▁and ▁included ▁Santa ' s ▁C andy ▁Castle ▁and ▁other ▁Santa ▁Cla us - th emed ▁attra ctions , ▁is ▁considered ▁the ▁first ▁them ed ▁att raction ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States : ▁a ▁prec ursor ▁to ▁the ▁modern ▁day ▁theme ▁park . ▁Santa ▁Cla us ▁Land ▁( ren amed ▁Hol iday ▁World ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 ) ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 6 ▁in ▁Santa ▁Cla us , ▁Indiana ▁and ▁many ▁people ▁will ▁argue ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁true ▁Th eme ▁Park ▁despite ▁K not t ' s ▁history . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s ▁the ▁H ersch end ▁family ▁took ▁over ▁operation ▁of ▁the ▁tour ist ▁att raction , ▁Marvel ▁C ave ▁near ▁Br anson , ▁Missouri . ▁Over ▁the ▁next ▁de cade ▁they ▁modern ized ▁the ▁cave , ▁which ▁led ▁to ▁large ▁numbers ▁of ▁people ▁waiting ▁to ▁take ▁the ▁tour . ▁The ▁H ersch end ▁family ▁opened ▁a ▁recre ation ▁of ▁the ▁old ▁min ing ▁town ▁that ▁once ▁existed ▁at op ▁Marvel ▁C ave . ▁The ▁small ▁village ▁eventually ▁became ▁the ▁theme ▁park , ▁Silver ▁D ollar ▁City . ▁The ▁park ▁is ▁still ▁owned ▁and ▁operated ▁by ▁the ▁H ersch ends ▁and ▁the ▁family ▁has ▁several ▁other ▁par ks ▁including ▁Dol lywood , ▁C ele br ation ▁City ▁and ▁Wild ▁Advent ures . ▁ ▁Regional ▁par ks ▁The ▁first ▁regional ▁am usement ▁park , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁Six ▁Fl ags ▁park , ▁Six ▁Fl ags ▁over ▁Texas ▁was ▁officially ▁opened ▁in ▁