Visitor spending at U.S. theme parks was down during a “lackluster” summer and things would have been a lot worse if not for the debut of the new Epic Universe in Florida and free-spending rich travelers at Disney and Universal parks, according to a new report.
Overall spending this summer was down 5% at U.S. theme parks compared to the same period last year driven by weaker spending by lower- and middle-income parkgoers, according to a report by Forbes.
ALSO SEE: Epic Universe first impressions from inside Universal’s newest theme park
A premium fault line appeared at U.S. theme parks this summer with affluent Americans spending more at pricier Disney and Universal parks while lower- and middle-income visitors spent less at more affordable regional theme parks, according to Forbes.
Visitor spending this summer was up 8% at Disney parks and up 22% at Universal parks in the U.S., according to Bloomberg Second Measure data gathered for Forbes.
Theme Park Insider’s Robert Niles told Forbes the new $7 billion Universal Epic Universe that opened this summer in Orlando “is saving the industry in the United States.”
Spending was down 4% at SeaWorld and Busch Gardens parks and down 8% at Six Flags parks this summer in the U.S., according to Bloomberg Second Measure data gathered for Forbes.
“It’s been a flat-to-down, lackluster year so far for the industry as a whole,” International Theme Park Services CEO Dennis Speigel told Forbes. “You’ve got uncertainty, confusion and everyday people holding back on their spending.”
Americans are feeling worse about the economy with University of Michigan’s consumer confidence index down 21% compared to a year ago, according to Forbes.
ALSO SEE: The mythic theme behind Universal Epic Universe
U.S. tariffs have forced American budget travelers to pull back on vacation spending, according to Bloomberg Second Measure data gathered for Forbes.
“More and more people are dropping out of the discretionary entertainment economy,” Niles told Forbes. “Even Disney and Universal are fighting for people on the edge who can’t really afford it, who have got to make decisions.”
Source link
