The Brits have named their top 20 theme park attractions of all time, and Alton Towers’ Nemesis is number one.
Stoke-on-Trent’s famous rollercoaster, which opened in March 1994, tops a ranking based on a survey of 2,000 people asked to reveal their favorite rides from around the world.
After closing for an extensive renovation in November 2022, Nemesis reopened in March last year as Nemesis Reborn.
The ride now includes four full inversions, ‘spooky corkscrews’ and ‘nerve-shattering drops’, along with speeds of 50mph and G-forces of 3.5; Additionally, new audio-visual technology has been implemented, immersing thrill-seekers in an ‘immersive experience from the start’, according to Alton Towers.
The Staffordshire-based attraction takes first place thanks to 12 per cent of respondents choosing it as their favourite, but it was the only UK attraction in the top 10.
Unsurprisingly, Orlando in Florida, known as the theme park capital of the world, dominates the rest of the top 10, including the silver and bronze positions, along with California, the other top US location for theme park junkies. adrenalin.
In second place is Space Mountain at Disney World Resort’s Magic Kingdom, with Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey at Universal’s Island of Adventure in third place.
The Space Mountain indoor roller coaster opened in 1975, proving that theme park enthusiasts are interested in nostalgia. Through numerous twists and turns, and a 39-degree drop, the ride is designed to make passengers feel as if they are being launched into outer space.
The Brits have named their top 20 theme park attractions of all time, and Alton Towers’ Nemesis (pictured) is No. 1.

Space Mountain (above), located in Disney’s Magic Kingdom in Florida, comes in second. The space-themed indoor roller coaster is one of six Orlando-based attractions that made the top 10.
Meanwhile, Forbidden Journey, based on scenes from the Harry Potter film, became an instant hit when it was released in 2010.
Set inside a massive replica of Hogwarts, and using virtual reality and simulation, the ride offers fans of the fascinating films the chance to feel as if they are really flying on a broomstick through the air.
The popularity of the attraction even gave rise to a universal area dedicated to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter that was expanded in 2012, replacing the park’s iconic Jaws attraction.
However, despite being closed for over a decade, Jaws still ranks a respectable sixth place.
The boat ride was based on the 1975 Steven Spielberg film, in which passengers gently traveled through the harbor of the film’s fictional Amity Island before being “attacked” by a great white shark.
Orlando is also home to the eighth, ninth and tenth roller coasters: Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, at Disney’s Hollywood Studios; Splash Mountain (which recently reopened as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure) at Magic Kingdom; and The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
California’s top-rated attraction is Jurassic World: The Ride at Universal Studios Hollywood (fourth), a water-themed experience based on Spielberg’s 1993 dinosaur film and its sequels.

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey at Universal’s Island of Adventure takes third place

The highest-rated attraction in California is Jurassic World: The Ride, at Universal Studios Hollywood (fourth)

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, located at Disneyland California and Disneyland Paris, France (above), comes in seventh.
The state’s next most popular attractions are located in Disneyland Park: Pirates of the Caribbean (fifth) and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (seventh, also at Disneyland Paris).
While the United States dominates the top ten, there are two Surrey-based coasters that miss out, coming in at 11th and 12th: The Swarm at Thorpe Park and Vampire at Chessington World of Adventures.
“It’s great to see the UK top the survey,” said Natalie Sexton, in ocean floridawho commissioned the survey. ‘National loyalty and local familiarity clearly play a role in shaping responses to favorite attractions.
‘However, the overwhelming presence of American attractions – particularly in Florida – highlights its status as the global epicenter of theme park entertainment.
“With Universal Studios’ Epic Universe opening in 2025, Florida’s position as a global leader in this industry looks set to remain undisputed for the foreseeable future.”