Understand the US theme park industry with Mintel’s in-depth theme park market analysis. This market research report examines what US consumers want from a theme park vacation, and provides recommendations for how theme parks can effectively respond to consumer demands.
This report looks at the following areas:
- The domestic theme park market size and forecasted revenue
- Key market drivers affecting the industry
- An overview of the developments of major industry players
- Who park operators should focus on attracting to their parks
- The barriers consumers have to visiting a park, including weather
- The food and beverage options and ancillaries park guests look for
- Ways guests look to navigate payment
- How theme parks are executing their digital ad strategies
US Theme Park Market Analysis
Americans continue to visit theme parks in 2024, but high prices complicate the decision to visit one. US consumers aren’t spurning parks – industry revenue is up and guests report crowds being a significant concern – but these barriers are leading consumers to reconsider the value of a theme park visit, with six in ten US consumers citing cost of admission as their number one barrier to visiting a theme park in 2024
- US theme parks market size: US theme parks look set to earn an estimated $29.4 billion in 2024, a 6% increase on 2023.
US Theme Park Market – Opportunities for growth
Park operators have a number of tactics they can use to make parks seem more valuable. Right there in the name, one of theme parks’ biggest strengths is the themed aesthetic of the park, and leaning on them with the right IP can make the visit and ancillary purchases feel more like they’re worth it to visitors. To this end, themed food and beverage options that hit on flavor trends are appealing, as are an array of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages aimed at key Millennial and Gen Z guests.
Weather conditions are a looming complication. Heat waves are already a concern among guests, and operators admit that bad weather affects the bottom line through ride and park closures. Parks can future-proof their properties, such as through more indoor attractions as well as expanding park locations to less volatile (or at least, simultaneously volatile) areas.
Purchase the full report for Mintel’s latest US theme park market research, including market dynamics and consumer insights.
Meet The Expert
This report is written by Mike Gallinari, Mintel’s Senior Travel & Leisure Analyst. Mike writes primarily about consumers’ travel preferences, building on his professional background at Groupon Getaways and Travelzoo, as well as his personal passion for travel.
Theme parks remain a favorite vacation activity among Americans. Cost and other barriers give them pause, but there are ways parks can increase comfort and value.
Mike Gallinari
Senior Travel & Leisure Analyst
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Executive Summary
- What you need to know
- Market size & forecast
- Market predictions
- What consumers want & why
- Opportunities
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Market Dynamics
- Market context
- Market drivers
- More vacationing bodes well for attendance potential
- Park locations ice out the Midwest
- Increasing gate prices complicate planning a day at the park
- Beaches and cities are giving theme park destinations a run for their money
- High travel prices and a strong US$ make foreign destinations a more-appealing value
- Consumer confidence remains down, but is poised for improvement
- Graph 1: Consumer Sentiment Index, 2021-24
- Hot labor summer continues…
- …as do hot summers in general
- Market size and forecast
- US parks poised for steady revenue growth
- Retail sales and forecast of theme parks at current prices
- Retail sales and forecast of theme parks at inflation-adjusted prices
- Theme park operators
- Theme park revenue and attendance
- The Mouse looks to expand the house
- New Universal parks, locations give credence to its name
- Six Flags expands through the acquisition route
- Six Flags faces an IP dilemma
- United Parks & Resorts seeks steadier waters
- United Parks makes headway in the important accessible travel sector
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Consumer Insights
- Consumer fast facts
- Theme park visitation and intent
- Theme parks remain a popular outing
- Certain demographics are worth targeting for a park visit
- Graph 2: demographics of theme park visitors and intended theme park visitors, 2024
- Higher HHI travelers show lower intent for destination parks
- Graph 3: destination theme park visitation and intent on multiday vacations, by HHI, 2024
- Black, lower HHI consumers have greater interest in day visits
- Graph 4: regional theme park visitation and intent for day trip visits, by race and Hspanic origin and by HHI, 2024
- Theme park apps
- Guests consider theme park apps as on-the-ground assistants
- Graph 5: desired park app features, 2024
- Play Disney app brings online magic to guests in line
- Still, the most useful apps are versatile
- Methodology
- Highlight how apps enhance the park experience
