8 of the oldest theme parks in the world

Theme parks have been around for hundreds of years. Let's explore some of the oldest in the world.

In 1583, a natural spring was discovered in the forests of an area known as Jaegersborg.

With clean water being in short supply for the local Danes, people soon began flocking to the spring. They brought with them a host of vendors, performers and entertainers.

This is how the world's oldest theme park was born.

Bakken is still around today. It's a charming park that attracts visitors from across the globe who flock to experience its historic attractions.

It's come a long way from its 16th-century origins, though. Many modern attractions have been added over the years. The park now features six roller coasters, as well as a host of children's rides. 

Wurstelprater, Austria

Located in Vienna's Leopoldstadt district, Wurstelprater takes the runner-up position as the second-oldest theme park in the world.

Wurstelprater (Prater for short) began life as a private hunting ground for Emperor Joseph II. However, the Emperor declared it public in 1766.

The monarch encouraged cafe owners, entertainers and other local entrepreneurs to flock to the area. Before long, the amusement park was born.

The park is still open today and is most well-known for its thrilling rides and attractions. The stand-outs are the Megablitz rollercoaster – which hits an eye-watering 70 kilometres per hour – and the Ejection Seat, which has been likened to a NASA test plant.

Don't worry: it's not all hair-raising, heart-pounding rides. There are some classics too, including a haunted house, a merry-go-round, bouncy castles and a miniature golf course. 

Tivoli Gardens, Denmark

The world's third-oldest theme park, Tivoli Gardens is just 11 kilometres from Bakken and was directly inspired by its older neighbour.

Today, though, the park has overtaken Bakken in the popularity stakes. Tivoli Gardens is Denmark's premier theme park and one of the most-visited parks in continental Europe.

Located in the centre of Copenhagen, Tivoli is renowned for its old-world charm, beautiful gardens and attractions that suit all ages. 

And here's an interesting tidbit: it's thought that Tivoli Gardens served as the main inspiration for Disneyland. That's because Walt Disney had visited Tivoli four years before opening his own park.

Lake Compounce, Connecticut

A number of amusement parks had opened up across Europe before America got the memo and decided to play catch-up.

In 1846, an outdoor recreational area was established at Lake Compounce with a casino opening on the grounds in 1895. A few short decades later, a wooden rollercoaster called Wildcat followed.

Wildcat has operated more or less continuously since it opened in 1927. It closed for restoration in 2023 but will reopen with a new track this year.

Cedar Point, Ohio

Cedar Point, Ohio, is the most-visited seasonal attraction in America.

The theme park opened in 1870 making it America's second oldest.  It's also a world record holder with a staggering 72 rides on offer.

Not only is Cedar Point a record holder for the sheer number of rides, but also for the number of rides that exceed 200 feet in height. Eek!

If you're scared of heights, you may want to give this one a miss…

Hanayashiki, Japan

After buying 160 acres of land in 1954, Disney began construction of its theme park. It opened on July 17 1955 with 18 rides and attractions.

In the planning stages, the park was known as "The Mickey Mouse Park", which changed shortly after to "Disneylandia". Eventually, Walt Disney settled on the name we know and love today: Disneyland.

The park was designed with educational and entertainment elements for both adults and children. This theme has continued to this day.

Visit one of the UK's oldest theme parks

For this article, we've focused on theme parks outside the UK – but there are plenty of historic parks on our shores too.

Take Southport Pleasureland, for instance. Our seaside amusement park opened in the early 1910s – and its roots stretch back at least to the late 1800s. This makes it older than Disneyland and many other well-known global names.

But we're not a heritage theme park. Southport Pleasureland is a modern attraction that boasts dozens of rides, four exciting themed zones and enough family fun to fill a whole day.

There's something for everyone here – including Fido.

That's right. We're proud to be one of the few dog-friendly theme parks in the UK. Well-behaved pups are more than welcome.

Fancy a day out that delivers fantastic value, exceptionally good food and plenty of laughs and thrills? Book your Pleasureland tickets online to get the best possible price.