Need some help with inspiration about theme park influences for your creativity? Here are some ideas listed by theme with links to corresponding theme park attractions. This list is by no means comprehensive.

• 1940s theme: Cabana Bay (Universal Studios – FL)
• 1950s theme: Prime Time Cafe (Hollywood Studios – FL-USA)
• 1960s theme: Sci-Fi Diner (Hollywood Studios – FL-USA)
• Airplanes: Sky Fighters ride (Oaks Park, OR – USA)
• Aliens: MIB ride (Universal Studios – FL, USA), ET ride (Universal Studios, FL), Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin Ride (Magic Kingdom, FL – USA)
• Animals: Animal Kingdom Park (Orlando, FL – USA)
• Antiques: Dok-Andor’s Den of Antiquites (Hollywood Studios, FL-USA)
• Apples: Apple & Worm ride (Gilroy Gardens Theme Park, CA-USA)
• Artic,Antarctic: Antarctic – Empire of the Penguins Ride (Seaworld – FL – USA), Blizzard Beach (Orlando, FL-USA)
• Astronauts: Mission Space (Epcot, FL – USA)
• A Studio Ghibli Character: Ghibli Park, Japan
• Balloons & Hot Air Balloons: Daffy Duck Hot Air Balloons (Six Flags Great Adventure, CA-USA)
• Bears: Country Bear Jamboree (Tokyo Disneyland)
• Bees: The Busy Bee Ride (Dollywood, TN-USA)
• Bikes: ET ride (Universal Studios, FL – USA)
• Birds: The Enchanted Tiki Room (Disneyworld, FL; Disneyland, CA)
• Birds of Prey: Raptor Coaster (Cedar Point, OH – USA)
• Boats: The Dancing Dingie (Europa Park, Germany)
• Bugs: Fireflies & Frogs (Dollywood, TN-USA), The Exterminator Ride (Kennywood Park, PA-USA)
• Bunnies: Bunny Hop (Steinwasen Park, Germany)
• Bus: London Bus (Europa Park, Germany)
• Candles: The Candlelight Processional (Epcto, Orland, FL-USA)
• Cars: Vintage Cars (Europa Park, Germany)
• Cards: Owl Post at Hogsmede at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Universal (Orlando, FL-USA)
• Carnival: The Simpsons Carnival Games, Universal (Orlando, FL – USA)
• Cartoons: Toon Lagoon (Universal’s Islands of Adventure, FL-USA)
• Cats: The Secret Lives of Pets (Universal Studios, CA-USA), the Cats of Disneyland
• Chickens/chicks: Egg-spress Ride (Pleasurewood Hills Park, Suffolk, UK)
• Christmas: Santa’s Village Theme Park (Jefferson, NH, USA)
• Christmas – religious: The Holy Land Experience (Orlando, FL – USA)
• Classic movies: Legend’s of Hollywood (Hollywood Studios, FL – USA) The Great Movie Ride (Hollywood Studios, FL – USA – retired ride)
• Coke-a-Cola or other soda pop: Club Cool (Epcot, FL – USA)
• Cookies: Epcot’s Holiday Stroll (Disneyworld, FL – USA), Cookie Drop Ride (Seaworld, FL-USA)
• Cows: Cattle Country Theme Park (Gloucestershire, UK)
• Cupcakes: Disneyworld Cupcakes (All parks in FL-USA), Voodoo Cupcakes (Universal City Walk- FL-USA)
• Dogs: The Secret Lives of Pets (Universal Studios, CA-USA), Lucky Dogs Ride (Silverdollar City, OR-USA)
• Dolphins: Seaworld worldwide
• Dinosaurs: Jurrasic Park rides (Universal Studios parks worldwide), Dinoland, USA (Animal Kingdom, FL – USA)
• Dragons: Gringot’s Dragon, Diagon Alley (Universal Studios, FL-USA)
• Ducks: The Lucky Duck Ride (Dollywood, TN-USA)
• Eagles: Eagle Mountain Sanctuary (Dollywood, TN – USA)
• Fairies: The Fairytale Forest at Efteling Park (Kaatsheuvel, Netherlands)
• Fashion: Madame Malkin’s Robes, Gladrags Wizard Wear,
• Fireworks: Seen at theme parks worldwide
• Fish: Nemo and Friends (Magic Kingdom, CA&FL-USA)
• Flowers: Epcot’s International Flower and Garden Festival, Orlando FL, Abby’s Flower Tower (Seaworld FL, USA)
• Food & Wine: Epcot’s Food & Wine Festival (Disneyworld, FL-USA)
• Frogs: Fireflies & Frogs (Dollywood, TN-USA)
• Garden: Gilroy Garden Theme Park (CA-USA)
• Ghosts: The Haunted Mansion (Dinseyparks worldwide)
• Gnomes: The Fairytale Forest at Efteling Park (Kaatsheuvel, Netherlands)
• Gingerbread: Disneyworld’s Gingerbread Displays (FL-USA)
• Halloween: Halloween Horror Nights (All Universal Parks worldwide), Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (Disneyworld, FL-USA)
• Hello Kitty or other Sanrio Character: Sanrio Puroland, Japan
• Horses: Carousels (So many parks throughout the world), Disneyworld’s Horses (Orlando, FL -USA)
• Instruments/orchestra: Disney’s Philharmagic (FL-USA)
• Jungle: The Jungle Cruise (Disney Parks worldwide)
• Lephrechans: The Little Man of Disneyland (CA-USA)
• Magic: Wizarding World of Harry Potter (Universal Studios Parks worldwide)
• Mermaids: The Adventures of the Little Mermaid (Magic Kingdom, CA & FL – USA)
• Mice: Ratatouille Ride (Disney – USA, France), Cinderella’s Mice (Disney), Tjoffsans Tivoli: Sweden’s miniature theme park for mice
• Monsters: Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor (Disneyworld, FL-USA), Classic Monsters Land (Epic Universe, FL – USA – due to open 2024/2025)
• Motorcycle: Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure ( Islands of Adventure, FL – USA)
• Movies: Hollywood Studios (Fl – USA), Main Street Cinema (Magic Kingdom, FL-USA)
• Mushrooms: Vienna Wave Swing (Europa Park, Germany)
• Nautical Themed: Typhoon Lagoon (Orlando, FL-USA)
• Orcas: Seaworld worldwide
• Otters: Seaworld worldwide
• Pandas: Ocean Park Panda Exhibit (Hong Kong)
• Penguins: Antarctic – Empire of the Penguins Ride (Seaworld – FL – USA)
• Pigs: Peppa Pig Park (various locations throughout the world)
• Princesses & Castles: Disney Princesses (All Disney Parks worldwide)
• Rabbit: The Secret Lives of Pets (Universal Studios, CA-USA), Bunny Hop Ride (Steinwasen Park, Germany)
• Rainbow: Rainbow’s End, New Zealand (their name), The Rainbow Ride (Wonderland Park, TX-USA)
• Rock ‘n Roll: Aerosmith’s Rockin Rollercoaster (Hollywood Studios – FL-USA), Hard Rock Hotel (Universal Studios – FL – USA)
• Safari Animals: Kilimanjaro Safari in Animal Kingdom (Disneyworld, FL)
• Sea Lions: Seaworld worldwide
• Sewing: Interactive Window Display at Gladrags Wizard Wear in Islands of Adventure, Orlando, FL
• Sharks: Jaws Ride (Universal Studios, CA-USA)
• Shopping: Diagon Alley, where the wizard’s shop (Universal Studios, FL-USA), Disney Clothiers (Magic Kingdom, FL – USA)
• Snakes: Cobra’s Curse (Busch Gardens, Tampa FL – USA)
• Snow-themed: Blizzard Beach (Orlando, FL-USA)
• Soccer & Cheerleading: Disney Wide World of Sports (FL-USA)
• Space: Space Mountain (DisneyParks worldwide)
• Spiders: Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride (Islands of Adventure, Fl – USA), Indiana Jones Adventure ride (Disneyland, CA – USA)
• Steampunk: The Dreamfinder from Epcot’s Original Journey Into Imagination (Disneyworld, FL)
• Superheroes: Marvel Superhero Island (Universal’s Island of Adventure, FL-USA)
• Swans: Paddle Boats at Gilroy Gardens Theme Park (CA-USA)
• Tea: The Teacup Ride (Multiple Disney Parks)
• Toys: Toy Story Land (Hollywood Studios, FL – USA)
• Trains: Walt Disneyworld Railroad (FL-USA), Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (Multiple Disney Parks), Hogwarts Express (Universal, FL-USA), Elmo’s Choo Choo Train
• Unicorns: The Flying Unicorn Ride (Islands of Adventure, FL-USA), Unicorn Meadow (Rainbow’s End, New Zealand)
• Vampires/bats: Halloween Horror Nights at Universal, Boo To You Party at Disneyworld, Vampire Coaster at Chessington World of Adventure (Surrey, UK)
• Vikings: Vindjammer (Europa Park, Germany)
• Villians: Halloween Horror Nights (All Universal Parks worldwide), Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (Disneyworld, FL-USA)
• Weddings: Disney’s Fairytale Weddings & Honeymoons
• Western /Frontier Theme: Ghost Town Village (North Carolina-USA)
• Wine: Epcot Food & Wine Festival (FL – USA)
• Wizards: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (Universal Studios)

