Guests Speak Out On Amusement Park Habits,
Favorites in Industry Survey

A study conducted by the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) is offering insight into the habits and favorites of amusement park patrons in the U.S. If you’ve ever wondered what makes amusement park enthusiasts tick, this survey provides definitive answers.

Overall Visitation
More than 328 million people visited amusement parks and attractions in the U.S. in 2004.  According to the IAAPA survey:

• 28 percent of Americans say they have visited an amusement park or theme park within the last 12 months.
• 50 percent of Americans are “extremely,” “very,” or “somewhat likely” to visit an amusement park this year.
• 82 percent of visitors who said they visited a park last year, indicated that they are likely to visit a park again this year.
• Adults under 50 years of age are more likely than adults over 50 years of age to have visited an amusement or theme park in the past year.

Amusement parks and attractions have long been considered mainstays of summer fun, but fun at amusement parks and attractions is not limited just to the summer months! According to the IAAPA survey:

• Almost half of Americans surveyed prefer a non-summer option as their favorite time for visiting an amusement park.  While 46 percent of amusement park attendees visit in the summer, 21 percent choose the spring and 18 percent indicate they prefer the fall. This trend is evident in the expanding use of “shoulder” seasons, with their seasonal festivals and special events, as well as the increasing number of year-round indoor waterparks.

Amusement parks are seeing visitors take advantage of its attractions over a few days versus a one-day period.  According to the IAAPA survey:

• 32 percent of respondents say their last trip included an overnight stay, while 68 percent reported their last trip was a day trip.
• Of the respondents who stayed overnight, 73 percent stayed at the park for one to three days, while 26 percent stayed at the park for four or more days.

Favorite Foods
Do you like pizza or hot dogs? Funnel cake or cotton candy? According to the IAAPA survey:

• There are several “favorite” amusement park foods! 28 percent of American adults prefer funnel cake, 17 percent prefer ice cream, 14 percent prefer pizza ,13 percent prefer hot dogs, and 12 percent prefer cotton candy.
• Men are more likely to prefer pizza and hot dogs. Women are more likely to prefer cotton candy and funnel cake. 

Favorite Park Features
When you visit a park, do you prefer riding rides, attending shows, visiting with characters, or playing games in the Midway? According to the IAAPA survey:

• 49 percent of American adults say their favorite park feature is the rides, 15 percent prefer shows, 12 percent prefer special events and festivals, 6 percent like seeing the characters, and 6 percent prefer playing games.
• Men are more likely to prefer rides, while women are more likely to prefer shows and festivals.

Favorite Rides
Do roller coasters thrill you, or do you prefer seeing the sites from atop a gigantic ferris wheel? Or, do you like the charm of a carousel? According to the IAAPA survey:

• 46 percent of adults say they like roller coasters best, 13 percent prefer bumper cars, 10 percent prefer log flumes, 9 percent prefer ferris wheels, and 7 percent prefer carousels.
• Men are more likely to prefer roller coasters, while women are more likely to prefer ferris wheels and carousels.

Statistics are based on a scientific IAAPA survey of 1,003 adults, 18 years and older, in the U.S.  Data for this study was gathered via telephone through an omnibus survey.  The survey is based on a random digit dialing (RDD) probability sample of all telephone households in the continental U.S. 

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IAAPA is the largest international trade association for permanently situated amusement facilities worldwide. The organization represents over 5,000 facility, supplier, and individual members from more than 85 countries. IAAPA strives to help members improve their efficiency, marketing, safety, and profitability while maintaining the highest possible professional standards in the industry. www.iaapa.org or www.ticketforfun.com.