The study examined all amusement parks across the United States to determine the top 10 highest-rated ones. The analysis considered three main factors: Instagram hashtags, monthly Google search volume, and the proportion of ‘excellent’ reviews on TripAdvisor. A composite index was used to calculate a total score for each amusement park, allowing for the identification of the most popular ones in the country. The weighting of the factors favored customer experiences, with TripAdvisor reviews given greater importance as they directly represented park-goers’ satisfaction.

Universal’s Islands of Adventure – Orlando, Florida – 91.1
Magic Kingdom – Orlando, Florida – 90.4
Disney California Adventure – Anaheim, California – 84.2
Cedar Point – Sandusky, Ohio – 81.7
Silver Dollar City – Stone County, Missouri – 81.1
Animal Kingdom – Orlando, Florida – 80.7
Universal Studios Hollywood – Los Angeles, California – 79.4
Disneyland Park – Anaheim, California – 78.1
Dollywood – Pigeon Forge, Tennessee – 77.9
Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park – Orlando, Florida – 77.7

Universal’s Islands of Adventure has been identified as the most popular theme park in the United States, based on research findings. Islands of Adventure, one of the two primary parks at Universal Orlando Resort, is renowned for its exhilarating rides and attractions, notably The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. With an impressive total index score of 91.1 out of 100, the Universal park has claimed the highest position. Among the 52,310 reviews from park visitors, an astounding 74% have given it the highest ‘excellent’ rating, not only in Florida but across the entire country. Strong ratings on TripAdvisor and 854,821 Instagram hashtags firmly establish Islands of Adventure as the leading theme park.

Universal took the lead, beating Disney’s Magic Kingdom by a narrow margin, with a score of 90.4. Despite welcoming over 17 million visitors in 2022, making it Florida’s most popular vacation resort, Magic Kingdom comes in second place. However, it claims the title of the most Instagram-worthy theme park in the US, boasting a staggering 8,012,859 Instagram posts, the highest number among all theme parks worldwide.

Disney California Adventure Park is ranked third among the top parks. It is one of the two parks at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California – the other being Disneyland Park, which is ranked eighth. With a final index score of 84.2, Disney California Adventure Park is the third highest-rated park in America according to TripAdvisor. Out of a total of 15,724 reviews, 67% are labeled as ‘excellent’, solidifying its reputation.

Based on the data, Cedar Point is the fourth most renowned amusement park in the United States. It is often known as the ‘rollercoaster capital of the world’ because of its impressive assortment of rollercoasters. The park garners the third highest volume of monthly Google searches in the study, with an average of 355,000 searches. Situated in Sandusky, Ohio, Cedar Point has been in operation since 1870, making it one of the oldest amusement parks in the country.

Silver Dollar City, situated in Stone County, Missouri, was ranked as the fifth top-rated amusement park in the United States, according to visitor experiences. This park offers a plethora of entertainment options, such as live performances, festivals, and showcases of traditional crafts. Notably, Silver Dollar City holds the distinction of being the fourth highest-rated theme park on TripAdvisor, with an impressive 66% of visitor reviews falling into the ‘excellent’ category.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom is ranked as the sixth top-rated theme park in the US. It is the second most searched theme park on Google, with an average of 379,000 monthly searches. Additionally, it has the third highest number of hashtags, with a total of 4,752,545. Animal Kingdom, which opened in 1998, is the largest among the four Disney theme parks in terms of land area. It is also the second Walt Disney World park to be featured on the list, with a total score of 80.7.

Universal Studios Hollywood holds the seventh spot among the top 10 highest-rated amusement parks in the US. Following closely are California’s Disneyland Park, Dollywood, and Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park, securing the eighth, ninth, and tenth positions, respectively.