Disney Takes a Victory Lap as Disney World Continues to Outpace Universal
Disney was once again at the center of the business world today as Josh D’Amaro presented the company’s fiscal third-quarter 2026 earnings.
As we reported extensively this morning, Disney Experiences was the clear standout last quarter, delivering a 10% increase in revenue, a 20% rise in operating income, and 5% growth in average per-capita guest spending.
Walt Disney Company
More specifically, it was Walt Disney World that really shined, posting increases in both attendance and per capita guest spending.
Epic Universe’s Impact on Disney World
Over the past 18 months, much has been written about the opening of Universal’s Epic Universe and the impact it might have on Walt Disney World.
Photo: Universal
Essentially, there were two schools of thought. One argued that Epic Universe would simply bring more tourists to Central Florida, benefiting the entire market.
xfinity
The other predicted that Universal’s new park would siphon guests away from Walt Disney World.
Another Win For Disney
With Epic Universe now operating for more than a year, however, it has become increasingly clear that the latter scenario has not materialized.
xfinity
In fact, Walt Disney World has delivered a string of strong quarters since Universal’s newest park opened.
Disney’s latest performance is particularly impressive given the broader economic backdrop, which suggests some consumers are becoming more cautious about travel.
Cinderella Castle
In fact, NBCUniversal recently attributed Universal Orlando’s softer attendance to “weakness in consumer sentiment and higher travel costs affecting demand.”
Hugh Johnston and Josh D’Amaro Celebrate
Fresh off another strong quarter, Disney Chief Financial Officer Hugh Johnston was quick to highlight the difference in performance between the two Central Florida resort destinations.
Photo: Disney
“Those numbers are somewhat different than what you would have seen from our competitor down there, as well as some of the reported traffic coming through Orlando [International] Airport,” he said.
During today’s earnings call, D’Amaro was even more direct.
Photo: Disney
“We’re performing significantly better than our competition.”
With Walt Disney World continuing to outperform its biggest rival, Disney is clearly taking a victory.
EPCOT
If the latest earnings are any indication, The Most Magical Place on Earth will continue to lead.
Photo: MickeyBlog
