Disney’s parks continue to rebound, posting one of their biggest quarters ever, the company revealed Wednesday, despite the ongoing pandemic and the slow return of international visitors to its domestic parks.


What You Need To Know

  • Disney parks division saw "second-best quarter of all time"

  • The division generated $7.2 billion in the first quarter

  • Disney attributed the growth to higher guest spending and increased attendance

“Our domestic parks and resorts achieved all-time revenue and operating income despite the Omicron surge,” Disney CEO Bob Chapek said during an investors call after the company’s earnings report was released.

The Parks, Experiences and Products division generated revenues of $7.2 billion in the first quarter, double the $3.6 billion generated in the same quarter in 2021. The division also saw operating income jump to $2.5 billion compared the $119 million loss in the same period in 2021.

Disney attributed the growth to due to higher guest spending and increased attendance. Guest spending was up 40% in the quarter due to higher hotel rates, increased spending for food and merchandise and purchases of Disney Genie+, the paid skip-the-line service that debuted at Disney’s domestic parks last year.

“More than one-third of domestic park attendants purchased Genie+, Lightning Lane or both,” Chapek said. “That number rose to 50% during the holiday period.”

Chapek also said that the company’s park reservation system allowed it to “strategically manage” attendance at Disney World and Disneyland in California.

He added that the parks are operating under “self-imposed capacity constraints” that are related to food and beverage staffing and live entertainment.

Disney has been bringing back more live entertainment to the parks in recent months. Just this month, Magic Kingdom welcomed the return of the castle show. The park’s Festival of Fantasy Parade is set to return March 9.

As for what’s next for the parks, Disney World, which is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary, also has a number of new attractions and experiences on the way.

Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, the two-night cruise-like hotel experience, will begin welcoming visitors on March 1. And then later this summer, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is slated to open at Epcot.

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