For most around the world, summertime is time for kids to explore, play and learn a little bit outside of the classroom. It’s also a time for family vacations, with most parents taking a few weeks off of work so that they can treat their family to a trip of a lifetime. Though some families decide to stay within their own country for their vacation, others choose to explore another piece of the world. During this exploration, it’s very common for families to take a day or two to explore an internationally recognized theme park, creating fun for everyone involved.
In fact, there are literally thousands of parks around the globe and in 2018, over 501.2 million people visited the top 10 theme park brands worldwide, throughout the entire year.
But because it would take a few lifetimes to visit every single amusement park in the world, and the fact that not all of them are worth a visit, we’ve complied a list of the top theme parks in the world. In addition to a short summary detailing what you can discover at each theme park, we’ve also included their summer rates for both children and adults, giving you an idea of what you’ll end up paying once you visit. This particular list, crafted by using past attendance rates, ranks the parks from the highest priced admission rates to the lowest.
An interesting fact: Theme parks, over the last few years, have steadily seen an increase of admissions, meaning that more and more families, couples and singles are choosing to visit one of the many theme park options available around the world. Theme park attendance has gone up 5.4 percent from 2017, which is an impressive amount. For 2018, Magic Kingdom in Florida came out on top as the most visited theme park in the entire world.
World’s 10 busiest theme parks and their admission prices
In the list below, you’ll find admission prices for both adults and children. These prices have been converted into US dollars. Infant rates have not been included as they are usually welcomed into parks free of charge. Prices below reflect Summer weekend rates and it should be noted that prices during other portions of the year may be different, both higher and lower. This information has been obtained from the Themed Entertainment Association’s 2018 Themed Index.
1 – Disneyland – Anaheim, California
Adult day pass: US$154.00
Children 3 to 9: US$146.00
The sister resort to Disney World in Florida, Disneyland is a great park for those who wish to see a lot of different rides, shows, parades and more, in a small amount of time. Meant for both adults and kids, Disneyland pleases with shopping options, great dining selections and rides like the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage.
2 – Universal Studios – Universal Orlando, Florida
Adult day pass: US$128.00
Children 3 to 9: US$123.00
With various animated worlds coming to life right before your eyes, Universal Studios in Orlando is the perfect theme park for movie and TV show lovers who like to find themselves right in the middle of all the action. Are you a Harry Potter fan? If you are, you’ll find that the Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts attraction is a must see.
3 – Magic Kingdom – Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
Adult day pass: US$125.00
Children 3 to 9: US$120.00
Holding the title of the most visited with over 20 million visitors in 2015 alone, The Magic Kingdom is home to a plethora of different rides, attractions and oddities that thrill even the oldest of visitors. Here you’ll find several different types of rides to choose from including the classics like “it’s a small world”. You’ll also various themed restaurants to enjoy and different parades to watch.
4 – Disney’s Animal Kingdom – Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
Adult day pass: US$125.00
Children 3 to 9: US$120.00
If you love wildlife and like the idea of seeing some of your favorite animal species up close and personal, then a visit to Disney’s Animal Kingdom is in order. Here you’ll find lots of different climates housing animals from around the world. Even though this theme park is all about fun, there are lots of learning opportunities as well, making it a very well rounded park.
5 – Epcot – Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
Adult day pass: US$125.00
Children 3 to 9: US$120.00
Love the idea of visiting different parts of the world without having to leave the park? Then you’ll love Epcot. Designed for those with adventure on the mind, this theme park centers itself around different cultures and attractions that can be found throughout the globe at some of the world’s most popular cities. You’ll also find a few fun rides, lots of attractions and cool little shops that remind one of street fairs the globe over. If you plan on eating while here, you’ll be delighted with different dining options that bring major events like Oktoberfest to your table.
6 – Disney’s Hollywood Studios – Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
Adult day pass: US$125.00
Children 3 to 9: US$120.00
Bringing movies to life with lively, colorful shows, Hollywood Studios is the perfect place to visit if you’re a movie fanatic. Here you’ll witness shows like Indiana Jones and Beauty and the Beast. In addition, you’ll also find lots of great rides to go on, including the scary Twilight Tower of Terror.
7 – Universal Studios Japan – Osaka, Japan
Adult day pass: US$70.63
Children 4 to 11: US$48.90
Harry Potter fans unite! Here you’ll find attractions like Wand Magic, Flight of the Hippogriff and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. You’ll also find Hello Kitty, Sesame Street, Spider-Man and more. You’ll also find yourself privy to dining options in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Minion Park and Jurassic Park.
8 – Tokyo DisneySea – Tokyo, Japan
Adult day pass: US$67.91
Junior 12 to 17: US$58.86
Children 4 to 11: US$44.37
Focusing on everything sea related, Tokyo Disney Sea is a great theme park for those who love the ocean and movies associated with it. Here you’ll find Turtle Talk featuring everyone’s favorite sea turtle from Finding Nemo, Venetian Gondolas and more. Just like the other Disney theme parks, you’ll also find restaurants and shops to dine and shop at.
9 – Tokyo Disneyland – Tokyo, Japan
Adult day pass: US$67.91
Junior 12 to 17: US$58.86
Children 4 to 11: US$44.37
With an amazing amount of things to do and see, Tokyo Disneyland is a must do if you’re looking to visit a Disney park outside of Florida. Here you’ll find tons of attractions like the Swiss Family Treehouse and Splash Mountain alongside shops, restaurants and more. If you love a good parade you’ll find a few here to enjoy as well.
10 – Chimelong Ocean Kingdom – Hengqin, China
Adult day pass: US$49.73
Children 3 to 11: US$34.81
A newer theme park, the Chimelong Ocean Kingdom offers a rather large amount of animal shows, amusements rides, and dining options. In fact, there are 8 different themed areas within the park, some of which are Ocean Avenue, Dolphin Cove, and Ocean Beauty.
The Bottom Line
The parks listed above are not only popular with those who live in the same country but with international travelers as well, making it so that they each are very busy during the entire year. However, it does seem that summertime beckons the largest amount of visitors into each park, presumably because of summer school break. In addition, the Disney franchise of parks still seems to be doing quite well and undoubtedly holds the title of the most visited, along with the most adored. Even though tickets rates have steadily increased throughout the last few years, Disney parks, as well as other similar brands, have still managed to attract hoards of visitors, even more than prior years.
It should also be noted that when purchasing your tickets, some parks offer local rates that are slightly discounted. You may also be able to save a little money if you decide to buy your ticket online.