ORLANDO, Fla. – The numbers are in, and 2023 was another big year for some of Florida’s theme parks around the world, according to data from the Themed Entertainment Association.
In total, Disney had more than 142 million visitors to all of its parks last year – an increase of 17%.
Merlin, which owns properties such as Legoland and the Orlando Eye, came in third, while Universal came fourth with nearly 61 million visitors.
United Parks and Resorts, which owns SeaWorld and Busch Gardens, ranked ninth.
When it comes to visitor numbers at Florida’s parks, the picture is mixed. Some parks have seen an increase, others have seen a decrease.
Disney took four spots in the top 10, with Magic Kingdom and EPCOT seeing an increase in visitors, while Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom saw a slight decline.
Both Universal Orlando parks saw a slight decline in visitors, totaling more than 19 million visitors.
Universal is hoping for an increase in attendance this fall with Halloween Horror Nights and in 2025 when Epic Universe opens.
The situation is similar at SeaWorld and Busch Gardens – both parks saw a slight decline, but are still among the 15 most visited parks in the USA.
With over 17.7 million visitors, Magic Kingdom is still the number one park in the world. EPCOT and Hollywood Studios also made it into the top 10.
