Home of tallest and scariest giga-coaster makes list of best US theme parks

A new report has rounded up the best amusement parks in the US for families this summer, and the list includes newly opened attractions like the world’s tallest and fastest “giga-coaster” and interactive, 4D thrill rides.

Family Vacation Critic, an offshoot of TripAdvisor, has compiled a list of the country’s best theme parks, based on family perks, nearby accommodations as well as new rides and attractions.

One of the parks to make the list is Carowinds in Charlotte, North Carolina, which this year debuted the Fury 325, a jaw-dropping thrill ride designed to simulate the wild, spontaneous and unpredictable flight path of an angry hornet.

The roller coaster is billed as the world’s tallest and fastest giga-coaster, reaching heights of 325 feet (99 meters) -- the equivalent of 30 storeys -- and plunging riders down an 81-degree drop before whipping over hills and curves at breakneck speeds of up to 95 mph (153 km/hr).

A giga-coaster is defined as a having a height drop that ranges from 300 feet (91 m) to 399 feet (122 m).

Other parks included on the list include Hersheypark in Pennsylvania, which debuted the first indoor spinning “glow-coaster” in the US with the Laff Trakk, and Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio, for its new 4D Batman The Ride, also featuring two 90-degree drops.

Here are the parks to make Family Vacation Critic’s top 10 list (parks are not ranked):

Cedar Point, Sandusky, OH
Carowinds, Charlotte, NC
Knoebels, Elysburg, PA
Hersheypark, Hershey, PA
Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, TN
Six Flags Great Adventure, Jackson, NJ
Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Williamsburg, VA
Silver Dollar City, Branson, MO
Knott's Berry Farm, Buena Park, CA
Six Flags Fiesta Texas, San Antonio, TX

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