Theme Parks I Wish Were Real (Inspired by The Kingdom)

Happy Tuesday everyone! Also, HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY TO THE KINGDOM!! This amazing YA sci-fi/fantasy/thriller book is out today and I hope you all take a look at this book and either buy a book, request it from your library or even add it to your TBR. This is a 2019 book to not miss this year 🙂

Goodreads Synopsis: Welcome to the Kingdom… where ‘Happily Ever After’ isn’t just a promise, but a rule. 

Glimmering like a jewel behind its gateway, The Kingdom(TM) is an immersive fantasy theme park where guests soar on virtual dragons, castles loom like giants, and bio-engineered species–formerly extinct–roam free.

Ana is one of seven Fantasists, beautiful “princesses” engineered to make dreams come true. When she meets park employee Owen, Ana begins to experience emotions beyond her programming including, for the first time… love.

But the fairytale becomes a nightmare when Ana is accused of murdering Owen, igniting the trial of the century. Through courtroom testimony, interviews, and Ana’s memories of Owen, emerges a tale of love, lies, and cruelty–and what it truly means to be human.

This book is simply amazing, dark and so well crafted that I started thinking: what theme parks would I want to be real? So here are 5 theme parks, book related or not, that I NEED to be real. Theme parks aren’t only places to escape and have fun, but also show us what can be possible for entertainment.

1. The Legend of Zelda Universe

When the N64 was the hot console when I was a kid, I played Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and my kid brain was blown away! I loved being Link as he traveled through time to stop the evil Ganondorf and save Zelda. Since that game, I’ve been Link sail the seas, go through paintings, fight the Skull Kid, take on different creature forms and even wake up 100 years into the future. A theme park that explores these video games through rides, VR experience, little kid games and even people walking around dressed as Link, Zelda, Impa, Ganon, Ruto or even other versions of Link would be so fun! Who wouldn’t want to do a Bombchu game to win prizes? Or go drink Lon Lon milk and have tavern food? Or wouldn’t like shooting the Fairy Bow to dunk Ganon in a water, or go down a Tower (from Breath of the Wild) roller coaster? The ideas for a theme par are nearly endless with the over 30 years of Zelda material. I need this so badly.

2. Strange the Dreamer & Muse of Nightmares

I would imagine this kind of theme park to a bit more like Epcot at Disney, where you see displays, try food and see amazing things from all over the world? What if we could see the Great Library of Zosma and it’s vast library of books? What if we could walk through the streets of Weep to see all their bright colors, the looming citadel and even the dream like version of it that Lazlo sees? There could be gardens, buildings to go through, seeing display of clothes, weapons and even have people interactive skits or history of the area you’re in? Granted, it could be for a bit older audience depending on how they approach the darker subject matter that are in the books? But who doesn’t want to see this vast world that Lazlo and Sarai live in?

3. The Diviners haunted attraction

For the faint of heart? Probably not! While having a historical aspect to this haunted attraction, this supernatural series could EASILY be a whole seasonal attraction at Halloween time. From going through a mental hospital, walking through dream like state with creepy singing in the background and all the while feeling like you’re being watched. You could be chased by Naughty John and wander through abandoned warehouses if you’re separated from your group. Since this whole series is creepy and often genuinely scary, you could also learn what people wore, the political climate, old music and film stars all in one area? This could both educate and also scare you enough to sleep with lights on.

4. The Night Circus

Who doesn’t want to see a different version of a circus, compared to the acts like Cirque Du Soliel and the older shows of years past. Who doesn’t want to see goregous and mysterious black and white tents where the impossible is shown within? I loved how this book shows the second person POV when talking about entering the tents and everything you see. This could be a theme park with dressed actors, several displays and even a few interactive sections with clothes and also food to buy? Many of us have wanted to see this book come true in one form or another and a park like this would really make dreams come true.

So these are just a few theme parks I wish were real! With technology advancing and more theme parks being made/expanded on (Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland and also Nintendo is going to be at Universal Studios), I do hope that more themes/favorite types of stories are adapted into fun parks/attractions. I also hope you guys check out The Kingdom as it hits bookshelves today. It’s a refreshing, original and quite a literal thrill ride that I hope you all love as well 🙂

What theme parks do you wish were real? Have you read this book yet? Are you excited for it? Let me know in the comments!