Disney, unbeatable
There is no doubt that these are not good times for amusement parks : We already told you that in the Disney parks, the great favorites decade after decade, hugs to MIckey and parades, fireworks, special water effects and any other event that usually attract crowds have been banned.
"Some [amusement parks] predict 30% to 50% of the normal turnover for the coming months , and surveys show positive market demand. However, it may take one to several years to return to pre-COVID operating levels, and many owners' investment horizon may be altered due to loss of cash flow," explains AECOM Senior Vice President of Economics John Robinett, in the annual theme index and museum index entertainment industry report.
With many of the parks already open and health security measures in place, however, the expert sees the light at the end of the tunnel: "The industry has suffered major disruptions before, related to health, security and economic problems. While we recognize the dire nature and consequences of the current pandemic, history shows us that the behavior of people, with a few exceptions, returns to normal once the threat is removed".
"The attractions industry is resilient and creative, responsive to the needs of its visitors. This, combined with this industry's enduring value of producing family fun, shared experiences and escape, points to a future of recovery and new innovations , as has happened in the past", he concludes.
THE MOST VISITED AMUSEMENT PARKS OF 2019
But let's go with what we all wondered: what have been the favorite amusement parks of children and adults around the world during the past year? The list, as it will not be a surprise to anyone, is dominated by the entertainment giant Disney. In fact, It is Walt Disney World, in Florida, that takes the cake, as each of the resort's four theme parks have entered the list of the most visited.
What also does not seem very surprising is that nothing less than three Japanese parks sneak into the first half of the list , because the Japanese fondness for cute characters is well known. In fact, only there and in China the favorite park does not belong to Disney; In the first case, it is a complex of Universal Studios and, in the second, from a park belonging to the group chimney which has several attractions, as well as the largest aquarium in the world.
In Asia, in fact, there is a certain fondness for the marine, since one of the three parks that are successful in Japan is Tokyo DisneySea , which not only differs from the rest for being divided into nautical ports, but also for being, it is believed, the one that has cost the most to build on the planet -it is estimated that it cost more than 4.5 billion US dollars-.
With all the particularities mentioned, this is how the most loved amusement parks in the world according to its flow of visitors during 2019:
1. Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World (Florida, USA)
2.Disneyland Park (California, USA)
3.Tokyo Disneyland (Tokyo, Japan)
4.Tokyo DisneySea (Tokyo, Japan)
5.Universal Studios Japan (Osaka, Japan)
6. Disney's Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World (Florida, USA)
7.Epcot at Walt Disney World (Florida, USA)
8. Chimelong Ocean Kingdom (Hengqin, China)
9.Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World (Florida, USA)
10.Shanghai Disneyland (Shanghai, China)
Total, 253.9 million people visited all the theme parks in the world , almost two million more than the previous year. The figures that we will see next year are expected to be lower, but they will not take away the desire to meet our favorite characters when all this happens.