Six Flags or Hersheypark? Which is More Popular?

Each year, AECOM releases a list of the most popular theme parks in the world and its 2019 report was just published.

You might not be surprised to find out that according to AECOM, the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL is the world's most popular theme park with almost 21 million visitors in 2019.

In fact, AECOM says Disney has 10 of the 20 most popular theme parks in the world with Disneyland in Anaheim, CA ranking #2, Tokyo Disneyland at #3, and Tokyo DIsneysea at #4.

According to AECOM, Comcast-owned Universal owns 4 of the top 20 most popular theme parks in the world. And Disney and Universal combine to own the Top 9 theme parks in the United States.

It's pretty clear that Six Flags Great Adventure and Hersheypark are the 2 largest theme parks in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, but which one is more popular?

Well according to AECOM, it's very close, but the winner in 2019 was Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ.

AECOM says Six Flags Great Adventure had 3,451,000 visitors in 2019 (up from 3,400,000 in 2018).

Meanwhile, AECOM reports that Hersheypark in Hershey, PA (about a 2 hour drive from Philadelphia) had 3,384,000 visitors last year (up from 3,367,000 in 2018).

That means Six Flags had 67,000 more visitors last year than Hersheypark (and when you're dealing in millions, that's really not a huge difference at all).

By the way, Six Flags Great Adventure ranked at the 18th most popular park in AECOM's ranking of American theme parks and Hersheypark ranked #19.

Obviously, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on theme parks, so the 2020 attendance figures for parks will be significantly less than in previous years.