National Ranking of each of the parks

[JennaDeeDooDah]

I was at the library this weekend and ran across a book for Walt Disney World and the surrounding area vacation planning. One of the pages broke down all of the parks by their national ranking. What I read surprised me. I mean, I knew that Walt Disney World was the #1 amusement park in the world, but I was surprised at how each of its parks kicks other parks in the area right smack in the teeth. Here's what it said for national ranks and the attendance estimates from 2010:

1. Magic Kingdom - 17 Million
3. Epcot - 11 Million
4. Animal Kingdom - 9.7 Million
5. Disney's Hollywood Studios - 9.6 Million
7. Islands of Adventure - 5.9 Million
8. Universal Studios - 5.9 Million
9. Sea World - 5.1 Million

Disneyland was number 2 and California Adventure was number 6, but they didn't have their numbers included.

I was not at all surprised to see that Magic Kingdom was number one and that Epcot was number 2. I guess I was also not surprised by how high the other two parks were. What did shock me was how much higher they are. Plus, Magic Kingdom's attendance was down 1.5%, Epcot was down 1.5%, Animal Kingdom was up, but only by 1%, and DHA was down by 1%. IoA, on the other hand, was up 30.2% and Universal was up 6.1%. Clearly, Harry Potter really helped their number and prior to Potter, Disney was really clobbering them. Anyone else surprised by these numbers?

 

[pwmitch237]

I was at the library this weekend and ran across a book for Walt Disney World and the surrounding area vacation planning. One of the pages broke down all of the parks by their national ranking. What I read surprised me. I mean, I knew that Walt Disney World was the #1 amusement park in the world, but I was surprised at how each of its parks kicks other parks in the area right smack in the teeth. Here's what it said for national ranks and the attendance estimates from 2010:

1. Magic Kingdom - 17 Million
3. Epcot - 11 Million
4. Animal Kingdom - 9.7 Million
5. Disney's Hollywood Studios - 9.6 Million
7. Islands of Adventure - 5.9 Million
8. Universal Studios - 5.9 Million
9. Sea World - 5.1 Million

Disneyland was number 2 and California Adventure was number 6, but they didn't have their numbers included.

I was not at all surprised to see that Magic Kingdom was number one and that Epcot was number 2. I guess I was also not surprised by how high the other two parks were. What did shock me was how much higher they are. Plus, Magic Kingdom's attendance was down 1.5%, Epcot was down 1.5%, Animal Kingdom was up, but only by 1%, and DHA was down by 1%. IoA, on the other hand, was up 30.2% and Universal was up 6.1%. Clearly, Harry Potter really helped their number and prior to Potter, Disney was really clobbering them. Anyone else surprised by these numbers?

Here’s the updated numbers. Notice, Islands of Adventure has taken over DCA. Also, all but Epcot reported higher attendance over 2010.

2011 Numbers:

1. Magic Kingdom Park, WDW, FL..................17,142,000 (+1%) (2010: 16.972M)
2. Disneyland Park, DLR, CA.........................16,140,000 (+1%) (2010: 15.980M)
3. Epcot, WDW, FL......................................10,825,000 (UNCH) (2010: 10.825M)
4. Disney’s Animal Kingdom,WDW, FL..............9,783,000 (+1%) (2010: 9.686M)
5. Disney’s Hollywood Studios, WDW, FL..........9,699,000 (+1%) (2010: 9.603M)
6. Islands of Adventure, USO, FL....................7,674,000 (+29%) (2010: 5.949M)
7. Disney’s California Adventure, DLR, CA........6,341,000 (+1%) (2010: 6.278M)
8. Universal Studios, USO, FL........................6,044,000 (+2%) (2010: 5.925M)
9. SeaWorld Florida, SW, FL..........................5,202,000 (+2%) (2010: 5.100M)
10. Universal Studios, USH, CA......................5,141,000 (+2%) (2010: 5.040M)

Source

 

[DVCMikey]

Pretty cool numbers to see.

We personally like Epcot and DHS over AK.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

Here’s the updated numbers. Notice, Islands of Adventure has taken over DCA. Also, all but Epcot reported higher attendance over 2010.

