Runner-up Best Parks I’ve Never Been to.

I’ve been lucky enough to visit most parks that are frequently discussed as being ‘the best theme parks in America’ but I am still missing a few elite parks. I’m also missing tons of average and smaller scale parks throughout the nation that offer quality entertainment experiences. There are a few parks I haven’t been to that are in-between. These are runners-ups for a spot on the best parks list that in my opinion just miss out on being considered elite, and I wanted to write about three such parks today.

First a duo of honorable mentions, the Texas Six Flags parks, "Over Texas", and "Fiesta Texas". Six Flags operates 15 amusement parks, 6 water parks attached to various locations, and another 13 separately ticketed water parks. I've been to 4 of these amusement parks, "America" In Maryland, "Great America" just outside Chicago, "New England" in Massachusetts, and "Great Adventure" in New Jersey. Six Flags in general is known as the budget chain, and there is at least some truth in the old saying 'you get what you pay for'.

Although they pack their parks with prolific roller coaster collections, the quality of their operations and customer service is known to be inconsistent. I have heard people having great and terrible days at various Six Flags locations. Although The Over Texas and Fiesta Texas locations bolster large roller coaster collections, and probably provide adequate levels of theming and other attractions, I have heard of too many negative experiences at these parks to place them among the other elite parks in America.

I would still very much like to visit them one day, and they both probably still place in the top half of Six Flags parks and American amusement parks as well. Truthfully I'd like to visit every Six Flags location, but I know when planning those trips to temper my expectations.

I do have to commend Fiesta Texas, as it seems that park is trending in a positive direction. Their new B&M dive coaster, Dr. Diabolical's Cliffhanger, seems to offer a very well themed pre-ride experience. They also revamped pre-ride and line experiences at Poltergeist their Premier Rides LIM Launched 'spaghetti bowl' rollercoaster, and at Joker: Carnival of Chaos, their Zamperla giant pendulum.

My third and last honorable mention for now is Universal's Hollywood Studios in California. The three Universal parks, soon 4, are truly some of the best in the nation. In fact, I would say they are so good that they get excluded from discussions about the best theme parks in America because they would automatically win in a 9-way tie with the Disney parks.

The California Universal park seems the be the weakest of the three, and if you've been to the Florida Universal parks, which I have, it would seem as though you've already done at least 70% of California’s Universal. The two big things the California park currently has going for it are the Super Nintendo World and The World-Famous Studio Tram Tour. While their studio tram tour will remain somewhat unique, the Florida resort is currently building a bigger and probably better version of Super Nintendo World. If everything goes according to their plan, Epic Universe is scheduled to open in the East coast resort sometime in 2025.