These Are the Most Popular Theme Parks, According to Visitor Reviews

The mouse (surprisingly) did not come out on top in the new ranking.

Theme parks are not all created equal — especially when most offer such different things for different types of guests. According to reviews from Tripadvisor assessed by Family Destinations Guide, the most popular theme park in North America is Universal Orlando Resort's Islands of Adventure in Florida. That may surprise some people, especially given the high number of ultra dedicated Disney fans out there.

But Disney lovers shouldn't worry too much. Based on the data that Tripadvisor gathered, the Big Mouse came in at a close second. The second most popular amusement park in North America is Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort, while the third most popular theme park is Disney California Adventure Park. All told, Disney parks made up half of the ranking's top 10.

To determine this data, Family Destinations Guide evaluated the 20 most-visited amusement parks  and calculated the percentage of excellent reviews left for each park on Tripadvisor. The resulting ratio determined which parks were most popular. (So this was based more on positive reviews left on Tripadvisor than it was based on any other factor.)

"It is no surprise that theme parks operated by Walt Disney and Universal Studios have dominated the list," a spokesperson from Family Destinations Guide shared with Thrillist in a statement. "Both amusement resorts open magical worlds that tap into your inner childhood. Even if you're not too fond of rides, just walking around the park fills you with nostalgia."

Here are the most popular theme parks in North America:
1. Universal's Islands of Adventure at Universal Orlando Resort
2. Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort
3. Disney California Adventure Park
4. Cedar Point
5. Disneyland Park
6. Universal Studios Florida at Universal Orlando Resort
7. Disney's Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort
8. Universal Studios Hollywood
9. Epcot at Walt Disney World Resort
10. SeaWorld Orlando

Is your favorite theme park on the list?

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Opheli Garcia Lawler is a Staff Writer on the News team at Thrillist. Follow her on Twitter @opheligarcia and Instagram @opheligarcia.