Walt Disney Co. shepherded fewer people through the gates of its theme parks around the world in 2016 compared with the year earlier, according to a report from independent group the Themed Entertainment Association. It’s a rare slowdown for the largest theme park operator in North America, but attendance fell at all of Disney’s parks except for Shanghai Disneyland, which hasn’t been open a full year. It should be noted that Disney raised some ticket prices at its theme parks last year. While attendance at North American parks saw slight declines, with the Magic Kingdom attendance falling 0.5% and attendance at Disneyland down 1.8%, overseas parks suffered the greatest slide. Attendance at Disneyland Paris plunged 14.2% and at Disneyland Hong Kong attendance was down 10%. Nonetheless, revenue at Disney’s parks and resorts increased 5% year-over-year in 2016 to $17 billion, though, that was just below FactSet’s $17.2 billion consensus. Disney shares have gained nearly 3% in the year to date and more than 8% in the trailing 12-month period. By comparison, the S&P 500 index is up nearly 9% in the year and close to 16% in the last 12 months, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average is up 7% in the year and almost 19% over the last 12 months.
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