Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort are competing for the same Florida tourists — but their latest attendance stories couldn't sound more different. At the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference, executives from both entertainment giants gave updates that painted a clear contrast between the two resort giants.
Disney came out of the summer with a 3% attendance increase across Walt Disney World and Disneyland — a result that surprised even the company's own leadership. CFO Hugh Johnston admitted that internal expectations heading into Q3 had been cautious about Florida specifically. "There was a belief going into Q3 earnings that, in fact, we were going to be challenged in Orlando," Johnston said. "And in fact, the numbers were quite the opposite. They were rather strong." Johnston also noted that Disney's cruise business is booming to the point where demand outpaces available capacity.
Universal's update struck a different tone. Comcast CFO Jason Armstrong confirmed that the softness Universal first noticed in June has continued, citing external pressures like gas prices and airfare as contributing factors. That said, Armstrong was careful to put the numbers in a longer-term context: compared to two years ago, Universal Orlando is "up materially in every metric" — including attendance, per-capita spending, overall financial performance, and guest satisfaction scores.
Armstrong also pushed back on any suggestion that Epic Universe — the massive new theme park that opened in May 2025 — was a miscalculation. He said the park "sort of lifted all of Orlando" when it debuted and called the investment "absolutely" the right call. So while Universal is navigating a softer patch in the current market, its leadership views the resort's overall position as stronger than ever over the medium term.
Planning Your Trip
Undercover Tourist is an authorized seller of Universal Orlando tickets, often at a discount off gate price.
For Orlando theme park fans, the situation sets up a fascinating long-term rivalry: Universal just completed one of the largest expansions in the resort's history, while Disney continues investing heavily in its parks and planning your Universal Orlando visit alongside a growing cruise line. This story was reported by Disney Fanatic.
