Disney tops theme park visits

Worldwide attendance at the 10 biggest operators of amusement parks increased 4 percent last year and crossed the half-billion-visitors mark for the first time.

According to a report released this week by Themed Entertainment Association and the Economics Practice at AECOM, global attendance at waterparks increased by 2.5 percent, and the top museums had relatively flat attendance last year.

The report credits the adaptation of strong intellectual properties into new attractions.

Walt Disney parks across the globe had more than 157 million visitors in 2018, more than double the next-closest theme park company, Merlin Entertainment Group, which owns the Legoland parks and other attractions.

Magic Kingdom in Florida was the best-attended park with 20.8 million visitors in 2018, followed by Disneyland in California with 18.6 million visitors.

— Associated Press

Jackson's estate settles lawsuit

A settlement has been reached in a suit between a former manager of Michael Jackson and his estate.

The settlement announced Thursday with Tohme Tohme ends one of the last remaining legal fights involving Jackson's estate and comes just short of the 10th anniversary of the pop superstar's death.

The deal came after five days of trial already were held. Terms of the agreement were not released.

Tohme initially sought nearly $20 million in commissions from the Jackson estate when he first filed the lawsuit in 2012.

Before trial began, a judge threw out part of the lawsuit in which Tohme sought part of the profits of the concert film "This is It," which was released after Jackson's death.

— Associated Press

Judge: Unseal files in Smollett case

A judge in Chicago ordered the file in Jussie Smollett's criminal case unsealed...