Here is a list of Intellectual Property (IP) commonly found in theme parks worldwide.

• Star Wars
• Muppets
• Jurrasic Park
• Marvel characters
• DC characters
• Harry Potter
• Dr. Seus characters
• Sesame Street
• Mario
• Lego
• Nintendo
• MIB (Men In Black)
• Avatar
• Shrek
• The Simpson’s
• Minions
• ET
• Kung Fu Panda
• Trolls
• How to Train a Dragon
• Scooby Doo
• Betty Boop
• Back to the Future
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and the other Warner Brothers cartoon characters (Six Flags)
• Budweiser Clydesdales (Sea World)
• Hershey chocolates
• Starbucks (all Disney Parks worldwide)
• King Kong (Universal Studios)
• The Secret Lives of Pets
• The Mummy
• The Wizard of Oz
• The Peanuts Gang
• Thomas the Train & friends
• Angry Birds
• Transformers
• Spiderman
• Indiana Jones
• Alice in Wonderland (along with most Disney movies… Cars, Encanto,Sleeping Beauty, etc)
• Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

Although this is a long list, it is not a fully anything-goes theme. For example, I have yet to find crafts at a theme park. However, I could have missed something. If you see a theme or IP I’ve missed, I would love for you to email me (makira@parkhoppingmyhappyplace.com) or leave comments below so I can add more content.