Waiting in line only becomes enjoyable when we know that reaching the highest point of the Ferris wheel awaits us—a joy that is an inseparable part of every person’s childhood, anywhere in the world. Amusement parks are the first places where anyone can turn happiness and fun into lasting memories. In this article, we aim to explore the history of amusement parks. The evolution of amusement park equipment is one of the most fascinating topics in the fields of culture, technology, and entertainment. From their earliest days to the present, amusement parks have traveled a long path, evolving into the form we know today—a blend of entertainment, advanced technology, and interactive experiences.
Early Formation: Entertainment Fairs and Carnivals
In the Middle Ages and the early modern period, amusement parks and recreational activities began to take shape. During this time, entertainment mainly consisted of street performances, traveling carnivals, and manually operated Ferris wheels, with experiences largely limited to simple, human-powered physical activities. It can be said that at that time, circuses, acrobatic shows, live music, and fireworks were tools for entertainment and attracting people to local markets and festivals.
1550–1700: Pleasure Gardens began to appear in Europe. These were the first permanent areas specifically dedicated to outdoor entertainment. The attractions included fountains, flower gardens, bowling, games, music, dancing, performances, and a few simple amusement rides.
1650: Large winter ice slides became popular in Russia, with the most elaborate ones built in Saint Petersburg. Small wooden sleds used iron rails to glide over the ice. These simple amusements served as early inspirations for the invention of modern roller coasters and have become an enduring part of amusement park history.
1767: European gardens were introduced to America with the opening of Vauxhall Gardens in New York City. In the early 1800s, one of the first Ferris wheels in the country was installed.
1829: Coney Island was connected to New York City by road, and its first hotel was opened, paving the way for the development of America’s most legendary amusement area.
1842: The first circular gravity railway was showcased in the Frascati Gardens in Paris, France. The French called this ride the Chemin du Centrifuge.
Early Mechanical Amusement Parks
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, thanks to the Industrial Revolution, the first mechanical rides, such as Ferris wheels and small trains, were introduced, and mechanical and motorized technologies were added to amusement parks. The first permanent amusement parks, like Coney Island in New York, were established, with a focus on creating greater excitement and thrill. At that time, the idea of enjoying fear was not easily explained to people, yet these attractions quickly became popular.
1875: With the completion of the first railway, Coney Island quickly became a popular seaside resort. The most popular attractions at Coney were located in pavilions built near the water and included cabaret entertainments, vaudeville shows, melodramas, fortune tellers, games, and rides such as small Ferris wheels.
1884: LaMarcus A. Thompson introduced his Switchback Gravity Pleasure Railway on Coney Island. This ride is recognized as the first true roller coaster in America, although several similar attractions, including the Mauch Chunk Switchback Railway, had been opened earlier.
1888: The first electric street railway opened in Richmond, Virginia. Soon, hundreds of streetcar lines were built across the country. Amusement parks, usually located at the ends of these streetcar lines, provided an ideal solution. ‘Trolley parks’ quickly spread across America, offering picnic areas, dance halls, restaurants, games, and a few amusement rides.
1889: Lina Beecher from New York built the first vertical roller coaster in America in Toledo. It was later relocated to Coney Island, New York.
1893: The Chicago Columbian Exposition introduced George Ferris’s famous giant Ferris wheel. A true marvel of the modern world at the time, the first Ferris wheel weighed over 4 million pounds and stood 264 feet tall.
The Columbian Exposition also introduced the first true Midway, known as the Midway Plaisance (or White City Midway). The ornate building facades and bright electric lights of the exposition set the standard for amusement park design for the next 60 years.
1894: Chutes Park opened in Chicago. Built by Captain Paul Boyton, Chutes Park was the first enclosed amusement park with an admission fee. After relocating in 1896, Chutes Park eventually closed in 1908.
1895: Captain Paul Boyton’s Sea Lion Park opened on Coney Island. Sea Lion Park served as an inspiration for numerous amusement parks across the United States.
1903: Thompson and Dundy’s Luna Park opened on May 16 at Coney Island. The electric architectural style of the ‘Arabian Nights’ attracted over 40,000 visitors on its opening night. Luna Park burned down in 1947.
1910: By this date, more than 2,000 amusement parks were operating across the United States.
1915–1920: Many parks closed due to the invention of the automobile and the public’s growing interest in new attractions, such as motion pictures.
1919–1929: This was the golden age of amusement parks. Many larger cities had up to six amusement parks. Competition fueled a construction boom that lasted until the end of the decade. Many of the best roller coasters of all time were built during this period by John A. Miller.
1919: John Miller patented his friction wheel design for roller coasters. This new method of keeping the coaster cars on the tracks revolutionized roller coasters, allowing for steeper drops and higher speeds.
1928: Playland in New York opened on May 26. Playland was designed by a New York architectural firm led by Frank Darling.
1929–1933: The stock market crash and the Great Depression led to the closure of many parks. The number of amusement parks in the United States dropped from over 2,000 in 1910 to fewer than 500.
1940s: Amusement parks provided a diversion from World War II. However, rationing and resource shortages hindered the growth of parks during the war.
1950s: A period of new innovations begins. Kiddielands start to emerge, often located near another postwar phenomenon—the shopping mall.
The Rise of Modern Themed Amusement Parks
The birth of modern themed amusement parks occurred in the mid-20th century in the course of amusement park history. Disneyland (1955) was one of the first parks to use a specific theme—the Disney stories. Amusement parks became places where technology, storytelling, and architecture were seamlessly integrated.
