That's a LOT of Space Mountain riders

When you're waiting in a two-hour line to board a roller coaster and you look out at what appears to be wall-to-wall people, do you ever wonder how many guests have wandered through the turnstiles? Do you wonder how many people, over the course of a year, enter the gates of the major theme parks? Well, wonder no more.

Most parks keep their attendance figures closely guarded secrets, but the folks at "Amusement Business," the industry's major trade publication, compile estimated attendance figures that are widely acknowledged for their accuracy. In its recently published charts for 2003, the magazine reported that attendance at parks across the world was, on average, unchanged from last year. Theme parks (and the travel industry in general) have not recovered from the events of 9/11 and the general economic malaise--but at least they are holding their own.

Of course, flat attendance doesn’t necessarily mean that theme parks were ghost towns (Knott's Berry Farm notwithstanding). "Amusement Business" cited The Magic Kingdom at Florida's Walt Disney World as the number-one most attended park in North America and worldwide, with 14 million guests in 2003. Let's see...divide by 365, carry the 1, um...that figures out to a whopping 38,000 people per day all vying for a ride on Dumbo. No wonder the place feels a little crowded.

Following are the top ten most attended North American theme parks, according to "Amusement Business." The info includes the name of the park, its location, its 2003 estimated attendance, and how it compared to the previous year's attendance.

1. The Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Fla., 14 million, flat.
2. Disneyland, Anaheim, Calif., 12.7 million, flat.
3. Epcot at Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Fla., 8.6 million, up 4 percent.
4. Disney-MGM Studios at Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Fla., 7.8 million, down 2 percent.
5. Disney's Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Fla., 7.3 million, flat.
6. Universal Studios at Universal Orlando, 6.8 million, flat.
7. Islands of Adventure at Universal Orlando, 6 million, flat.
8. Disney's California Adventures, Anaheim, Calif., 5.3 million, up 13 percent.
9. SeaWorld Florida, Orlando, Fla., 5.2 million, up 4 percent.
10. Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal City, Calif., 4.5 million, down 12 percent.