USA TODAY 10Best
Best new amusement park attraction? Readers vote Sesame Street Land
Best New Amusement Park Attraction (2020)
Each summer, amusement parks across the United States introduce park goers to a new lineup of attractions, from extreme thrill rides that push our adrenaline pumping limits to themed areas that welcome us into whole new worlds. This last year was no exception.
The top 10 winners in the category Best New Amusement Park Attraction are as follows:
Photo courtesy of Mike Aguilera/SeaWorld San Diego
No. 10: Tidal Twister - SeaWorld San Diego
SeaWorld San Diego opened a new dueling roller coaster this year with the debut of Tidal Twister. Riders accelerate to speeds of 30 miles per hour along a tight figure-eight track with a zero-G roll in the center section.
No. 9: Steelers Country - Kennywood - West Mifflin, Penn.
Kennywood Park and the Pittsburgh Steelers teamed up to create a new themed land in 2019, Steelers Country. The highlight is the new Steel Curtain roller coaster, which reaches speeds of 76 miles per hour and navigates nine inversions (the most in North America), including the world’s tallest at 197 feet.
Photo courtesy of Six Flags Great America
No. 8: Maxx Force - Six Flags Great America - Chicago
Upon its debut in 2019, Maxx Force became the fastest launch coaster in North America (speeds of 78 miles per hour in under two seconds), as well as having the fastest inversion and the tallest double inversion in the world.
Photo courtesy of Universal Orlando
No. 7: Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure - Universal's Islands of Adventure - Orlando
The newest addition to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal's Islands of Adventure takes riders on a high-flying adventure with Hagrid into the Forbidden Forest, past towering trees, Devil’s Snare, centaurs and other magical creatures.
Photo courtesy of SeaWorld San Antonio
No. 6: Turtle Reef - SeaWorld San Antonio
SeaWorld San Antonio’s new animal attraction, Turtle Reef, introduces guests to the underwater world of sea turtles through a 126,000-gallon habitat with floor-to-ceiling viewing, as well as two new rides, the Riptide Rescue spinner and Sea Swinger pendulum ride.
No. 5: Copperhead Strike - Carowinds - Charlotte
Carowinds introduced the Carolinas’ first double launch coaster in 2019 with the debut of Copperhead Strike. The thrill ride takes riders from 0 to 42 miles per hour in 2.5 seconds, then 35 to 50 miles per hour in two seconds. Five inversions round out the thrills.
No. 4: Wildwood Grove - Dollywood - Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
Guests at Dollywood were welcomed to Wildwood Grove for the first time in 2019. This new land is anchored by the photo op-worthy, butterfly covered Wildwood Tree, with other features like the Hidden Hollow play area, six new rides, a Smoky Mountain band and a new Mexican restaurant.
Photo courtesy of Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
No. 3: Tigris - Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Florida’s tallest launch coaster debuted at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay this year. Tigris, inspired by the park's tigers, takes riders forward and backward at more than 60 miles per hour, with drops, loops, twists and a 150-food skyward surge along the way.
Photo courtesy of BFA for American Dream
No. 2: Nickelodeon Universe - East Rutherford, N.J.
The American Dream retail and entertainment complex in New Jersey saw the opening of an entirely new theme park in 2019, Nickelodeon Universe. This 8.5-acre facility is the largest indoor theme park on the continent, complete with coasters, spinning rides and a ropes course.
Photo courtesy of SeaWorld Orlando
No. 1: Sesame Street Land - SeaWorld Orlando
Visitors to SeaWorld Orlando can now take a walk down Sesame Street, stop by the stoop at 123, explore Hooper’s Store or pay a visit to Big Bird’s Nest. This all new land features its own parade and plenty of familiar characters.
A panel of experts partnered with 10Best editors to pick the initial 20 nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote.
Congratulations to all these winning attractions!
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Christopher Parr
Christopher Parr is the Founder and... Read More
Christopher Parr is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief for Pursuitist, the leading luxury travel and leisure website. An award-winning travel writer, Parr is also a luxury marketing veteran, a frequent speaker at luxury and interactive marketing conferences and a pioneer in web publishing. He launched Pursuitist in 2010 as a curated list of the good things in life, with guest contributors from Forbes, Mashable, TechCrunch, Glamour, Saveur and more sharing their favorite luxuries. Follow along on Twitter.
Christopher Parr
Christopher Parr is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief for Pursuitist, the leading luxury travel and leisure website. An award-winning travel writer, Parr is also a luxury marketing veteran, a frequent speaker at luxury and interactive marketing conferences and a pioneer in web publishing. He launched Pursuitist in 2010 as a curated list of the good things in life, with guest contributors from Forbes, Mashable, TechCrunch, Glamour, Saveur and more sharing their favorite luxuries. Follow along on Twitter.
Eric Grossman
Eric Grossman is a travel and food/drink writer... Read More
Eric Grossman is a travel and food/drink writer who has visited more than 60 countries. Always up for an adventure, Eric is constantly searching for new and inspiring experiences, with a keen interest in luxury travel and urban exploration. Memorable experiences have run the gamut from discussing the future of food with Ferran Adrià to sharing a stage with Coldplay.
Eric Grossman
Eric Grossman is a travel and food/drink writer who has visited more than 60 countries. Always up for an adventure, Eric is constantly searching for new and inspiring experiences, with a keen interest in luxury travel and urban exploration. Memorable experiences have run the gamut from discussing the future of food with Ferran Adrià to sharing a stage with Coldplay.
Gerrish Lopez
Gerrish Lopez is a food and travel... Read More
Gerrish Lopez is a food and travel writer/photographer whose adventures have taken her from tiny islands (Isle of Man, Lanai) to mega-cities like Mexico City and Hong Kong. A former vegetarian, Gerrish has grown to appreciate carnivorous fare through sampling the best meats in the world, including smoked pork jowl in Thailand and whole hog barbecue in South Carolina. Gerrish is always looking for products and services to make her travels easier and more efficient.
Gerrish Lopez
Gerrish Lopez is a food and travel writer/photographer whose adventures have taken her from tiny islands (Isle of Man, Lanai) to mega-cities like Mexico City and Hong Kong. A former vegetarian, Gerrish has grown to appreciate carnivorous fare through sampling the best meats in the world, including smoked pork jowl in Thailand and whole hog barbecue in South Carolina. Gerrish is always looking for products and services to make her travels easier and more efficient.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,... Read More
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.