Top 30 Amusement parks

[Grog]

There was a thread here recently about the top amusement parks so I thought I would post a follow up. CNN just released a list of their top 30 of 2002 by attendance. I thought it was cool that all six US based Disney parks were in the top 10.

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)

Link

 

[FOJMO]

I never categorized these (WDW, Universal, Sea World, Busch Gardens) as amusement parks. I always considered them theme parks.

 

[Grog]

Same here. I think some people (and the media) seem to think they are the same and classify theme parks and amusement parks together.

 

[Bob O]

I dont think they are trying to make a judgement between theme parks/amusement parks, just trying to identify the 30 parks with the most attendance.
As for attendance it would be nice if they had estimated attendance. Its not surprising that the disney parks would be in the top 10 just due to the fact the parks are open all year as are all of the top 13 and then the seasonal parks come in. If you pro-rated some seasonal parks as being open all year you may see some of the top 10 parks change .