Best Theme Park Rides

Q1: What do the great attractions the best theme park use to make people forget about the technology?

Q2: What does the author think of Disneyland, the Universal parks and Expedition Everest?

The best theme park rides use a lot of razzle-dazzle to immerse guests in their alternate universes, but they never forget to effectively tell a story. Engaging your senses, enveloping you, and placing you at the center of the action, great attractions make you forget about the technology behind the illusions and transport you to magical places.

The best ride designers know that parks are all about shared experiences. By taking the themed journeys together, families and friends create treasured memories.

Many, but not all, of the top theme park rides, use well-known characters as the basis for their story lines. By tapping into the cultural zeitgeist, the rides are able to jump right into the action without having to acclimate riders. Parks are also able to generate anticipation (not to mention ticket sales) among the characters' built-in fan base.

As you might expect, Disney, with its long history and incredible portfolio of themed attractions, dominates the list of best theme park rides. But the Universal parks have a strong presence, particularly near the top of the list. And one ride that's neither at a Disney nor a Universal park makes it onto the list.

As a roller coaster, Expedition Everest is just OK. And as a themed dark ride, the attraction would be just OK without the coaster elements. But the combination of the coaster, which is integral to the ride's story, and the attraction's lavish, immersive environment, creates another Disney E-ticket must-ride and a welcome addition to Disney's Animal Kingdom.