Disney’s theme parks, cruise ships and consumer experiences generated almost $10 billion in revenue during the company’s latest financial quarter, helped by growing attendance at its US resorts and a particularly strong performance from Walt Disney World.
The Disney Experiences division reported revenue of $9.97 billion for the three months ending in June 2026, representing an increase of 10% compared with the same period last year.
Operating income climbed by 20% to approximately $3.02 billion, making Experiences one of the strongest-performing areas of The Walt Disney Company during its fiscal third quarter.
The results suggest that demand for Disney’s domestic theme parks remains resilient, despite continued pressure from weaker international tourism to the United States.
US theme park attendance rises by 3%
Attendance across Disney’s domestic theme parks increased by 3% during the quarter, while average spending per guest rose by 4%.
Disney’s US parks include Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland Resort in California.
The company described Walt Disney World as delivering a standout quarter, with growth in attendance and guest spending helping the Florida resort overcome the international tourism challenges Disney had highlighted earlier in the year.
Disney has previously warned that fewer overseas visitors were travelling to its US destinations. However, stronger domestic demand appears to have offset much of that pressure during the latest quarter.
The rise in spending per guest can include admissions, food and drink, merchandise and other purchases made across Disney’s resorts.
Domestic Parks and Experiences operating income increased by 27%, making the US business the main driver behind the division’s overall growth.
Disney Experiences approaches $10 billion in quarterly revenue
The Experiences division generated $9.97 billion in revenue, compared with approximately $9.1 billion during the equivalent period last year.
Operating income rose from around $2.5 billion to just over $3 billion.
The division includes Disney’s six existing theme park resorts, Disney Cruise Line, vacation ownership, merchandise licensing and other consumer experiences.
Its performance was supported by increased theme park attendance, higher guest spending and continued growth across Disney’s expanding cruise operation.
Disney has been investing heavily in Experiences as it seeks to establish theme parks and cruises as an even larger part of its long-term business.
The company previously outlined plans to invest around $60 billion in its Experiences division over a ten-year period, with new attractions, themed lands, ships and international developments now progressing around the world.
World of Frozen supports Disneyland Paris growth
Disneyland Paris also delivered attendance growth following the transformation of its second gate into Disney Adventure World and the opening of World of Frozen.
The reimagined park officially debuted in March 2026, introducing the life-sized kingdom of Arendelle alongside Adventure Way, new dining locations and the Adventure Bay nighttime spectacular.
Disney highlighted strong attendance growth at the European resort during the latest quarter.
World of Frozen represents one of the most substantial investments made at Disneyland Paris since the resort opened in 1992. A further themed land inspired by The Lion King is also under development.
The positive early performance suggests the expansion is helping strengthen Disneyland Paris as a multi-day destination, rather than simply acting as an overflow park alongside Disneyland Park.
Asian resorts continue to face softer demand
Disney’s international theme park results were more mixed.
While Disneyland Paris benefited from its major expansion, the company reported continued weaker demand at its Asian resorts.
Disney operates international resorts in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Paris, although Tokyo Disney Resort is owned and operated by Oriental Land Company under licence from Disney.
Performance can vary considerably between the destinations according to local tourism patterns, economic conditions, currency movements and the timing of new attractions.
Disney has continued investing across the Asian resorts, including new Marvel and Spider-Man projects in Shanghai and Hong Kong, alongside the Fantasy Springs expansion at Tokyo DisneySea.
AI is becoming part of Disney’s attraction design process
Alongside its financial growth, Disney is increasingly using artificial intelligence, simulation and digital tools to accelerate the development of future attractions.
Walt Disney Imagineering has created an internal system named J.A.R.V.I.S., which has been trained using Imagineering research, documentation and accumulated technical knowledge.
Disney says the tool is intended to help Imagineers bring new experiences to life more efficiently rather than replace the artists, designers and engineers responsible for creating them.
Imagineering is also using machine learning to develop increasingly sophisticated robotic characters.
Reinforcement learning allows simulated figures to complete thousands of hours of virtual training in a much shorter period, helping Disney develop walking and autonomous characters more quickly than through physical testing alone.
The technology has already contributed to Disney’s latest free-roaming robotic characters, including the advanced Olaf figure developed for World of Frozen.
Disney has also entered a collaboration with Adobe to develop customised generative AI models for design and pre-production visualisation.
Those models are being created using Imagineering’s existing creative assets and are intended to assist with early concepts, environmental design and the visualisation of new themed spaces.
Disney continues planning its Abu Dhabi resort
Some of Disney’s most advanced design and simulation tools are expected to play a role in its next international destination on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.
The resort, announced in 2025, will become Disney’s seventh global theme park destination and its first in the Middle East.
Local developer Miral will finance, construct and operate the resort, while Disney Imagineers will lead its creative design and provide operational oversight.
Disney has described the destination as its most technologically advanced and interactive resort so far, although no opening date or attraction line-up has been announced.
The project remains in its design phase, with the resort expected to combine familiar Disney storytelling with the culture, architecture and waterfront setting of Abu Dhabi.
Its partnership-led structure also gives Disney an opportunity to expand internationally without carrying the full construction cost itself.
Experiences remains central to Disney’s future
Disney’s latest results reinforce the importance of theme parks and cruises to the wider company.
Experiences produced almost $10 billion in quarterly revenue and more than $3 billion in operating income, supported by rising US attendance, stronger guest spending and the expansion of Disney’s cruise fleet.
Walt Disney World’s standout performance is particularly significant given the concerns surrounding international tourism and broader pressure on household spending.
At the same time, Disneyland Paris is beginning to demonstrate the impact a major new themed land can have on attendance, providing encouragement for the large expansions currently under construction at Disney’s other resorts.
With more attractions, ships and an entirely new destination in development, Disney is betting that continued investment and new technology will keep its physical experiences growing long after the latest quarter has ended.
