In 2025, U.S. regional theme-park attendance is projected to rise 1-2%, pushed by group visits, season-pass gross sales, and new points of interest. Nevertheless, in-park spending per capita could develop solely modestly as customers face ongoing financial pressures, whereas worldwide visitation is predicted to get well extra slowly.
“Lower discretionary spending may lead consumers to pull back on leisure spending, which could limit theme park operators’ ability to continue raising prices and lead to muted per capita spending growth,” in response to S&P International’s Business Credit score Outlook.
The amusement and theme park business, valued at $24.6 billion in 2025, is predicted to develop to $29.2 billion by 2030. Key progress drivers embrace funding in immersive points of interest, expertise, and optimized per-capita spending, in response to a Mordor Intelligence report.
Ancillary income streams resembling meals, drinks, merchandise, and in-park companies are more and more vital, whilst total attendance stays delicate to climate, inflation, and shifting client patterns.
In actual fact, the Worldwide Affiliation of Amusement Parks and Points of interest initiatives that even with anticipated progress, attendance may not absolutely get well to pre-pandemic ranges, and by 2027, it might nonetheless be round 20% beneath 2019 ranges.
Main business analyst and Worldwide Theme Park Service CEO Dennis Speigel agrees with the projections, saying that even with new points of interest, restoration stays incomplete. In accordance with Spiegel, most important challenges for amusement and theme parks embrace:
- Extreme climate
- Lingering tariff‑pushed uncertainty
- Decreased client spending
Supply: That Park Place
Given this development, it isn’t stunning that one of many 5 U.S. amusement and theme-park business leaders simply confirmed an attendance drop.
Amusement and theme parks are seeing decrease site visitors.
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SeaWorld and Sesame Place proprietor United Parks & Resorts reviews attendance drop
United Parks & Resorts Inc. owns seven world-class manufacturers spanning 13 parks in seven markets throughout america and Abu Dhabi.
United Parks & Resorts theme parks:
- SeaWorld
- Busch Gardens
- Discovery Cove
- Sesame Place
- Water Nation USA
- Journey Island
- Aquatica
United Parks & Resorts reported its third-quarter monetary outcomes on Nov. 6, revealing an attendance decline at its theme parks. In comparison with the identical quarter of 2024, attendance dropped 2.4% to six.8 million, in response to an organization press launch.
Key United Parks & Resorts metrics, Q3 2025 vs. Q3 2024:
- Attendance: 6.8 million visitors, a lower of roughly 240,000 visitors or 3.4%
- Whole income: $511.9 million, a lower of $34.1 million or 6.2%
- Internet revenue: $89.3 million, a lower of $30.4 million or 25.4%
- Adjusted EBITDA: $216.3 million, a lower of $42.1 million or 16.3%
- Whole income per capita: Decreased 2.9% to $75.39
- Admission per capita: Down 6.3% to $39.57, whereas in-park per capita spending elevated 1.1% to $35.82
Supply: United Parks & Resorts Inc.’s Type 10-Q Submitting
For the 9 months ended Sep. 30, 2025, attendance was additionally down about 1.5% or by 252,000 visitors, in comparison with the primary 9 months of 2024.
Why attendance is dropping for United Parks & Resorts
CEO Marc Swanson defined the explanations behind the decline, together with unhealthy climate, particularly throughout key vacation intervals.
“We are obviously not happy with the results we delivered in the quarter. Performance during the quarter was negatively impacted by an unfavorable calendar shift, poor weather during peak holiday periods, a decline in international visitation and less than optimal execution. The consumer environment in the U.S. appears to be inconsistent, as has been outlined by a number of other leisure and hospitality businesses,” Swanson stated.
Related: Disney World shuts numerous rides and attractions, some permanently
He added that the third quarter saw a negative impact of around 150,000 visits due to unfavorable calendar impacts, especially the timing of the 4th of July holiday.
This year, Independence Day fell on Friday, which had a significant impact on theme park visits during what is considered a peak attendance period in the summer season. Swanson explained in the second-quarter earnings call that the calendar shift from Thursday to Friday seems like losing “a holiday day.”
When July 4 falls on Thursday, a significant number of people tend to take Friday off, making it a four-day weekend. When it’s on Friday, however, it creates a more standard three-day weekend, resulting in less attendance and spending.
“We saw a decline in international visitation of approximately 90,000 guests during the quarter, which was a reversal of earlier trends we saw in the first half of the year,” Swanson mentioned. “Adjusting for these calendar shifts and the international visitation declines, attendance would have been roughly flat for the quarter.”
5 factors behind quarterly attendance drop for United Parks & Resorts:
- 4th of July timing
- Poor weather
- Decline in international visitation
- Less-than-optimal execution
United Parks & Resorts CEO hints at better numbers following share buyback
Swanson suggested that the company’s numbers will improve, highlighting strong ticket sales for its Howl-O-Scream events in Orlando and San Diego, which he said saw record attendance this year. These gains are expected to be reflected in United Parks’ fourth-quarter results, according to Theme Park Insider.
“Looking forward, we are encouraged by the forward-booking revenue trends into 2026 for our Discovery Cove property and our group business, both of which are up over 20% compared to this same time last year.”
Despite the attendance and revenue drop, United Parks is betting on its future growth as it continues to spend millions to buy back its shares. By doing so, the company aims to increase its stock price.
“The Board previously announced a $500 million share repurchase program contingent on receiving this approval, and we have already repurchased 635,020 shares for an aggregate total of $32.2 million through November 4, 2025, underscoring our strong balance sheet, significant free cash flow generation, and our strong belief that our shares are materially undervalued,” the Swanson said.
United Parks & Resorts also touted its award-winning Christmas events at SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, and Sesame Place Langhorne Parks, which feature already popular rides and attractions, along with new and exciting elements.
In addition, the company’s brands house one of the largest zoological collections in the world, rescuing and rehabilitating marine and land animals that are ill, injured, orphaned, or abandoned, with the goal of returning them to the wild. For example, the SeaWorld rescue team has helped over 40,000 animals in need over the company’s history.
Associated: 51-year-old theme park with iconic 111-year-old curler closes ceaselessly