2011 Numbers:

1. Magic Kingdom Park, WDW, FL..................17,142,000 (+1%) (2010: 16.972M)
2. Disneyland Park, DLR, CA.........................16,140,000 (+1%) (2010: 15.980M)
3. Epcot, WDW, FL......................................10,825,000 (UNCH) (2010: 10.825M)
4. Disney’s Animal Kingdom,WDW, FL..............9,783,000 (+1%) (2010: 9.686M)
5. Disney’s Hollywood Studios, WDW, FL..........9,699,000 (+1%) (2010: 9.603M)
6. Islands of Adventure, USO, FL....................7,674,000 (+29%) (2010: 5.949M)
7. Disney’s California Adventure, DLR, CA........6,341,000 (+1%) (2010: 6.278M)
8. Universal Studios, USO, FL........................6,044,000 (+2%) (2010: 5.925M)
9. SeaWorld Florida, SW, FL..........................5,202,000 (+2%) (2010: 5.100M)
10. Universal Studios, USH, CA......................5,141,000 (+2%) (2010: 5.040M)

Source

It really surprises me. You could double Islands of Adventure and it is still almost a million short of Epcot and almost 2 million short of Magic Kingdom. I do wonder if those numbers will hold or if Harry Potter's popularity will drop.

 

[mcd2745]

I was at the library this weekend and ran across a book for Walt Disney World and the surrounding area vacation planning. One of the pages broke down all of the parks by their national ranking. What I read surprised me. I mean, I knew that Walt Disney World was the #1 amusement park in the world, but I was surprised at how each of its parks kicks other parks in the area right smack in the teeth. Here's what it said for national ranks and the attendance estimates from 2010:

1. Magic Kingdom - 17 Million
3. Epcot - 11 Million
4. Animal Kingdom - 9.7 Million
5. Disney's Hollywood Studios - 9.6 Million
7. Islands of Adventure - 5.9 Million
8. Universal Studios - 5.9 Million
9. Sea World - 5.1 Million

Disneyland was number 2 and California Adventure was number 6, but they didn't have their numbers included.

I was not at all surprised to see that Magic Kingdom was number one and that Epcot was number 2. I guess I was also not surprised by how high the other two parks were. What did shock me was how much higher they are. Plus, Magic Kingdom's attendance was down 1.5%, Epcot was down 1.5%, Animal Kingdom was up, but only by 1%, and DHA was down by 1%. IoA, on the other hand, was up 30.2% and Universal was up 6.1%. Clearly, Harry Potter really helped their number and prior to Potter, Disney was really clobbering them. Anyone else surprised by these numbers?

This tells me that all their measures to keep guests on-property (Magical Express, dining plans, MYW ticket structure, etc.) are working quite well.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

Pretty cool numbers to see.

We personally like Epcot and DHS over AK.

We are the same way. DH has a phD in mechanical engineering. Putting him in Epcot is akin to putting a kid in a candy store. He could spend all day just in Future World. This is not to say that he doesn't adore The World Showcase, though. We need at least two days in that park, but usually take 3. For me, DHS was always my favorite park. GMR has been my hands-down favorite since my first trip when I was only 8. Then, that was the park to which I was assigned when I did the college program. The memories alone keep me coming back. Ergo, it needs at least 2 days, as well. Then, you add in the fact that you HAVE to visit the Magic Kingdom and that it might be best to give it two days, as well, and you have our entire vacation without us ever setting foot in Animal Kingdom.

Of course, I'd go to Animal Kingdom before IoA and Universal, though. But that's just me

This tells me that all their measures to keep guests on-property (Magical Express, dining plans, MYW ticket structure, etc.) are working quite well.

It really does seem to be working. I know that we take full advantage of Magical Express and also really enjoy the ease of the dining plan. It does a lot to keep us on property.



And you know, if they were to add in something for Lord of the Rings or expand on Star Wars in DHS, I don't think Islands of Adventure would have a prayer of catching any of the Disney parks.

 

[OKW Lover]

Interesting numbers. I'm amazed at how precise the Disney numbers are since the company carefully guards its actual attendance data.

 

[pwmitch237]

It really surprises me. You could double Islands of Adventure and it is still almost a million short of Epcot and almost 2 million short of Magic Kingdom. I do wonder if those numbers will hold or if Harry Potter's popularity will drop.

I think that the Magic Kingdom will hold, but I believe that Islands of Adventure will hit a maximum at some point, and then not grow as exponentially.

I just wonder what will Carsland & Buena Vista Street do to the DCA numbers.

I crunched some more numbers, and:

18.2% admissions to the Top 10 Parks in America last year were to Magic Kingdom Park. (17.2%--Epcot, 11.5%--DAK, 10.4%--DHS)

36% of admissions to the Walt Disney World Resort last year were to Magic Kingdom Park.
23% of admissions to the Walt Disney World Resort last year were to Epcot.
21% of admissions to the Walt Disney World Resort last year were to Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
and 20% of admissions to the Walt Disney World Resort last year were to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

The Walt Disney World Resort had 71.5% of the Orlando Admissions, Univeral Studios Orlando Resort had 20.7% and SeaWorld had 7.8%.

In California, Disney holds a 81% to 19% share of Admissions to Universal out of the Top 10 theme parks of America.

