Disney parks are top rated by Internet travel service
Travelers Advantage, a fee-based provider of travel components including air, cruise and accommodations, ranked Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom as the No. 1 theme park, followed by the just-turned-50 Disneyland in California, Epcot, Disney-MGM Studios and Animal Kingdom, the latter three all in Orlando.
Universal Studios' park at Universal Orlando was ranked sixth, and sister park Islands of Adventure came in seventh. Disney's California Adventures followed in eighth place, with SeaWorld Orlando ninth and Universal's California park 10th.
Travelers Advantages based its ranking results on in-house expertise, citing Travel Industry of America and International Association of Amusement Parks & Attractions statistics that one in 10 American vacationers will visit a theme park or amusement park this summer.
The IAAPA figures say more than 328 million people visited theme parks last year. Its research claims roller coasters are the top park attraction for men, with women visitors preferring Ferris wheels and carousels.
TIA says theme park visitors stay longer than the average trip, 5.4 nights compared with 4.1 nights on a non-theme park trip, and spend more, $839 versus $433, on average.