After a few rollercoaster years, Southern California’s beloved theme parks are bouncing back with full force! Recent data from the 2023 Theme Index Report paints a promising picture: Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm, and other local giants are seeing attendance numbers soar back to nearly pre-pandemic levels.
Disneyland roars back into the spotlight with an impressive showing—over 17.2 million visitors in 2023, marking a 2% increase from the previous year. This magic kingdom in Anaheim ranked No. 1 regionally and took the second spot worldwide, just behind Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, which welcomed 17.7 million guests. Even with this stellar turnout, Disneyland still fell short by 1.5 million visitors compared to its 2019 numbers.
Disney California Adventure is also riding high, attracting 10 million visitors and seeing a 10% year-over-year increase. Knott’s Berry Farm wasn’t left out of the revival party—clocking in 4.2 million visitors in 2023, which matches its pre-pandemic attendance.
Across the region, Six Flags Magic Mountain and SeaWorld San Diego are also posting gains, with the former reporting a 13.6% increase and the latter up nearly 14% from 2022. It’s clear that thrill-seekers and family fun aficionados are eager to reclaim their happy places.
On a global scale, Disney’s vast portfolio of theme parks remains the heavyweight champion, drawing over 142 million visitors last year. Close on its heels, Fantawild Group in China and Merlin Entertainments Group, the owners of Legoland, added 85 million and 62 million visitors respectively. Universal Destinations and Experiences rounded out the competition with 60 million guests.
The future looks bright, with new attractions and themed lands on the horizon for Disney parks, including an exciting Avatar land and a Coco-themed ride set to enchant at Disney California Adventure. Analysts predict even more growth and higher visitor numbers in the coming years.
What do you think about theme parks returning to their former glory? Share your thoughts in the comments below and let us know your favorite theme park memories!
Source: Joseph Pimentel