Over the past 5 years, WDW has increased admissions .97%, Universal Studios Orlando: 15.22%, and SeaWorld Florida: -11.50%. Orlando has a whole has risen 2.94%.

Disneyland, CA has risen 8.59%, Universal Studios Hollywood: 8.58%. Hollywood has gone up 8.58% in total over the past 5 years.

The Top 10 has (remained the same parks and) gone up 4.6% in admissions over the past 5 years.

In 2011, 70.6% of the Nation’s Top 10 Attendance was in Orlando Parks (50.5% in WDW, 14.6% at Universal, and 5.5% at SeaWorld of Nationwide Admissions [Top 10]) and 29.4% on the West Coast (23.9% Disneyland, 5.5% Universal Studios Hollywood). 93,991,000 people were admitted into the Top 10 theme parks in America in 2011.

Parks included in these statistics: Walt Disney World Resort (MK, Epcot, DHS, DAK), Universal Studios Orlando (US, IOA), SeaWorld Florida, Universal Studios Hollywood, and Disneyland Resort (DL, DCA).

Numbers were from the source listed in above post, and calculations performed from these numbers.

-There are your useless statistics for the day.

 

[stimmons]

I am shocked that DHS beats out AK with how many "we hate AK" threads I read on here! I personally LOVE AK but I just get the general consensus that most people don't. Interesting!

 

[wallawallakids]

This tells me that all their measures to keep guests on-property (Magical Express, dining plans, MYW ticket structure, etc.) are working quite well.

This. Exactly. I am not surprised. Disney does there thing Very very well.

 

[Edgehopper]

Here’s the updated numbers. Notice, Islands of Adventure has taken over DCA. Also, all but Epcot reported higher attendance over 2010.

2011 Numbers:

1. Magic Kingdom Park, WDW, FL..................17,142,000 (+1%) (2010: 16.972M)
2. Disneyland Park, DLR, CA.........................16,140,000 (+1%) (2010: 15.980M)
3. Epcot, WDW, FL......................................10,825,000 (UNCH) (2010: 10.825M)
4. Disney’s Animal Kingdom,WDW, FL..............9,783,000 (+1%) (2010: 9.686M)
5. Disney’s Hollywood Studios, WDW, FL..........9,699,000 (+1%) (2010: 9.603M)
6. Islands of Adventure, USO, FL....................7,674,000 (+29%) (2010: 5.949M)
7. Disney’s California Adventure, DLR, CA........6,341,000 (+1%) (2010: 6.278M)
8. Universal Studios, USO, FL........................6,044,000 (+2%) (2010: 5.925M)
9. SeaWorld Florida, SW, FL..........................5,202,000 (+2%) (2010: 5.100M)
10. Universal Studios, USH, CA......................5,141,000 (+2%) (2010: 5.040M)

Source

Well, IoA had overtaken DCA...I expect that'll be reversed next year thanks to Cars Land.

I'm surprised IoA is ahead of Universal Studios Florida--given the timing, it's almost like hearing that DHS overtook Epcot.

 

[hollygolitely93]

Interesting! Disney is the CLEAR market leader.

Though Disney is losing market share to all the Florida-area parks. Be interesting to see the 2013 numbers once Harry Potter expansions and FLE are in play.

 

[Jennasis]

Yeah, when the numbers are out next year I bet DCA will beat out IoA again thanks to the renovation.

 

[grandmadebby2]

I don't know how acurate the numbers are but I do know for my family Disney is the best overall for our group ages 1 year to 65 years. The other parks are great for one group or the other but as a whole Disney Parks are a great family vacation spot.

 

[North of Mouse]

I am shocked that DHS beats out AK with how many "we hate AK" threads I read on here! I personally LOVE AK but I just get the general consensus that most people don't. Interesting!

AK is my least favorite of the 4 parks - Epcot being my favorite, especially for the F&G Festival which we attend. I like the FOTL, Flights of Wonder, Nemo Musical and then I'm "out of there"

 

[prfctlyximprfct]

Go animal kingdom! I love AK and hate when people "skip" this park or consider it a half day park. This park is really underrated and I am so happy it has done so well

 

[Mad Hattered]

Expect Universal Studios numbers to soar with the expansion of Harry Potter into the Studios side of the park.

 

[damo]

Expect Universal Studios numbers to soar with the expansion of Harry Potter into the Studios side of the park.

plus all the other new additions they have planned.

 

[Micca]

Disney is so far out in front of everybody else it's really not even close. That's not to say the other properties don't have many attributes, but with respect to attendance, the contest is pretty dull.

 

[BlovesC]

Impressive figures! I think DHS completely deserves to be dead last. Maybe these rankings will encourage them to add some more magic into that park.