While the global tourism industry is trying to recover from the pandemic, theme parks around the world are seeing significant growth. According to the World Economic Outlook report, the sector will grow by 2.9% in 2024 and 3% in 2023.
The latest data from the Theme Index Report by the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) and AECOM Economics & Advisory highlights Disney’s continued dominance in the theme park industry. Disney operates eight of the top 10 most-visited parks worldwide for the 2023-24 period.
Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom in Orlando retained the title of most-visited theme park, drawing 17.7 million visitors. Disneyland Park in Anaheim came in second with just under 17.2 million visitors. Universal Studios Japan in Osaka came in third with 16 million visitors, while Tokyo Disneyland came in fourth, hosting 15 million.
Overall, theme park visitation grew by 23% in 2023, attracting over 240 million visitors, a significant increase over the previous year. The top 10 theme parks alone contributed significantly to this growth, with the combined total for the top 10 theme park operator groups reaching 512.3 million visitors.
10 most visited theme parks in the world in 2023-24:
Rank Theme Park Location Attendance (in millions)
Disney’s Magic Kingdom Orlando, Florida, United States 17.7
Disneyland Park Anaheim California, USA 17.3
Universal Studios Japan Osaka, Japan 16.0
Tokyo Disneyland Tokyo, Japan 15.1
Shanghai Disneyland Shanghai, China 14.0
Chimelong Ocean Kingdom Zhuhai, China 12.5
Tokyo DisneySea Tokyo, Japan 12.4
EPCOT Orlando, USA 12.0
Paris Disneyland Park Marne-la-Vallee, France 10.4
Disney Hollywood Studios Orlando, USA 10.3
Chinese theme parks saw dramatic increases in visitor numbers due to the easing of Covid restrictions. Chimelong Ocean Kingdom saw a 184.5% increase in visitor numbers, Zigong Fantawild Dino Kingdom saw a 178% increase, Shanghai Disneyland saw a 164% increase, Chimelong Paradise saw a 142% increase and Universal Studios Beijing saw a 109% increase.
For the first time in history, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi entered the global top 25 theme parks, ranking 17th with 1.75 million annual visitors, reflecting the growing appeal of Middle Eastern attractions.
