By Miami is known for its beautiful beaches, vibrant culture, and lively entertainment scene. As a major tourist destination, Miami naturally attracts theme parks looking to take advantage of the heavy visitor traffic. Local theme parks provide families with days full of fun and adventure.
Introduction
is internationally renowned for its scenic beaches, vibrant nightlife, and Latin culture. However, the magic of Miami extends beyond the sandy shores into the realm of theme parks. As a bustling tourist hot spot that welcomes over 20 million visitors annually, Miami serves as an ideal location for exhilarating theme park attractions.
Adventurers of all ages flock to local parks like Zoo Miami and Jungle Island to explore tropical worlds filled with thrill rides, engaging wildlife encounters, and dazzling entertainment. Complemented by a sunny subtropical climate and Art Deco aesthetics, these oases promise endless fun as vibrant as the city itself. Following massive land purchases by Universal Parks & Resorts, developers aim to further transform and elevate Miami’s amusement park potential in the decade ahead.
With complementing attractions that capture the free-spirited essence of Miami as well as major new theme park projects slated to break ground soon, the magic and allure of this coastal paradise will continue rising in the years ahead as Miami shapes itself into a nationally revered theme park destination.
History of Theme Parks in Miami
The original theme park in Miami was the now-defunct Pirates World amusement park that operated between 1967 and 1999. It featured pirate ship rides and shows. Since its closure, other smaller theme parks have popped up around Miami. Recently, larger brands and developers have shown interest again in bringing new world-class theme parks to the area.
Popular Local Theme Parks
While it doesn’t have huge Disney-like theme parks, Miami still offers fun theme park options for visitors:
Zoo Miami
Miami’s world-class zoo doubles as an animal theme park. Visitors can enjoy ride attractions in addition to over 500 animal species exhibited on 300 developed acres. Popular rides include the air-boat ride, camel ride, and Wings of Asia aviary.
Jungle Island
This interactive zoological theme park is located on Watson Island just east of downtown Miami. It features exotic animals, tropical plants, and parrot and alligator shows providing a jungle adventure theme and atmosphere.
Santa’s Enchanted Forest
Operating seasonally, this huge Christmas theme park offers carnival rides, games, shows, food, holiday displays with over 10 million lights. Open from late October through early January, it’s one of the biggest Christmas attractions in the world.
New Theme Park Development
Miami is seeing renewed interest from theme park developers. In 2017, Universal Parks & Resorts purchased hundreds of acres just south of Miami International Airport, signaling future plans for a new South Florida theme park. No further official details have been provided by Universal yet, but speculation points to potential construction in the coming decade.
Unique Aspects of Miami Theme Parks
Given Miami’s sub-tropical climate and location, local theme parks tailor many offerings around this environment. Marine life and tropical themes dominate the parks’ landscapes, rides, shows, and exhibits. The ability to incorporate South Beach and cruise line themes also differentiates Miami’s theme park options from other parts of the country.
Future Outlook
The future looks bright for the expansion of theme parks in Miami. Spurred by Universal’s land acquisition and Miami’s market of nearly 7 million people in the metro area, more theme park development will likely follow in the 2020’s. Miami’s tourism industry is also booming, making Miami an attractive tourist location ready to support increased theme park presence.
Conclusion
While Miami has traditionally trailed Orlando and other destinations in theme park attraction development, this looks set to change in the decade ahead. New investments paired with Miami’s strong tourism growth paint an exciting future for the city to become a nationally recognized theme park destination in its own right. Locals and tourists alike have an increasing selection of theme parks to choose from for tropical-themed adventures in Miami.
