The World’s Most Physically Demanding Theme Parks
For many people, the gym isn't just about building muscle or hitting PBs. Going to the gym can make life easier and we can do things we've always wanted to do, whether that's climbing mountains, exploring new cities, or keeping up with the children...
With this in mind, we conducted some research that revealed the most physically demanding landmarks in the world, that are well worth training for to experience to their fullest. The 4,444 step strong staircase of the Flørli Stairs in Norway ranked on top, with the views at the summit rewarding visitors for weathering the ultimate leg day.
A year on from this research and with another holiday season on the horizon, we got to thinking about what else can be particularly tiring for travellers?
Sprawling areas made up of adrenaline boosting rides, lengthy queues and days that often go from the morning far into late evening, theme parks have the potential to leave visitors feeling like they've just endured a hyrox race!
How Did We Calculate Which Theme Parks Are Most Demanding?
Just like we did last year with landmarks, we analysed a set of factors that contribute to overall exertion, such as the total size of the park, the number of attractions, the average temperature on site, queue lengths and even the maximum g-Force you could experience on a park’s rides.
We did this for more than 60 of the biggest and most popular theme parks on earth, giving each one an overall ‘exertion score’ out of 100, where the higher the score, the more physical exertion required. The results should help any theme park fanatics plan for their next trip.
Universal Orlando, United States of America
One of Orlando’s world-famous theme parks, Universal Studios ranks as the park that’s most likely to leave you in need of a rest day after visiting. This will come as no surprise to anyone who has been to this flagship park and seen the sheer amount on offer here. Its 541 acres encompasses multiple worlds, including the Wizarding World of Harry Potter - complete with Hogwarts Express train, Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley - an entire Jurassic World, a New York City area, and even a real-life Springfield from the Simpsons! With attractions aplenty, the Florida heat also ups the exertion, especially considering the particularly high queue times. For example, the Harry Potter and Escape from Gringotts ride has an average queue time of 47 minutes which can rise to over an hour and a half in peak seasons.
Ocean Park, Hong Kong
Opened almost 50 years ago in 1977, Ocean Park is the biggest theme park in Hong Kong and is the 13^th^ most visited park in the world. Based around an animal theme that runs throughout the entire park, it boasts more than 80 attractions that range from wildlife exhibits to rollercoasters that reach up to 4Gs. Similarly to Universal Orlando, the Hong Kong heat can make a day of aiming to see all of the attractions even more tiring, so just like when you're in a gym class, remember to stay hydrated!
Disney Animal Kingdom, United States of America
Back in Orlando, another wildlife themed park lands in the top 10. Disney’s Animal Kingdom is the largest theme park on earth, so its sheer scale alone is deserving of a spot on the podium, but iftrekking across its 580 acres of park doesn’t tire you out, then the multiple attractions will. In just one day, you can expect to be on a safari in the morning, inside a 3D cinema at lunch and flying through Avatar’s Pandora in the afternoon. A fully packed, fun-filled day, and one not to be missed for anyone visiting Florida.
Beto Carrero World, Brazil
Travelling down to South America, Beto Carrero World stands tall as the largest theme park in all Latin America. The Brazilian park invites thrill-seekers to experience rollercoasters such as FireWhip, the first inverted rollercoaster in the country, or Big Tower, one of the biggest radical towers in the world.
For families, attractions include Madagascar and SpongeBob SquarePants themed rides, in addition to 4D cinemas and themed theatrical shows. Safe to say there’s a lot to do, which contributes to its high exertion score of 80.2.
Canada’s Wonderland, Canada
Despite cooler temperatures, Canada’s Wonderland still ranks as one of the most physically demanding theme parks in the world, due to the huge amount on offer, as well as rides that can reach a maximum g-force of 4.5. The Leviathan rollercoaster reaches a dizzying 93.3 metres tall and travels at speeds of 92mph, contributing to it being one of the rollercoasters with the highest g-forces in the world. If you dare ride it, it’s certain to take its toll alongside all the fun spent in the 330-acre park.
The World’s 25 Most Physically Demanding Theme Parks
Theme Park - Location - Continent - "Exertion" Score / 100
- Universal Orlando - United States of America - North America - 83.0
- Ocean Park - Hong Kong - Asia - 82.1
- Disney Animal Kingdom - United States of America - North America - 80.4
- Beto Carrero World - Brazil - South America - 80.2
- Canada's Wonderland - Canada - North America - 79.9
- Energylandia - Poland - Europe - 79.5
- Six Flags Magic Mountain - United States of America - North America - 79.3
- Dream World - Thailand - Asia - 79.0
- Imagicaa India - Asia - 79.0
- Universal Studios Japan - Japan - Asia - 79.0
- Gumbaya World - Australia - Oceania - 78.8
- Six Flags Great Adventure - United States of America - North America - 77.6
- Hansa Park - Germany - Europe - 77.4
- Busch Gardens Tampa Bay - United States of America - North America - 77.1
- Epcot - Walt Disney World - United States of America - North America - 76.8
- Chimelong Paradise - China - Asia - 76.5
- Wonderla Bangalore - India - Asia - 76.4
- Lotte World - South Korea - Asia - 76.3
- Parque Warner - Spain - Europe - 76.0
- Cedar Point - United States of America - North America - 75.8
- Dreamworld - Australia - Oceania - 75.7
- Alton Towers - United Kingdom - Europe - 75.3
- Six Flags Over Georgia - United States of America - North America - 75.1
- Shanghai Disneyland - China - Asia - 75.1
- Thorpe Park - United Kingdom - Europe - 74.9
While the top 10 is dominated by parks in North America and countries like Japan, Thailand and Poland, parks in the UK did still feature as being a demanding day out. The scale and amount on offer at Alton Towers gives many theme parks a run for their money, so it's no surprise to see the Stoke-on-Trent park ranking as the most physically demanding option in the UK, while Surrey's Thorpe Park ranks closely behind.
