It's no shock that four of the top five theme parks in the world, as rated by the tourists to visit them, are in Central Florida, but the No. 1 park may surprise you.
That title goes to Discovery Cove, SeaWorld Orlando's sister park, which was the highest-rated amusement park in TripAdvisor's 2014 Travelers' Choice Awards.
Discovery Cove, SeaWorld's all-inclusive day resort best known for its dolphin swim experience, took the No. 1 spot on TripAdvisor's list for the second year in a row. TripAdvisor said its list was based on millions of user reviews.
"Today calls for a celebration," said Sewart Clark, vice president of Discovery Cove, after the list was released. "We're honored that Discovery Cove has been recognized on the world's stage once again for its ability to deliver an unforgettable vacation experience. Daily we witness dreams come true — families bond, friendships strengthen and lifetime memories are made."
No. 2 on the list of the world's best amusement parks is Europa-Park in Germany, the second most popular theme park in Europe, behind Disneyland Park Paris.
Rounding out the top five are Universal's Islands of Adventure (3), the Magic Kingdom (4) and Disney's Hollywood Studios (5).
Five more Florida parks also made the top 25: Disney's Animal Kingdom (10), SeaWorld Orlando (11), Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (14), Epcot (16), and Universal Studios Florida (20).
Here is the full list from TripAdvisor. Theme parks in Florida are in bold:
Top 25 Amusement Parks — World
Source: TripAdvisor, 2014 Traveler's Choice Awards
- Discovery Cove
- Europa Park (Germany)
- Universal's Islands of Adventure
- Magic Kingdom
- Disney's Hollywood Studios
- Beto Carrero World (Brazil)
- Disneyland Park (California)
- Universal Studios Singapore
- PortAventura Park (Spain)
- Disney's Animal Kingdom
- SeaWorld Orlando
- Cedar Point (Ohio)
- Universal Studios Hollywood
- Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
- Ocean Park (Hong Kong)
- Epcot
- Disney California Adventure
- Busch Gardens Williamsburg
- Dollywood (Tennessee)
- Universal Studios Florida
- Silver Dollar City (Missouri)
- Sea World San Diego
- Walt Disney Studios (Paris)
- Disneyland Park Paris
- Tivoli Gardens (Denmark)