Pennsylvania has 2 of the most popular amusement parks in North America, report says
Once again, a pair of Pennsylvania amusement parks checked in as some of the most-attended sites in North America last year.
The Keystone State’s Hersheypark and Camelbeach Outdoor Water Park ranked among the continent’s 20 most-attended amusement and water parks in 2023, according to the Themed Entertainment Association and infrastructure consulting firm AECOM. The two organizations combined to produce the Global Attractions Entertainment Report, which released in mid-August and featured a number of national and global favorites, including Six Flags Magic Mountain in southern California and Shanghai Disneyland in China.
Pennsylvania’s biggest amusement parks have added plenty of offerings this year to keep fans busy. If you’re planning a last-minute vacation before summer ends, here’s what you need to know about the commonwealth’s most popular parks.
Hersheypark
Just east of Harrisburg, this beloved amusement park has entertained guests since 1906 thanks to a large lineup of roller coasters and plenty of chocolate-themed fun.
Hersheypark drew roughly 3.32 million guests in 2023, making it the 17th most-attended amusement park in North America, the Themed Entertainment Report estimates. Although last year’s attendance marks an increase from 2022 (3.19 million), 2021 (3.01 million) and the pandemic-hindered 2020 season (1.71 million), estimated attendance still falls short of 2019’s pre-COVID total of about 3.83 million guests.
Earlier this year, USA Today readers voted the Dauphin County amusement park as the fourth-best theme park in the country through the publications’ 10Best awards. The park drew particularly strong praise for its number of rides, varied entertainment options and offerings for all ages.
“The amusement park of every chocolate lover’s dream, Hersheypark features 121 acres with more than 70 rides (including more than a dozen roller coasters), strolling shows, multiple stages and additional performance areas, a water park and an 11-acre zoo — all accessible via a single admission,” USA Today wrote online.
One of Hersheypark’s biggest current draws is Wildcat’s Revenge, the newest roller coaster that features a slick steel track to add inversions and high-speed thrills to one of the park’s former wooden coaster frames. The ride opened in June 2023 to strong praise and was ranked the fourth-best roller coaster in the country through USA Today’s 10Best awards, too.
Elsewhere in the park, popular attractions include Hersheypark’s iconic Ferris wheel, the Kissing Tower observation deck and Candymonium, one of the newest roller coasters located at the recently remodeled front of the park. Younger guests can enjoy miniature train rides, spinning tea cups, character meet-and-greets and more.
Hersheypark recently upgraded some of its coasters for the 2024 operating year, notably by installing new seats, restraints and even a few new trains. The park is preparing for its Halloween season, which begins Sept. 13 with themed food options, scare zones and trick-or-treating for youngsters.
Looking ahead to next year, the largest amusement park in Pennsylvania is poised to add a new attraction dubbed “Twizzlers Twisted Gravity.” The Screamin’ Swing-style ride will lift riders 137 feet and swing them at up to roughly 68 miles per hour. The licorice-themed swing ride will be considered the tallest of its kind in the world once it opens in 2025.
Just outside the park, guests might consider stopping by Hershey’s Chocolate World. The free-admission facility offers interactive exhibits, chocolate-making experiences, a “factory tour” ride and more.
Hersheypark tickets and parking passes are available online at hersheypark.com/tickets. One-day tickets for most guests start at $86.95, while passes for seniors and children ages 3 through 8 start at $49.99. Significant savings are available by buying tickets online or ordering them through limited-time sales, including a few specials celebrating the end of summer. Children ages 2 and younger receive free admission to the park.
Camelbeach Outdoor Waterpark
This water park serves as the premier attraction for the Camelback Mountain Resort, nestled in the Pocono Mountains in northeastern Pennsylvania. The park opened in 1998 and now features dozens of rides and attractions, including water slides and lazy rivers.
Billed as the largest outdoor water park in the state, Camelbeach attracted roughly 366,000 guests in 2023 and checked in as the 18th most-attended water park in North America, according to the most recent attendance report. Last year’s estimated attendance marks a 1.9% drop from 2022, when the park welcomed about 373,000 guests. Attendance recently peaked at about 439,000 guests in 2019.
Camelbeach celebrated its 25th year in 2023. Its newest attraction, Rival Racer, gives guests a chance to race each other down a winding set of eight enclosed, 400-foot water slides.
Camelbeach’s summer season ends Sept. 2. The park will operate from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 before running from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Labor Day.
You can browse Camelbeach tickets and passes online by visiting camelbackresort.com/waterparks/camelbeach-tickets-passes. The water park employs a dynamic pricing system that features varying prices in response to a given day’s demand. Single-day tickets for Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 are available for around $52 each, while Sept. 2’s tickets start at $39 as of Wednesday afternoon.
North America’s most-attended amusement & water parks
Once again, Disney’s theme parks dominated North American attendance in 2023.
The company’s Magic Kingdom theme park at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., drew a continent-leading 17.72 million guests last year, up 3.4% from 2022. Walt Disney World’s three other theme parks — Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom — all placed inside the top 10 and attracted at least 8.77 million guests each in 2023.
Disneyland Park in Anaheim, Calif., ranked second with an estimated attendance of 17.25 million last year. Three Universal theme parks — Universal Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida on the East Coast and Universal Studios Hollywood out west — round out the top 10 alongside Seaworld Orlando.
Hersheypark is one of the only mid-Atlantic representatives on this year’s list. Cedar Point and Kings Island in Ohio ranked No. 12 and No. 15, respectively, among amusement parks, while Six Flags Great Adventure and Safari in New Jersey placed 20th overall.
Pennsylvania’s Camelbeach joins a few more Northeast and mid-Atlantic water parks in this year’s top 10, including Water Country USA in Virginia (No. 5), Six Flags Hurricane Harbor New Jersey (No. 11), Zoombezi Bay in Ohio (No. 14) and Cedar Point Shores in Ohio (No. 15).
Disney and Universal again claimed the top spots among North America’s water park attendance thanks to Typhoon Lagoon at Walt Disney World (No. 1) and Universal’s Volcano Bay in Orlando (No. 2).
According to the report’s methodology section, attendance figures are estimated using data provided directly by park operators, historical numbers, financial reports, local tourism organizations and professional estimates as needed. To be included in the report, parks must require tickets for entry and must be “generally focused on the visitor experience.”
To view 2023’s full attendance report from the Themed Entertainment Association and AECOM, visit teaconnect.org/tea-theme-museum-index.html.
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