Hey Thrill Seekers,
The latest theme park attendance figures are in, and there’s one big story coming out of Orlando: Universal Epic Universe is already making its mark on Florida’s theme park landscape.
The Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) has published its 2025 Global Experience Index, revealing how the world’s biggest theme parks performed last year. While global attendance remained broadly flat, Central Florida’s leading theme parks recorded combined growth of 4.3%, helped by the arrival of Universal’s newest park.
But there’s more to the story. Walt Disney World’s parks remained remarkably consistent, Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure recorded declines, and SeaWorld Orlando held almost steady.
So, what do the numbers tell us about Orlando’s changing theme park landscape, and what can visitors expect when planning a Florida holiday in 2027?
Let’s take a look!
🎢 Orlando Theme Park Attendance in 2025
The opening of Universal Epic Universe on 22 May 2025 was one of the biggest developments in Orlando’s attractions industry for years.
However, its arrival coincided with slightly lower attendance at several established parks. Here’s how some of Florida’s biggest attractions performed, according to the 2025 TEA Global Experience Index.
| Theme park | 2025 attendance | Change vs 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Magic Kingdom | 17.8 million | -0.2% |
| EPCOT | 12.109 million | -0.2% |
| Disney’s Hollywood Studios | 10.312 million | -0.2% |
| Universal Studios Florida | 9.3 million | -2.1% |
| Islands of Adventure | 9.2 million | -2.6% |
| Disney’s Animal Kingdom | 8.782 million | -0.2% |
| SeaWorld Orlando | 4.335 million | -0.3% |
| Universal Epic Universe | 4 million | New park |
| Busch Gardens Tampa Bay | 3.8 million | -4.4% |
Figures are TEA attendance estimates. Percentage changes are year-on-year comparisons.
The headline is clear: Disney’s four parks remained remarkably stable, while Universal’s established parks recorded larger declines. Epic Universe, meanwhile, welcomed an estimated four million visits during its first partial year.
It’s important to remember that these figures count visits rather than unique people. They also don’t establish why attendance at individual parks changed.
Nevertheless, they give us a fascinating insight into how Orlando’s attractions market is evolving.
🐭 Walt Disney World: Still the Biggest Name in Orlando
Magic Kingdom retained its position as the world’s most-visited individual theme park, attracting an estimated 17.8 million visits during 2025.
EPCOT welcomed more than 12.1 million visits, Hollywood Studios attracted over 10.3 million, and Animal Kingdom recorded approximately 8.8 million.
All four parks experienced a very small estimated decline of 0.2%, suggesting that attendance remained broadly steady across the resort.
For Disney, the challenge is to maintain that appeal while competition intensifies around Orlando.
For visitors, there’s still an enormous amount to experience, from classic Magic Kingdom attractions and EPCOT’s festivals to the rides and entertainment at Hollywood Studios.
What does this mean for Disney in 2027?
The figures don’t suggest that Disney is experiencing a dramatic attendance decline. Instead, they show a mature resort maintaining its audience in an increasingly competitive market.
Disney’s continued investment in its parks will be important in encouraging repeat visits, particularly among guests who have already experienced the major attractions.
For anyone planning a 2027 holiday, keep an eye on official announcements about new attractions, refurbishments and opening dates. These can influence which parks you prioritise and how you organise your itinerary.
🌎 Universal Orlando: Epic Universe Changes Everything
Universal’s attendance figures are perhaps the most interesting part of the report.
Universal Studios Florida recorded an estimated 9.3 million visits, down 2.1% on 2024. Islands of Adventure welcomed approximately 9.2 million, a decline of 2.6%.
At first glance, those numbers might seem disappointing. However, the arrival of Epic Universe adds important context.
The new park welcomed an estimated four million visits between its opening in May and the end of 2025. It features five immersive worlds, including SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, Dark Universe, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic.
Its opening helped Universal Orlando Resort increase its overall attendance, contributing to a 4.3% rise across Central Florida’s leading theme parks.
Is Epic Universe taking visitors away from the other Universal parks?
It’s a tempting conclusion, but the figures don’t prove it.
Some visitors may have chosen Epic Universe instead of spending another day at Universal Studios Florida or Islands of Adventure. Others may have added the new park to their existing holiday plans, increasing the total number of days spent in Orlando.
Both scenarios are possible, and attendance estimates alone cannot tell us how much each contributed to the results.
What we do know is that Universal now has three major theme parks competing for visitors’ time, alongside its wider resort offering.
