Theme Parks of US - a world of fantasies and spectacular thrills

A trip to America is not considered complete without visit to some of its most famous Theme parks. The visit to any of this parks prove that Americans are masters in the art of entertaining on the grand scale. The theme parks originated as a blend of the :

• periodic fairs normally a annual event which used to be held for providing amusement to the local people with entertainment , food , games and carnival attractions and
• parks or gardens which allowed the locals a space to relax with kids and family anytime of the year.

The purpose of the fairs and parks was to provide locals a avenue to relax, celebrate , have fun and to showcase local talents but more important to build the community feeling. The modern theme parks are out and out a commercial product . Its a product of American enterpreneurship which converted man's simple need to have fun into a full fledged entertainment business where people can walk in anytime of the year and buy the best that money can provide. Most theme parks are extensions of the best entertainment brands in the industry and provide the visitors an oppurtunity to acquaint with the brand in a more personal way.

• Disney Land - where the dream comes true : extension of the Walt Disney brand where children get to spend time with their favorite cartoon and animation characters like Mickey Mouse , Minnie Mouse , Peter Pan , Goofy , Alladin and Jasmin or the more recent characters made famous by the PIXAR films like Toy story , Finding Nemo etc. They can spend a day in the Fantasyland and re-live the fantasies they watch in the cartoons or enjoy Jungle adventures in Adventureland or be at Tommorrowland and look into future. How Walt Disney came into being is also no less then a fairy tale. Walt Disney started his own production because of a fallout over making of films potraying Oswald the lucky rabbit a cartoon character produced under Universal studio banner. He then went on to create his own character Mickey Mouse which became the icon for the Walt Disney Company. The rest as they say is history . The theme parks are in California and Florida in US , Paris (France), Tokyo (Japan) and in Hongkong. The one we visited was at Anaheim , California during the christmas vacation of Dec-06.

• Universal Studios : allows the people to have a tour of the world famous studios and understand about the world of film making as explained by the experts . There are special shows which allow the visitor a insight into the thrills , rides and stunts that went into the making of some famous Hollywood films like Waterworld , King Kong , Jurrasic Park, The Mummy Returns etc. For the kids there is the opportunity to get close to Nickelodean characters like Sponge Bob square pants , Dora and Diego and others from Universal movies like Shrek and Batman and to let it loose at the Nickelodean Blast zone. They have this theme parks in Hollywood and Orlando in US and in Japan. Like the Disney there are more then one of the Universal Studios two in US - Orlando and Hollywood ( this was the one we visited in Dec-06) , Japan and Spain.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• SeaWorld: a spectacular attempt to bring children and adults closer to marine and sealife. The place showcases some of the best spectacles in interactive entertainment - as man alongwith the creatures of the big seas like Shamu the whale, dolphins, walrus and seals perform up a range of mindboggling and daredevil tricks. The theme parks has operations in Orlando (Florida) , San Diego (California) and San Antonio (Texas) in US and a new one in Dubai , United Arab Emirates. There is one in Goldcoast Australia same name but not related to the same franchise . We have been to San Diego one in Dec-06 and the Gold coast one in Apr-05

• Legoland: This theme park has been build by the world famous toy manufacturer Lego Toys . This place reflects the flights of imagination which can be taken just with a box full of plastic blocks or brick as they are so often called . Lots of fun and rides for children of age groups 3 to 10 famous attractions being the Duplo gardens, Children Driving school, Fire Academy , Miniature Town and Boating school . The theme park has operations in Billund - Denmark, Windsor (Berkshire) - England , Gunzburg - Germany and Carlsbad (California) - US. We have been to the Carlsbad one in Mar-08