Roller coasters and funnel cakes rule.

• Position: Amusement Parks

If you ever have wondered what makes amusement park enthusiasts tick, a study conducted by the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, Alexandria, Va., offers some insight.

More than 328,000,000 fun seekers visited amusement parks and attractions in 2004. According to the survey: 28% of Americans say they have visited an amusement park or theme park within the last 12 months; 50% are "extremely," "very," or "somewhat" likely to go to an amusement park this year; of those who went to a park last year, 82% indicate that they probably will go again this year; and adults under 50 years of age are more likely than those over 50 to have been to a theme or amusement park in the past year.

About half of the respondents prefer a nonsummer option as their favorite time to visit. While 46% of attendees go in the summer, 21% choose the spring, and 18%, the fall. This trend is evident in the expanding use of "shoulder" seasons (with related festivals and special events), as well as the increasing number of year-round indoor water-parks.

Amusement parks also are seeing visitors take advantage of their attractions over a few days versus a one-day period. For instance, 32% say their...