These 2 PA destinations are among the most-attended amusement parks in North America

Matt DiSanto
·6 min read
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Two Pennsylvania amusement parks checked in as some of the most-attended sites in North America last year.

Hersheypark and Camelbeach Outdoor Waterpark landed among the continent’s 20 most-attended amusement parks and water parks in 2022, according to the Themed Entertainment Association. The organization’s 2022 Global Attractions Attendance Report, released in June, also featured a number of national and global favorites, including Cedar Point in Ohio and Tokyo Disneyland in Japan.

If you’re planning a summer vacation, here’s what you need to know about the Keystone State’s popular amusement parks.

Hersheypark

This Dauphin County amusement park features a well-rounded lineup of roller coasters, family entertainment and attractions in Hershey.

Hersheypark attracted roughly 3.19 million guests in 2022, making it the 19th most-attended amusement park in North America, the Themed Entertainment Association reports. Though last year’s attendance increased from 2021 (3.01 million) and coronavirus pandemic-hindered 2020 (1.71 million), it fell short of 2019’s pre-pandemic attendance of roughly 3.83 million guests.

Named among the nation’s best 17 amusement parks this year, Hersheypark first opened Memorial Day 1906. Today, it features more than a dozen roller coasters, plus an on-site zoo, ZooAmerica, and water park, the Boardwalk at Hersheypark. Admission to the zoo and water park is included in all tickets, which are valid any day through the end of the year.

Hersheypark’s biggest draw this summer is Wildcat’s Revenge, the new hybrid coaster that features a slick steel track that added inversions and high-speed thrills to one of the park’s historic wooden frames. The ride formally opened June 2.

Other popular attractions include the park’s iconic Ferris wheel, Kissing Tower observation deck and Candymonium, one of Hersheypark’s newest roller coasters. Younger guests can enjoy miniature train rides, spinning tea cups and more.

Travelers to the area might also consider stopping by Hershey’s Chocolate World, which is located just outside Hersheypark’s gates. The free-admission facility offers a “factory tour” ride, interactive exhibits and more.

Hersheypark tickets and parking passes are available online at hersheypark.com/tickets. One-day tickets for most guests start at $62.99, while passes for seniors and children ages 3 through 8 start at $54.99. Children ages 2 and under receive free admission to the park.

Camelbeach Outdoor Waterpark

Up in the Pocono Mountains in northeastern Pennsylvania, Camelbeach Outdoor Waterpark serves as the premier attraction for the Camelback Mountain Resort, which pivots to skiing and snowboarding in the winter. The water park opened in 1998 and now features nearly 40 waterslides and rides, including surfing simulations and lazy rivers.

Camelbeach, billed as the largest outdoor water park in the state, attracted roughly 373,000 guests in 2022, making it the 18th most-attended water park in North America, the Themed Entertainment Association reports. The park’s attendance jumped 66% from 2021’s 225,000 guests, though last year’s figure still trails 2019’s 439,000 guests.

The park’s summer season began June 16, ushering in the park’s 25th year. The newest attraction, Rival Racer, allows guests to race each other down a winding set of enclosed, 400-foot water slides.

Tickets for the water park are available online at camelbackresort.com/waterparks/camelbeach-tickets-passes.

Camelbeach tickets use a dynamic pricing system, meaning prices vary between days in response to demand. Single-day tickets for a Tuesday in July, for example, start at around $38, while passes for weekend dates this summer creep above $40.

General parking passes start at $12 per vehicle, though “premium” parking lots charge up to $40 per vehicle on weekends.

North America’s most-attended amusement parks

North America’s most-attended amusement park in 2022 was once again Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, the Themed Entertainment Association reports. The park, dubbed the “Most Magical Place on Earth,” attracted 17.1 million guests in 2022, still trailing 2019’s pre-pandemic attendance of 20.96 million guests.

Here’s a full look at the amusement parks with the highest attendance last year, according to the Themed Entertainment Association’s report. In response to some lingering impacts of the pandemic, the report kept 2019’s rankings in place, so some discrepancies in estimated attendance figures remain.

