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LOS ANGELES - Three days. Three theme parks. Triple-digit temperatures.

Visiting Knotts Berry Farm, Six Flags Magic Mountain and Universal Studios Hollywood during a record Southern California heat spell might seem more like an endurance test than a vacation.

But these are places hundreds of Utah families visit each summer and throughout the year, often as part of a trip to the ocean or to Disneyland.

"It is a tradition to come here and do Disneyland," said Phil Bonomo of Salt Lake City, who traded Mickey Mouse for SpongeBob SquarePants and Jaws during a day at Universal Studios Hollywood.

Bonomo's 10-year-old daughter, Jade, already seemed like an expert on the theme-park experience, especially the movie-oriented Universal Studios. "I liked Jaws and watching them burning up stuff," she said.

The three parks share some similarities.

Like Disneyland, these three do a great deal of cross-marketing with movies, television shows and cartoons.

All three have roller coasters, trains, water rides, multimedia theater presentations, musical acts and kiddie areas.

They are also expensive. With admission fees running from $39.99 to $59.99, outrageous soft-drink and bottled-water prices, expensive food, high-priced parking, photographers snapping photos for sale nearly everywhere and dozens of souvenir shops, a family of four can easily spend $600 to $700 a day.

That said, each park has its own personality and fills a unique niche. Here's a review of the three:

Knotts Berry Farm:

Location: 9089 Beach Blvd., Buena Park, Calif.

History: Knotts Berry Farm bills itself as America's first theme park. Walter and Cordelia Knott moved to Buena Park in 1920 to farm 20 acres of rented land, according to the park's Web site. Walter is credited with being the first farmer to use a new berry called the boysenberry. To make ends meet during the Depression, Cordelia made jams and jellies and began serving chicken dinners. By 1940, the restaurant was serving as many as 4,000 dinners on Sunday evening. To give visitors something to do, Walter developed Ghost Town, which became the first of the park's six themed areas on 160 acres. The first rides, the Calico Mine Ride and Timber Mountain, were added in the 1960s. Corkscrew, the world's first looping roller coaster, opened in 1975. Knotts Berry Farm is now owned by Cedar Fair and is the 12th most visited amusement park in the U.S.

Ticket prices: Adult full-day is $39.95, which drops to $25 after 4 p.m. any day the park is open past 6 p.m. Children 3-11 and seniors 62 and older pay $14.95. A small discount is available for those buying tickets online at http://www.knotts.com.

Parking: $9.

Line management: Only a few rides had shade or cooling misters, a problem during hot summer days. Entertaining features or waterfalls on some rides made waiting a little easier. Some rides - especially the rapids feature - were extremely slow to board. There were no signs telling you how long the wait would be from a given point. But, with a few exceptions, lines moved quickly.

Rides and attractions: Knotts Berry Farm is similar in size and atmosphere to Utah's Lagoon, which might have more rides but can't match thrill rides such as the Accelerator, the new Spider, the wooden Ghost Rider coaster and a number of steel thrillers. The shows at the ghost town as well as the craft demonstrations were first-class.

Cleanliness: No complaints here. The park was, for the most part, immaculate. It was impressive to see workers hand-cleaning garbage cans.

Cartoon characters: Peanuts characters are the featured attraction.

Staff friendliness: The crafters in the old ghost towns were especially friendly. Whether explaining how to pan for gold, showing blacksmith skills or spinning wool, they were delightful. Restaurant and store help were friendly. Ride workers were less so.

Food quality and prices: Given its history, it figures the food here rivals nearby Disneyland. There's good variety and plenty of sit-down restaurants, which tired parents who need a break will appreciate. Prices were inexpensive for a theme park, with many complete dinners available for under $10.

Kids area: Camp Snoopy featured a number of great kids attractions.

Souvenir prices: This is another Knotts Berry Farm plus: good sales and a feeling of fairness.

Shopping: Knotts Berry Farm rivals Disneyland for the number and quality of its shops. Jams and jellies are legendary. So are unique craft items. Those who may not like the rides will enjoy the size and quality of the many stores.

Shows: Cowboy stunt shows at the ghost town area are worth seeing. The Charles M. Schulz and Camp Snoopy theaters both present shows. American Indian dance and music are other highlights.

Bottom line: Knotts Berry Farm may be the smallest of the three reviewed here, but it is the most family-oriented and least expensive. More than one person waiting in line or eating in restaurants could be heard commenting they like Knotts because it is less crowded, less expensive and more family-friendly than the other parks.

Six Flags Magic Mountain:

Location: Valencia, Calif., north of Los Angeles

History: This is the 45th anniversary of the park, which specializes in roller coasters and thrill rides. The park opened May 29, 1971, with 500 employees and 33 attractions, including the Gold Rusher and Log Jammer, which remain in place, according to http://members.tripod.com. Magic Mountain famously starred as the fictional Walleyworld in "National Lampoon's Vacation." Coaster buffs flock here because of the wide variety it offers. Some of the coasters are first-of-their-kind innovations. Because of the value of the land it sits on for housing, the park's future is in doubt.

Price: $59.99 adults, $29.99 kids under 48 inches tall. Online special at http://www.sixflags.com is $39.99.

Parking: $15.

Line management: Magic Mountain receives low marks. There were no signs telling how long lines were, and line cutting was a major problem, with no supervisors in sight. Only one or two ride lines had misters, a major issue on a day when the temperature reached 115 degrees.

