As most companies hold theme park attendance a trade secret, the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) is the industry standard for public ranking of theme park performance.
The TEA has released their list of the Top 25 Theme Parks in the World for 2017:
Themed Entertainment Association wrote:
# Theme Park % Change 2017 2016 1 MAGIC KINGDOM AT WALT DISNEY WORLD, LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL, U.S. 0.30% 20,450,000 20,395,000 2 DISNEYLAND, ANAHEIM, CA, U.S. 2.00% 18,300,000 17,943,000 3 TOKYO DISNEYLAND, TOKYO, JAPAN 0.40% 16,600,000 16,540,000 4 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS JAPAN, OSAKA, JAPAN 3.00% 14,935,000 14,500,000 5 TOKYO DISNEYSEA, TOKYO, JAPAN 0.30% 13,500,000 13,460,000 6 DISNEY'S ANIMAL KINGDOM AT WALT DISNEY WORLD, LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL, U.S. 15.30% 12,500,000 10,844,000 7 EPCOT AT WALT DISNEY WORLD, LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL 4.20% 12,200,000 11,712,000 8 SHANGHAI DISNEYLAND, SHANGHAI, CHINA 96.40% 11,000,000 5,600,000 9 DISNEY'S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD, LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL, U.S. -0.50% 10,722,000 10,776,000 10 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS AT UNIVERSAL ORLANDO, FL, U.S. 2.00% 10,198,000 9,998,000 11 CHIMELONG OCEAN KINGDOM, HENGQIN, CHINA 15.50% 9,788,000 8,474,000 12 DISNEYLAND PARK AT DISNEYLAND PARIS, MARNE-LA-VALLEE, FRANCE 15.00% 9,660,000 8,400,000 13 DISNEY CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE, ANAHEIM, CA, U.S. 3.00% 9,574,000 9,295,000 14 ISLANDS OF ADVENTURE AT UNIVERSAL ORLANDO, FL, U.S. 2.00% 9,549,000 9,362,000 15 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOLLYWOOD, UNIVERSAL CITY, CA, U.S. 12.00% 9,056,000 8,086,000 16 LOTTE WORLD, SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA -17.60% 6,714,000 8,150,000 17 EVERLAND, GYEONGGI-DO, SOUTH KOREA -9.50% 6,310,000 6,970,000 18 HONG KONG DISNEYLAND, HONG KONG SAR 1.60% 6,200,000 6,100,000 19 NAGASHIMA SPA LAND, KUWANA, JAPAN 1.40% 5,930,000 5,850,000 20 OCEAN PARK, HONG KONG SAR -3.30% 5,800,000 5,996,000 21 EUROPA-PARK, RUST, GERMANY 1.80% 5,700,000 5,600,000 22 WALT DISNEY STUDIOS PARK AT DISNEYLAND PARIS, MARNE-LA-VALLEE, FRANCE 4.60% 5,200,000 4,970,000 23 DE EFTELING, KAATSHEUVEL, NETHERLANDS 8.70% 5,180,000 4,764,000 24 TIVOLI GARDENS, COPENHAGEN, DENMARK 0.00% 4,640,000 4,640,000 25 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE 2.90% 4,220,000 4,100,000
Of note this year, Disney's Animal Kingdom and Epcot has switched order for the first time.
Figment! aka Jason ºoº
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Interesting list. I'm a bit surprise DHS ranked as high as it did for 2017.
- Lynn -
INTERCOT Staff: Theme Parks, DVC
VWL Mom;2514556 wrote: Interesting list. I'm a bit surprise DHS ranked as high as it did for 2017.
It is in the position AK was years ago, where I doubt many people go there without being compelled by their multi-park tickets.
I wonder what stats they use to rank them.
I'll meet you at the Rainbow Bridge.
Cinderelley;2514598 wrote: I wonder what stats they use to rank them.
By the look of the list...Total annual attendance ONLY.
"The game never ends
When your whole world depends
On the Turn of a Friendly Card"
PopPhan;2514599 wrote: By the look of the list...Total annual attendance ONLY.
Which explains the numbers. The US and Japanese ones, have the greatest access, good affluent base. So a weak basis for the "top" parks.
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2016 POR
2015 CS
2014 WDW-Offsite
2014 Disneyland-offsite
2014 CBR
2013 Dolphin
2012 POR
2012 WDW-Offsite
2011 ASMusic, POR
1998 Dixie Landings
1990's, Dixie Landings, Misc Offsite
TEA uses estimated total attendance to rank the parks. The list has looked more less like this for at least a decade. The only big news on this list for me, is how much AK shot up the list with the opening of Pandora. If you are interested you can search for the full report on the internet, it is free to download and has all sorts of nerdy information about theme parks around the world.
"Welcome, Foolish Mortals..."
I always wonder what effect Park Hoppers have on attendance. If I go to Magic Kingdom in the morning and Holly Studios in the evening, I am guessing I am counting as a visitor to each park. However, in its current state, I would be hard pressed to make a trip to just go to Hollywood Studios. I think the Disney numbers really benefit from this.
And, I am not surprised by Animal Kingdom. When my kids were first born 10-15 years ago, we would only visit Animal Kingdom a couple times during our week-stay. Now, we probably go there the most, or second most out of all 4 parks (with Hollywood Studios now being a distant 4th). I am sure that will change as Hollywood Studios adds and with the future plans at EPCOT (still my favorite).
