TEA Attendance Report 2021

[Matt N]

Hi guys. The TEA/AECOM Theme Index for 2021 came out today, and it makes for interesting reading: https://aecom.com/wp-content/uploads/documents/reports/AECOM-Theme-Index-2021.pdf

As I said, this report makes for thoroughly interesting reading, in my view! Some particular points of interest include:

• The attendance recouped at parks seemed to drastically vary; some parks had increases of over 200% and nearly reached 2019 levels, while some remained a considerable way off.
• Magic Kingdom remains the world’s most visited theme park, with 12,691,000 guests passing through its gates in 2021 (an 82% increase on 2020).
• Interestingly, Disney’s cast iron grip on the Orlando market appears to have loosened drastically in the aftermath of COVID, with both Universal Orlando parks topping the attendance of every Walt Disney World park with the exception of Magic Kingdom in 2021. Universal Studios Florida increased by 119% and got 8,987,000 guests and Islands of Adventure increased by 127% and got 9,077,000 guests, while Hollywood Studios increased by 134% and got 8,589,000 guests, Epcot increased by 92% and got 7,752,000 guests, and Animal Kingdom increased by 73% and got 7,194,000 guests.
• Volcano Bay has also topped Disney’s Blizzard Beach to become North America’s most visited water park; it increased by 207% on 2020 and attracted 1,691,000 guests, while Blizzard Beach increased by 280% on 2020 and attracted 1,201,000 guests. Typhoon Lagoon, the previous most visited in North America, was not listed due to it not being open, and the world’s most visited water park remains Chimelong Ocean Kingdom in China, which increased by 47% on 2020 and attracted 2,230,000 guests.
• In Asia, Shanghai Disneyland remains the most visited park (despite both Tokyo parks topping it by some margin prior to COVID), increasing by 54% on 2020 and attracting 8,480,000 guests. The two Tokyo Disneyland parks were some way below Shanghai in spite of their pre-COVID status at the top; Tokyo Disneyland increased by 51% on 2020 and attracted 6,300,000 guests, while Tokyo DisneySea increased by 71% on 2020 and attracted 5,800,000 guests. Universal Studios Japan increased by a mere 12% on 2020 and attracted 5,500,000 guests. Interestingly, the second most visited park in Asia was actually Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, which increased by 55% on 2020 and attracted 7,452,000 guests.
• In Europe, Disneyland Park in France regained its title of Europe’s most visited theme park, increasing by 34% over 2020 and attracting 3,500,000 guests. Its sibling, Walt Disney Studios, also increased by 34% on 2020 and attracted 1,884,000 guests. Some of mainland Europe’s gains were surprisingly limited relative to elsewhere; for instance, Europa Park increased by only 20% on 2020 and attracted 3,000,000 guests, and Efteling increased by only 14% on 2020 and attracted 3,300,000 guests. Mainland Europe still seems to be quite a way off attaining 2019 figures in some cases.
• However, Spain performed very well compared to the rest of mainland Europe, with both of its parks in the top 25 registering triple digit increases on 2020; PortAventura increased by 243% on 2020 and attracted 2,400,000 guests, while Parque Warner Madrid increased by 189% on 2020 and attracted 1,300,000 guests.
• The UK performed very well, with all 4 UK parks in the top 25 registering comfortable triple digit increases; Alton Towers increased by 169% on 2020 and attracted 1,800,000 guests, Thorpe Park increased by 183% on 2020 and attracted 1,700,000 guests, Legoland Windsor increased by 233% on 2020 and attracted 1,500,000 guests, and Chessington World of Adventures increased by 184% on 2020 and attracted 1,450,000 guests.

Some interesting information overall, don’t you think? I wonder what 2022 will be like…

 

[Jb85]

Legolands numbers are interesting....I would have expected more than that given the investment its had

 

[Matt N]

Legolands numbers are interesting....I would have expected more than that given the investment its had

The interesting thing about LLW (and the other 3 UK Merlin parks, for that matter) is that Merlin’s own numbers, released as part of the recent coaster consultations at Chessington and Thorpe Park, tell a very different story to the TEA report.

For instance, TEA claim that LLW peaked at around 2.4 million in 2019, while Merlin claims that it peaked at around 2.35 million in 2015, and that while the 2.3 million ballpark was reached again in 2017, the park’s attendance steadily decreased in 2018 and 2019 to hit around 2.05 million by 2019.

There’s also some discrepancy with other Merlin parks too; for instance, TEA claim that Thorpe Park got 1.9 million in 2019, while Merlin’s own graph claims that it only got 1.5 million. TEA claim that Thorpe peaked at 2.1 million in 2014, while Merlin claim that it peaked at close to 2.2 million in 2010, with 2009 and 2011 also being in the 2.1-2.2 million ballpark and no other year before or since exceeding 2 million.

Ditto with Alton Towers; TEA claims that Alton got only around 2.1-2.2 million in 2019, while Merlin’s graph says that it got 2.5 million.

I’m not entirely sure why there’s such a discrepancy between what TEA reports say and what Merlin released in the coaster consultations. I could have sworn that I once heard that the TEA figures are an estimate rather than a concrete figure, but don’t quote me on that.

