A new study has confirmed what many already suspected, Disney continues to dominate the theme park industry, drawing in an astounding 140 million visitors across its 12 parks worldwide. According to research conducted by Mousenotifier.com, Disney accounted for 34.1% of global theme park attendance in 2024, growing 15% from 2022.

Universal & Others Compete for Second Place

Trailing behind Disney, Universal Destinations & Experiences ranked second with 57 million visitors across its six parks, capturing 13.9% of global attendance, a 14.2% rise from last year. Popular attractions like Universal Studios Hollywood and Orlando fueled this growth, driven by blockbuster movie franchises.

China’s Fantawild Group surged to third place, boasting 31.2 million visitors and an impressive 48.3% increase in attendance, solidifying its status as a rising force in the industry.

A Thriving Global Industry

The study, which ranked 85 theme parks using a weighted scoring system prioritizing attendance (40%), search volume (20%), Instagram tags (20%), and Google reviews (20%), found that global theme park attendance soared to 410.6 million in 2023—a 19% increase from 2022.

Key highlights from the study include:

Regional Leaders: Asia-Pacific led with 164.9 million visitors (40.2%), while North America followed closely with 161 million (39.2%).
Top Countries: The U.S. dominated with 157.7 million visitors (38.4%), followed by China (87.7M) and Japan (50.9M).
State Standouts: Florida (76.9M visitors) remained the U.S. theme park capital, followed by California (51.3M).
Most Visited Parks: Magic Kingdom (17.7M visitors), Tokyo Disneyland (15.1M), and Disneyland Paris (10.4M) claimed the top spots worldwide.

The Top 10 Theme Park Operators of 2024

Disney Experiences – 140M visitors (34.1%)
Universal Destinations & Experiences – 57M visitors (13.9%)
Fantawild Group (China) – 31.2M visitors (7.6%)
Six Flags Entertainment Corporation – 28.8M visitors (7%)
Merlin Entertainments (LEGOLAND, etc.) – 19.2M visitors (4.7%)
Chimelong Group (China) – 18.1M visitors (4.4%)
United Parks & Resorts – 15.7M visitors (3.8%)
Overseas Chinese Town Enterprises – 9.7M visitors (2.4%)
Herschend Family Entertainment (Dollywood, etc.) – 7M visitors (1.7%)
Mack Family (Europa Park, Germany) – 6M visitors (1.5%)

What’s Driving Growth?

The surge in theme park attendance can be attributed to expanding attractions, innovative experiences, and strong brand loyalty. Parks that incorporate beloved franchises, immersive lands, and cutting-edge technology are seeing record-breaking foot traffic.

While Disney remains the king of the industry, the rise of Fantawild, Chimelong, and other non-Western operators highlights a shifting landscape where global markets—particularly in China and Japan—are gaining traction.

The Future of Theme Parks

With attendance skyrocketing and new attractions on the horizon, theme park giants will continue pushing boundaries to maintain their competitive edge. From expanding IP-based lands to enhanced digital integration, the industry shows no signs of slowing down.

While the basics were touched on in this article, I highly suggest you read the full article over at mousenotifier for even more information and statistics.