Price Increases, Genie+, and More Reasons Disney World Made a Lot of Money in 2022

It seems like things have returned to normal around Disney World and Disneyland after the pandemic-related closures caused theme park operations to come to a halt.

And now, two years later, we’re starting to see some promising growth — Disney hotel occupancy nearly doubled compared to last year, and guests are spending more at those hotels. But that’s not the only area where the company has bounced back, as Disney has also reported some positive numbers when it comes to theme park attendance and spending.

The Walt Disney Company recently filed a report with the U.S. Securities and Exchanges Commission (SEC) detailing the company’s financials for the past fiscal year. We shared that hotel occupancy and guest spending are up across the board, and the growth doesn’t stop there.

The report shows that Disney Parks, Experiences and Products operating income and theme park admissions increased significantly in 2022 compared to 2021, and that was due to “attendance growth and higher average per capita ticket revenue.”

Disney World, Disneyland Resort, and Disneyland Paris all saw an increase in attendance (though Disneyland Paris “to a lesser extent”), which was partially offset by a decrease in attendance at Shanghai Disney Resort. Shanghai and Hong Kong Disney Resorts have had to close their doors multiple times throughout 2022 due to COVID-19 restrictions.

According to the report, “Growth in average per capita ticket revenue was due to the introduction of Genie+ and Lightning Lane at [Disney’s] domestic parks in the first quarter of the current fiscal year and higher average ticket prices at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Paris, partially offset by lower average ticket prices at Disneyland Resort and Shanghai Disney Resort.”

Essentially, Disney parks are making more money not only because attendance has increased overall, but also because ticket prices have increased at Disney World and Disneyland Paris.

Merchandise, food, and beverage revenue also grew due to higher volumes and higher average guest spending in the theme parks. Not only that, but Disney reported, “The revenue growth at merchandise licensing was primarily due to higher sales of merchandise based on Mickey and Friends, Star Wars, Encanto, Spider-Man and Disney Princesses, partially offset by a decrease in revenues from merchandise based on Frozen.”

With park attendance and hotel occupancy increasing, it’s even important to make sure you’re planning your Disney trips as early as possible. And, if you’re looking for even more tips — we’ve got you covered right here.

Be sure to stay tuned to AllEars for the latest Disney news and more.