Deirdre Finnegan, managing director, Keith Prowse Attraction Tickets, flags some of her favourite UStheme parks

Sheer nostalgia: Disneyland is a perennial favourite

Deirdre Finnegan, managing director, Keith Prowse Attraction Tickets, flags some of her favourite UStheme parks

It would be impossible to pick one theme park in the US as a favourite – and not just because we do business with every single one.

The granddaddy of them all is Disneyland in Anaheim, California and despite all the technical advances, nothing beats the sheer, nostalgic family feel of Walt’s West Coast dream come true.

Further along the Californian highways is the original Universal Studios in Hollywood, while there are some brilliant rides, it also retains the original movie glamour.

I love the fact there are real studios here, the original Bates Motel from Psycho and scenery we’ve seen in the movies.

Busch Gardens in Tampa Bay, Florida, is a 335-acre African adventure combining the best safari outside Africa with simulated rides, a 100mph rollercoaster and live shows. Disney has also developed its own Animal Kingdom in Orlando – where else can you see gorillas, unicorns and dinosaurs? This is one of Disney’s most recent parks and it is selling well.

Disney achieves the rare feat of giving kids an educational time but never losing that sense of fun for which it is famous.

Also in Florida is SeaWorld and for those who have never been, just put aside all preconceptions. There is so much more to this place than fancy tricks by sea animals.

And last but not least is the pure thrill-seeking, adrenaline-pumping, non-stop action of Island’s of Adventure. This is based at Orlando’s Universal Studios and is a state-of-the-art theme park with five different islands, each offering the most fantastic simulated and high-speed rides including a near-miss rollercoaster.