Like travel? Love rollercoasters? Me too, which is why I decided to create my very own mega theme park (just in case I inherit a couple of billion dollars) with the best attractions around.
Shambhala: PortAventura, Salou, Spain
From a distance it might look like a giant pile of steel spaghetti being drawn up by an invisible magnet, but PortAventura’s towering Shambhala is actually the tallest rollercoaster in Europe. The highlight of this Bhutan-themed heart- pounder is a 78m drop which ends with a lightning-quick (133km/h to be exact) blast through a tunnel. Not satisfied with such a feat, the owners of the theme park have commissioned an even taller, even faster rollercoaster that’s set to open in April 2017. portaventuraworld.com
Oblivion - The Black Hole: Gardaland, Lake Garda, Italy
My favourite kind of no-nonsense ride, this is the “sister” coaster to the one at Alton Towers, and it basically involves riding a metal train up a hill then plunging face-first into a massive hole. Open for just over a year, it comes with absolutely zero world records or headline-grabbing superlatives, it’s just awesome fun, plus you can see Lake Garda from the top. Beat that. gardaland.com
Expedition Everest: Walt Disney World Florida, Orlando, USA
No visit to Florida would be complete without a trip to Disney World, where a day at Animal Kingdom gives you the chance to ride a rollercoaster that wraps its way around a mini – but still impressive – Mount Everest. The Himalayan theme is a joy, although meeker members of the party will leave whimpering after the double whammy of seeing a Yeti and, well, let’s just say another cool surprise. disneyland.disney.go.com
Ratatouille: Walt Disney Studios Park, Disneyland Paris
Despite its hygienically unsound rodent-as-a-culinary-genius storyline, Ratatouille is a genuine Pixar gem that lends itself perfectly to this family-friendly ride, which sees you joining Remy the rat as he’s chased by the fiendish chef Skinner. Costing a reported £125 million to build, this newish (2014) attraction has been hailed for its impressive 3D effects, and boasts sets so dazzling you’ll be happy enough with this fantasy version of Paris to postpone a trip to the real thing for another time. disneylandparis.com
Radiator Springs Racers: Disneyland California
Inspired by another much-loved Pixar movie, Cars Land pays homage to the animated adventures of Lightning McQueen and his pal Mater, with this particular attraction putting you in a six-person vehicle for a thrilling two-car race. It’s a brilliant representation of the first Cars film, with sets and scenery positively dripping in Americana, and it ends with a spirited sprint (at more than 60 km/h) to the finish. Wheely cool. disneyland.disney.go.com
Formula Rossa: Ferrari World, Abu Dhabi, UAE
If you’ve ever wanted to know what accelerating from 0-100km/h in two seconds feels like (and, more importantly, to see what kind of wobble effect it has on your cheeks), Formula Rossa is the ride for you. After just five seconds you’ll have reached 240km/h (yes, that’s faster than any other coaster in the world), and, quite possibly be wishing you hadn’t opted for the sushi last night. ferrariworldabudhabi.com
