The Five Best Family Amusement Theme Parks in Asia Pacific

Travel search engine KAYAK reveals the best theme parks in Asia Pacific to visit with your family – plus travel hacks to make the most of your visits!

Hello Disneyland! Mickey and Minnie, the cast of Toy Story, parades of beloved characters, amazing rides, cotton candy, rollercoasters, fireworks: the whole shebang has arrived in Shanghai! With the recent opening of the first Disney resort in mainland China, the travel specialists at KAYAK.com.hk have been thinking about the other fantastic theme parks located at some of Hong Kongers’ favourite travel destinations and have compiled them here in one easy list.

Whether you want to immerse yourself in a magical fictional world brought to life or are a thrill-seeker looking to try out the most exciting rides, chances are there’s a theme park for you. A visit to one will surely make a memorable addition to any family holiday (although kids will remember the rides, parents might remember the queues!).

So, grab your family, buckle up and prepare for a roller coaster ride of fun!

It’d be remiss of us not to start with the latest Disney park in Asia. Sure, we have one in Hong Kong, but this park is brand new, has a bunch of different attractions, shows, rides, and it’s in Shanghai! Most of the available entertainment is great for the whole family; toddlers, tweens, teens, and yes, adults. Whether you want to go and sing along with the Oscar award-winning songs of Frozen, race through the diamond mines from Snow White and the Seven Dwarves on a family roller coaster or chow down at one of the many food outlets, there really is something for everyone. The only problem your family will face is choosing which ride to go on first.

How to get there:Return flights from Hong Kong to Shanghai from $1,223*
Where to stay: Nightly rate at the Cherish Yearn Hotel for a triple room from $749*

Bypass Tokyo and go straight to the fantastic city of Osaka for theme park fun. This port city offers not only amazing street food, but is also home to the best theme parks for movie fanatics. The ultimate day out for film fans of all ages, Universal Studios has it all. Universal Studios is celebrating it’s 15th birthday this year with a giant RE-BOOORN party, packing the already-exciting park with over-the-top events. Potter fans will love the permanent attraction and the totally immersive Wizarding World of Harry Potter. There will also be a snow blizzard, orchestrated by everyone’s favourite Minions, and the opening of the Jurassic Park’s The Flying Dinosaur – the world’s longest flying roller coaster.

How to get there: Return flights from Hong Kong to Osaka from $1,633*
Where to stay: Nightly rate at the Hotel Universal Port for a triple room from $749*

Australia’s Gold Coast is famous for its long sandy beaches, surfing, rainforests and theme parks. The Gold Coast boasts some of the best theme parks in the world, including Dreamworld. Dreamworld is brought to us by Dreamworks Studios and provides an amazing blend of rides, your favourite Dreamworks characters – like Shrek and the cast of Madagascar – and in aid of tiger conservation, the Tiger Cub Kindy, where your kids can get up close and personal with a tiger cub in a safe environment. But with the Gold Coast also providing homes for Movie World, Sea World, and Wet’n’Wild, you can ride roller coasters until your heart’s content. Our tip: Many of these parks partner with each other, so look out for discounts on combo tickets.

How to get there: Return flights from Hong Kong to Brisbane from $5,530*
Where to stay: Nightly rate at the Allisee Apartments for a triple room from $1,093*

Lotte World is made up of two main areas with Magic Island – a thrill seeker’s island in the middle of a lake – providing all the outdoor roller coasters, rides and attractions one could ever desire from a theme park. Though what really sets this park aside is the other main area, Adventure Land, which is the world’s largest indoor amusement park. Divided across 4 levels with different attractions on every level, visitors can ride the French Revolution (an insane 360° rollercoaster), enjoy some old school theme park fun on the Camelot Carousel, or take a ride up high with the Aeronaut’s Balloon Ride. The park also offers an array of performances and celebrates different festivals all year round. If you have older children that like to stay up late, you can arrive at the park after 4:00pm and buy late comer tickets for 75% of the normal price. The fun will have to stop though when the park closes 10:00 pm.

How to get there: Return flights from Hong Kong to Seoul from $1,437*
Where to stay: Nightly rate at the Hotel Artnouveau for a triple room from $841*

As its name suggests, Waterbom is a dedicated water park. It has its share of food kiosks and wellness areas, but it’s on the rides and in the water where you’ll spend most of your day. And the best news? You can totally relax. The child appropriate rides are supervised at all times and were designed to be child safe. Try the Funtastic play area as a starting point for the little ones. Then have a whole heap of fun by challenging your older kids to a race on Twin Racers or hang-ten on the Flowrider – a 5-foot high surfing wave. If you’re in need of a bit of downtime after all the adrenaline rush, take a trip down Lazy River; lie back on an inflated inner tube and let the currents wash you downstream, under waterfalls, through jungles, and past monkey temples.

How to get there: Return flights from Hong Kong to Denpasar from $3,658*
Where to stay: Nightly rate at the Sun Island Hotel Kuta for a triple room from $819*