Cost of Building and Operating Amusement Parks
Generally, waterparks cost between $10 million and $40 million to build. Indoor theme parks require $10 million to $30 million on average. In 2019, U.S. amusement and theme park revenue was forecast to be over $22 billion and rising. The average roller coaster costs $1 million to $25 million. Complex dark rides can cost up to $30 million or more.
Employee wages and benefits like family entry and discounted merchandise are ongoing costs. Outsourcing staffing cuts costs but quality can suffer. Hiring employees directly is a large expense to budget for when launching an amusement park.
Disney World uses over a billion kWhs of electricity yearly, costing over $100 million. You need about 200 developable acres with infrastructure to support traffic. Contact banks, venture capitalists and wealthy individuals to raise approximately $110 per expected first year guest. Location impacts rent costs significantly. A Manhattan lease could be $80,000 monthly while a Florida or Tennessee lease may be under $1,000.
Cost of Building Disneyland
It cost $17 million to build Disneyland in 1955. This is equal to $163 million today. The specifics of building Disney parks are not publicly disclosed. Hiring professionals is recommended for accurate cost estimates. Factors like location, size, infrastructure and customization impact construction costs. Customization and attention to detail have significantly increased costs.
The original Disneyland sits on about 500 acres. Most is undeveloped, used for parking. Small portions have hotels and a convention center. Main Street cost $3 million. Frontierland, $4.5 million. Adventure and Fantasylands cost $2 million each. Tomorrowland was $5.5 million.
In 2019, Disneyland Resort made about $3.8 billion. That’s around $10.4 million daily. Operating the park costs over $10 billion yearly. The electric bill is over $100 million. Staying overnight inside the park is rarely allowed.
The company bought 27,000 acres near Orlando for Walt Disney World. The $5.2 million purchase was the largest Florida land sale then. It was meant to be an Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow before becoming Walt Disney World.
Disneyland Paris cost €1.75 billion in debt, about 15 times its earnings. Until 2017, Disney only partially owned it. From 2011-2021 it made €3.4 billion from five hotels and a 44,000 square meter complex.
The first Disneyland ticket in 1955 was $3.50. Accounting for inflation, building Disneyland today would be $267 million, without the land value. With land it would be $1 billion.
Amusement Park Profitability
Construction costs average $109.61 per expected first year guest. To attract one million, raise $109 million from banks, investors and individuals.
Major parks have rollercoasters, water parks and entertainment. For multi-million attractions, seek large investors. Research and development is unpredictable. Disney visualizes unbuilt ideas. Other parks follow one idea through.
Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio is the roller coaster capital with 18 coasters over 10 miles. Best parks? Florida has Magic Kingdom Park, Universal’s Islands of Adventure and others.
Large parks like Disney and Universal make about $1 billion yearly, with 8-10 percent profits. Smaller parks earn under $100 million, comprising 95 percent of the market. Experts estimate 5-10 percent profits on revenue. With $1 billion revenue, Disney may net $80-100 million.
Rent varies by location. Manhattan is $80,000+ monthly. Florida or Tennessee is under $1,000.
Offer employees discounts and family park entry. Outsourcing staffing cuts costs but quality suffers. Guests spend $20-$30 on food and $50-$75 on souvenirs. Disney charges high prices to limit crowds and cover expenses like staff, maintenance and infrastructure.