Amusement and theme parks in the United Kingdom - statistics & facts
What are the most popular amusement and theme parks in the UK?
Some of the most popular theme parks in the UK include Legoland Windsor, Blackpool Pleasure Beach, and Thorpe Park. Located in Berkshire, Legoland Windsor is a theme park that focuses on the Lego brand and offers Lego-themed rides, as well as building workshops that are particularly popular among younger visitors. It is operated by Merlin Entertainments, and, in 2024, Legoland Windsor had estimated value of 671 million U.S. dollars. Meanwhile, Blackpool Pleasure Beach and Thorpe Park have attractions that are geared more toward adults. As of 2024, the longest roller coaster in the UK was the “Big One” located at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, and the fastest roller coaster in the UK was “Stealth” located at Thorpe Park.What is the biggest amusement and theme park company in the UK?
The UK is home to one of the largest attraction operators in the world, Merlin Entertainments. Looking at the number of Merlin Entertainments’ attractions worldwide gives an insight into the diversity of the firm’s portfolio: 46 Sealife centers, 29 Legoland Discovery Centers, and 22 Madame Tussauds operated globally under the company’s name in 2023. That year, the most successful Merlin Entertainments’ segments in terms of revenue were the Legoland Parks, and the overall revenue of Merlin Entertainments worldwide amounted to approximately 2.1 billion British pounds.While the United Kingdom may not have the most visited parks in Europe, it is certainly home to some of the oldest amusement parks, with institutions like Blackpool Pleasure Beach celebrating over 125 years of business. This longstanding dedication to thrills and amusement indicates that the UK theme park industry’s future will not look forward to the extreme drops its biggest roller coasters are famous for.