culminating in the construction of the Dreamland Cinema complex in 1934 which stands to this day.<ref>The Prince's Regeneration Trust: Dreamland, Margate Conservation Statement</ref>

Until 2011, the [[Blackpool Pleasure Beach]] ranked among the top free of charge attractions in Britain.<ref>{{cite book | editor1 =John K. Walton | editor2 =Peter Borsay | title =Resorts and Ports: European Seaside Towns Since 1700 | publisher =Channel View Publications | year =2011 | isbn =9781845412005 | page =209 }}</ref> Blackpool Pleasure beach was developed continuously, requiring frequent large-scale investments. The construction of many new rides could be counted on. Rides included the Virginia Reel, Whip, Noah's Ark, [[Big Dipper (Blackpool Pleasure Beach)|Big Dipper]] and Dodgems. In the 1920s the "Casino Building" was built, which remains to this day. In 1923, land was reclaimed from the sea front. It was at this period that the park moved to its {{convert|44|acre|adj=on}} current location above what became Watson Road, which was built under the Pleasure Beach in 1932. During this time Joseph Emberton, an architect famous for his work in the amusement trade was brought in to redesign the architectural style of the Pleasure Beach rides, working on the "Grand National" roller coaster, "Noah's Ark" and the Casino building to name a few.

[[File:Dorney-park-night-1950.jpg|thumb|The main entrance to [[Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom]] in [[Allentown, Pennsylvania]], the fifth-oldest continuous operating amusement park in the United States, in 1950]]
The [[Great Depression]] of the 1930s and [[World War II]] during the 1940s saw the decline of the amusement park industry. War caused the affluent urban population to move to the suburbs, television became a source of entertainment, and families went to amusement parks less often.<ref name="Adams"/>

By the 1950s, factors such as [[urban decay]], [[crime]], and even [[Desegregation in the United States|desegregation]] in the ghettos led to changing patterns in how people chose to spend their free time.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} Many of the older, traditional amusement parks closed or burned to the ground. Many would be taken out by the wrecking ball to make way for [[suburb]] and housing and [[Urban development|development]]. In 1964, [[Steeplechase Park]], once the king of all amusement parks, closed down for good. The traditional amusement parks which survived, for example, [[Kennywood]], in [[West Mifflin, Pennsylvania]], and [[Cedar Point]], in [[Sandusky, Ohio]], did so in spite of the odds.<ref name="Adams"/>

[[File:Efteling Entrance.jpg|thumb|The entrance to the [[Efteling]] theme park, which opened in 1952 in the [[Netherlands]]]]
Inspired by the layout of [[Tivoli Gardens]] theme park in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1951, [[Walt Disney]] came up with the idea of having an amusement park next to the studios in Burbank.<ref>Walt Disney: The Man Behind the Myth (Television production). The Walt Disney Family Foundation. January 17, 2015. Event occurs at 1:10:00–1:13:00.</ref> The park would have been called [[Mickey Mouse Park]], built across the street with a western area featuring a steam driven paddleboat, a turn of the century town, and a midway. It was rejected by the Burbank city council in fear of a carnival atmosphere. In 1952, he created [[Walt Disney Imagineering|WED Enterprises]] to design the park, which was now to be built in Anaheim, and in 1953, was able to convince the bankers on funding the park with the help of a studio artist, Herb Ryman, by making an aerial drawing of Disneyland. By July 1954, construction had started with a deadline of one year. [[Disneyland]] opened on July 17, 1955, and two months after the park opened, it welcomed its one millionth guest. Because of the financial success of Disneyland, the amusement industry was reinvigorated. What became [[Busch Gardens Tampa Bay|Busch Gardens Tampa]] opened in 1959 as a garden and bird sanctuary. [[Six Flags Over Texas]] opened in 1961, themed to the six different countries that ruled over Texas. In 1964, [[Universal Studios Hollywood]] opened to the public with a studio tour of their backlot that had multiple adventure scenes and became a proper theme park. That same year, [[SeaWorld San Diego]] opened and displayed many varieties of aquatic and marine life.<ref>Nichols, Chris. ''Walt Disney's Disneyland''. Taschen GmbH, 2020.</ref><ref name="Iwerks">Iwerks, Leslie, director. ''The Imagineering Story''. Walt Disney Studios, 2019.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment Company History {{!}} SeaWorld Entertainment |url=https://seaworldentertainment.com/about-us/history/ |access-date=2023-07-01 |website=seaworldentertainment.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Company History |url=https://investors.sixflags.com/investor-overview/company-history |access-date=2023-07-01 |website=investors.sixflags.com |language=en}}</ref>

