CNN has published a list of the top amusment parks in America based on attendance.

[WDWHound]

Disney takes the first 5 slots, with Universal right behind them.
The CNN story can be found here:
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/summer.trips/top30.html

I am amazed that Adventuredome did so well (#11). I didn't realize that Circus Circus had so much success with this itty bitty indoor park.

Here is the list:
1. The Magic Kingdom (Lake Buena Vista, Florida)
2. Disneyland (Anaheim, California)
3. Epcot (Lake Buena Vista, Florida)
4. Disney MGM Studios (Lake Buena Vista, Florida)
5. Disney's Animal Kingdom (Lake Buena Vista, Florida)
6. Universal Studios (Orlando, Florida)
7. Islands of Adventures (Orlando, Florida)
8. Universal Studios Hollywood (Hollywood, California)
9. Seaworld Florida (Orlando, Florida)
10. Disney's California Adventure (Anaheim, California)
11. Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (Tampa, Florida) (tie)
11. Adventuredome (Las Vegas, Nevada)
12. Seaworld California (San Diego, California)
13. Knott's Berry Farm (Buena Park, California)
14. Morey's Piers (Wildwood, New Jersey)
15. Six Flags Great Adventure (Jackson, New Jersey) (tie)
15. Cedar Point (Sandusky, Ohio)
16. Paramount's Kings Island (Kings Island, Ohio)
17. Six Flags Magic Mountain (Valencia, California)
18. Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk (Santa Cruz, California)
19. Six Flags Great America (Gurnee, Illinois)
20. Six Flags Over Texas (Arlington, Texas)
21. Hersheypark (Hershey, Pennsylvania)
22. Busch Gardens The Old Country (Williamsburg, Virginia)
23. Camp Snoopy (Mall of America, Bloomington, Minnesota)
24. Dollywood (Pigeon Forge, Tennessee)
25. Six Flags Over Georgia (Atlanta, Georgia)
26. Six Flags Worlds of Adventure (Aurora, Ohio)
27. Paramount's Kings Dominion (Doswell, Virginia)
28. Silver Dollar City (Branson, Missouri

 

[Bob O]

I was surprised that Six Flags magic Mountain wasnt higher as it is open most of the year while parks like Cedar point/Paramounts kings Island are only seasonal and much more dependant on weather.
Im surprised my local park Six Flags Great America isnt a few noches higher as it is almost always very busy and has a large season pass base with kids who seem to be their almost every day.
As for Paramounts Kings Dominion/Busch Gardens Williamsburg, i just got back from each park a week ago and was surprised how slow they were!!!!! Much slower than my local park with most rides little to no wait at midday, but im sure the rain they have gotten has hurt attendance.

 

[Peter Pirate]

That Univesal & IOA are only 1/2 day Parks...After all, that auful 1/2 day Animal Kingdom Park is STILL ahead of them. Will 2003 be the breakhrough year for that state of the art, completely built albatross...I mean park, called IOA?

Note: This is a tongue in cheek post in homage to all of those silly 1/2 day park arguments we always seem to have around here...Anybody want to have another?

DCA outperformed Busch Gardens???

 

[FriendsOfEeyore]

Ok, I know that AK is included in our Park Hoppers and APs, but I never would have expected that the attendance would be higher than that of UF or IOA.

The way that some talk around here, you would think that no one goes to WDW anymore. That Universal is the stop of choice.

I wonder how the attendance at the water parks ranks? I am assuming close to the top also.

 

[pheneix]

For the record, that is the list that AB put out last year, so take it however you want to.

However, it should be noted that IOA is outdrawing USF, and that doesn't look like it will change anytime soon before The Mummy opens.

This summer is going to be really busy at IOA. The number of AP holder is growing, and the 2 park/1 day pass is going to be out in full force.

And once again, just to start conversation (and to provide a balance to all the "Disney wins!" posts that are about to be reposted), I'm going to put out this statement:

There is simply no way in hell that AK is outdrawing Islands of Adventure anymore.

 

[EUROPA]

I wonder what the chances of say...Disney fudging numbers? After all do they even release attendance numbers? Pirate what if IOA and Universal were ahead of AK and Epcot in real visitors? What would that mean in your world?

 

[wdwguide]

I thought Disney didn't release official attendance figures any more, and that the published numbers are third-party estimates. Am I mistaken?

 

[raidermatt]

They are third party estimates.

The way that some talk around here, you would think that no one goes to WDW anymore. That Universal is the stop of choice.

Yes, some do give this impression, but for most, its just a question of direction. Also, many want Disney to do what Disney has always done, instead of using other parks as a standard for comparison.

Heck, if Disney really did pad numbers, then they sure would have done so with DCA.

What makes you think they didn't?

 

[Planogirl]

I wonder how many people go to Animal Kingdom because it's included in the hoppers and other ticket media? Also, how many people make a special trip to see Universal/IOA? I'm not sure what (if anything) these numbers indicate as far as park value is concerned.

