A Visual Guide to 11 of the World’s Most Baffling Theme Parks

Forget Disneyland. These theme parks are inspired by everything from toilet humor to high-end jewelry.

by Eric Grundhauser April 29, 2016

This strange waterfall overlooks the Swarovski crystal theme park. (Photo: Costel Slincu/CC BY 2.0)

Disney’s theme parks might be the best known, but they are far from the most interesting. Across the globe, people have created amusement and theme parks inspired by everything from haute jewelry to construction equipment to dog poop. Before you plan your next trip to the same old Disney park or Universal Studio, consider visiting one of these bizarre theme parks instead.

Sanrio Puroland/Harmonyland

Japan

Oh hello, kitty. (Photo: Tomohiro Ohtake/CC BY-SA 2.0)

Theme: Hello Kitty and her friends.

This pair of Japanese theme parks is devoted to the Mickey Mouse of the East: Hello Kitty. Puroland is all indoors, while Harmonyland is all outdoors. Both of them are wall-to-wall adorable Sanrio characters.

(Photo: Tomohiro Ohtake/CC BY-SA 2.0)

(Photo: Tomohiro Ohtake/CC BY-SA 2.0)

(Photo: Tomohiro Ohtake/CC BY-SA 2.0)

BonBon Land

Holmegaard, Denmark

This attractive pup’s name translates to “Fart.” (Photo: Martin Lewison/CC BY-SA 2.0)

Theme: Naked, pooping, vomiting animals.

Based on the logo characters from a brand of Danish novelty candy, this amusement park is filled with mascots and statues such as a puking rat, a buxom bovine with her teats out, and the centerpiece: a guilty dog surrounded by poop, viewable from a ride called “The Farting Dog Switchback.” Kids love it.

(Photo: Martin Lewison/CC BY-SA 2.0)

(Photo: EHRENBERG Kommunikation/CC BY 2.0)

(Photo: Martin Lewison/CC BY-SA 2.0)

Wunderland Kalkar

Kalkar, Germany

Maybe the only place where climbing to the top of a nuclear silo is recommended. (Photo: Koetjuh/Public Domain)

Theme: A repurposed nuclear power plant.

The giant tower in the middle of this German theme park doesn’t just look like a nuclear cooling tower, it used to be one. The park was built on the site of an old nuclear plant in the 1990s. The cooling tower has a swing ride inside of it and a climbing wall built onto the outside.

The swing ride inside the silo. (Photo: Roel van Deursen/CC BY 2.0)

(Photo: Kungfuman/CC BY-SA 3.0)

(Photo: Kungfuman/CC BY-SA 3.0)

Tierra Santa

Buenos Aires, Argentina

How’s that chicken? (Photo: journeylism/Used with Permission)

Theme: The Bible was full of muscles and spectacle.

There are several religious and biblical theme parks around the world, but few reach the strange heights of Argentina’s Tierra Santa park. It’s full of muscle-bound biblical figures, and a 40-foot mechanical Jesus that rises from a skull-covered Golgotha every hour.

(Photo: journeylism/Used with Permission)

(Photo: Kevin Jones/CC BY 2.0)

Suối Tiên Amusement Park

Hồ Chí Minh City, Vietnam

The emperor hopes you enjoy that waterslides. (Photo: pelican/CC BY-SA 2.0)

Theme: A Buddhist waterpark.

Filled with monumental statues of dragons and emperors’ faces, this Vietnamese waterpark isn’t short on spectacle. The beliefs of animistic Buddhism inform the figures from folklore and legend positioned all around the park. There’s also a crocodile kingdom with some 1,500 of the beasts living inside.

(Photo: Hans Olav Lien/CC BY-SA 3.0)

(Photo: Mike Fernwood/CC BY-SA 2.0)

(Photo: Mike Fernwood/CC BY-SA 2.0)

World Joyland

Changzhou, China

Any resemblance to preexisting video game properties is purely intentional. (Photo: Jeremy Thompson/CC BY 2.0)

Theme: Unauthorized use of video game properties.

Ever wanted to visit the orc villages of Azeroth from World of Warcraft, or battle with aliens among the stars like in Starcraft? With its pixels-made-real statues and decorations, China’s World Joyland provides a completely unauthorized version of those experiences.

(Photo: Jeremy Thompson/CC BY 2.0)

(Photo: Jeremy Thompson/CC BY 2.0)

(Photo: Jeremy Thompson/CC BY 2.0)

Crystal Worlds

Wattens, Austria

The giant wakes. (Photo: Gegengoliath/Public Domain)

Theme: Swarovski crystals.

Swarovski crystals aren’t just for chandeliers and jewelry anymore. At the official Swarovski theme park, they make for some surreal family fun. Originally opened as an expansive museum in 1995, the park was expanded in 2015 to include a huge, hand-shaped hedge maze, and a designer playground tower.

(Photo: Zeitblick/CC BY-SA 3.0)

(Photo: Shadowgate/CC BY 2.0)

Kingdom of the Little People

Yunnan, China

The cast of one of the performances at the park. (Photo: Blorg/CC BY-SA 4.0)

Theme: Uncomfortable performances by people with dwarfism.

China’s Kingdom of the Little People is staffed entirely by people with dwarfism. It is set up like a sort of fantasy land, and there are regular performances by the employees throughout the park. The air of exploitation is hard to avoid, but the does provide a number of jobs and a supportive community for the people working there. Visitors can decide how to feel about it for themselves, but they certainly won’t forget it.

Republic of the Children

La Plata Partido, Argentina

Kids rule, parents drool. (Photo: Patricio Lorente/CC BY-SA 2.5)

Theme: If kids ruled the world.

This pint-sized theme park is set up like a city where everything is built to the size of children, allowing kids to pretend to work at the bank, or in the local government building. Adults will feel like giants, and children will feel like rulers.

(Photo: Alexrebolledo/CC BY-SA 3.0)

(Photo: Pablo Garcia/CC BY 2.0)

Ferrari World

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

It looks like Ferrari is prepared to leave the planet. (Photo: Aziz J.Hayat/CC BY 2.0)

Theme: Ferraris.

Do you like Ferraris? Well then, the luxury car company has just the place for you. Housed inside a colossal red tri-form complex that looks like it’s from space, Ferrari World is all about fancy cars and speed. The mostly indoor amusement park is even home to Formula Rossa, the world’s fastest roller coaster.

(Photo: Kathrin Mezger/CC BY-SA 2.0)

(Photo: Sarah_Ackerman/CC BY 2.0)

(Photo: Kathrin Mezger/CC BY-SA 2.0)

Ai Pioppi Playground

Battaglia, Italy

Rickety but fun. (Photo: Oriol Ferrer Mesià/Used with Permission)

Theme: DIY amusement park.

Hidden away in an Italian forest, this tiny amusement park was hand-built over one man’s lifetime. Following 40 years of inventive welding, the park is now home to merry-go-rounds, swinging bridges, slides, and self-powered roller coasters. Who needs all the flash of a big-name park when you can get the same thrills from these simple contraptions?