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Journalism of Courage
World’s 10 most visited theme parks: The pandemic is now firmly in the past, and the global attractions and tourism industry has moved towards future development, with this year being a turning point, as the sector grew by 2.9% in 2024 and by 3% in 2023, according to the World Economic Outlook Report.
Theme parks around the world offer unique experiences for people of all ages, providing a mix of entertainment, adventure, and fantasy, making them popular travel destinations for families, thrill-seekers, and fantasy enthusiasts.
Notably, Disney solidified its global dominance in the theme park industry by operating eight of the top 10 most-visited theme parks in the world in 2023-24, as indicated by the Theme Index Report released by the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) and AECOM Economics & Advisory.
Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom in Orlando maintained its position as the world’s most visited theme park, welcoming 17.7 million visitors.
Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California, followed closely with just under half a million fewer visitors.
In third place was Universal Studios Japan in Osaka, which had 16 million visitors, while Tokyo Disneyland came in fourth with 15 million attendees.
Overall, attendance at these parks increased by 23%, reaching over 240 million visitors in 2023, compared to the previous year.
Additionally, around 30% of the top 10 theme or amusement park operator groups worldwide experienced changes in attendance, resulting in a total attendance of 512.3 million in 2023.
| Rank | Theme Park | Location | Attendance (in millions) |
| 1 | Disney’s Magic Kingdom | Orlando, Florida, USA | 17.7 |
| 2 | Disneyland Park | Anaheim, California, USA | 17.3 |
| 3 | Universal Studios Japan | Osaka, Japan | 16.0 |
| 4 | Tokyo Disneyland | Tokyo, Japan | 15.1 |
| 5 | Shanghai Disneyland | Shanghai, China | 14.0 |
| 6 | Chimelong Ocean Kingdom | Zhuhai, China | 12.5 |
| 7 | Tokyo DisneySea | Tokyo, Japan | 12.4 |
| 8 | EPCOT | Orlando, Florida, USA | 12.0 |
| 9 | Paris Disneyland Park | Marne-la-Vallée, France | 10.4 |
| 10 | Disney’s Hollywood Studios | Orlando, Florida, USA | 10.3 |
Source: AECOM
Note: Rankings of the top theme parks in the world based on data including attendance numbers, statistics provided by the operators, historical figures, financial reports, and input from local tourism companies.
Other than these top 10, in the past year, several Chinese theme parks experienced significant increases in attendance due to the relaxation of COVID restrictions in the country.
Chimelong Ocean Kingdom reported a 184.5% surge in attendance, Zigong Fantawild Dino Kingdom saw a 178% increase, Shanghai Disneyland experienced a 164% rise, Chimelong Paradise observed a 142% boost, and Universal Studios Beijing saw a 109% uptick.
Additionally, for the first time, a Middle Eastern park, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, secured a spot among the world’s top 25 theme parks, ranking at number 17 with an annual attendance of 1.75 million visitors, signifying a significant achievement for the region.
SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, which opened in May 2023, also demonstrated impressive attendance numbers, welcoming 1.3 million visitors in just seven months. According to the report, if this trend continues, the park is likely to secure a place on the 2024 list of top theme parks.
