FOX Business’ Ashley Webster reports from the Amusement Park Expo and shows the attractions and games at ‘Varney & Co’
Prices are increasingly on the mind of families planning Theme-Park Holidays – and it shows in the numbers.
Revenue at US amusement parks fell about 2% year over year after several years of high attendance growth, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
The big signal came from Disney: In its latest report, the company revealed a decline in attendance at its parks for the fiscal year ending in September.
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Visitors walk through Cinderella’s castle in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World on April 2, 2025, in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Joe Burbank / Orlando Sentinel / Tribune News Service)
With many consumers becoming more expensive and selective, suppliers are racing to create new reasons to visit, to invest in family-oriented searches and high-profile partnerships with major entertainment brands and gaming franchises.
“We’re seeing more and more products entering the industry,” International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) CEO Jakob Wahl told Fox Business. “If it’s a dream of water parks, an epic universe with Nintendo, or minecraft comes to Merlin parks – the sports and entertainment industries are brought together.”
The new Universe Universar Park is banking heavily on that strategy, tapping Nintendo to include a world decoration built for its beloved characters around the world. Super Nintendo World aims to bring together a large base of fans who are familiar with the genre’s games, films and merchandise.
An all-night festival in Orlando, Florida. (Universal USA Parks)
Along with minecraft, the best-selling game of all time, it is heading to Merlin World Parks, part of a wider push to bring virtual intellectual property to the front gates.
At the same time, family-oriented parks are spending a lot of money to stay competitive.
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Legolind recently announced its “design-your-own-coaster” in Florida and California. Galacticoaster – $90 million investment
| It’s teasing | Security | – Last | Answer | change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec | The walt disney co. | 104.28 | +1.58 |
+ 1.54% |
| Having fun | Six flags | 13.45 | +0.62 |
+ 4.83% |
| CMCSA | Comcast Corp. | 27.35 | +0.72 |
+ 2.70% |
Rob Smith, Merlin’s COO, who owns Legoland, told FOX Business that the goal is a multifaceted experience: “With the Galacticoaster, you will see new technology, sent to a new digital experience.” The ride opens in early 2026.
Dollywood Parks and Resorts in Tennessee unveiled one of the biggest attractions of IAAPA EXPO’s Splashes: Nightflight Ekyflight which will be the first hybrid coaster for the family.
Dollywood Parks and Resorts nightflight ride for Windows on display at 2025 IAAPA EXPO. (Dollywood Parks and Resorts)
“This is a huge step forward for Dollywood,” President Eugene Naughton told FOX Business. “It allows us to compete with Disney and the rest of the world, and I think we’re beating them at their own game.”
Naughton says Dollywood’s focus on the visitor experience has helped draw families from more than two dozen states each season.
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Six Flags has invested heavily in a new “expression” coaster in Texas, which will break multiple world records when it opens at 2026 mph.
“We’re always moving fast and long,” Ken Parks, Six Flags Hills’ president of planning and design, told Fox Business. “For 2026, this will be a Guaranteed World Breaker.”
The tumultuous ride is a roller coaster that will be moving through Six Flags over Texas in 2026. (Six Flags)
Parks added that while thrill rides bring headlines, families still drive the industry.
“There is a large audience looking to make memories together.”
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Even with rising prices, operators are putting discounts on walls to keep travel. Disney, for example, is pairing rates up with targeted incentives such as “Break Free” promotions, hotel deals, and stay-only discounts.
Merlin’s Smith says the industry has no choice but to adapt.
“Everybody knows the challenges in this consumer economy,” Smith said. “We responded with different price points, different offers, year-over-year as we move into 2026.”
