Universal Studios vs Walt Disney World:Which is searched more in the United States?
In September 2026, Walt Disney World had more branded searches than Universal Studios among theme parks in the United States. Walt Disney World had about 1.6 million branded searches, while Universal Studios had 673,000. Walt Disney World made up 31.4% of all theme park searches we track, and Universal Studios accounted for 13.3%.
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Is Universal Studios or Walt Disney World more popular in search?
Compare the theme parks people in the US visit. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.
Share of searches by month for Walt Disney World, Universal Studios. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Walt Disney World | Disneyland | Six Flags | Universal Studios | Cedar Point | Busch Gardens | SeaWorld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 27.9% | 17.6% | 17.6% | 17.6% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 3.5% |
| Nov 2025 | 28.7% | 22.1% | 14.9% | 18.2% | 3.6% | 8.1% | 4.4% |
| Dec 2025 | 33.2% | 21.8% | 9.8% | 18% | 2.9% | 9.8% | 4.4% |
| Jan 2026 | 38.3% | 23.9% | 7.2% | 16.2% | 3.2% | 7.2% | 3.9% |
| Feb 2026 | 37.3% | 23.5% | 8.6% | 15.8% | 3.9% | 7.1% | 3.9% |
| Mar 2026 | 33.3% | 17.8% | 14.7% | 14.7% | 4.4% | 9.8% | 5.4% |
| Apr 2026 | 30.2% | 19% | 15.7% | 15.7% | 7% | 8.6% | 3.8% |
| May 2026 | 26.3% | 16.6% | 16.6% | 13.6% | 13.6% | 9.1% | 4.1% |
| Jun 2026 | 26.1% | 16.4% | 16.4% | 13.5% | 13.5% | 9% | 4.9% |
| Jul 2026 | 26.1% | 16.4% | 16.4% | 13.5% | 13.5% | 9% | 4.9% |
| Aug 2026 | 29.8% | 18.8% | 15.5% | 12.6% | 12.6% | 6.9% | 3.8% |
| Sep 2026 | 31.4% | 19.8% | 13.3% | 13.3% | 10.9% | 7.3% | 4% |
How has the Universal Studios and Walt Disney World comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Walt Disney World was ahead of Universal Studios in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Universal Studios’ share of searches among theme parks in the United States moved from 17.6% to 13.3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 1M to 673K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Walt Disney World’s share of searches among theme parks in the United States moved from 27.9% to 31.4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 1.6M.
How did search popularity change for United States theme parks in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Universal Studios overtook Cedar Point to rank 4th among theme parks in the United States, with 13.3% of the searches.
In September 2026, Walt Disney World gained share of searches among theme parks in the United States, from 29.8% to 31.4%.
How are branded searches counted?
3 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Universal Studios’ and Walt Disney World’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Universal Studios
1 branded search term
- universal studios
Walt Disney World
2 branded search terms
- disney world
- walt disney world
Other head-to-heads among theme parks
Walt Disney World vs Disneyland: compare search popularity
Walt Disney World vs Six Flags: compare search popularity- Walt Disney World vs Cedar Point: compare search popularity
- Disneyland vs Six Flags: compare search popularity
- Disneyland vs Universal Studios: compare search popularity
- Disneyland vs Cedar Point: compare search popularity
Put your own brand in this comparison
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.