The TripAdvisor “Best of the Best” amusement park rankings are out and the top of the list is not what most people expected.
Knoebels Amusement Resort, a family-owned park in Elysburg, Pennsylvania that charges nothing to walk through the gate, came in first. Dollywood was second. Magic Kingdom was third. Disney's Hollywood Studios fourth. Universal Islands of Adventure fifth.
A park that most of America has never heard of, operating on a pay-per-ride model in the middle of rural Pennsylvania, outranked every Disney park, every Universal park, and every other amusement destination in the country on a list built from nearly 3,000 guest reviews and a 4.7 rating on TripAdvisor.
When Knoebels announced the ranking on social media, the people who already knew the park were not surprised. The American Coaster Enthusiasts for Eastern Pennsylvania responded with five words: “We knew it all along.” Someone else added: “Been going since 1996.” These are not reactions of discovery. They are reactions of vindication.
What Knoebels Actually Offers
TripAdvisor's description of the park is a useful starting point: “Family-owned and operated since 1926, Knoebels Amusement Resort, located in Elysburg, Pennsylvania, is America's largest free-admission amusement park. It's got it all: roller coasters, kid-friendly rides, bumper cars, a haunted mansion, swimming, camping, a mining museum, and even a championship 18-hole golf course. The accommodating staff, clean facilities, and fun attractions make for a memorable family-friendly visit.”
The free admission model deserves specific attention because it is genuinely unusual at this scale. Knoebels has operated since 1926 without a gate fee, running instead on a pay-per-ride structure that allows guests to tailor their spending to exactly what they want to experience. A family can arrive, walk the grounds, eat, take in the atmosphere, and leave having spent only what they chose to spend. For a park with more than 100 rides, that is a guest-first approach that most large operators abandoned decades ago.
The ride lineup holds up alongside parks that cost significantly more to enter. The Impulse roller coaster features upside-down twists and a 90-degree free fall. The Phoenix, a wooden coaster that originally opened in Texas in 1947 and was relocated to Knoebels in 1985, is consistently cited by coaster enthusiasts as one of the best wooden coasters in the country. The antique cars attraction takes guests through the woods and underneath the Phoenix in a Model-T replica. The Grand Carousel includes a ring game on every ride where the winner earns a free turn.
These are not afterthoughts. They are the kind of experiences that build the specific and fierce loyalty that Knoebels commands from its regulars.
The Full Top 10 and What It Reflects
Here is the complete list as TripAdvisor published it:
- Knoebels Amusement Resort, Elysburg, Pennsylvania
- Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
- Magic Kingdom Park, Bay Lake, Florida
- Disney's Hollywood Studios, Bay Lake, Florida
- Universal Islands of Adventure, Orlando, Florida
- EPCOT, Bay Lake, Florida
- Legoland California, Carlsbad, California
- Universal Studios Florida, Orlando, Florida
- Disneyland Park, Anaheim, California
- Silver Dollar City, Branson, Missouri
Three Disney parks. Two Universal parks. One Legoland. Three independent regional parks. Knoebels, Dollywood, and Silver Dollar City all appear alongside operations that dwarf them in capital investment and brand recognition.
TripAdvisor described Dollywood in second place this way: “Dollywood is the brainchild of singer Dolly Parton, who grew up in the surrounding Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. The park has a downhome feel with singalongs and a museum dedicated to Parton's life, plus high-velocity roller coasters and thrill rides. Watch artisans showcase glass blowing and pottery skills. Stay at the park's two resorts for loads of perks.”
And on Magic Kingdom in third: “Known as The Most Magical Place On Earth, the Magic Kingdom Park needs no introduction. This theme park is located at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and features some of Disney's best-known attractions, Space Mountain, Jungle Cruise, Cinderella Castle. There's also a nightly fireworks show, musical parades, and meet and greets with your favorite Disney Characters.”
The presence of independent regional parks at the top of a list measured by guest satisfaction rather than scale or investment makes a specific argument. What guests rate highest is not necessarily the most expensive or the most technically ambitious park they have visited. It is the one that made them feel most valued during their visit, delivered on its promises, and left them wanting to come back.
How This Changes the Vacation Planning Conversation
For Disney guests, the rankings function in two directions.
In one direction, the top ten validates what loyal Disney visitors already know. Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Disneyland all appear in the top nine. The Disney portfolio is genuinely world-class and the rankings reflect that. When someone questions whether a Disney vacation justifies its cost, the TripAdvisor placement is concrete evidence that the parks deliver experiences guests rate among the best available anywhere.
In the other direction, the list is a useful reference for families whose vacation planning extends beyond Orlando and Anaheim. Dollywood in second, Knoebels in first, and Silver Dollar City in tenth represent a category of park that offers high guest satisfaction at a cost structure that is meaningfully different from a Disney resort week. For families that take multiple park vacations per year, these rankings provide a credible framework for building an itinerary that goes beyond the flagship destinations.
Knoebels specifically is worth considering for families with younger children or for anyone who finds the logistics of a full Disney resort visit overwhelming. Free admission, pay-per-ride pricing, camping options, and a pace that does not require a planning spreadsheet to navigate are a genuinely different kind of experience. The 4.7 rating from nearly 3,000 reviewers is not accidental.
If the Knoebels ranking caught your attention and you want to know more, their official website has complete ride information, camping details, and current operating season information. For Disney guests who have Magic Kingdom or Hollywood Studios on the itinerary, knowing those parks rank third and fourth on TripAdvisor's national list is useful context for any trip planning conversation. The rankings support what experienced Disney guests already feel about the quality of those parks.