- Graph 6: attitudes about theme park apps (any agree), by generation, by HHI and by parental status, 2024
- Destination parkgoers feel too reliant on apps meant to help them
- Graph 7: attitudes about theme park apps (any agree), by type of park visited and trip, 2024
- Theme park food and drink
- Parks get an “A” from diners when sticking to themes
- Guests are trying to save time at mealtimes
- Graph 8: most-desired theme park food and beverage options, 2024
- Parks should address generational preferences
- Graph 9: most-desired theme park food and beverage options, by generation, 2024
- Flavor trends of note
- Trends in action
- Finer dining, non-alcoholic drinks can be an upsell area
- Graph 10: most-desired theme park food and beverage options, by HHI, 2024
- Disney earns a Michelin star
- Provide grown-up and drier options for parents and their kids
- Graph 11: most-desired theme park food and beverage options, by parental status, 2024
- Barriers to theme park vacations
- Cost and crowds turn attendees away
- Graph 12: barriers to taking a theme park vacation, 2024
- Parks need to be a planning asset to visitors
- Graph 13: barriers to taking a theme park vacation, any park, past visitors and planned visitors, 2024
- Baby Boomers have to be coaxed to spend, while younger travelers have planning anxiety
- Graph 14: barriers to taking a theme park vacation, by generation, 2024
- DFB seeks to help travelers plan their theme park vacation
- Cost concerns
- Park costs are affecting visitors’ moods
- High costs threaten to discourage interested guests
- Graph 15: attitudes toward park costs (any agree), by generation, 2024
- Different payment options can reduce the sting
- Graph 16: attitudes toward payment options, 2024
- Younger guests want to transfer their purchasing habits to theme parks
- Graph 17: attitudes toward payment options (any agree), by generation, 2024
- BPNL appeals to higher-income guests, could attract lower-income ones
- Graph 18: attitudes toward payment options (any agree), by HHI, 2024
- BNPL helps larger groups of guests
- Graph 19: attitudes toward payment options (any agree), by number of children in household, 2024
- Ancillary purchase value
- Guests find spending on extras to be broadly worth it
- Guests point to souvenirs as a individual source of value
- Graph 20: belief that ancillaries that are worth the money paid, 2024
- Spending focus shifts as kids enter tween years
- Graph 21: ancillaries that are worth the money paid, by age of children in household, 2024
- Think luxury when appealing to high-HHI guest spending
- Graph 22: ancillaries that are worth the money paid, by HHI, 2024
- Weather concerns
- Visitors will notice where parks fall short on weather safety
- Parks’ weather mitigation is acceptable, for the moment
- Graph 23: attitudes about theme parks and weather incidents (any agree), 2024
- Good weather mitigation keeps high-earning guests happy
- Graph 24: attitudes about theme parks and weather incidents, net any agree, by age and HHI, 2024
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Innovation and Marketing Trends
- Launch activity and innovation
- What hatchets in Vegas, slays in Vegas
- Eatrenalin seeks to marry food and rides
- Baby you’re a… drone show?
- Influencer crackdown can improve the guest experience
- Silver Dollar City launches planning-friendly content platform
- Marketing and advertising
- SeaWorld launches “So Many Worlds to Love”
- “So Many Worlds to Love”
- Legoland targets price-conscious families
- Dollywood leans into festivals, deals
- Disney refines its influencer marketing strategy
- Big players feel synergy with OTT means easy views, but social is more effective
- Graph 25: online advertising share of spend and share of impressions among theme park companies, 2023-24
- Social ads get more eyes for the cost compared to OTT
- Graph 26: share of digital ad spending of theme park companies, by platform, 2023-24
- Graph 27: share of digital ad impressions of theme park companies, by platform, 2023-24
- Apps can be used as more of an offseason marketing vector
- Graph 28: theme park app MAUs (thousands), by unified apps, June 2023-24
- Opportunities
- Spread the brand’s footprint to capture a more-diverse, year-round audience
- Get in on the travel loyalty game
- Theme park hotels… without the park
- Bring it indoors for more control
- Video games are still underused as an IP
- Mintel Trends
- Mintel Trend Driver: Value
- Trend Driver: Technology
- Techy attractions have wide appeal
- Graph 29: attitudes toward park attractions requiring special tech equipment (any agree), by key demographics, 2024
- Six Flags seeks streamlined sundry purchases
- A bright future for dark rides
- Mintel Trend: Aesthetic Effect
- Mintel Trend: Extend My Brand
- Six Flags’ Roblox park establishes a brand foothold away from the grounds
- Mintel Trend: Prepare for the Worst
- Weather insurance safeguards purchases made by security-minded guests
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Appendix
- Consumer research methodology
- Consumer research questions
- Generations
- Abbreviations and terms
- Forecast methodology
- Forecast fan chart methodology
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