That creates more choice for holidaymakers, but it also makes planning the right combination of park days increasingly important.
What can we expect from Epic Universe in 2027?
Epic Universe’s four million visits came during a partial opening year. By 2027, it will have been operating for a full calendar year, giving more visitors the opportunity to experience the park.
That doesn’t guarantee further attendance growth, but it gives Universal more time to build awareness, attract repeat visitors and encourage holidaymakers to include the park in their plans.
For UK visitors, Epic Universe is likely to remain one of the major considerations when deciding how long to spend at Universal Orlando Resort.
Our advice is simple: allow enough time to enjoy the park properly rather than squeezing it into an already packed itinerary.
And don’t forget the established parks. Attractions such as Jurassic World VelociCoaster, Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure and the rides at Universal Studios Florida remain important parts of the overall Universal experience.
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🐳 SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Not every Florida theme park experienced the same results.
SeaWorld Orlando recorded approximately 4.335 million visits in 2025, down just 0.3%. That was a relatively small change compared with the declines at some of the other established parks.
Its combination of major roller coasters, animal experiences and seasonal events continues to offer something different from Disney and Universal.
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, meanwhile, recorded an estimated 3.8 million visits, down 4.4% on the previous year.
These figures demonstrate that the wider Florida attractions market isn’t moving in a single direction. Individual parks face different competitive pressures, and one year’s results don’t necessarily indicate a longer-term trend.
For visitors staying in Orlando for two weeks or more, SeaWorld and Busch Gardens can provide alternatives to the biggest theme park resorts, helping to create a more varied holiday.
📈 What Do the Results Mean for an Orlando Holiday in 2027?
The 2025 attendance figures provide a useful starting point, but what really matters to visitors is how these trends could affect their next holiday.
Here are three things we think are worth watching.
1. More reasons to spend longer in Orlando
Epic Universe gives visitors another major park to consider, potentially encouraging longer stays or more time dedicated to Universal Orlando Resort.
For UK holidaymakers, that could mean rethinking the traditional balance between Disney and Universal, particularly if both resorts feature heavily on the must-do list.
2. Competition could encourage further investment
Disney and Universal both have strong reasons to keep their parks fresh and give returning guests something new to experience.
The attendance figures don’t guarantee particular attractions or opening dates, but continued investment will be an important part of keeping Orlando competitive.
Check official announcements before building your 2027 itinerary around any attraction that hasn’t yet opened.
3. Choosing the right tickets matters more than ever
With so many parks to choose from, it’s worth considering your family’s priorities before buying tickets.
Thrill seekers might want to devote more time to Universal’s coasters, while families with younger children could prefer a balance of Disney attractions and character experiences. Others may want to add water parks or a day away from the major resorts.
Think about how many days you’ll realistically have available, which parks you want to visit and whether your chosen tickets provide the flexibility you need.
You can explore the available options at Orlando Attraction Tickets.
💪 The Bigger Picture: Orlando Remains a Theme Park Giant
The TEA report also provides a global perspective. The world’s 25 leading theme parks attracted a combined 245.4 million visits in 2025, down 0.2% compared with the same parks in 2024.
Meanwhile, the world’s leading water parks recorded stronger growth, with attendance increasing by 3% to approximately 36.3 million visits.
These figures highlight how different parts of the attractions industry can perform differently, even as established destinations continue to compete for visitors.
For Orlando, Epic Universe represents a significant addition to an already impressive collection of theme parks. But the next chapter will be about more than the success of one new attraction. It will also be about how Disney, Universal, SeaWorld and the wider attractions market encourage people to spend more time exploring the destination.
🤔 Our Verdict: What Should You Expect in 2027?
The 2025 TEA Global Experience Index shows that Orlando’s theme park landscape is changing.
Magic Kingdom remains the world’s most-visited theme park, Disney’s four parks have maintained broadly stable attendance, and Epic Universe has given Universal Orlando a substantial new attraction.
The established Universal parks recorded declines, but the figures don’t prove that Epic Universe caused them. Meanwhile, SeaWorld Orlando remained relatively steady and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay experienced a larger drop.
Looking ahead to 2027, Epic Universe will have a full year of operation behind it, while competition across Orlando is likely to remain intense.
For holidaymakers, that means more choice than ever and a good reason to plan your park days carefully.
One thing is certain: if you’re heading to Orlando in 2027, you’ll want to make the most of every day!
Happy planning, Thrill Seekers!
Smiles included…
Jamie
