Themed Entertainment Association Global Attractions Attendance Report for 2017

May 17, 2018 in "The Walt Disney Company"

Posted: Thursday May 17, 2018 9:19am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

The Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) and AECOM has today published the 2017 Theme Index: Global Attractions Attendance Report.

This industry report provides a guide to theme park attendance worldwide, giving estimates of attendance change year on year. Disney and most other large theme parks do not provide any official attendance figures, so this report represents the only published estimate of attendance.

It probably comes as no surprise that Disney's Animal Kingdom saw a large attendance spike with the opening of Pandora - The World of Avatar. That land has pushed Animal Kingdom to be Walt Disney World's second most visited park at Walt Disney World, with a 15% jump in attendance over 2016.

The Landscape of Pandora - The World of Avatar

Disney's Hollywood Studios becomes Walt Disney World's least visited park, with a decline of -0.5%. This will obviously change in the coming years with Toy Story Land and Star Wars Galaxy's Edge.

View the 2017 TEA/AECOM Theme Park Attendance report.

Top 10 Most Visited Parks for 2017

1. Magic Kingdom +0.3%
2. Disneyland +2%
3. Tokyo Disneyland +0.4%
4. Universal Studios Japan +3%
5. Tokyo Disneysea +0.3%
6. Disney's Animal Kingdom +15.3%
7. Epcot +4.2%
8. Shanghai Disneyland 96.4%
9. Disney's Hollywood Studios -0.5%
10 Universal Studios Orlando +2.0%

At the water parks, Typhoon Lagoon saw a 5% decrease in attendance, and Blizzard Beach saw a 7% decline. 2017 was the year that saw Universal enter the water park market with Volcano Bay.

Discuss on the Forums

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DisoneMay 25, 2018

True, but it's still 3 months of attendance then the other two parks won't have. Another words I would not be surprised to see volcano Bay Edge out Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach. I do not think it will blow their attendance but there is the potential to surpris

peter11435May 25, 2018

Yeah, but those three months typically aren’t peak water park weather either.

DisoneMay 25, 2018

I don't completely disagree but I'm coming to the same conclusion for different reasons. I don't agree that they are over the hump yet. Their guest ratings are not great. Even if you sort them by most recently posted. And honestly I don't agree that it's packed everyday. I've seen otherwise. But unlike Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach, volcano Bay does not shut down for three months of the year. That's three months open that will have an opportunity to peek past Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach.

RSoxNo1May 25, 2018

Not sure it has the daily capacity to pull that off...

RSoxNo1May 25, 2018

Underbuilt from a capacity standpoint it a different argument than calling it trash. Trash implies the quality isn't there.

peter11435May 24, 2018

Lol

cheezbatMay 24, 2018

Volcano Bay is pretty packed every day. It's slowly recovering from the initial backlash...but I'll say this: 2018 it WILL be the #1 most attended waterpark in America. It was only opened for slightly over 7 months and still pulled in 1.5 million visitors. In comparison, Blizzard Beach did over 1.9 and Typhoon 2.1. Volcano Bay will most likely do about 2.1-2.4 million this year. If they hurry up and get started on the expansion, I'd expect it to do even better in 2019.

OG RunnerMay 24, 2018

So, what is a land or attraction you consider not to be trash? What gives an attraction appeal, in your opinion? In my opinion, Disney did a great job with this area. Actually constructing and area that gives you the feel of the floating mountains is impressive. I feel Universal has done the same with both Hogsmeade & Diagon Alley. They all give me the feeling of really being somewhere else, (if you understand what I mean), in my opinion.

spock8113May 24, 2018

You can make what you will of the facts, but this is them, untainted. This is remarkable and very telling. Very nice work! I shall bookmark this and reference it forever (My new BBFE-Best Bookmarked Friend Forever)

SirwalterraleighMay 23, 2018

Only if they add on more at dak...which they aren’t. Dak will be back to last by 2021 if I had to bet...

disney4life2008May 23, 2018

Ummm that is my opinion. It is a terrible land with wasted attraction space. People stand in line for hours to ride a 30 second boat ride? lol. Flight of passage is slight better. But yes, its my opinion.