
Comcast CEO Brian Roberts’s words might turn out to be prophetic per new data from a report about the Florida Theme Parks.
The healthy competition between the Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando in Florida is well known. Going to a Disney Park is considered by many to be the ultimate Disney vacation and Disney experience, whichever Theme Park you pick. Walt Disney World is usually considered a wonderful place for a family vacation. But recently, Universal Orlando has been gaining its fair share of popularity, and the numbers are starting to show this.
Related: ‘Disney is a Gamble’: Parent Says Disney ‘Isn’t for Little Kids.’
Both Parks—Universal Orlando and Walt Disney World—draw millions of visitors annually.
Universal is home to two Theme Parks– Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure–with a third one, Epic Universe, on the way. This, combined with their themed events like Halloween Horror Nights and their seasonal celebrations, has visitors flocking to Universal Studios Florida.
And now, we have some real numbers to reflect the Park’s growing popularity.
The 2021 Theme Park attendance report shows attendance picked up at both the Disney and Universal Orlando Parks compared to both’s respective 2020 numbers, but Universal Orlando saw some significant shifts.
Universal Studios Florida (8.99 million visitors ) and Universal’s Islands of Adventure (9.1 million visitors) exceeded the attendance at Disney’s Animal Kingdom (7.2 million visitors), EPCOT (7.7 million visitors), and Disney’s Hollywood Studios (8.6 million visitors).
Only Magic Kingdom (12.7 million visitors) beat either of the Universal Parks with Guest attendance.
Earlier this year, we reported on Comcast CEO Brian Roberts sharing his thoughts on Universal vs. Disney, and the CEO had said that Universal was “gaining market share.”
Read More: Will Universal Overtake Disney in the Parks Battle?
Universal’s investment in the Parks game is showing, and it’s clear that Universal is upping its game. The real question is, will it now beat Disney out?