US Theme Park Vacations Market Report 2022

This report provides comprehensive and current information and analysis of the US theme park vacations market including theme park vacations market size, anticipated market forecast, relevant market segmentation, and industry trends for the theme park vacations market in the US.

Current market landscape

Though video games have long been considered solely the purview of kids, 39% of theme park vacationing adults nonetheless say they want to see more video-game related content at theme parks, second only to movie-related IPs (47%). This is just one way in which the demands of potential theme park vacationers have evolved, and bringing gaming-inspired attractions into a park is one way to attract visitors.

Market share and key industry trends

Travel’s roaring rebound has consumers acting on a lot of pent-up motivations, such as seeing a destination they’ve always wanted to, taking a make-up trip canceled earlier in the pandemic, or simply relaxing. This reorganization of vacation priorities means that theme park vacations have been pushed down on the list of desired vacations – just one third of consumers put theme parks inside their top five types of vacation. So while park visitation has recovered in general, the rebound has come on the back of single-day visits, leaving multiday vacations with a lot of ground to make up.

Future market trends in US theme park vacations

Destination parks will have to do what they can to be competitive, too, as travelers are scrutinizing their travel options, making travel destinations a very hot topic in household vacation discussions. Not only are travelers considering the cost of theme parks in light of inflation, but also their other options for vacations. Relaxing settings and bucket list travel are popular options, working against theme parks as a vacation destination. However, by pivoting some of a park’s attractions and business practices, such as by enhancing the dining experience and placing more emphasis on attractions, parks can meet the changing demands of vacationing families and adult travelers.

Read on to discover more about the US Theme Park Vacations consumer market, read our US Family Vacations Market Report 2020, or take a look at our other Holidays and Vacations research reports.

Quickly understand the theme park vacations market

• The demographic targets theme parks should focus on for attendance.
• The types of intellectual property that parkgoers want to see.
• What guests are willing to pay a premium for.
• The pain points of planning a theme park vacation.
• How the expectations of theme park vacationers compare to broader travel expectations.

Covered in this theme park vacations market report

Brands include: Six Flags, SeaWorld, Disney World, Disneyland, Universal Studios, Busch Gardens, Hersheypark, Knott’s Berry Farm, Legoland, Cedar Point, Peppa Pig Theme Park, Pokémon Go Fest, Harry Potter, Super Nintendo World.

Expert analysis from a specialist in the field

This report, written by Mike Gallinari, a leading analyst in the Travel and Leisure sector, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis of theme park vacations market research to highlight current trends and add expert context to the numbers.

As travel continues to recover in 2022, different types of vacations fiercely compete with each other for travelers. The multiday theme park vacation, though far from the first choice for vacationers, is nonetheless poised to recover from the pandemic decline. Theme parks will have to balance improving revenue with the tough economic decisions that consumers are making with regards to travel. In this vein, tactics like enriching the in-park dining experience, using tech to improve vacation planning and introducing new IPs to the parks can solidify interest and growth in the future.

Mike Gallinari
Senior Travel and Leisure Analyst