The Current State of the Best Amusement Parks in the World
As economies prosper all over the world, the top 10 best amusement parks in the world are contributing to stellar growth through the ticket sales, merchandising deals and innovative rides and attractions at the most popular theme parks in the world. Just how much is the global amusement parks market size worth? The global amusement parks market size was valued at USD 45.2 billion in 2017 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.8% by 2025.
At the forefront of an evolving amusement park market are some of the top amusement parks in the world by recognition such as Magic Kingdom, Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, and Epcot. The Magic Kingdom, from Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, USA is paving the way for the industry as the best amusement park in the world by annual attendance. The Magic Kingdom is followed by Disneyland Park and Tokyo Disneyland in terms of popularity and visits. This article breaks down the best amusement parks in the world ranked by popularity and annual attendance as well as:
- What is the best theme park in the world in 2020?
- What is the most visited amusement park in the world?
- Global amusement park industry stats and trends you should know.
- What’s the future of amusement parks?
- Which Amusement park corporations are the largest in the world?
- Which countries and regions have the best amusement parks?
Global Amusement Parks Market Stats and Trends
- The Magic Kingdom is the best most visited amusement park in the world with an annual attendance of 20,859,000 people.
- The global amusement parks market size was valued at USD 45.2 billion in 2017.
- The global amusement parks market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.8% by 2025.
- The 19 to 35 years segment represented more than 30.0% of the overall market revenue at amusement parks.
Top 10 Best Amusement Parks in the World in 2020
What is the best theme park in the world? The following is a list of top 10 amusement parks in the world ranked by annual attendance.
Rank |
Amusement Park |
Annual Attendance |
Location |
| 1 | Magic Kingdom | 20,859,000 | Florida, USA |
| 2 | Disneyland Park | 18,666,000 | California, USA |
| 3 | Tokyo Disneyland | 17,907,000 | Chiba Prefecture, Japan |
| 4 | Tokyo DisneySea | 14,651,000 | Chiba Prefecture, Japan |
| 5 | Universal Studios Japan | 14,300,000 | Osaka, Japan |
| 6 | Disney’s Animal Kingdom | 13,750,000 | Florida, USA |
| 7 | Epcot | 12,444,000 | Florida, USA |
| 8 | Shanghai Disneyland Park | 11,800,000 | Shanghai, China |
| 9 | Disney’s Hollywood Studios | 11,258,000 | Florida, United States |
| 10 | Chimelong Ocean Kingdom | 10,830,000 | Zhuhai, China |
1. Magic Kingdom
What is the best theme park in the world? Ranking number 1 on our list of the top 10 best amusement parks in the world is Magic Kingdom Park, a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando, Florida, that is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Parks, Experiences and Products division. The amusement park’s slogan is “the happiest place on Earth”, that’s why the Magic Kingdom is also the most visited amusement park in the world and ranks number 1 on our list of the top amusement parks in the world by attendance — with an annual attendance of 20,859,000.
Magic Kingdom has opened 48 years ago in 1971 and is currently divided into six themed “lands.”, including Main Street, U.S.A., Adventureland, Frontierland, Liberty Square, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland. The Walt Disney Company is one of the largest media companies in the world, with a market capitalization of roughly USD 173 billion, as of March 2020.
- Opened: 1971
- Location: Walt Disney World Resort, Bay Lake, Florida, USA
- Annual Attendance: 20,859,000
Magic Kingdom Main Attractions
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover
- Haunted Mansion
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Splash Mountain
2. Disneyland Park
Ranking number 2 on the list of the top 10 best amusement parks in the world is Disneyland Park in Disneyland Resort. Located in Anaheim, California, United States, Disneyland is the 2nd most visited amusement park in the world with an annual attendance of 18,666,000 people. In terms of cumulative attendance, Disneyland has the largest in the world with over 726 million visits since it opened since the theme park first opened. Main attractions at the park include Main Street, U.S.A., Adventureland, and Tomorrowland.
- Opened: 1955
- Location: Anaheim, California, United States
- Annual Attendance: 18,666,000
Disneyland Park Main Attractions
- Main Street, U.S.A.