 

[Jb85]

The interesting thing about LLW (and the other 3 UK Merlin parks, for that matter) is that Merlin’s own numbers, released as part of the recent coaster consultations at Chessington and Thorpe Park, tell a very different story to the TEA report.

For instance, TEA claim that LLW peaked at around 2.4 million in 2019, while Merlin claims that it peaked at around 2.35 million in 2015, and that while the 2.3 million ballpark was reached again in 2017, the park’s attendance steadily decreased in 2018 and 2019 to hit around 2.05 million by 2019.

There’s also some discrepancy with other Merlin parks too; for instance, TEA claim that Thorpe Park got 1.9 million in 2019, while Merlin’s own graph claims that it only got 1.5 million. TEA claim that Thorpe peaked at 2.1 million in 2014, while Merlin claim that it peaked at close to 2.2 million in 2010, with 2009 and 2011 also being in the 2.1-2.2 million ballpark and no other year before or since exceeding 2 million.

Ditto with Alton Towers; TEA claims that Alton got only around 2.1-2.2 million in 2019, while Merlin’s graph says that it got 2.5 million.

I’m not entirely sure why there’s such a discrepancy between what TEA reports say and what Merlin released in the coaster consultations. I could have sworn that I once heard that the TEA figures are an estimate rather than a concrete figure, but don’t quote me on that.

Could it be solely based on ticket sales? A log of bogoff tickets are sold ?

 

[Matt N]

Could it be solely based on ticket sales? A log of bogoff tickets are sold ?

I don’t think it’s necessarily a difference in how Merlin reports, because the discrepancy seems to affect different parks in different directions; if it was a difference in how Merlin reports, surely all of the figures would be skewed in one direction?

As I said, I did once hear that the TEA report is an educated estimate rather than a concrete figure, which could explain the discrepancy. Merlin’s graph, on the other hand, is very unlikely to be false or have any kind of “spin” involved in it; as it was released to support planning applications, any kind of misinformation in the graph could be construed as misleading the local authorities, which I’m sure that Merlin would want to avoid.

 

[Tom]

Would say those numbers for the UK will be way off as they have been proven to be in the past. Thorpe and Alton within 100k of each other?

 

[pluk]

The interesting thing about LLW (and the other 3 UK Merlin parks, for that matter) is that Merlin’s own numbers, released as part of the recent coaster consultations at Chessington and Thorpe Park, tell a very different story to the TEA report.

You have to consider what the intent is of Merlin releasing such commercially sensitive figures. I'm sure the data can be interpreted in many different ways to suit a narrative.

Trying to boost investor (when it was listed) confidence? Probably a good idea to include every person coming through the gate regardless of what the paid to do so.
Trying to get planning permission? Probably a good idea to count the number of paying or non-repeat visitors to show it is necessary for the success of an important local employer.

Neither number would be a lie.

 

[Enter Valhalla]

All the UK parks seemed rammed in 2021.
This year, now that people can travel abroad with ease again, quite the opposite. In the UK sadly, I think numbers will be down for 2022, compared to the numbers we see in this report.

 

[Dave]

The interesting thing about LLW (and the other 3 UK Merlin parks, for that matter) is that Merlin’s own numbers, released as part of the recent coaster consultations at Chessington and Thorpe Park, tell a very different story to the TEA report.

For instance, TEA claim that LLW peaked at around 2.4 million in 2019, while Merlin claims that it peaked at around 2.35 million in 2015, and that while the 2.3 million ballpark was reached again in 2017, the park’s attendance steadily decreased in 2018 and 2019 to hit around 2.05 million by 2019.

There’s also some discrepancy with other Merlin parks too; for instance, TEA claim that Thorpe Park got 1.9 million in 2019, while Merlin’s own graph claims that it only got 1.5 million. TEA claim that Thorpe peaked at 2.1 million in 2014, while Merlin claim that it peaked at close to 2.2 million in 2010, with 2009 and 2011 also being in the 2.1-2.2 million ballpark and no other year before or since exceeding 2 million.

Ditto with Alton Towers; TEA claims that Alton got only around 2.1-2.2 million in 2019, while Merlin’s graph says that it got 2.5 million.

I’m not entirely sure why there’s such a discrepancy between what TEA reports say and what Merlin released in the coaster consultations. I could have sworn that I once heard that the TEA figures are an estimate rather than a concrete figure, but don’t quote me on that.

Remember that the TEA report has absolutely no ability to demand numbers from park operators so it’s numbers are often a guess.

The numbers Merlin give out are either required for shareholder reports (when it was public) or for planning applications. In both cases there are potential legal jeopardy from providing false numbers so I would take those over TEA.

 

[Rob]

The FAQ section at the end of the report shows how AECOM get their figured for the Theme Index. If parks do not officially release gate figures, then they do use estimates. And operators are given these estimates to comment on before publication if they wish and the Themed Entertainment Association do work to encourage responses from operators.

I always think this report gives a good indication of what is going on, but it is always safer to assume that the figures are not exactly correct.