Usually, when we think of amusement parks, our minds immediately go to Disneyland or Disneyworld. After all, they pretty much dominate the business leaving little room for other destinations. The big exception is a fascination with dangerous AF amusement parks found around the world, such as Kings Island in Ohio. But some A-List celebrities like Rihanna, Vannesa Hudgens, and the Jenners love smaller parks around the world that you may not have even heard of.
Each of the entries on this list is a destination that you still can go and visit, as opposed to the charming amusement parks that travelers can't visit anymore like Wonderland in Beijing, China. Everything from epic rollercoasters to waterparks is at your fingertips.
So, let's forget Disneyland and look at the world's best amusement parks, according to stars.
10 Rihanna Loves Tivoli Gardens In Copenhagen, Denmark
Every tourist heading to Denmark should consider including a number of attractions on in their travel guides, including Copenhagen Zoo, but Rihanna likes something else entirely. According to Just Jared, the music superstar spent a day at the Tivoli Gardens amusement park in Copenhagen with her BFF Melissa Forde. The park, which opened in 1843, is the second-oldest operating amusement park in the world, beating Disney by a mile. According to its website, the park is the fifth-most visited theme park in Europe, attracting over 4.6 million visitors in 2017 alone.
9 Ansel Elgort Loves Coney Island Amusement Parks In New York
There are many rides at Luna Park on Coney Island including the Cyclone, Zenobio, and Sling Shot. These individually operated attractions (as opposed to a centrally managed amusement park like Disneyland) tend to bring in people from all over the world including celebrities like Ansel Elgort and Scott Disick. The Cyclone is by far the most famous ride in all of New York City as it features 12 drops and 27 elevation changes. But Coney Island offers attractions for people of all ages and is really more about the sights than it is the rides. Being there is an experience.
8 Suki Waterhouse And Matt Smith Love Winter Wonderland In London, England
British model and actor Suki Waterhouse and Doctor Who star Matt Lucas love getting into the holiday spirit at Winter Wonderland in London, England. This seasonal amusement park offers an array of experiences for people of all ages. The event is held in London's historic Hyde Park from mid-November until early January. While there are tons of food vendors, restaurants, and shopping for mom and dad, there are also some truly gorgeous kid-friendly attractions like the open-air ice rink. In 2019, the event added the World’s Tallest Transportable Observation Wheel, a new theme ‘A Christmas Carol’ at the Magical Ice Kingdom, and Paddington on Ice.
7 Nolan Gould And Seth Green Love Knott's Berry Farm In Buena Park, California
According to their website, Knott's Berry Farm is the 11th-most-visited theme park in North America, averaging at about 4 million visitors per year. The park has been around for years. According to Galuxsee, Ryan Reynolds even went there as a kid. Nowadays, it's visited by Modern Family star Nolan Gould and Family Guy and Austin Powers favorite, Seth Green. The 57-acre theme park is located in Buena Park, California, and is owned and operated by Cedar Fair. The park is known for having attractions that suit any and all age groups, from their family-friendly carousels to their intense fright nights.
6 Nicole Scherzinger Loves Thorpe Park In Surrey, England
Major attractions at Thorpe Park Resort in England include a large water ride called Tidal Wave, a number of rollercoasters, including the Colossus, Nemesis Inferno, The Swarm, Derren Brown's Ghost Train: Rise of the Demon, and UK's fastest rollercoaster, The Stealth. There's also a water area called Amity Beach, ala Jaws, and an Angry Birds themed land. According to Galuxsee, singer Nicole Scherzinger is a fan of the park which is located between the towns of Chertsey and Staines-upon-Thames in Surrey.
5 Nicole Kidman And Keith Urban Love Dollywood In Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
Most people have heard of Dollywood but have no idea what exactly it is. Well, according to their website, the theme park includes both standard amusement park thrill rides as well as traditional crafts, and music of the Smoky Mountain area. Each year, the park hosts a number of concerts and musical events that Dolly Parton herself loves. The 150-acre Dollywood includes a 35-acre sister water park, Dollywood's Splash Country, The DreamMore Resort and Spa, a stampede dinner attraction, and the Southern Gospel Museum and Hall of Fame. No wonder stars like Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman love it.
4 Kendall And Kylie Jenner Love Legoland In Carlsbad, California
Legoland is, by no means, a small attraction. After all, there are numerous locations around the world that are owned and operated by the British theme park company Merlin Entertainments. But it's not Disneyland. Due to its theme, it may put some people off. But, according to their website, Legoland has attractions that appeal to everyone. According to Galuxsee, Blac Chyna and Kendall and Kylie Jenner loved playing around with the toys at the Carlsbad location, which is 30 minutes north of San Diego and one hour south of Anaheim.
3 Vanessa Hudgens And Ashley Benson Love Busch Gardens In Tampa Bay, Florida
While filming Spring Breakers in Florida, Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Benson were spotted getting drenched with water at Busch Gardens, according to Just Jared. The hot actors tode the River Rapids ride, multiple rollercoasters, and other rides throughout their day there. According to their website, Busch Gardens is owned and operated by the SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment conglomerate and features six major rollercoasters, kid-friendly coasters, and a bunch fo water rides that attract more than 4.1 million tourists a year.
2 Austin Mahone And Shawn Mendes Love The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter In California
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme parks are supremely popular around the world but still don't have the reputation that Disneyland amusement parks do. But celebrities are trying to change that as time and time again they've proven that they are as big of Harry Potter nerds as the rest of us. According to Galuxsee, Austin Mahone, Shawn Mendes, Ally and AJ Michalka, Joe Jonas, and Madelaine Petsch are all massive fans of the California and Orlando locations. There they can drink butterbeer, ride magical rollercoasters, and visit Olivander's Wand Shop.
1 Ariel Winter And Ludacris Love Universal Studios In California, Florida, And Japan
If there's one formidable rival to Disneyland and Disneyworld, it would almost certainly be the Universal theme parks in Los Angeles, Japan, and Orlando, Florida. The movie and television-themed adventure parks are fabulous destinations for people of all ages. The California location is most famous for having the Universal studio tour as well as the first Jurassic Park (now Jurassic World) ride. According to Galuxsee, stars like Modern Family's Ariel Winter and Ludacris are big fans of the park. After all, it makes them feel young again.