Top Attractions in Southland

Southern California is home to five of the Top 10 amusement attractions in the country, taking the No. 2, 5, 6, 8 and 9 attendance spots, according to a 1988 survey by Amusement Business, a Nashville-based publication.

Disneyland in Anaheim was the second biggest draw in the nation with an estimated 13 million people buying tickets in 1988; it was eclipsed only by Walt Disney World/Epcot in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., with 25.1 million visitors. Third was Pier 39 in San Francisco with an estimated 10,465,000 tourists. Orlando’s Sea World of Florida, with an estimated 4,584,000 visitors, ranked fourth.

Universal Studios came in fifth with an estimated 4,240,000 visitors, and Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park placed sixth with about 4 million visitors.

Tampa, Fla., won the No. 7 position with Busch Gardens, The Dark Continent (3,720,000 visitors); Sea World of California in San Diego ranked eighth (3,350,000); Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia was No. 9 (3,100,000), and No. 10 was Kings Island at Kings Island, Ohio (2,988,294).