How to Prepare for a full day at a theme park
When it comes to visiting some of the world's largest and most famous theme parks, many people will know in advance that while it's going to be a day (or multiple days) filled with fun, it's also going to tire them out, as it's a very different type of trip to simply sitting on the beach or by the pool.
Claire Phippen, Personal Trainer at PureGym Norwich says that a bit of preparation can go a long way to getting more enjoyment out of your time at the park.
"The easiest way to prepare for a big day out, is to ensure you're well rested beforehand. Get a good night's sleep, because if you start the day off tired, you're already going to be starting from a losing position. It also pays to plan in advance. You know what rides you'll want to go on and what attractions you'll want to see, but what about when and where you're going to eat? Be sure to plan in some rest breaks, so you don't forget to fuel up and end up burning out before you've seen everything you want to see.
Beyond this, and if you're concerned about the amount of walking or queuing you'll be doing on a big theme park focused holiday like a trip to Orlando, then you can start preparing in the weeks and months leading up to your trip.
Focus on increasing your daily movement and try to be on your feet more. Instead of driving to the shops, try walking. Simply going for a walk on your lunch breaks each day, instead of staying sedentary can be a big help too, however you can also add in some exercises to build your strength, stability and endurance even more.
By prioritising your ankles and knees, which can be most affected by lots of walking and standing, exercises like squats, calf raises, hamstring curls, lunges and leg extensions will help to strengthen the muscles around these areas. I would recommend doing these 1-2x a week for a few weeks before your trip. Cardio exercises such as the StairMaster also help to increase this strength, while building cardio endurance at the same time".
Preparing well is only part of the battle, as recovering properly afterwards will also go a long way to easing any aches and exhaustion. Claire has picked out four ways to recover well after a big day of rollercoasters, meeting characters and exploring.
Stay hydrated
“This counts for the day itself, as well as a good rule to live by in general. Like I mentioned with factoring in breaks, making sure to stay hydrated is a must. A trip to the likes of Orlando is going to be warmer than it is in the UK, making it even more essential to prioritise your fluid intake. A lot of these parks have water bottle top up stations, so remember to take a big, reusable bottle, and make use of them, as well as avoiding drinking too many sugary drinks”.
Eat well
“Be it in advance of the day, on the day itself, or in the days following a big day out, nutrition is going to play a big part in your recovery. Ensuring you’re consuming protein will help your muscles to recover, while carbohydrates will ensure you’re refuelling and keeping energy levels up. While exploring the parks, make sure to stop for food, pack healthy snacks like nuts, fruits and protein bars so you’re not reliant on fast park food. In the days following, eat well, with large protein-rich meals to aid recovery”.
Stretch
"A day spent walking, queuing and riding rollercoasters will likely make your legs feel a bit sorer and shakier than they usually would, so it can be a good idea to stretch before going to bed and again the following morning. This will help to loosen up the muscles and relieve any tension, with at least two stretches for each of the main muscles in the legs (hamstrings, quads, glutes and calves) likely being enough to ease them off. Our 10 beginner friendly stretches article will help, if you're unsure".
Rest
“Sleep is a major part of the recovery process, so don’t feel guilty about having a lie in the day after visiting a theme park – your body will thank you for it! If you are planning a holiday where you will be visiting multiple parks over a week or so, it could also be worth planning rest days in between visits, so you’re full of energy for each park”.
Looking to boost your endurance for a summer spent exploring new places and even taking on some of these theme parks? Check out our free workouts, or find your nearest PureGym now.
Methodology
A long list of theme parks was created using a variety of online sources including blog posts and recommendations from travel sites. Each theme park was evaluated on the size of the park (acres), average temperature (via Met Office or similar), the number of rides/attractions, the maximum G-force on any single ride and the average queue time (via queue-times.com).
The five metrics were then assigned scores using a weighted scoring system – this method calculates a score for each value based on its relative position within the range of all results for the given factor. In this case, each value was adjusted by subtracting the minimum value and dividing by the range (the difference between the maximum and minimum values for that factor). This normalized value was then raised to the power of 0.3 to reduce the impact of extreme values, before being scaled by 19 and increased by 1, providing scores between 1 and 20. This process was applied consistently across all factors to generate individual scores, which were then combined to produce a total ‘exertion’ score. The theme parks were then ranked from highest to lowest using this final score to determine the rankings.
All data correct as of February 2025.
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