Themed Entertainment Association Data Shows Universal Parks Led Attendance Growth Since 2005

Data released by the Themed Entertainment Association show that Universal parks recorded the largest percentage attendance increases among major operators between 2005 and 2024. Disney parks recorded the highest total attendance in 2024, drawing 145.2 million visitors across 14 locations.

Eight of the ten most-visited parks worldwide carried the Disney brand, led by Magic Kingdom with 17.8 million guests.

Universal parks started from lower attendance bases and posted larger percentage gains after adding themed lands. Islands of Adventure in Orlando increased attendance 58.9 percent to 9.5 million visitors after the 2010 opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

The same Harry Potter lands produced an average 34.2 percent attendance rise across Universal parks that received them. Diagon Alley opened at Universal Studios Florida in 2014.

Experiences division, which includes theme parks, accounted for nearly 40 percent of the company’s $94.4 billion revenue and 57 percent of its $17.6 billion operating income in the most recent fiscal year. Universal parks contributed 8 percent of Comcast’s $123.7 billion revenue and 8.2 percent of its $37.4 billion EBITDA last year, with the division posting its first $1 billion quarterly EBITDA in the fourth quarter.