Report: Disney’s Magic Kingdom tops worldwide theme park attendance for 2019
Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom remained the most-visited theme park in the world in 2019, according to the annual attendance report compiled by TEA/AECOM on Thursday. The attraction drew 20.96 million visitors last year, representing an increase of 0.5 percent from 2018, the report says.
That allowed Magic Kingdom to outpace Disneyland, its sister park in Anaheim, Calif., which had a flat year with 18.67 million visitors in 2019, the report compiled by the Themed Entertainment Association and AECOM said.
Disney World’s other theme parks were third, fourth and fifth in the national rankings with small or no gains from the year before. Disney’s Animal Kingdom recorded 13.89 million visitors (up 1 percent); Epcot had 12.44 million (no change); and Disney’s Hollywood Studios greeted 11.48 million, up 2 percent, according to the report.
Next on the national list were Universal Studios Florida with 10.92 million visitors, an increase of 2 percent, and Universal’s Islands of Adventure with 10.38 million people. IOA’s gain of 6 percent was the largest both in Central Florida and among the 20 largest attractions in the nation.
SeaWorld Orlando finished 10th on the 2019 list with 4.64 million visitors, an increase of 1 percent.
Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach were the biggest-drawing water parks in the nation, according to the report, despite a dip of 1 percent at each attraction. Typhoon Lagoon had 2.25 million visitors, while Blizzard Beach greeted 1.98 million people.
Universal’s Volcano Bay made gains of 5 percent over 2018, notching a total of 1.81 million. Aquatica, SeaWorld’s water park had 1.53 million visitors, a decrease of 1.5 percent.
The most-attended water park in the world was Chimelong of China, which had 3.01 million visitors, a 10 percent increase, according to the report.
The Themed Entertainment Association pointed to the additions of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios; Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure roller coaster at Islands of Adventure; and Sesame Street Land at SeaWorld Orlando as attendance boosters.
The figures are based on research from AECOM’s team of industry specialists, along with expert analysis and discussion of trends. The parks generally do not release attendance levels.
These numbers are based on the conditions before the coronavirus pandemic struck the world. Some operators are expecting drops between 30 percent and 50 percent for the months following reopenings, the report says.
“It may take one to several years to return to pre-COVID operating levels, and the investment horizon of many owners may be altered due to cash flow loss,” the report said in its overview.
Walt Disney World’s four theme parks are now all operating at a reduced capacity after a phased reopening after a four-month shutdown. Universal Orlando and SeaWorld Orlando’s attractions opened to the public again in early June.
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