Skift Take
On the D23 Expo, Disney Parks boss Josh D’Amaro introduced important updates to the theme park expertise. The modifications will seemingly embody bringing Disney+ content material to the parks, delivering the net expertise to their parks.
Disney’s annual D23 Expo occurred this previous weekend on the Anaheim Conference Heart in California, the place the dialog was led on stage by denims and Adidas-clad Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Merchandise.
“There’s no limits to the place we’re going,” D’Amaro stated in an tackle to an enthusiastic crowd. “After I look again over our first 100 years, what jumps out at me is how we’re simply continually reinventing ourselves, telling new tales for brand-new generations. You all know this: We’d like these tales greater than ever. And that’s a lesson we take straight from Walt.”
D’Amaro can be a featured speaker at Skift International Discussion board going down September 19-21 in New York Metropolis.
The D23 presentation featured a wide range of visitor audio system and celebrities, together with singer-songwriter Jordan Fisher, and Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige. Highlights included the growth of Avengers Campus by including new characters at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, in addition to the addition of Disney Treasure, a brand new addition set to happen in 2024. Disney Cruise Line additionally introduced plans so as to add Australia and New Zealand to its journey routes, as a part of a limited-time cruise initiative.
D’Amaro additionally shared information of anticipated updates to Disney’s Animal Kingdom, which is about to incorporate a spinner trip and a log-flume trip based mostly on Moana and Zootopia. That is simply one of many reimagined tasks Disney is utilizing to rebound from the pandemic.
Primarily based on the fiscal earnings report launched in August, Disney’s efforts to get better from a historic income loss in 2020 have proved efficient, as Disney theme parks delivered a 26 % improve in income gross sales this previous quarter.
“We had a wonderful quarter, with our world-class inventive and enterprise groups powering excellent efficiency at our home theme parks, huge will increase in live-sports viewership, and important subscriber development at our streaming providers,” stated Bob Chapek, CEO of The Walt Disney Firm, about the third fiscal quarter report.
The relative success of Disney+ did assist soften the blow of pandemic gross sales, however theme parks have since skilled a resurgence in buyer attendance. Coincidence? Perhaps not.
This yr, Disney introduced Disney+ Day, inviting subscribers of the streaming service to reap the benefits of varied perks, together with particular entry to cruises, parks, and motels. The day coincided with the D23 Expo, which rapidly offered out.
So, each Disney theme parks and the streaming service may go hand in hand. A 2021 CNN article addressed this new strategy to Disney consumerism: “Briefly, Disney – a standard media firm that’s been round in Hollywood since 1923 – is beginning to look extra like, and being handled like, a tech firm,” reporter Frank Pollotta wrote.
This concept is supported by Dennis Spiegel, president of consulting agency Worldwide Theme Park Providers who believes the D23 expo is an ideal instance of all we now have to look ahead to with Disney theme parks and providers. “Disney units the bar for our total trade relating to tech, product, expertise, and pleasure,” he stated, “They proceed to cleared the path in expertise infusion in our trade.”
There’s a lot to observe, going ahead with Disney—each on the streaming platform, and within the numbers. The leisure large nonetheless anticipates a major income improve from Disney+ alone by 2024, however with theme parks steadily reopening, the arrival of digital innovation ought to considerably impression income gross sales and shopper experiences.