Initially meant to house Walt Disney's dream idea, [[EPCOT (concept)|EPCOT]] (Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow), Disney executives decided to settle on building the park first in [[Walt Disney World]] and the city later. After six years of construction, Walt Disney World opened to the public on October 1, 1971. Meant to be a larger east coast version of Disneyland, it had copies of most of the attractions from Disneyland (except for [[Liberty Square (Magic Kingdom)|Liberty Square]] and the [[The Hall of Presidents|Hall of Presidents]]), yet it was financially the most ambitious project Walt Disney Productions had ever undertaken, and succeeded once the holiday crowds came in during Thanksgiving.<ref name="Iwerks" /> In 1982, Walt Disney Productions opened the second Walt Disney World park, EPCOT Center, based on Walt Disney's futurist ideals and World Fairs. Like a World's Fair, the park would display the latest technologies in an area called Future World, and the cultural pavilions in World Showcase.<ref name="Iwerks" />

[[File:Entrance to Legoland Windsor.jpg|thumb|Opened in 1996, [[Legoland Windsor Resort|Legoland Windsor]] in England regularly draws more attendees than the original [[Legoland Billund Resort]] in Denmark; in 2020 it was the third most-visited theme park in the UK.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Amusement and theme park attendance in UK 2020 |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/632696/attendance-at-theme-and-amusement-parks-in-united-kingdom-uk/ |access-date=25 August 2023 |website=Statista |language=en |url-access=subscription}}</ref>]]
In 1987, Disney announced that it would open its third Disney World park, Disney-MGM Studios in 1989, which would have a working backlot. However, Universal knew that its Californian [[Studio Tour|backlot tour]] would not work as a standalone attraction next to Disney World (especially now as Disney built one in Disney-MGM). So it divided up the segments of its California tour into individual attractions, such as [[Jaws (ride)|Jaws]], [[Disaster!]], and [[Kongfrontation]]. Disney-MGM Studios opened it on May 1, 1989, with two major attractions: The Backlot Tour and The Great Movie Ride. The concept for the park started out as an EPCOT pavilion, but was turned into a park as a "half day" attraction—a complement to the rest of the resort. The rest of the park was themed to 1930s Hollywood and featured lost parts of Hollywood like the Brown Derby. [[Universal Studios Florida]] opened on June 7, 1990 (delayed by one year) to great fanfare, but the primary attractions were experiencing severe technical difficulties. All three of the park's major attractions (Jaws, Disaster!, and Kongfrontation) were not working and suffered major technical difficulties. Disaster! and Kongfrontation were fixed by the end of June, but Jaws had to be rebuilt and reopened three years later. However, Universal learned from opening day and started conducting exit surveys and special ticket deals.<ref name="Iwerks" /><ref>{{cite web| title=Complete Guide & History to Universal Studios Florida |website=Orlando Informer |date=13 July 2021 |url=https://orlandoinformer.com/universal/universal-studios-florida/}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Disney-MGM Studios becomes Disney's Hollywood Studios |website= History. |date= Nov 13, 2009 |url= https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/disney-mgm-studios-becomes-disneys-hollywood-studios}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Krosnick |first1=Brian |title=The Backstage Studio Tour: Behind the Screens of the Death of the Disney-MGM Studios |website=Park Lore |date=1 May 2021 |url=https://parklore.com/main/declassified-disaster/backstage-studio-tour/}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Krosnick |first1=Brian |title=Back to the Future: The Ride – How a Trip to the Past Propelled Universal into the Future... - Page 2 of 4 |website=Park Lore |date= Feb 12, 2023 |url= https://parklore.com/main/back-to-the-future/2/}}</ref>

