NewsKTLA 5October 28, 2026Los Angeles County
Report details 2025 theme park attendance figures for Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood
Photo: KTLA 5
The Themed Entertainment Association released its 2025 annual report showing a slight attendance increase at Disneyland Resort while Universal Studios Hollywood and several other California parks declined. Worldwide attendance rose 2.8% to 545.5 million visits, while the top 25 global parks remained flat at 245.4 million visits. Extreme weather, Los Angeles wildfires, and softened Canadian travel contributed to North American declines.
Read the full story at KTLA 5Why It Matters
The annual report tracks multi-million visitor volumes and tourism economic activity across major amusement parks, identifying a 0.2% dip across the top 25 global parks and an 8% drop at Universal Studios Hollywood involving roughly 700,000 fewer guests.
Key Facts
- Worldwide theme park attendance increased 2.8% to 545.5 million visits in 2025.
- The top 25 global theme parks drew a combined 245.4 million visits in 2025, a 0.2% decline from 245.9 million visits in 2024.
- Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom remained the world's most-visited theme park with 17.8 million guests, down 0.2%.
- Disneyland Park in Anaheim ranked second worldwide, rising 0.4% to 17.4 million visitors.
- Disney California Adventure increased 0.4% to reach 10.1 million visitors.
- Universal Studios Hollywood experienced the largest North American decline, falling 8% to an estimated 8 million visitors, or roughly 700,000 fewer guests.
- Knott's Berry Farm drew 4.3 million visitors, marking a 4.2% decline.
- Six Flags Magic Mountain welcomed 3.2 million guests, representing a 4% decline.
- Only five North American parks recorded attendance increases in 2025: Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, Dollywood, Hersheypark, and Universal Epic Universe.
- Dollywood posted the largest gain among established North American parks, with attendance rising 8.1% to 3.4 million visitors.
- The Themed Entertainment Association attributed North American attendance drops to extreme weather, Los Angeles wildfires, and softened travel from Canada due to trade tensions and a weaker Canadian dollar.
- Most theme park operators do not publicly disclose official attendance figures.
Who's Mentioned
locationCanada“Source of travel that softened dramatically amid tariff and trade tensions”OrganizationHersheypark“One of five North American parks to record an attendance increase”OrganizationDisneyland Resort“Resort whose attendance rose slightly in 2025”OrganizationWalt Disney World“Resort featuring the world's most-visited theme park”OrganizationUniversal Epic Universe“Newly opened park that recorded an attendance increase”OrganizationKnott’s Berry Farm“Theme park that drew 4.3 million visitors, down 4.2%”OrganizationDollywood“Established North American park that posted the largest attendance gain”OrganizationSix Flags Magic Mountain“Theme park that welcomed 3.2 million guests, a 4% decline”OrganizationMagic Kingdom“World's most-visited theme park”locationNorth America“Region where attendance declines were attributed to weather and wildfires”OrganizationDisneyland Park“Park in Anaheim that ranked second worldwide”OrganizationUniversal Studios Hollywood“Theme park that saw the largest attendance decline among North American theme pa”OrganizationDisney California Adventure“Park that posted a 0.4% attendance gain”locationAnaheim“Location of Disneyland Park”locationLos Angeles“Location of wildfires contributing to regional theme park attendance declines”OrganizationThemed Entertainment Association“Organization that released the annual attendance report”locationCalifornia“State where multiple theme parks experienced attendance declines”