The way that some talk around here, you would think that no one goes to WDW anymore.

Even Disney themselves infer that when it's useful.

 

[ChristmasRadio]

I'm surprised USF ranked that high. I just got back from my first visit there, and it was not a nice as Hershey Park, never mind WDW, IMHO.

Then again, I'm from Mass., so what do I know.

 

[stanley]

I am surprised at Six Flags/Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey. I live in Jersey and refuse to go there as it is a dog of a park - expensive, dirty and generally unkempt .

 

[Lesley]

I think Great Adventure draws off of NYC alot....which most likely gives them high numbers. Face it, those in NYC don't have too many options for a day trip...its there or the Six Flag New England which from what I've heard is even worse than Great Adventure. A rather depressing situation.

Most probably don't realize that Dorney Park in Allentown PA isn't really any farther...is accessible by bus (there's a bus that runs from right down the street from Dorney to the PABT in Manhattan)...and much nicer than any Six Flags park. Dorney is run by Cedar Fair, who owns Cedar Point in Ohio....and its a nice park.

I guess it shows that I grew up a "Dorney brat" LOL....

 

[Bob O]

If not for the park hopper you would see much less attendance at AK. The park benefits because of being only a half day park people will go there for a few hours and then hit the other disney parks. Now if epople had to pay the full admission price it would likely have less attendance than many SF parks.

 

[Peter Pirate]

If not for the Park Hopper...

What the heck kind of criteria is this? Disney DOES have the Park Hopper, because they have many Parks. You can't arbitrarily throw it out and rationalize that AK couldn't stand on its own because that isn't and never will be the case. AK is part of the WDW package. Period. None of the other Parks could seriously stand on their own either (other than MK & DL as they're the main draw) but as additions, for the benefit of the guest that offer a huge selection of alternative entertainment. Some things may appeal to lesser (in number) groups than others (i.e. Epcot heretofore was always known as the 'adult' park) but the parks entotale is what is important...

 

[pheneix]

I think the "park hopper" excuse is just a simplified way of saying that "if AK did not have the rest of WDW to leech off of its overall performance would be even more of a disaster."

And I also remember a voice somewhere whispering about how many internal studies at Disney have shown that AK would barely draw more of a crowd than the average zoo were it not in theme park heaven.

 

[Peter Pirate]

Secret reports, whispered rumors, implied inuendo...Damn it man, don't type it, you might bring the tall tales to life...Too late.

Even if this were true, so what? It's part of a package. It isn't and wasn't meant to stand alone. But since you bring it up, if it wasn't for IOA would US even be open today? Aside from MIB, there is virtually no reason to go to tha joke of a park is there?

 

[raidermatt]

I refuse to get duped into another pointless WDW vs. Universal debate, but I am easily duped into other pointless debates...

For example:

Even if this were true, so what? It's part of a package. It isn't and wasn't meant to stand alone.

I still cannot understand how one can be a Disney fan and not have a serious problem with this whole concept.

 

[Peter Pirate]

I still cannot understand how one can be a Disney fan and not have a problem with this whole concept.

Come on Matt, Walt's dead. He did what he did in great fashion. Then he would have abandoned the whole theme park agenda as anything other than a cash cow to finance his new plans (long, long ago).

The theme park industry lives on Walt's model but was pushed by Roy, Mike, Busch & now Vivendi. Walt had NO DESIRE to duplicate anything unless it served the greater good...OK? So now that that's out of the way, let's examine the "Destination Resort" concept...Do I really need to? I didn't think so.

WDW is not Walt Disney..It is a theme Park destination like no other. It's model is like a pyramid, parks built on top of a solid base thinning towards the top. It is unreasonable to assume that the parts built surrounding the big, strong base could be as grand as the foundation. There is no point and it would serve no purpose (think true cannibalization). If and when USF or even TDL achieve the level of expansion of WDW there may be room for discusion. But not until then.

AK is exactly what it was inteded to be...A building block in the Resort of WDW. This does not exclude shoddy management decisions or poor operational procedures but it does add quite nicely to the over all picture of WDW.

 

[EUROPA]

Originally posted by Peter Pirate

WDW is not Walt Disney..It is a theme Park destination like no other. It's model is like a pyramid, parks built on top of a solid base thinning towards the top. It is unreasonable to assume that the parts built surrounding the big, strong base could be as grand as the foundation. There is no point and it would serve no purpose (think true cannibalization).

Truly grand. We can't build anything a good as DL or MK so why even try. What a great business philosophy.

 

[Peter Pirate]

Sarcasam eh? Well...I like sarcasam!

I never said that they couldn't, wouldn't or shouldn't build anything as grand as DL or MK...I merely implied that it wouldn't happen in Anaheim or Orlando.