In 1992, Disney opened its first European park, [[Disneyland Park (Paris)|Euro Disneyland]], outside of Paris, France, designed to be like the [[Magic Kingdom]] in Florida, yet it caters to the European tastes through changes, including removing [[Tomorrowland (Disney Parks)|Tomorrowland]] and replacing it with [[Tomorrowland (Disney Parks)|Discoveryland]], themed to the great futuristic thinkers of European culture such as [[H. G. Wells]] and [[Jules Verne]]. A recession in the French economy and the immense public backlash against the park led to financial hardship, putting the park into debt. However, this did not stop Disney from expanding Disney-MGM Studios with [[The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror]], in 1994, and building their fourth Walt Disney World park, [[Disney's Animal Kingdom]].<ref name="Iwerks" />

===21st century===
In the early 1990s, after the opening of Universal Studios Florida, Universal sought to build a second theme park, one aimed more towards children and their families. Universal acquired the theme park rights to many properties including DC and Dr. Seuss to build the park around. In 1999, Universal Studios opened [[Universal Islands of Adventure|Universal Studios Islands of Adventure]] under the new resort name Universal Studios Escape. The park was allegedly designed by former Disney Imagineers who left after the financial disaster of Disneyland Paris.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Complete guide & history to Universal's Islands of Adventure |url=https://orlandoinformer.com/universal/islands-of-adventure/ |access-date=2023-07-06 |website=Orlando Informer |language=en-US}}</ref> In the late 80s, the [[The Oriental Land Company|Oriental Land Company]] (the owners and operators of [[Tokyo Disneyland]] resort which opened in 1983) wanted a second park. None of the current non-Magic Kingdom parks satisfied the Japanese, but one concept thrown away for Disneyland's second gate inspired a new one: [[DisneySea (California)|DisneySea]]. [[Tokyo DisneySea]] is themed after stories based on the ocean and nautical adventure. It was constructed at a cost of ¥335 billion and opened on September 4, 2001. The park's two signature attractions are a modernized version of [[20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (Tokyo DisneySea)|20,000 Leagues Under The Sea]] and [[Journey to the Center of the Earth (attraction)|Journey To The Center of The Earth]].<ref name="Iwerks" />

In the early 1990s, [[Michael Eisner]] wanted to make Disneyland in the image of [[Walt Disney World]]'s resort style. Plans were made for multiple hotels, such as one based on the [[Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa|Grand Floridian Hotel]], and a new west coast version of [[Epcot|EPCOT]], called WESTCOT. WESTCOT never came to be due to local opposition from residents, rising costs, and the financial fallout of Disneyland Paris. After a corporate retreat in Colorado, Disney executives decided to make a park themed to California so that guests could experience all of California within the confines of the [[Disneyland Resort]] and would be built across from Disneyland on its 100-acre parking lot. [[Disney California Adventure|Disney's California Adventure]] would be the largest disaster Disney ever created because unlike Disneyland, it would be set in the modern day and spoof modern-day California with its cheap, insincere, and flat backdrops. The park would be adult focused, sell fine food, and serve alcohol. When the park opened on February 8, 2001, it received a chilly reception for its lack of attractions, poor environment (for example, [[Hollywood Land|Hollywood Studios Backlot]] was themed to a modern-day movie backlot of modern-day Hollywood), and overemphasis on retail and dining. When [[John Hench]] (an original Imagineer who worked with Walt and was a chief creative executive at [[Walt Disney Imagineering|Imagineering]] since Imagineering was founded) was asked for his opinion on the park, he reportedly said, "I preferred the parking lot."<ref name="Iwerks" /><ref>Krosnick, Brian. "Westcot: Inside the Abandoned Park Plans That Would've Changed Disneyland Forever." Park Lore, 17 Jan. 2021, parklore.com/main/westcot/.</ref>

