(KTLA) — Nine theme parks in the U.S. were named among the most visited in the world last year, according to the annual index report released by Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) and AECOM.
To be part of the report, a theme or water park must require a ticket to enter, and “generally must be focused on the visitor experience,” authors explained.
Analysts with AECOM found the 25 most visited theme parks in the world served roughly 178.5 million guests in 2022, up from 124.6 million in 2021, a year still marred by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The top visited parks may not come at much of a surprise to anyone, especially Disney fans.
Disney parks comprised 11 of the 25 most-visited theme parks in the world, and six of the 20 most-visited in the U.S.
The most visited theme park globally in 2022 was Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. About 17.13 million guests visited the park last year, according to the report. Coming in second was Magic Kingdom’s West Coast sister, Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California. Analysts say roughly 16.81 million people visited the park last year.
Disneyland had a 97% increase over the previous year’s attendance, while Disney’s California Adventure and Universal Studios, Hollywood had an 81% and 53% increase, respectively, compared to last year’s attendance records.
The U.S.’s nine theme parks in the top 25 was greater than any other country. Only Florida- and California-based parks made the list, claiming six and three spots, respectively. Here’s how the U.S. parks ranked globally:
| Park | Rank (By Attendance) | 2022 Attendance |
|---|---|---|
| Magic Kingdom Theme Park at Walt Disney World Resort, Florida | 1 | 17.13 million |
| Disneyland Park at Disneyland Resort, California | 2 | 16.88 million |
| Universal’s Islands of Adventure at Universal Orlando | 5 | 11.02 million |
| Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World, Florida | 6 | 10.9 million |
| Universal Studios Florida at Universal Orlando | 7 | 10.75 million |
| Epcot at Walt Disney World, Florida | 9 | 10 million |
| Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World, Florida | 11 | 9.02 million |
| Disney California Adventure Park at Disneyland Resort | 12 | 9 million |
| Universal Studios Hollywood, California | 13 | 8.4 million |
When reviewing the most visited theme parks in the U.S. and Canada, AECOM found it wasn’t all Disney and Universal parks.
Seaworld Orlando had the 10th highest attendance across the two countries at 4.45 million. Other notable U.S. theme parks landing in the top 20 were California’s Knott’s Berry Farm, Ohio’s Cedar Point, New Jersey’s Six Flags Great Adventure, Pennsylvania’s Hersheypark, and Illinois’ Six Flags Great America.
The yearly study from TEA and AECOM looks at theme park attendance for the previous year based on figures from various sources, including park operators, historical figures, financial reports, local tourism organizations, the investment banking community, “and professional estimates where necessary.”
The entire study can be viewed here.
The authors noted that the increase in park guests is likely due to pent-up demand in response to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns and restrictions.