Disney's Q2 Fiscal 2026 Earnings Call Highlights Experiences Segment Challenges and Strategic Investments During Disney’s Q2 fiscal 2026 earnings call, analysts focused heavily on the Experiences segment, which includes its theme parks, cruise operations, and global entertainment ventures. CFO Hugh Johnston and CEO Josh D'Amaro provided detailed insights into the segment’s performance, addressing challenges such as the impact of Epic Universe and softer international visitation, while also outlining plans for future growth and investment. The discussion began with questions about the effects of Epic Universe and declining international visitation on domestic park attendance. Johnston acknowledged that both factors had contributed to a 1% decline in domestic park attendance during the quarter. However, he emphasized that these headwinds were expected to ease in the coming quarters as the company “began to lap” their impacts. He added that removing the international visitation effect alone would have shown domestic attendance growth, highlighting the complexity of isolating specific factors. Johnston also noted that pre-opening costs for new attractions like World of Frozen and Disney Adventure had negatively affected operating income in Q2, but these costs would not recur in the second half of the year. Despite the challenges, Experiences revenue grew by 7% during the quarter. Looking beyond domestic attendance, Johnston underscored the importance of Disney’s global footprint, stating that “global guests—aggregating domestic and international parks attendance along with passenger cruise days—grew more than 2% in Q2.” He projected further growth in the back half of the year, citing strong forward bookings as a positive indicator.#disney #josh_damaro #hugh_johnston #epic_universe #world_of_frozen