1955: Disneyland opened, widely regarded as the first major themed amusement park in the world. Built at a cost of $17 million, it was the largest investment in an amusement park up to that time. Despite skepticism toward such a new concept, the park was an immediate success, attracting 3.8 million visitors to its five themed areas in its first season.
1959: The Matterhorn made its debut at Disneyland. Built by Arrow Development, the Matterhorn was the first large tubular steel roller coaster, forever changing the face of roller coaster development.
1961: Six Flags Over Texas opened in Arlington, Texas. It was the first successful regional themed park, and in its first full season, 1.3 million visitors passed through its gates.
1963: Arrow Development introduced the first log flume ride at Six Flags Over Texas. The ride quickly became the park’s most popular attraction, and soon numerous log flume rides were built in both themed and traditional amusement parks around the world.
1960s–1970s: Large urban amusement parks closed, reflecting the changing times. With growing unrest in major cities, the parks faced similar pressures.
1970s: Large themed parks began to grow with the backing of major corporations such as Marriott Corp., Penn Central, Anheuser-Busch, Mattel, and Harcourt, Brace & Jovanovich, which invested in themed parks.
Many small, family-owned traditional parks succumbed to competitive pressures and closed, following the fate of mom-and-pop businesses. However, other traditional parks were renovated and expanded to compete with the new wave of themed parks. Examples include Kennywood in Pittsburgh, PA; Cedar Point in Sandusky, OH; Dorney Park in Allentown, PA; Lagoon in Farmington, UT; and Hersheypark in Hershey, PA.
1971: Walt Disney World opened on 27,500 acres in central Florida. Disney made the largest investment ever for a resort, totaling $250 million.
1972: Kings Island near Cincinnati, OH, opened and is credited with reviving the classic wooden roller coaster with the construction of the Racer. The 1970s were a decade of renovation for roller coasters and regional theme parks. Not only were parks competing to build the tallest and fastest rides, but it was also a decade of roller coaster innovation not seen since the 1920s, as looping roller coasters became a staple of the industry.
1981: Canada’s Wonderland opened in Toronto, Canada. It was widely regarded as the last major themed park built in North America as part of the boom that peaked in the 1970s. With rising costs and seemingly all major markets already served, industry experts considered the American theme park market to be saturated.
1982: EPCOT Center opened at Walt Disney World in Florida. Considered a permanent World’s Fair, EPCOT was the first themed park with a construction cost exceeding one billion dollars.
1983: Tokyo Disneyland opened. Other companies in the entertainment industry now looked to Asia and Europe to expand their operations.
Geauga Lake in Aurora, Ohio, added Boardwalk Shores, becoming the first park to offer both a water park and an amusement park for a single admission price. This set a major trend for both newer themed parks and traditional parks alike, making the 1980s the decade of water parks.
1987: Kennywood and Playland in Rye, NY, were designated as National Historic Landmarks, becoming the first active amusement parks to receive this recognition. The designation also symbolized a renewed interest in the heritage of the entertainment industry.
1992: Batman: The Ride opened at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, IL. The first roller coaster with cars traveling beneath the track, Batman was instantly popular, and soon parks around the world were building inverted roller coasters.
1988: SeaWorld Texas opened in San Antonio. As the first major themed park to open in North America since 1981, it revitalized the industry. Soon, several other new parks were in development, though not at the frantic pace of the 1970s. Other notable new parks include Universal Studios Florida in 1990 and Fiesta Texas in San Antonio, which opened in 1992.
1997: Superman: The Ride opened at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California. This roller coaster broke records for the tallest structure (415 feet) and fastest speed (100 mph) that had never been achieved before.
2000: The roller coaster arms race reached the new millennium, with over 100 roller coasters opening worldwide and the world records for the tallest and fastest coasters changing hands three times—from Goliath at Six Flags Magic Mountain (255 feet tall, 85 mph) to Millennium Force at Cedar Point (310 feet tall, 85 mph), and then to Steel Dragon at Nagashima Spa Land in Japan (318 feet tall, 95 mph).
2005: The roller coaster arms race that began in 1988 seemingly came to an end with the opening of Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure (456 feet tall, 128 mph). Rising costs and the increasing appeal of record-breaking but narrow rides were key factors in ending the race.
The Advent of Digital Technology and Simulation
With the advancement of computer systems and next-generation graphics architecture, interactive rides and video games found their place in amusement parks through simulation, advanced sound systems, and lighting effects. During this period, more sophisticated roller coasters, digital haunted tunnels, and 4D cinemas were introduced.
Virtual and Augmented Reality Experiences
From the 2000s onward, the use of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) enabled deeper experiences, sensor-based interactive games, and personalized attractions. The integration of artificial intelligence to analyze visitor behavior and provide enhanced services, combined with various VR simulators, brought a new generation of amusement park rides to the forefront.
Smart and Sustainable Amusement Parks
Smart and sustainable amusement parks are also emerging today. The use of intelligent technologies, such as guide apps, smart queue systems, and digital payment, is on the rise. Emphasis on environmental sustainability, including renewable energy and waste reduction, has become a key feature of the modern entertainment industry.
Hybrid Experiences Connecting the Real and Virtual Worlds (e.g., the Metaverse)
The evolution of amusement park equipment has had a profound impact on various aspects of human life, including culture, the economy, and innovation. These impacts have influenced not only the visitor experience but also the shaping of industries and even emerging technologies.
Today, the amusement park industry has expanded worldwide. Several operator companies now operate on a global scale with extensive facilities in many countries, as China has been the fastest-growing market for themed parks since the 2010s. With continued technological advancements, visitors continue to experience unprecedented thrills, promising new heights with the construction of new parks and attractions, including Universal’s Epic Universe, scheduled to open in 2025.
