Exciting news from the world of Southern California theme parks! Attendance levels at popular parks like Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm are soaring back to nearly pre-pandemic numbers. This fantastic recovery indicates that theme park operators are bouncing back strongly from the pandemic, which had forced many of these beloved attractions to shut down temporarily.
According to the 2023 Theme Index Report, a comprehensive annual assessment by AECOM, Themed Entertainment Association, and Storyland Studios, Disneyland in Anaheim alone welcomed more than 17.2 million visitors in 2023. This marks a 2% increase from the previous year. However, it’s still slightly down from the 18.6 million visitors recorded in 2019.
While Disneyland shines brightly, its neighboring parks are also seeing significant rebounds. Disney California Adventure recorded 10 million visitors in 2023, reflecting a 10% year-over-year increase. Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park is on track with its pre-pandemic attendance, drawing in 4.2 million visitors last year. Even Six Flags Magic Mountain and SeaWorld San Diego have posted impressive recovery figures, boasting 13.6% and nearly 14% increases in attendance, respectively.
One of the most exciting highlights is the new developments on the horizon. Disney is gearing up to introduce several new attractions at Disney California Adventure, including an Avatar-themed land and the first-ever Coco-themed ride. This is fantastic news for theme park enthusiasts and suggests even more growth and excitement in the years to come.
Disney’s global theme park portfolio remains unmatched, gathering over 142 million visitors worldwide in 2023. As other major players like Fantawild Group, Merlin Entertainments, and Universal Destinations also report substantial visitor numbers, the future looks bright for the theme park industry.
We’d love to hear your thoughts on this incredible recovery in the comments below! Have you visited any of these parks recently? What new attraction are you most excited about? Share your experiences and join the conversation!
Source: Joseph Pimentel
