Research by OnePoll, commissioned by Ocean Florida, has revealed the top 20 global attractions as voted for by Brits; eight of the top 10 were or are situated at theme parks across the pond
Despite the Stateside dominance, Nemesis at Alton Towers took the top spot, favoured as the world's best theme park attraction by 12% of Brits. The Swarm at Thorpe Park and Vampire at Chessington World of Adventures rounded out the trio of top domestic attractions breaking into the top 20.
Natalie Sexton, Ocean Florida's head of brand marketing, said "It’s great to see the UK topping the poll. National loyalty and local familiarity clearly play a role in shaping responses to favourite attractions."
Florida Remains the Unchallenged Theme Park Capital of the World
Six of the top 10 (and 13 of the top 20) attractions cement Florida, and Orlando specifically, as the theme park capital of the world. Those include iconic rides like Space Mountain at Magic Kingdom in Florida and Pirates of the Caribbean, found at Disneyland Park in California as well as the flagship Magic Kingdom park in Florida.
"The overwhelming presence of US attractions – particularly in Florida – highlights its status as the global epicentre of theme park entertainment," Natalie continued.
Newer additions to Floridian parks, including Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Disney's Hollywood Studios and Avatar: Flight of Passage at Disney's Animal Kingdom, earned spots at eighth and 16th, respectively.
"With the opening of Universal’s Epic Universe in 2025, Florida’s position as the world leader in this industry looks set to remain unchallenged for the foreseeable future."
Gone but not Forgotten: the Most Beloved Extinct Theme Park Attractions
Nostalgia rarely gets in the way of progress; the likes of Disney and Universal do not hold back in replacing classic attractions with more modern rebrands or all-out replacements. In one instance in particular, that appears to have paid off; Jurassic World: The Ride at Universal Studios Hollywood, a modern revamp to the Jurassic Park attraction which previously stood in its place, was ranked as the fourth most popular attraction amongst British thrillseekers.
For some, however, nostalgia for the long-lost attraction outweighs fondness for their modern counterparts. Jaws at Universal Studios Florida is one such instance; it made way for an expansion to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in 2012, but remains the sixth most popular attraction. The ride which took its place, Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, failed to crack the top 20.
Splash Mountain at Magic Kingdom in Florida earned its spot at ninth, despite the ride's retelling of the controversial 1946 film Song of the South. A reimagined version of the attraction opened as Tiana's Bayou Adventure, inspired by Princess and the Frog, earlier this year.
A Generational Divide: From Thrill-seekers to Storytellers
Unsurprisingly, adrenaline-fuelled attractions like Jurassic World: The Ride were favoured amongst the youngest respondents (aged between 18 and 24) to the survey. Those between 25 and 34 love to see iconic stories retold on attractions, with Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ranking top in this demographic.
Older guests (55+), often left to carry bags while the youngsters thrillseek, prefer the slower pace of nostalgic attractions like Pirates of the Caribbean and E.T. Adventure.
Research was conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Ocean Florida. 2,000 Brits were surveyed.
