Disney ‘certainly feel[s] good’ about Epic Universe, Disney CFO says as parks revenue increases
Following the opening of competitor Epic Universe in Orlando, Disney is “pleased” with an increase in quarterly income for its theme parks.
November 2025: ‘We certainly feel good about it,’ Disney CFO says of Epic Universe
Income for Disney Experiences, the theme-park sector of The Walt Disney Company, was $1.9 billion in quarter 4 of fiscal year 2025 (June 29 – Sept. 27), an increase of 13% compared to Q4 in 2024. Domestically, the sector grew 9%. The company shared these results on Nov. 13, 2025.
As Universal Orlando opened its new theme park, Epic Universe — the first new theme park in Orlando in 25 years — many fans wondered if or how the new park would impact business at Walt Disney World nearby. Epic Universe officially opened on May 22 following several weeks of public previews.
Hugh Johnston, CFO of The Walt Disney Company, said the following during the Nov. 13 quarterly earnings call in response to an investor’s question about demand for domestic theme parks in relation to competition:
We’ve talked about Epic [Universe] in the past in particular as something that we knew was going to be a factor in domestic parks and in fact was very much in line with our expectations. If anything, it seems to be impacting the rest of the competition down in Florida more than it’s impacting us. From a consumer perspective, we certainly feel good about it.
In terms of “impacting the rest of the competition down in Florida,” United Parks & Resorts — the parent company of SeaWorld and Busch Gardens parks — reported a 6.2% decrease in revenue and 3.4% decrease in attendance for this same quarter.
Epic Universe is based around the idea of portals leading to distant worlds: Celestial Park (an original realm based on astronomy), Super Nintendo World, Dark Universe (based on Universal Classic Monsters), The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, and How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk.
Photos by Blake Taylor
Universal continues to sell Epic Universe admission as daily tickets or part of multi-day vacation packages with its other parks. Epic Universe is not currently included in any Universal Orlando annual pass.
August 2025: Disney ‘pleased’
Income for Disney Experiences was $2.5 billion in quarter 3 of fiscal year 2025 (April 1 – June 30), an increase of 13% compared to Q3 in 2024. Domestically, the sector grew 22%. The company shared these results on Aug. 6, 2025.
“We are pleased with these results and encouraged by the continued resiliency of our domestic parks business,” Disney said in its quarterly earnings presentation, “particularly at Walt Disney World given increased competition in the Orlando market.”
Disney’s Q3 results pertain to March 31 – June 28, 2025.
Disney attributes the uptick in income to increased guest spending inside the theme parks, as well as the launch of the Disney Treasure cruise ship, which set sail in December 2024.
In Q3 FY2025, Walt Disney World opened two new live shows — “Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After” and “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure” — and launched a campaign called Cool Kid Summer with activations catered to families with young children. On the west coast, Disneyland kicked off its 70th anniversary celebration.
Discover Epic Universe with our 64-page souvenir magazine, packed with tips for planning your day and backstage info, including an exclusive interview with the executive producer of Dark Universe:
Follow us:
Whether you’re ready for your next Disney Destinations vacation or your first, our trusted partner Mouse Fan Travel will handle the planning so you can focus on the memories. They offer free vacation-planning services and have nearly 20 years of experience creating memorable Disney vacations. Visit Mouse Fan Travel for a fee-free, no-obligation quote today.
The increase in profits at Disney may not have much to with increased attendance. It is a result of price increases. I don’t think anyone can say Disney is a good value any more. It’s become a luxury priced destination of diminishing quality.
Your writing style is very engaging.