Walk Time: Is this the theme park recession?
In theme parks and entertainment, "walk time" is the name for the final paid minutes of your shift, when you gather your stuff and start heading home. At Theme Park Insider, "Walk Time" is our weekend look back at the past seven days in theme park news.
Is it time to admit that the regional amusement park industry is in a recession? United Parks - the owner of the SeaWorld and Busch Gardens parks - reported a tough 2025 this week. That follows last week's week results at Six Flags. Epic Universe boosted Universal's theme parks in Orlando last year, and Disney's theme park revenue is up, too. But the two largest regional theme park chains in the United States are falling even further behind the market leaders. We have the details from United's earnings report at United Parks reports lower attendance, revenue in 2025.
Merlin Entertainments is investing in its Legoland theme parks in the U.S. this year. The company is spending $94 million on its new Lego Galaxy-themed attractions in Florida and California. We have on-ride POV video now for Galacticoaster, which is open in Florida and opens in California next week: Galacticoaster opens at Legoland Florida.
More roller coaster news: Universal filed a patent application this week for what amounts to a shock absorber system on thrill rides. Could this take at least some of the pain out of an emergency stop?.
Disney announced this week that Avengers star Robert Downey Jr. will be the godfather of the Disney Adventure cruise ship, which is on its way to its new home in Singapore. The Adventure stopped in Tokyo for resupply and a brief press opportunity, in which Disney Cruise Line announced Downey's new gig. Disney Adventure sails its maiden voyage March 10.
Disneyland this week also announced a new guided tour at the park: Women Who Make the Magic Guided Tour. This $110 tour starts March 6 and highlights the work of women Imagineers and designers who contributed to the park, including Mary Blair, Harriet Burns, Alice Davis, Dorothea Redmond, Ruth Shellhorn, Leota Toombs and Kim Irvine. Reservations are available on the Disneyland website.
Disney this week also announced a major change in concept for the Animation Academy-style attraction that will open in The Walt Disney Studios land in Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World this summer. Live animator hosts are out, to replaced by an animatronic Olaf and recorded on-screen instruction from leading Disney animators. Is this a good move for the popular step drawing class? Olaf takes over Walt Disney World's animation class.
Finally, Efteling this week announced the opening date for its new family drop ride. Hooghmoed - which shares a theme and backstory with the Baron 1898 roller coaster next door - will debut May 1. Get the details here: Efteling sets May debut for new family drop ride.
Replies (3)
There are many reasons:
K shape economy - Middle class gets squeezed by Tariffs Tax
Cost - Disney and Universal keep raising ticket prices, parking fees, food prices, hotel fees.
Car rentals are high.
Political - some won't visit while clowns like Ron DeSantis are in office.
@Grant -S&P 500 not SNP - Standard & Poor's 500 - The 500 best US companies (Just saying). But yes that is the K shape economy - Rich get richer, all others eat cake.
Example - The Star Wars - Galactic Starcruiser - there are only so many wealthy that can afford it. $5,000 for two nights... Yikes.
Universal sometime has Buy Two days Get Two days, which is a great bargain for cost averaging.
And believe it or not - It has been cold in Florida lately...
Simple fact, people will buy something if they feel it is value for money and/or they desperately need it. This applies to anything so if attendances are down in the theme park industry across America except Disney and Universal the conclusion is that people don't feel they are getting value for money. I honestly don't think it is any more complicated than this so if the park chain owners don't start giving VFM then the trend will continue.
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The economy is a significant issue here. The middle class is shrinking and the vast majority of people are living paycheck to paycheck with little disposable income for luxuries. Despite this spending is stable because the wealthier have disposable income to spend making up the shortfall.
Visitors to Las Vegas were down around 7.5% last year without the casinos making any less money, because like Disney and Universal they're targeting the wealthy.
Unfortunately the taxi drivers, tour guides, housekeeping staff, chefs etc are making less because they're not as busy.
These regional parks will continue to struggle as long as the middle class struggles. As far as Washington is concerned though, that's fine because the SNP500 continues to go up.