If 6 million folks visited you final yr, you would possibly suppose that’s a number of friends, however should you have been a theme park, you’d be bummed.
The world theme park trade started to get better in 2021 after a devastating pandemic yr of shutdowns and dramatically lowered attendance. Overall attendance was simply over half (56%) in contrast with 2019.
Total attendance of the highest 25 theme parks worldwide was 141.35 million in 2021, a 70% enhance over 2020, in accordance with a brand new report by the Themed Entertainment Association. That could sound like rather a lot, however 70% of virtually nothing isn’t a lot if you’re an trade that depends on greater than 1 / 4 of a billion folks a yr to trip your rides, keep in your lodge rooms and eat your sizzling canines.
But theme parks are comfortable locations, they usually look to the constructive facet of issues—they’re open, and persons are coming again. Many parks took benefit of their down time to put money into enhancements and discover methods to extend revenues.
Like most issues, theme parks have gotten extra expensive–Disney (DIS) raised costs on entry charges, lodge rooms, meals and merchandise. Despite decrease attendance, per-capita spending at U.S. Disney parks elevated by 17%. It’s now much less about what number of guests they’ll pack in, however how a lot cash every individual will spend whereas they’re there, the Wall Street Journal experiences. Many different parks additionally reported substantial good points in per-capita spending, the Themed Entertainment Association report says.
The yr 2020 will without end be an asterisk for theme park attendance information. This yr’s attendance report ranks the parks primarily based on 2019 attendance and contains the previous three years. Just a few notable factors within the report:
The pace of restoration was principally influenced by the diploma of presidency restrictions, the success of vaccine rollouts, and normal client confidence ranges.
Challenges like labor shortages, provide chain points, and inflation proceed, however the trade seems poised for comeback in 2022 and 2023.
Pent-up demand and lowered worries about covid throughout the summer time of 2021 helped the U.S. to outperform each different market. North American parks fared nicely with a 136% enhance in attendance over 2020, whereas China noticed solely a 25% enhance, because of strict lockdowns, quarantines, and journey restrictions.
Waterparks additionally improved considerably from 2020 and even approached 2019 attendance ranges.
These are the 25 busiest theme parks on this planet, adopted by the 5 busiest waterparks within the U.S.
1. Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort
Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
2021 attendance: 12.7 million (+82% from 2020-2021)
2020 attendance: 6.9 million
2019 attendance: 21 million
The parks are ranked primarily based on their 2019 attendance figures.
2. Disneyland Park
Anaheim, Calif.
2021 attendance: 8.6 million (+133% from 2020-2021)
2020 attendance: 3.7 million
2019 attendance: 18.7 million
3. Tokyo Disneyland
Tokyo
2021 attendance: 6.3 million (+51%)
2020 attendance: 4.2 million
2019 attendance: 17.9 million
4. Tokyo DisneySea
Tokyo
2021 attendance: 5.8 million (+71%)
2020 attendance: 3.4 million
2019 attendance: 4.7 million
5. Universal Studios Japan
Osaka, Japan
2021 attendance: 5.5 million (+12%)
2020 attendance: 4.9 million
2019 attendance: 14.5 million
6. Disney’s Animal Kingdom At Walt Disney World
Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
2021 attendance: 7.2 million (+73%)
2020 attendance: 4.2 million
2019 attendance: 13.9 million
7. Epcot At Walt Disney World
Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
2021 attendance: 7.8 million (+92%)
2020 attendance: 4 million
2019 attendance: 12.4 million
8. Chimelong Ocean Kingdom
Hengqin, China
2021 attendance: 7.5 million (+55%)
2020 attendance: 4.8 million
2019 attendance: 11.7 million
9. Disney’s Hollywood Studios At Walt Disney World
Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
2021 attendance: 8.6 million (+134%)
2020 attendance: 3.7 million
2019 attendance: 11.5 million
10. Shanghai Disneyland
Shanghai
2021 attendance: 8.5 million (+54%)
2020 attendance: 5.5 million
2019 attendance: 11.2 million
11. Universal Studios Florida
Orlando, Fla.
2021 attendance: 9 million (+119%)
2020 attendance: 4.1 million
2019 attendance: 10.9 million
12. Universal’s Islands of Adventure
Orlando, Fla.
2021 attendance: 9 million (+127%)
2020 attendance: 4 million
2019 attendance: 10.4 million
13. Disney California Adventure Park
Anaheim, Calif.
2021 attendance: 5 million (+159%)
2020 attendance: 1.9 million
2019 attendance: 9.9 million
14. Disneyland Park at Disneyland Paris
Marne-La-Vallee, France
2021 attendance: 3.5 million (+34%)
2020 attendance: 2.6 million
2019 attendance: 9.7 million
15. Universal Studios Hollywood
Universal City, Calif.
2021 attendance: 5.5 million (+324%)
2020 attendance: 1.3 million
2019 attendance: 9.1 million
16. Everland
Seoul, South Korea
2021 attendance: 3.7 million (+34%)
2020 attendance: 2.8 million
2019 attendance: 6.6 million
17. Lotte World
Seoul, South Korea
2021 attendance: 2.5 million (+58%)
2020 attendance: 1.6 million
2019 attendance: 6 million
18. Nagashima Spa Land
Kuwana, Japan
2021 attendance: 3.6 million (+50%)
2020 attendance: 2.4 million
2019 attendance: 6 million
19. Europa-Park
Rust, Germany
2021 attendance: 3 million (+20%)
2020 attendance: 2.5 million
2019 attendance: 5.6 million
20. Ocean Park
Hong Kong
2021 attendance: 1.4 million (-36%)
2020 attendance: 2.2 million
2019 attendance: 5.7 million
21. Hong Kong Disneyland
Hong Kong
2021 attendance: 2.8 million (+65%)
2020 attendance: 1.7 million
2019 attendance: 5.7 million
22. De Efteling
Kaatsheuvel, Netherlands
2021 attendance: 3.3 million (+14%)
2020 attendance: 2.9 million
2019 attendance: 5.3 million
23. Walt Disney Studios Park at Disneyland Paris
Marne-La-Vallee, France
2021 attendance: 1.9 million (+34%)
2020 attendance: 1.4 million
2019 attendance: 5.2 million
24. Oct Happy Valley
Beijing
2021 attendance: 4.9 million (+25%)
2020 attendance: 4 million
2019 attendance: 5.2 million
25. Chimelong Paradise
Guangzhou, China
2021 attendance: 3.9 million (+45%)
2020 attendance: 2.7 million
2019 attendance: 4.9 million
Top Water Parks in North America
Here are the highest 5 water parks in North America, so as of 2019 attendance.
1. Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park
Orlando, Fla.
2021 attendance: closed
2020 attendance: closed
2019 attendance: 2.25 million
Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon reopened Jan. 2, 2022, after being closed nearly two years as a result of pandemic.
2. Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park at Walt Disney World Resort