The Walt Disney Company has officially confirmed a drop in attendance at its U.S. theme parks in 2025, even as Disney Experiences recorded one of its most profitable years in history. The news arrived on Thursday, November 13, with the release of Disney’s quarterly earnings report for the fourth and final quarter of fiscal 2025.
According to the earnings report, Disney Experiences—which includes the theme parks, Disney Cruise Line, and more—generated a record-breaking $10 billion profit in fiscal 2025. Operating income increased across both domestic and international locations. Domestically, the division saw a 9% increase in operating income ($920 million), while international parks reported a 25% increase ($375 million).
Disney leadership, including CEO Bob Iger, emphasized that while Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort remain the financial backbone of the Disney Experiences division, they anticipate a shift in this balance in the coming years. Upcoming expansions, like the World of Frozen at Disneyland Paris Resort, continue to draw strong interest from global audiences.
The earnings report highlights why executives are optimistic about Disney’s global footprint. International parks experienced a 1% increase in attendance between 2024 and 2025, following a more significant 9% rise the previous year.
“International parks and experiences’ operating results increased compared to the prior-year quarter, primarily due to growth at Disneyland Paris,” the quarterly earnings report explains. “The increase at international parks and experiences was attributable to… volume growth due to an increase in attendance…, an increase in guest spending…, [and] higher costs attributable to new guest offerings.”
While crowds have been growing overseas, the same cannot be said for the U.S. parks. Disney confirmed that attendance at domestic parks fell by about 1% from 2024 to 2025, following a 1% increase the year prior.
Attendance at U.S. parks was down 1% in 2025 after rising 1% in 2024.
Disney says attendance at U.S. parks was down 1% in 2025 after rising 1% in 2024. https://t.co/biE3FGxqCf
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) November 13, 2025
For many Disney Parks fans, this merely confirms what they observed firsthand throughout the year. Guests repeatedly reported slow summer days with short lines and low wait times across Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park.
Even with lower domestic attendance, Disney Experiences remained one of the strongest-performing divisions in 2025. Merchandise, food, and beverage revenue rose 6%, driven in part by a 3% increase in average guest spending. This additional spending helped offset reduced admission revenue. Resort and vacation revenue also climbed by 5%, largely thanks to the continued success of Disney Cruise Line and its expanding fleet.
Taken together, the numbers reveal that fewer visitors did not necessarily translate into weaker results: Disney simply earned more from each guest.
What do you think drove the lower Disney Park attendance in fiscal 2025? Disney Fanatic would love to hear from you in the comments!
