Credit: Inside the MagicSince Disney does not provide attendance figures outside of the company, but there is a way to find out just how many people come to Disney World and Disneyland every year. The TEA/AECOM Theme Index and Museum Index was released this morning, showing just how many people came to Disney World and the decline at the Universal Orlando Resort.
The prevailing story around Disney World recently is that the parks have been empty, and that may be more than just anecdotal evidence. According to the latest numbers, Disney World saw stagnant growth in 2024.
Disney’s Magic Kingdom is the nation’s most visited theme park, while EPCOT was second, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios was third. Disney’s Animal Kingdom last came in the Orlando theme park race.
From 2021 to 2022, Disney World’s park saw massive attendance growth as pent-up demand swelled the number of theme park visitors looking to spend money after the COVID-19 pandemic. Over that one-year period, Magic Kingdom jumped from 12.7 million in 2021 to 17.1 million in 2022.
However, since that jump, which, given the circumstances, was expected, attendance at the Magic Kingdom has become stagnant. In 2023, Magic Kingdom drew 17.7 million guests. That number only increased to 17.85 million in 2024, a .7 percent increase.
EPCOT saw the largest growth of any Disney World park, increasing from 12 million in 2023 to 12.13 million in 2024, a 1.3 percent increase. Both Hollywood Studios (.3 percent) and Disney’s Animal Kingdom (.3 percent) saw less than one percent in growth in 2024.
The news is even worse for the two parks at the Universal Orlando Resort. Universal Studios Florida saw a 2.6 percent decline in attendance, while Universal’s Islands of Adventure saw a 5.5 percent decline in attendance.
This new data is from 2024, before Universal’s Epic Universe opened. This is expected to increase the crowds at the other two Universal Orlando parks. So, while the drop is alarming for Universal, it should not last that long.
Disney, on the other hand, should be concerned. These numbers come before Disney began its construction spree at the parks, shutting down major lands across three of its four theme parks.
However, while Disney World’s crowds have gotten stagnant, the company is still making record revenue by selling costlier vacations to fewer guests. The Universal numbers from 2024 should be a sign of what Disney World should expect for 2025 and into 2026 while the parks undergo their transformations.
What have your experiences with Disney World’s crowds been like recently? Let us know in the comments.