[[Walt Disney Studios Park]] in Paris was the second Disneyland Paris park. Disney had to build a second park or risk losing the land to the French government. The park opened March 16, 2002, with only three rides and California Adventure style theming. However, [[Hong Kong Disneyland]] was higher quality than the other black sheep, but still lacked the number of attractions that was needed, just like California Adventure and Walt Disney Studios Park. It opened on September 12, 2005, with only four lands, and had exorbitant wait times on opening day for everything from rides to food.<ref name="Iwerks" />

In the early 2000s, the [[Harry Potter]] book series written by [[J. K. Rowling|J.K Rowling]] had become a pop culture phenomenon. Universal and Disney entered a bidding war over the theme park rights to the books, but Disney seemed to have won after Rowling signed a letter of intent with Disney. However, Rowling was disappointed with Disney's small-scale plans to install an [[omnimover]] attraction themed to the [[Defense Against the Dark Arts]] class with one shop and one restaurant in the former [[20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage|submarine lagoon]] at Magic Kingdom. She was also displeased with the lack of creative control she had and exited the deal. She went to Universal next and was also displeased with the initial plan to redress the Islands of Adventure's Lost Continent area. To remedy this, J.K Rowling wrestled creative control from Universal and forced them to make the land a full scale, realistic re-creation of Hogsmeade and Hogwarts without being a refurbishment of an existing area. The project was announced in 2007 and in 2010 the land was opened to the public and made [[Universal Orlando]].<ref>Orlando, Sentinel. "Wizarding World of Harry Potter Timeline." Orlando Sentinel, 24 Apr. 2019, www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/universal-orlando/os-harry-potter-timeline-20100618-story.html.</ref><ref>Stella, Alicia. "How Universal Pays J.K. Rowling for the Harry Potter Theme Park Rights - Exploring the Contract." Orlando ParkStop, 18 Jan. 2022, orlandoparkstop.com/news/theme-park-news/how-much-does-universal-pay-j-k-rowling-for-the-harry-potter-theme-park-rights-exploring-the-contract/.</ref>

Today, there are over 475 amusement parks in the United States, ranging from mega-parks and those that are operated by Warner Bros., [[Disney Parks|Disney]], [[Six Flags]] and [[NBCUniversal]].

[[File:Entrance of Universal Studios Beijing (20210907121707).jpg|thumb|right|The entrance of [[Universal Studios Beijing]]]][[File:Castle of Magical Dreams.jpg|thumb|right|The castle of magical dreams at [[Hong Kong Disneyland]]]][[File:Stuntfall.jpg|thumb|right|Stunt Fall at [[Parque Warner Madrid]]]][[File:Parque Salitre.JPG|thumb|right|The Samsung Wheel and Double Loop Roller Coaster at [[Salitre Mágico]]]]
The amusement park industry's offerings range from immersive theme parks such as [[Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi]], the [[Disneyland Resort]] and [[Universal Orlando|Universal Orlando Resort]] to thrilling coaster parks such as the [[Six Flags]] parks and [[Cedar Fair]] parks. Countless smaller ventures exist across the United States and around the world. Simpler theme parks directly aimed at smaller children have also emerged, such as [[Legoland California|Legoland]].

Examples of amusement parks in shopping malls exist in [[West Edmonton Mall]], [[Pier 39]] and [[Mall of America]].

Family fun parks starting as miniature golf courses have begun to grow to include batting cages, go-karts, bumper cars, bumper boats and water slides. Some of these parks have grown to include even roller coasters, and traditional amusement parks now also have these competition areas in addition to their thrill rides.

In 2015, theme parks in the United States had a revenue of {{USD|8 billion}} and theme parks in [[China]] had a revenue of {{USD|4.6 billion}}, with China expected to overtake the United States by 2020.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/viacom-breaks-ground-first-nickelodeon-resort-china-960677|title= Viacom Breaks Ground on First Nickelodeon Resort in China|first= Patrick|last= Brzeski|date= 4 January 2017 |work= [[The Hollywood Reporter]]}}</ref>