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Credit: Universal (left), Disney (right)Universal Orlando Resort and Walt Disney World Resort are separated by just a matter of miles.
Both places, Universal Orlando and Walt Disney World, draw millions of visitors each and every year. Universal is home to two theme parks– Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure– with a third theme park, the Epic Universe, on the way.
Universal has been getting quite an amount of publicity recently for its Halloween Horror Nights event, but it’s not just Halloween Horror Nights that apparently has vacationers flocking to Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure.
While many Disney Park fans have always looked at Universal Orlando as “lesser competition” compared to Disney World, there are reports that the competition is heating up, especially with the construction of Epic Universe.
However, it doesn’t seem that it’s just the new theme park that has competition heating up.
The 2021 theme park attendance report was released and we can see some interesting movement. Attendance picked up at both places compared to 2020 numbers, but Universal Orlando saw significant shifts in its numbers. Universal Studios Florida (8.99 million) and Universal’s Islands of Adventure (9.1 million) outpaced attendance at Disney’s Animal Kingdom (7.2 million), EPCOT (7.7 million), and Disney’s Hollywood Studios (8.6 million).
Only Magic Kingdom (12.7 million) beat either of the Universal Parks.
Comcast CEO Brian Roberts recently spoke and shared that he felt that Universal was “gaining market share” on the competition, alluring to Disney. This report, while many may be stunned by, shouldn’t be too surprising when looking at the upgrades that Universal has made in the last few years and the work the company has done to provide legitimate competition to Disney.
Universal Orlando is home to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, but also many more thrilling attractions including the all-new Jurassic World VelociCoaster and Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. Classics like E.T. Adventure Ride, Jurassic Park River Adventure, The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, Revenge of the Mummy, MEN IN BLACK: Alien Attack, and many others are also located in Universal Studios Orlando.
What do you think of this theme park attendance report? Let us know in the comments!