Classic Theme Parks
Instructions: How well do you know the history of America's favorite theme parks?
- 1.
What year did Disneyland open in Anaheim, California?
A1950B1958C1953D1955 - 2.
Which theme park, opened in 1961 in Texas, was the first Six Flags park?
ASix Flags Magic MountainBSix Flags Over TexasCSix Flags Great AdventureDSix Flags Over Georgia - 3.
What was the name of the original roller coaster at Coney Island that opened in 1927 and still operates today?
AThe CycloneBThe TornadoCThe HurricaneDThe Thunderbolt - 4.
What was the first theme park ride to use Audio-Animatronics technology?
APirates of the CaribbeanBHaunted MansionCIt's a Small WorldDThe Enchanted Tiki Room - 5.
Which classic amusement park in Santa Cruz, California, features one of the oldest operating wooden roller coasters in the world?
APlaylandBSanta Cruz Beach BoardwalkCBelmont ParkDPacific Park - 6.
What was Walt Disney World's original name for its main theme park when it opened in 1971?
ADisney's Magic LandBWalt Disney WorldCDisneyland EastDMagic Kingdom - 7.
Which theme park chain was originally founded by Anheuser-Busch?
ACedar PointBSeaWorldCBusch GardensDHersheypark - 8.
What famous Disneyland attraction, which opened in 1967, features the song 'Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life for Me)'?
AJungle CruiseBHaunted MansionCPirates of the CaribbeanDTom Sawyer Island - 9.
Which Pennsylvania theme park, centered around a chocolate company, opened to the public in 1907?
ADorney ParkBHersheyparkCKennywoodDKnoebels - 10.
What was the name of the massive globe structure that became the icon of the 1964 New York World's Fair?
AThe World BallBThe SphereCThe GlobeDThe Unisphere - 11.
Which Cedar Point roller coaster, built in 1964, was the first Arrow Dynamics coaster with tubular steel track?
ACedar Creek Mine RideBGeminiCCorkscrewDBlue Streak - 12.
What Ohio amusement park, located on the shores of Lake Erie, is known as 'The Roller Coaster Capital of the World'?
AConey Island OhioBKings IslandCGeauga LakeDCedar Point - 13.
Which Disneyland attraction, opened in 1959, was the first tubular steel roller coaster in the world?
ASpace MountainBBig Thunder Mountain RailroadCSplash MountainDMatterhorn Bobsleds - 14.
What was the name of the famous New Jersey amusement park known as 'The Nation's Playground' that closed in 1971?
ASeaside HeightsBAtlantic City Steel PierCWildwood BoardwalkDPalisades Amusement Park - 15.
Which Disney attraction debuted at the 1964 New York World's Fair before being permanently installed at Disneyland?
AIt's a Small WorldBThe Haunted MansionCThe Enchanted Tiki RoomDSpace Mountain
Answer Key
Disneyland opened on July 17, 1955. The opening day, known as 'Black Sunday,' was plagued with problems including extreme heat, plumbing issues, and counterfeit tickets, but the park quickly became a massive success.
Six Flags Over Texas opened in Arlington, Texas in 1961. The name refers to the six different nations that have governed Texas: Spain, France, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the Confederacy, and the United States.
The Cyclone at Coney Island opened on June 26, 1927, and is one of the oldest operating roller coasters in the world. It was designated a New York City landmark in 1988 and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room, which opened at Disneyland in 1963, was the first attraction to use Audio-Animatronics. The technology featured robotic birds, flowers, and tiki gods that sang and moved.
The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, opened in 1907, is California's oldest surviving amusement park. Its Giant Dipper wooden roller coaster, built in 1924, is a National Historic Landmark.
The Magic Kingdom was the first theme park built at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, opening on October 1, 1971. Walt Disney himself had envisioned the Florida project but passed away in 1966 before its completion.
Busch Gardens was originally created by Anheuser-Busch as hospitality centers adjacent to their breweries. The Tampa, Florida location opened in 1959 and the Williamsburg, Virginia park opened in 1975.
Pirates of the Caribbean opened at Disneyland on March 18, 1967. It was the last attraction personally supervised by Walt Disney and later inspired the hugely successful film franchise.
Hersheypark was created by Milton S. Hershey as a leisure park for employees of the Hershey Chocolate Company. It started as a simple picnic area and has grown into a major theme park with over 70 rides.
The Unisphere, a 140-foot-tall stainless steel globe, was built as the centerpiece of the 1964-65 New York World's Fair in Flushing Meadows. It still stands today as an iconic Queens landmark.
Cedar Point's Blue Streak, which opened in 1964, is actually a classic wooden coaster. The first tubular steel coaster was the Matterhorn Bobsleds at Disneyland in 1959, designed by Arrow Development.
Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, has earned its nickname by consistently having among the most roller coasters of any park in the world. The park dates back to 1870, making it one of the oldest in the country.
The Matterhorn Bobsleds opened at Disneyland on June 14, 1959, and was the world's first tubular steel roller coaster. Built inside a 147-foot replica of the Swiss mountain, it pioneered the technology used in most modern coasters.
Palisades Amusement Park, located on the cliffs of the Hudson River in New Jersey, operated from 1898 to 1971. Freddy 'Boom Boom' Cannon's 1962 hit 'Palisades Park' immortalized it in pop culture.
It's a Small World debuted as a UNICEF exhibit at the 1964 New York World's Fair. After the fair ended, the attraction was relocated to Disneyland, where it opened in 1966 and has become one of Disney's most iconic rides.