Disney Beats Expectations as Universal Sees Softness in Orlando

The ongoing competition between Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort continues to heat up as both companies share their latest updates on attendance figures.

While Disney reported stronger-than-expected attendance, Universal acknowledged continued softness in the Orlando market. According to Comcast Chief Financial Officer Jason Armstrong, 'what we started to see in June was softness in Orlando... I don't think anything's changed.' He attributed this to broader economic factors such as gas prices and airfare.

Despite this, Comcast remains extremely confident that its massive investment in Epic Universe has paid off. The new theme park brought major lands based on popular franchises like Harry Potter and How to Train Your Dragon when it opened in May 2025, significantly expanding the Universal Orlando Resort. Armstrong stated, 'I would take the lens into Epic. Was that a good thing or a bad thing? Are we still confident there was the right investment given what we're seeing right now? The answer is absolutely yes.'

Universal's attendance numbers declined during the second quarter but are still ahead of where they stood before Epic Universe opened two years ago, according to Armstrong. 'In the Orlando market versus two years ago, we are up materially in every metric,' he said.