In a triumphant post-pandemic return for the themed entertainment industry, Disney Parks and Resorts have made headlines this season as the 2023 Theme Index Report – an industry-wide estimation of theme park attendance across the globe, and an indicator of market trends and growth – indicated Disney as the top theme park operator worldwide for 2023, with the Magic Kingdom being the number one most visited park both worldwide and in North America for the last 18 years in a row.
This incredible achievement comes amid the global end of COVID-19 restrictions. 2023 saw the end of many travel restrictions, mandatory quarantines, and other preventative measures, as well as a surge in travel, overwhelming theme parks globally with guests eager to and finally able to travel internationally. But as 2023 saw such an impressive number of travelers and an influx of guests to themed entertainment venues globally, many venues were unable to maintain such impressive growth once the surge of demand for travel fresh out of the age of COVID-19 restrictions trickled back to its normal flow.
As the demand for themed entertainment began to regulate, it was reportedly venues continuously investing in their properties, offering guests new foods, experiences, and attractions that saw a continued growth beyond the initial surge. “Parks that quickly returned to the time-tested method of constant reinvestment to continue to attract guests tended to perform better,” explained AECOM economist Francisco Refuerzo in the 2023 report.
Because of Disney’s continued practice of investing in its parks, this self-regulation of the industry after a period of unprecedented travel and growth was less of a hit to the media giant than it was for other themed entertainment attractions in North America, which under-preformed on the global stage at a modest 3% average growth in attendance – compared to growth in places like China, which saw a 78% jump in attendance across its themed entertainment parks, due to the lifting of its tight COVID-19 restrictions from the previous year.
Despite this small average increase in North America, Disney Experiences worldwide saw a 17% jump in attendance between 2022 and 2023, marking a steady growth for the company amid a leveling industry.
In fact, Disney Parks and Resorts attendance worldwide was so impressive in 2023, that Disney properties overwhelmingly dominated the top ten Amusement/Theme Parks worldwide, a statistic published by the AECOM Theme Index, with eight of the ten top spots being awarded to Disney parks across the globe.
[Pictured above, a table in two parts from pages 18-19 of the AECOM Theme Index 2023 showcasing some of the most attendant parks worldwide.]
With The Magic Kingdom once again securing its place as the most visited theme park in the world, with 17.72 million guests in 2023, the number two spot went to Disneyland in Anaheim, California, sweeping in just behind it at 17.25 million.
With announcements on investments – including new lands and attractions expected to open within the next few years at Disney Parks and Resorts across the globe – making a splash at this year’s D23 event, it’s clear to see that Disney is still investing in its properties to continue to grow its market share and continue to bring new experiences to guests as the world’s top Theme Park Operators.
And while Disneyland in Anaheim, California and Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida are both impressive and noteworthy parks in their own rights, Disney Parks around the world are receiving well-deserved accolades as the Theme Park Index reports not only that Disneyland Paris continues to lead the themed entertainment industry in its region – with a combined 16 million visitors across its two Disneyland Resort parks in Paris – but that Disneyland Shanghai also jumped from 10th place to 5th place in the AECOM report on most visited parks worldwide. That’s a staggering 164.2% increase in attendance over the 2022-2023 report season, taking the park from 5,300 annual visitors to 14,000 in 2023.
The influence that Disney Experiences has on the themed entertainment industry is irrefutable, and to see such a cornerstone of the themed entertainment industry – an innovator and a leader in an industry that strives to create memories for generations of guests – make such a rebounding recovery from the economic consequences of the global tragedy of COVID-19 is a marker for the industry as a whole. And as Disney moves past the horizon and into the future of themed entertainment – as they continue to invest in their parks, in their experiences, and in their guests – there’s little doubt that they will continue to break records and be able to take pride in what they achieve moving forward.
For now, though, they get to bask in their 18th consecutive year of being the best that the industry has to offer!
