Page 32 - 2020 Travel Guide to California

THEME PARKS
BY MATT VILLANO
Nothing But Fun
California’s theme parks appeal to kids of all ages
AMUSEMENT PARKS
Europeans started the concept of
amusement parks centuries ago with
fairs and pleasure gardens created for
people’s recreation. The world’s oldest
amusement park is Bakken, just
north of Copenhagen, Denmark,
which opened in 1583. The oldest
theme park in the United States is
Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari
(called Santa Claus Land from its
opening in 1946 until 1984) in Santa
Claus, Indiana. California’s theme
parks date from 1950.
Diversions are as plentiful as sunshine
in California. One of the most popular out-
lets: original theme parks. These attractions
are meccas to amusement, each focusing
rides and exhibits around different concepts
such as fairies, film, plastic blocks, sea life
and an inimitable mouse. Most of the parks
are situated in the southern part of the state
(where the weather is generally warmer), but
the granddaddy of them all is up north. Each
of the parks is worth a closer look.
Universal Studios Hollywood
This film-themed park got its formal start in
the 1960s when walk-throughs of Universal
Studios soundstages and sets were expanded
to include peeks at actual production. Over
the years, the studio added a tram to shuttle
visitors through the back lot; this tram
remains the best way to experience stunt
demonstrations and staged events (such as
an encounter with the shark from Jaws).
In 2019 the park opened a reimagined
and re-engineered Jurassic World–The Ride
with new dinosaurs and lush scenic design.
Three years earlier, they opened their most
anticipated attraction ever: The Wizarding
World of Harry Potter, complete with a
replica of Hogwarts castle and a recreation
of the shops of Hogsmeade. This section is
home to two rides: Harry Potter and the For-
bidden Journey, and Flight of the
Hippogriff. It also affords visitors the
opportunity to drink (non-alcoholic, but-
terscotch-flavored) Butterbeer in a rustic
tavern named Three Broomsticks, and to
shop for wands and other trinkets and sou-
venirs in Diagon Alley.
30 2020 TRAVEL GUIDE TO CALIFORNIA
DAVID SPRAGUE/UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOLLYWOOD. OPPOSITE: CDRIN/SHUTTERSTOCK; CARLOS/CREATIVE COMMONS/FLICKR; CITYPASS