Marvel took over EPCOT at Walt Disney World Resort, and the House of Mouse welcomed some five million guests to Universal Orlando Resort.
Universal Orlando Resort’s theme park attendance fell more than 9% in 2023, hampering the resort’s efforts to overcome the pandemic and compete with Disney World.
These figures come from the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) and AECOM’s most recent annual report, which tracks global theme park attendance. The rating of the 20 most sensible North American parks has remained the same since 2019, and only the order of the parks has changed.
While Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure outperformed the other Disney World parks for the first time in 2021, Universal’s parks regressed in 2023. Universal Studios Florida received 9. 75 million visitors and Islands of Adventure, 10 million. By contrast, Disney’s Animal Kingdom attracted 8. 7 million visitors, while EPCOT saw a 19. 8% increase, attracting 11. 98 million visitors.
EPCOT moved up to third place, Magic Kingdom, which welcomed 17. 72 million visitors (up 3. 4%), and Anaheim Disneyland Park, which welcomed 17. 72 million visitors (up 2. 2%).
The report states that, with the exception of Magic Kingdom and EPCOT, attendance at Central Florida theme parks, adding Disney’s Hollywood Studios, SeaWorld Orlando, and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, declined in 2023. The TEA/AECOM report attributes a component of this slowdown to the slow recovery. international to pre-pandemic levels.
The decline in attendance at Orlando parks has impacted North American averages, leading to a decline in the region’s overall numbers. In contrast, Universal Studios Hollywood saw a significant increase of 15%, achieving 9. 6 million visitors, thanks in part to the launch of SUPER NINTENDO WORLD. This is the first time Universal Studios Hollywood has surpassed any Disney World park.
Other parks that saw double-digit attendance expansion included Disney’s California Adventure, Cedar Point, SeaWorld San Diego, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Six Flags Great America and Six Flags Great Adventure.
On the global list, Magic Kingdom and Disneyland Park continue to dominate, followed by Universal Studios Japan, Tokyo Disneyland and Shanghai Disneyland among the top five most sensible. Several Chinese parks reported a significant increase in attendance, reflecting the relaxation of COVID-related activities. Restrictions.
The outlook for Universal Orlando Resort’s parks may not be particularly short-term. Comcast’s recent earnings reports have indicated continued attendance challenges, a trend that is expected to persist until Epic Universe opens in 2025. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind roller coaster debuts at EPCOT have attendance numbers to the park particularly higher between 2022 and 2023.
As a significant addition to Disney’s programming, the new charm has revitalized interest in EPCOT, contributing to a truly extensive increase in guest numbers. One of Walt Disney World’s most anticipated attractions, the roller coaster combines cutting-edge technology with immersive storytelling, attracting many guests eager to delight in the latest addition.
Based on the most recent attendance figures, EPCOT has seen a notable increase in guest numbers, reflecting the new attraction’s good fortune. This influx contributed to the overall expansion of overall attendance at Walt Disney World, which reached 48. 1 million visitors in 2023. This represents a significant draw for Disney, capturing 10% of its visitors, or about 4, 81 million visitors to the Universal Orlando Resort theme parks.
The increased attendance at EPCOT, fueled by the new Guardians of the Galaxy giveaway, affected Universal’s functionality in the competitive theme park market. Disney’s ability to attract such a giant number of guests underscores the effectiveness of the new primary drawings in influencing guest trends and editing the park’s appeal.
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