Them Parks Where You Can Watch the April 8, 2024 Total Eclipse

On Monday, April 8, 2024 a total eclipse cuts across much of the central and eastern USA and some theme parks as well!. These celestial events are rare and we won’t have another one for 20 more years. I had the chance to watch the “Ring of Fire” eclipse back in 2023 at SeaWorld San Antonio and it was a fantastic experience! There’s something about experiencing an event like that with a crowd that brings energy and excitement you just can’t get on your own. You can see below on the map that the “totality” (where the sun is 100% covered) occurs in several major cities like San Antonio, Dallas and Cleveland and the nearby theme parks below could be a great place to watch the eclipse.

Parks with Official Eclipse Events

SeaWorld San Antonio: SeaWorld falls into the totality again just like it did for the “ring of fire” eclipse in 2023. This time around SeaWorld is offering free eclipse glasses and expert presentations. This park is in the totality zone. (San Antonio, Texas)

Six Flags Fiesta Texas: Fiesta also fell into the 2023 “ring of fire” and is offering a similar event with fireworks and drones during the darkness of totality. Special tickets are required for the “Solar Eclipse at the Park” event. Several levels available, but all will get you into a special viewing zone with glasses and lanyard. Higher levels will score you more stuff and better views including Lil’s & Adirondack Chair. This park is in the totality zone. (San Antonio, Texas)

Six Flags Over Texas: The park is hosting what it calls its “Solar Coaster” event. Special tickets are required, but available to season pass holders at no extra cost. There will be a drone show and fireworks during the darkness of totality! Several levels available, but all will get you into a special viewing zone with glasses and lanyard. Higher levels will score you more stuff and better views including the Oil Derrick. This park is in the totality zone. (Arlington, Texas)

Holiday World: The park itself will not be open, but they will be opening their parking lot and have music, food trucks and free eclipse glasses. This park is in the totality zone. (Santa Claus, Indiana)

Cedar Point: The park is holding a special ticketed event (season passes not valid) with select rides open, free glasses, lanyard and buttons. There was also a now sold out VIP package where you could view the eclipse from the top of the roller coaster Valravn! This park is in the totality zone. (Sandusky, Ohio)

There are a few places in the totality that aren’t doing anything. This is mostly because they’re northern parks and don’t open for the season until May such as Six Flags La Ronde (Montreal) and Darien Lake (Buffalo). Magic Springs in Arkansas initially announced an event back in 2023, but later decided on a May 4, 2024 opening day. This is understandable as staffing up a month early or opening for a single day is undoubtedly difficult and probably not profitable. It’s pretty remarkable that Cedar Point is having an April 8th event (even in a limited capacity) given it gas a May 4th opening date this year. I also give Holiday World some props for having a hybrid event of at least opening its parking lot and having some festivities which should create some good PR buzz for the park’s upcoming opening. A bunch of parks across the country will also have at least a partial eclipse visible, but published official events.

Below are some pictures from the “Ring of Fire” annular solar eclipse event at SeaWorld San Antonio on October 14, 2023. An annular eclipse is when the moon covers the sun, but leaves a 360 degree “ring of fire” around the edge. SeaWorld was pretty busy that day with a long line forming before park opening (probably had a lot to do with free eclipse viewing glasses). Although there were a bunch of people there and the potential for long lines, the day wasn’t so much about rides, but more about the historic event. There was more than enough concrete for everyone to have a view of the sky. Starting several hours before they had a host, DJ, dancers and other entertainment leading up to a countdown of the actual event. There were intermittent clouds, but there were breaks of blue sky just in time. The thin clouds in some ways actually made viewing and picture taking easier as they obscured enough of the light (similar to the eclipse glasses) where you could safely view the event. It was a simply spectacular day and I made this short recap video of the 2023 SeaWorld eclipse event and posted the pics below to give you a flavor.

Of course if you miss this one, not to worry, you’ll have another shot here in North America on August 12, 2045, just 21 short years from now. There is one in Alaska in 2033 and Montana in 2044, but not a lot of theme parks there. The 2045 eclipse will cut right through Orlando, so get those Disney and Universal reservations now! That one happens on a Saturday too, so I’m sure the parks won’t be busy at all.

If I had to guess we’re I’ll watch the 2045 eclipse it might be Wild Adventures in Valdosta , GA which will get 2 minutes and 30 seconds of totality. It’s a fun mix of animals and rides that would probably be more chill than Disney or Universal. Animals also tend to do crazy things in an eclipse too, so that could be fascinating. 21 years is a long time though, so who knows where I or the theme park industry is in 2045, but let’s hope for the best.