Disney Takes Shot at Universal with 'Very Strong Attendance' Claim
Walt Disney World reported 'very strong attendance' in its latest fiscal quarter, according to CFO Hugh Johnston. The company's Experiences segment saw a 4% increase in global guests and a 3% rise in domestic park attendance. While wait time data from My Disney Experience showed a dip this Summer compared to past years, Disney attributed the growth to annual passholders.
Johnston pointed out that Walt Disney World's numbers 'looked somewhat different' from those of Universal Orlando and the region as a whole. He singled out the company's attendance as particularly strong, with no specific figure given. Instead, Disney reported that global guests across its Experiences segment grew 4%, and domestic park attendance rose 3%.
The growth in domestic park spending was driven by higher average ticket revenue and increased attendance, with per capita spending at domestic parks growing 4% for the quarter. The company also attributed 10 percentage points of the 17% increase in resorts and vacations revenue to additional passenger cruise days from its Disney Cruise Line.
Disney's fiscal third quarter ended June 27th, and the company's earnings release described global guests as up 4% compared to the same quarter last year. It is worth noting that wait times reflect how long a guest says a wait for an attraction is, not raw headcount. Still, Johnston's framing of Walt Disney World as a standout against its competitor sits somewhat in contrast with data suggesting the broader Orlando market had a measurable slowdown this summer.