Rides: Thrill rides are the reason Wasatch Front residents come to Magic Mountain. Only Ohio's Cedar Point rivals Magic Mountain for the number and variety of coasters. There are 17 coasters in all, plus water rides. This is a park for thrill seekers.

Cleanliness: Magic Mountain gets low marks. Some of the big rides felt old and worn, and there was more litter than at the other parks.

Cartoon characters: Classic Warner Brothers characters including Bugs Bunny and Yosemite Sam, coupled with superheroes including Batman and Superman, delight the younger set.

Staff friendliness: Again, the park deserves low marks. The staff - mainly teenagers - seemed unconcerned with anything but basic safety.

Kids area: Bugs Bunny World - guarded by a giant tree - was a major plus. The "fun house" was generally enjoyable and cartoon-character themed rides were plentiful enough to keep the younger set happy while older kids and parents rode the coasters.

Food quality and price: Food at Magic Mountain was expensive and of poor quality. Some sandwiches were so old they were difficult to eat. Buy a souvenir cup for $9.99 early in the day because it can be refilled for 99 cents the rest of the day. A few chains, such as Panda Express, might be better choices.

Souvenir prices: There were a few bargains for a large selection of merchandise, generally at affordable prices.

Shopping: Batman- and Superman-themed items were featured, as was Warner Brothers cartoon-character gear. Nearly every thrill ride offered souvenir photos of terrified guests going through the scariest portion. It was easy to find personalized items and plenty of 45th-anniversary Magic Mountain logo items.

Shows: Brunch with Bugs, a poorly executed nightly parade with fireworks, an exotic bird show, Chinese acrobats and a Batman stunt show were the main attractions.

Bottom line: Don't come here for the food or the atmosphere. The thrill rides are the thing, and the park attracts many teens. And, while the lines are often long and disorganized, coaster buffs looking for the world's latest and greatest won't leave the park disappointed, except by the fact it is almost impossible to ride all 17 in a single day.

Universal Studios Hollywood:

Location: 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, Calif.

History: Universal Studios dates to March 1914, when a representative of movie maker Carl Laemmle bought the 230-acre Taylor Ranch and invited the public to watch films being made for 25 cents, according to http://www.theatrecrafts.com. Tram tours, now a staple of the theme-park experience, began in 1961, and Universal Studios Hollywood was officially created in 1964. The studio tour and 5,400-seat amphitheater for concerts were expanded. The character of the park began to change dramatically with the opening of Back to The Future - The Ride in June 1993.

Price: Basic general admission at the gate is $59, though $10 can be saved by booking online at http://themeparks.universalstudios.com. Kids under 48 inches tall pay $49. A VIP Experience pass costs $149 and includes a guided tour of the studio backlot and front-of-line privileges. An all-day admission that includes a front-of-line pass is $99.

Parking: $10.

Line management: Most outside lines featured misters, which provided welcome relief on a hot summer day. The park did an excellent job telling visitors the length of time they would wait in line, including signs at key locations. Lines moved quickly, especially on the studio tour. There was no evidence of line cutting.

Rides: There are fewer true "rides" here in terms of traditional amusement parks. The Jurassic Park ride is like a log flume with dinosaurs, while Revenge of the Mummy is a thrill ride similar to Disney's Indiana Jones. There are also a frightening "spook alley," a great 4D Shrek attraction and classics such as Back to the Future, WaterWorld and Terminator 2.

Cleanliness: The park is absolutely spotless. The insides of theaters and rides did not look worn or dirty in the slightest.

Cartoon characters: SpongeBob, Nickelodeon characters, the Flintstones and Shrek characters are featured.

Staff friendliness: Universal Studios ranked highest in this regard. Little things like staffers grabbing cameras to shoot photos of families with characters (even when the park's own photographers were snapping shots for sale), announcements on line waits and characters walking the park to pose for photos created an atmosphere for fun.

Kids area: Nickelodeon's Blast Zone water park was a highlight for the younger set, as was the Shrek 4D ride. And there were a number of kids-oriented shops throughout the complex. But Universal Studios' attractions might not appeal to the very young as much as the other L.A.-area theme parks.

Souvenir prices: There were few bargains to be found, but prices were not outrageous.

Shopping: Many themed souvenirs based on famous Universal Studios movies were on sale. The most unusual was a store where, for a reasonable price, one could buy clothing used in television shows or movies.

Food quality and price: Lines were too long at most of the restaurants and there was a dearth of sit-down places with air conditioning. But the food was hot and freshly prepared. Prices were on the high side. Some families opted for the $19.99 pass for a half-dozen restaurants that provided as much food as you could eat in a day. A must on a hot day was to buy a souvenir bottle for $10 that could be refilled the rest of the day for 99 cents.

Shows: There are plenty of live shows, including the WaterWorld stunt show and a Blues Brothers musical review. Actors on sets appear almost continuously during the day, providing skits. Watching or even being a part of the "Fear Factor Live" filming was popular. Hollywood Animal Actors also had appeal, especially for kids.

Bottom line: If you are a movie or television buff, this is a great park. While it has fewer rides than the other L.A.-area parks, those available are interesting and of a high quality with good value. Entertainment options were plentiful and the studio tour alone was worth the admission price.

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Contact Tom Wharton at wharton@sltrib.com or 801-257-8909. Send comments to livingeditor@sltrib.com.