ANAHEIM, Calif. – Attendance at Southern California’s theme parks has largely returned to pre-pandemic levels, a positive sign that operators have almost fully recovered from the pandemic that forced many of them to temporarily close.
According to the 2023 Theme Index Report, Disneyland in Anaheim attracted more than 17.2 million visitors in 2023, a 2% increase over the previous year and surpassed only by the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.
The Disneyland counterpart on the east coast was the most visited theme park in the world with 17.7 million guests last year.
The Theme Index, released Thursday by AECOM, Themed Entertainment Association and Storyland Studios, is an annual report that tracks the themed entertainment industry, water parks and museums worldwide.
The current report highlights that theme park operators have recovered significantly from the COVID-19 pandemic.
In California, the governor closed many of these theme parks to contain the spread of the contagious virus and then slowly reopened them.
Visitor numbers and business dropped dramatically and many operators laid off or furloughed employees.
But three years later, attendance and revenue have recovered at most Southern California theme parks.
“All regions have matched or exceeded 2019 numbers, and when we look at the pre-pandemic visitor average, the industry has basically returned to its pre-pandemic position,” said Francisco Refuerzo, senior analyst at AECOM Economics and Advisory.
Disneyland’s visitor numbers are almost back to pre-pandemic levels in 2019. In 2019, Disneyland had 18.6 million visitors – about 1.5 million more than in 2023.
Meanwhile, Disney California Adventure’s attendance increased 10% last year over the previous year, reaching 10 million visitors in 2023. In 2019, the number was 9.8 million.
Down in Buena Park, Knott’s Berry Farm has regained its 2019 attendance levels, reporting 4.2 million visitors in 2023, an increase of 8.4% over the previous year. In 2019, the Western theme park attracted 4.2 million visitors.
In Valencia, Six Flags Magic Mountain saw a 13.6% increase year-over-year, from 2.9 million visitors in 2022 to 3.4 million in 2023. Before the pandemic, visitor numbers were 3.5 million.
SeaWorld San Diego attracted more than 3.9 million visitors last year, up nearly 14% from the previous year, compared to 3.7 million four years ago.
Disney’s huge theme park portfolio attracted the most visitors worldwide last year, with over 142 million.
Second place went to Fantawild Group in China with over 85 million visitors. Merlin Entertainments Group, owner of 11 Legolands worldwide, came third on the list with 62 million visitors. Universal Destination and Experiences attracted 60 million visitors in 2023.
Refuerzo said the U.S. outlook for the industry is positive in 2024 and beyond. Disney recently announced several new attractions and themed lands for Disney California Adventure, including an Avatar-themed land and the first Coco-themed ride.
“Many facilities have managed to regain market share while increasing per capita spending. Whether there is a ceiling to this trend remains to be seen, but for now, theme parks, water parks and museums around the world have a lot to look forward to.”