  1. Magic Kingdom Theme Park at Walt Disney World Resort (Lake Buena Vista, Fla.) — 17.133 million guests

  2. Disneyland Park at Disneyland Resort (Anaheim, Calif.) — 16.881 million guests

  3. Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort (Lake Buena Vista, Fla.) — 9.027 million guests

  4. Epcot at Walt Disney World Resort (Lake Buena Vista, Fla.) — 10 million guests

  5. Disney’s Hollywood Studios (Lake Buena Vista, Fla.) —10.9 million guests

  6. Universal Studios Florida (Orlando, Fla.) — 10.75 million guests

  7. Universal’s Islands of Adventure (Orlando, Fla.) — 11.025 million guests

  8. Disney California Adventure Park at Disneyland Resort (Anaheim, Calif.) — 9 million guests

  9. Universal Studios Hollywood (Universal City, Calif.) — 8.4 million guests

  10. Seaworld Orlando (Orlando, Fla.) — 4.454 million guests

  11. Knott’s Berry Farm (Buena Park, Calif.) — 3.899 million guests

  12. Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (Tampa, Fla.) — 4.051 million guests

  13. Canada’s Wonderland (Maple, Ontario) — 3.768 million guests

  14. Seaworld San Diego (San Diego, Calif.) — 3.507 million guests

  15. Cedar Point (Sandusky, Ohio) — 3.444 million guests

  16. Six Flags Magic Mountain (Valencia, Calif.) — 2.993 million guests

  17. Kings Island (Kings Island, Ohio) — 3.340 million guests

  18. Six Flags Great Adventure (Jackson, N.J.) —2.153 million guests

  19. Hersheypark (Hershey, Pa.) — 3.193 million guests

  20. Six Flags Great America (Gurnee, Ill.) — 2.535 million guests

North America’s most-attended water parks

Walt Disney World’s Typhoon Lagoon checked in as the top-attended water park in 2022 after remaining largely closed since the pandemic began. The park, which reopened in January 2022, attracted roughly 1.92 million guests last year, trailing 2019’s estimated attendance of 2.25 million.

Here’s a look at 2022’s top finishers in North America, according to the Themed Entertainment Association. Just like the organization’s amusement park list, 2019’s rankings remain in place.

  1. Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park at Walt Disney World Resort (Lake Buena Vista, Fla.) — 1.915 million guests

  2. Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park at Walt Disney World Resort (Orlando, Fla.) — 101,000 guests

  3. Universal’s Volcano Bay (Orlando, Fla.) — 1.85 million guests

  4. Aquatica (Orlando, Fla.) — 1.548 million guests

  5. Schlitterbahn (New Braunfels, Texas) — 946,000 guests

  6. Water Country USA (Williamsburg, Va.) — 707,000 guests

  7. Adventure Island (Tampa, Fla.) — 636,000 guests

  8. Aquatica San Antonio (San Antonio, Texas) — 631,000 guests

  9. Schlitterbahn (Galveston, Texas) — 539,000 guests

  10. Splish Splash (Calverton, N.Y.) — No attendance figure provided

  11. Six Flags Hurricane Harbor (Arlington, Texas) — 388,000 guests

  12. Six Flags White Water Atlanta (Marietta, Ga.) — 350,000 guests

  13. Six Flags Hurricane Harbor (Jackson, N.J.) — 426,000 guests

  14. Typhoon Texas (Katy, Texas) — 364,000 guests

  15. Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Splashtown (Spring, Texas) — 343,000 guests

  16. Zoombezi Bay (Powell, Ohio) — 399,000 guests

  17. Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Phoenix (Glendale, Ariz.) — 318,000 guests

  18. Camelbeach (Tannersville, Pa.) — 373,000 guests

  19. Dollywood’s Splash Country (Pigeon Forge, Tenn.) — 368,000 guests

  20. Cedar Point Shores (Sandusky, Ohio) — 405,000 guests