- Adventureland
- New Orleans Square
- Frontierland
- Critter Country
- Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
- Fantasyland
- Mickey’s Toontown
- Tomorrowland
3. Tokyo Disneyland
Ranking 3rd on BizVibe’s list of the top 10 amusement parks in the world is Tokyo Disneyland, a 115-acre theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort in Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, near Tokyo. Tokyo Disneyland was the first Disney park built outside of the USA and is owned by The Oriental Land Company. Tokyo Disneyland generates 17,907,000 visitors per year, ranking 3rd also in annual attendance. World Bazaar is the main entry corridor and primary shopping area of Tokyo Disneyland. Other important attractions include Adventureland, consisting of two distinct yet complementary areas: A New Orleans-themed area and a “jungle”-themed area.
- Opened: 1983
- Location: Chiba Prefecture, Japan
- Annual Attendance: 17,907,000
Tokyo Disneyland Main Attractions
- World Bazaar
- Adventureland
- Westernland
- Critter Country
- Fantasyland
- Toontown
- Tomorrowland
4. Tokyo DisneySea
Also located in Tokyo Disney Resort is Tokyo DisneySea, ranking 4th on this list of the top 10 best amusement parks in the world with an annual attendance of 14,651,000 people. Tokyo DisneySea is a theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort located in Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, just outside Tokyo. The park is owned by The Oriental Land Company and licenses themes and characters from the Walt Disney Company. Tokyo DisneySea reached the milestone of 10 million guests in 307 days since its grand opening, which is a record among theme parks worldwide. The main attraction at the amusement park includes Mediterranean Harbor, the entrance “port-of-call” and themed as an Italian port city, with Venetian Gondolas that guests can board and ride. Other attractions include Mysterious Island and Mermaid Lagoon, among many others.
- Opened: 2001
- Location: Chiba Prefecture, Japan
- Annual Attendance: 14,651,000
Tokyo DisneySea Main Attractions
- Mediterranean Harbor
- Mysterious Island
- Mermaid Lagoon
- Arabian Coast
- Lost River Delta
- Port Discovery
- American Waterfront
5. Universal Studios Japan
Ranking 5th on this list of the best amusement parks in the world is Universal Studios Japan, one of six Universal Studios theme parks. Universal Studios Japan generates 14,300,000 visitors annually — ranking 5th on this list. The park opened on 31 March 2001 and 11 million guests visited the park in its opening year, making it the world’s fastest amusement park to have achieved the 10 million milestone. Main attractions at the park include the theme Hollywood, with a section for Shrek 4-D, Sesame Street 4-D Movie Magic, Universal Monsters Live Rock, and Roll Show, Hollywood Dream – The Ride, and Space Fantasy – The Ride. Other popular themes include New York City, San Francisco, and many others.
- Opened: 2001
- Location: Konohana-ku, Osaka, Japan
- Annual Attendance: 14,300,000
Universal Studios Japan Main Attractions & Themes
- Hollywood: Shrek 4-D, Sesame Street 4-D Movie Magic, Universal Monsters Live Rock and Roll Show, Hollywood Dream – The Ride, Space Fantasy – The Ride
- New York City: The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man: The Ride, T2-3D: Battle Across Time
- Backdraft
- Minion Park: Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, Freeze Ray Sliders
- Jurassic Park: The Ride
- The Flying Dinosaur
- Jaws
6. Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Ranking 6th on this list top 10 amusement parks in the world is Disney’s Animal Kingdom, a zoological theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando. Disney’s Animal Kingdom is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Parks, Experiences, and Consumer Products division. The amusement park generated 13,750,000 last year, ranking as the 6th most visited theme park in terms of annual attendance. Most popular attractions at Disney’s Animal Kingdom include Oasis — The Oasis is the park’s logistic equivalent to Main Street U.S.A. and provides the transition from the park’s entrance to the world of animals. Other attractions include Discovery Island and Pandora – The World of Avatar.
- Opened: 1998
- Location: Walt Disney World Resort, Bay Lake, Florida, USA
- Annual Attendance: 13,750,000
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Main Attractions
- Oasis
- Discovery Island
- Pandora – The World of Avatar
- Africa
- Rafiki’s Planet Watch
- Asia
- DinoLand U.S.A.
7. Epcot
Ranking 7th on BizVibe’s list of the top 10 best amusement parks in the world is Epcot, a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida. Epcot was originally conceived by Walt Disney during the early development of Walt Disney World, as an experimental planned community that would serve as a center for American innovation and urban living. In terms of attendance. Epcot ranks 7th in the world with an annual attendance of 12,444,000 people. Main attractions include Future World, a variety of avant-garde pavilions that explore innovative aspects and applications including technology and science, with each pavilion featuring self-contained attractions and distinct architecture in its design.
