Calling all you theme park lovers! Discover 11 of the best and most surprising theme park facts right here.

Author: Simon Edward

Of all the fun things you can do as a family, visiting a theme park has got to be up there with the best.

A family day at the theme park has stood the test of time – with the grandparents and parents loving it almost as much as the kids. But why is that? How did theme parks come about? How have they changed over the years?

We’ve done some digging and found you some fun theme park facts and surprising trivia about your favourite attractions.

1. One of the first amusement parks opened more than 440 years ago

In Denmark, you can find one of the oldest-known amusement parks called Bakken (or Dyrehavsbakken, officially).

It was first used as a place to gather, as local water quality was poor and Dyrehavsbakken was the site of a natural spring. As the years went by, more and more travelling salesmen and entertainers pitched up to these growing crowds.

Eventually moving rides and circuses were added and the theme park vibes started to flow.

2. 17th-century Russian ice slides inspired the rollercoaster

Ice slides were built for the Russian public to enjoy. They were made with wooden frames topped with thick sheets of ice, sometimes reaching a lofty 21 metres tall. Some were ornately decorated to appeal to the upper class.

3. A steam-powered merry-go-round debuted in 1861

Classic rides like the merry-go-round are always popular.

Early merry-go-rounds were powered by animals – or by people turning cranks. But in 1861, a man called Thomas Bradshaw debuted a steam-powered merry-go-round in Bolton.

If you’re into classic carnival attractions and the whole Victorian vibe, you’ll want to check out Steampunk Bay at Southport Pleasureland. It’s the UK’s only steampunk theme park, bringing all the fun and atmosphere of a Victorian fair – with a futuristic twist.

4. The Ferris Wheel was America’s answer to the Eiffel Tower

In 1890, an architect called Daniel Burnham tasked a talented team to design and build something for the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. And it had to be more magnificent than the Eiffel Tower, which had been built just one year before in Paris.

No pressure, Dan!

A design by Washington Gale Ferris Jr was chosen – and the team got to work creating his huge wheel. It was designed to hold 36 cars of 60 people. This means it could hold a whopping 2,160 people at full capacity and take them up 264 feet.

5. Britain’s oldest theme park has a rather icky origin story

After acquiring a giant beached whale, a 19-year-old entrepreneur called Alexander Dabell sold the blubber, got the bones bleached and had it put up in his soon-to-be-theme park Blackgang Chine.

It’s still running as a theme park to this day. And it’s still where it’s always been: on the southernmost point of the Isle of Wight.

6. Belle Vue Amusement Park in Manchester was one of the UK’s first American-style rollercoaster parks

After seeing the success of Coney Island in New York, we Brits wanted some of the American fairground action. This led to the establishment of early home-grown theme parks, such as Belle Vue Amusement Park in Manchester.

Although it began life as a zoological centre in the 1870s, it transformed into an attraction featuring fairs, food, and live music – as well as rides like the ghost train and dodgems.

7. Dodgems began their rise to fame in Britain nearly 100 years ago

Ah, dodgems… one of the true classics. But when did these boisterous buggies first appear?

The humble dodgems first got imported into the UK in 1928 – and soon began their journey to British fairground fame.

Fancy a go? Take a trip down memory lane by heading to Cartoon Boardwalk at Southport Pleasureland. Here, you can have a go on our dodgems and other classic rides like the waltzers.

8. Disneyland wasn’t the first theme park in the US

Opening in California on 17th July 1955, Disneyland became one of America’s first large parks centred on specific themes. But it wasn’t the first.

Santa Claus Land, which opened on 3 August 1946, is considered the oldest theme park in the States. It was the creation of Louis J. Koch who, when visiting the town of Santa Claus, Indiana with his nine kids, was shocked and disappointed to find no Santa.

He vowed to create a park where children could meet Santa and enjoy other themed attractions, such as a “house of dolls” and miniature North Pole train.

It’s still going today. However, it has been renamed Holiday World and has expanded to include themed lands inspired by other holidays like Thanksgiving and Halloween.

9. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park is the largest in the world

If a big zoo and a big theme park had a baby, it would be Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

This theme park is huge. It covers more than 580 acres in Bay Lake, Florida and features hundreds of live animal exhibits feature alongside traditional theme park attractions.

The park is divided into seven themed areas, including Pandora, which is modelled after James Cameron’s hit movie Avatar. Another area, simply called “Africa”, is set in the fictional port settlement of Harambe and resembles villages in Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya.

Suddenly got the urge to get to a theme park? We get it! Visit us for a fun day out at Southport Pleasureland – the happiest family theme park in England. Enjoy all-day access to 30+ rides and four incredible themed lands. Book your tickets today.