Articles tagged “disney”

Epcot, the theme park that once represented Walt Disney's vision of an experimental future, is about to get a transformation that will bring it more in line with the parent company's current strategy.

Disney executives have said they don't mind sacrificing some attendance if they're still making good money. Both of these things happened last year — but the company is still working to drive numbers up in 2017 and the future.

Disney and Universal keep fighting for visitors — and more tourist dollars. Will new attractions be enough to attract newcomers and repeat business alike?

Disney's theme park results were strong for the quarter, but its pipeline of projects around the world show the company has much bigger ambitions.

Disney's Animal Kingdom needed more attractions to get visitors to stay longer, but will Avatar be the key to boosting the park's popularity?

The election of Donald Trump shows that a CEO can mount a successful run for president, though reality TV stardom also helps. If Bob Iger is serious about a future in politics, we expect Disney to name a successor soon and free him up to focus on campaigning.

Theme parks were the best performers during the first fiscal quarter despite some attendance declines, and Disney has a pipeline of new openings in the coming years that should keep the segment comfortably in positive territory.

Disney's international parks act as key consumer touch-points that drive brand awareness and cross-monetization of content in new markets. Macroeconomic issues in outbound mainland China tourism have impacted Hong Kong recently, but those pressures are abating and new park expansion projects should stabilize attendance trends.

Disney's unique theme park experience gives the company strong pricing power in the U.S., allowing Disney to consistently raise ticket prices above the inflation rate while growing attendance at the same time. By owning hotels on its properties, Disney is able to maintain an immersive experience, leading to high occupancy rates and steady growth in spending per room. The theme parks feed the hotels with guests and the hotels reinforce the park experience. This has, and will continue to be, a lucrative cycle for Disney.

Disney is a case study for travel and hospitality companies on how to think and look outside of travel, when building globally successful businesses and brands.