- Opened: 1982
- Location: Walt Disney World Resort, Bay Lake, Florida, USA
- Annual Attendance: 12,444,000
8. Shanghai Disneyland Park – Shanghai Disney Resort
Shanghai Disneyland Park ranks 8th on this list of the top theme parks in the world with an annual attendance of 11,800,000 people. Shanghai Disneyland Park is a theme park located in Pudong, Shanghai, China, that is part of the Shanghai Disney Resort. The park is operated by Disney Parks, Experiences and Products and Shanghai Shendi Group, through a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and Shendi. The main attraction at Shanghai Disneyland Park includes Mickey Avenue — the entrance of the park, is the park’s equivalent to Main Street, U.S.A. Other attractions include Gardens of Imagination and Fantasyland.
- Opened: 2016
- Location: Shanghai Disney Resort, Pudong, Shanghai, China
- Annual Attendance: 11,800,000
Shanghai Disneyland Park Main Attractions
- Mickey Avenue
- Gardens of Imagination
- Fantasyland
- Treasure Cove
- Adventure Isle
- Tomorrowland
- Toy Story Land
9. Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Disney’s Hollywood Studios ranks 9th on this list of the top 10 best amusement parks in the world with an annual attendance of 11,258,000 people. Disney’s Hollywood Studios is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando. The theme park is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Parks, Experiences, and Products division. The part is 35 acres and dedicated to the imagined worlds from film, television, music, and theatre, drawing inspiration from the Golden Age of Hollywood.
Main attractions at Disney’s Hollywood Studios include Hollywood Boulevard — serving as the park’s main entrance and operates in the same vein as Main Street, U.S.A. at the Magic Kingdom. Other attractions include Echo Lake and Grand Avenue.
- Opened: 1989
- Location: Walt Disney World Resort, Bay Lake, Florida, United States
- Annual Attendance: 11,258,000
Disney’s Hollywood Studios Main Attractions
- Hollywood Boulevard
- Echo Lake
- Grand Avenue
- Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
- Toy Story Land
- Animation Courtyard
- Sunset Boulevard
10. Chimelong Ocean Kingdom
Rounding out BizVibe’s list of the top 10 best amusement parks in the world is Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, a theme park situated in Hengqin, Zhuhai, People’s Republic of China. It is part of the Chimelong International Ocean Tourist Resort, which aims to become the “Orlando of China”. Among its attractions are a wide range of amusements rides, animal shows, as well as the world’s largest oceanarium with a total of 48.75 million litres (10.72 million UK gal; 12.87 million US gal) of water. The theme park currently has five Guinness World Records under its name.
- Opened: 2014
- Location: Zhuhai, People’s Republic of China
- Annual Attendance: 10,830,000
Chimelong Ocean Kingdom Main Attractions
- Ocean Avenue
- Dolphin Cove
- Amazing Amazon
- Animal exhibits
- Polar Horizon
- Hero Island
- Mount Walrus
This is BizVibe’s list of the top 10 best amusement parks in the world in 2020, ranked by visits. These amusement parks are innovating the way rides and attractions are enjoyed at these magical destinations where fairy tales become real.
Top Amusement Park Corporations
Which companies operate the best amusement parks in the world? Here are the top 10 companies that run the top amusement parks in the world ranked by attendance at these parks.
Rank |
Amusement park corporations |
Country |
Annual Attendance |
| 1 | Disney Parks, Experiences and Products | USA | 157,311,000 |
| 2 | Merlin Entertainments | UK | 67,000,000 |
| 3 | Universal Parks & Resorts | USA | 50,068,000 |
| 4 | OCT Parks China | China | 49,350,000 |
| 5 | Fantawild | China | 42,074,000 |
| 6 | Chimelong Group | China | 34,007,000 |
| 7 | Six Flags Inc. | USA | 32,024,000 |
| 8 | Cedar Fair Entertainment Company | USA | 25,912,000 |
| 9 | SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment | USA | 22,582,000 |
| 10 | Parques Reunidos | Spain | 20,900,000 |
Source: Themed Entertainment Association
The Future of the Amusement Park Market
The industry is changing and is becoming more innovative and magical than ever before. The top 10 best amusement parks in the world are attracting record attendees and growing at such a fast rate, expect to see more expansions and increased license deals to bring even more fairy tales to reality in the future.
