Disney CFO Confirms Theme Parks Prioritize High-Income Guests Over Average American Families

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Disney has publicly acknowledged that it prioritizes guests who can afford to spend more at its theme parks, rather than focusing on making the parks accessible to typical American families.

For many years, Walt Disney World and Disneyland were considered the ultimate American family vacation, something people saved and eagerly anticipated. However, Disney’s financial reports suggest that era is fading, and the company now acknowledges this shift.

At the Wells Fargo Technology, Media, and Telecom Summit, Disney’s CFO, Hugh Johnston, stated that Disney parks primarily attract higher-income guests, and that this group continues to spend money despite economic conditions.

The company is focusing more and more on attracting visitors who can afford higher prices for tickets, extra services, and luxury experiences, which is making it harder for average families to visit.

For years, many Disney fans have sensed a change, but recent comments from Disney’s CFO confirm it: the days of Disney being the go-to family vacation spot are coming to an end, and things are shifting to a new normal.

Disney’s Attendance Strategy Speaks Volumes

Even though many loyal visitors are frustrated, Universal reported attendance numbers were as expected after the new Epic Universe park opened nearby. However, this isn’t because the parks are still popular with the same families. Instead, it seems more people with higher budgets are choosing to spend less time in the parks.

Although attendance dropped slightly in 2025, Disney’s finances remained healthy. This wasn’t due to discounts or making the parks more accessible, but because each visitor is now spending significantly more money. Disney is shifting its focus from attracting large numbers of families who visit occasionally, to attracting fewer, wealthier guests who come often and splurge on upgraded experiences and extras.

Now that Universal’s Epic Universe has opened, Disney is facing increased competition. Instead of making its parks more affordable, Disney is focusing on maximizing profits from each visitor, as emphasized by Johnston.

Per-Cap Spending: The True North of Disney’s Parks Division

Okay, so looking at Disney’s numbers, it’s pretty clear they’ve managed a 5% increase in per-person spending at their parks this year. But here’s the thing: it wasn’t because more people came. Attendance stayed relatively flat. Instead, they’re making more money from the people who are already visiting, and it’s largely thanks to things like pricier tickets, the Lightning Lane system, and all those tempting extras like food and merchandise. Basically, they’re squeezing more revenue out of each guest, and without any huge new rides to draw crowds, that’s how they’re growing right now.

And he couldn’t have been more direct about it.

He explained that the parks department has been consistently improving how much revenue they generate. This involves trying out flexible pricing, which is already being tested in Paris, and offering more exclusive, paid experiences like VIP tours and faster access through premium Lightning Lanes.

Essentially, the company has shifted its focus from helping families create memories to maximizing how much money each visitor spends.

Bookings Point to the Same Pattern

Reservations are currently 3% higher for fiscal year 2026. However, Johnston noted that only about 40% of visitors actually stay at Disney-owned hotels.

The recent increase in bookings isn’t driven by people seeking cheaper vacations. Instead, it’s coming from the wealthier customers Disney is actively trying to attract – those who spend enough to support Disney’s increasing prices.

The New Disney Reality

Disney is launching several new attractions and expansions, including updates to Cars Land, additions based on Encanto and Indiana Jones, and investments in parks around the world. However, these announcements don’t alter the main point: Disney’s parks are still heavily reliant on visitors who can afford to spend money.

The magic of Disney didn’t disappear for most families all at once. It slowly diminished with every price increase, every extra fee that felt mandatory, and every cherished tradition that was replaced with an additional cost.

Now we know who the parks are really for — because Disney finally said the quiet part out loud.

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2025-11-21 20:57