Disneyland Paris has seen an unexpectedly quiet summer, with visitor numbers falling short of expectations. Bob Iger, CEO of the Walt Disney Company, attributed the downturn to the ongoing Olympic Games in Paris, which he believes are diverting tourists away from the nearby theme park. Iger made these remarks during Disney’s quarterly financial results presentation, covering the period from April to June 2024.

During the financial briefing, Iger specifically mentioned Disneyland Paris while discussing the company’s outlook for the coming months. He noted that the French resort has been “obviously challenged” by the Olympics, an effect he anticipated but acknowledged as a temporary hurdle. The CEO expressed confidence that attendance would rebound once the Games conclude this Sunday, August 11, and said, “The good news is the Olympics are over in a couple of weeks, and bookings certainly look good in that regard, so overall feeling positively on that front.”

Despite the typically busy summer season, Disneyland Paris has experienced surprisingly low crowd levels, with some of the park’s major attractions seeing average wait times of just 10 to 15 minutes, even on weekends. This is in stark contrast to last year, when queues of 60 to 80 minutes were common at the start of August. Restaurants, usually fully booked during this peak period, also have had an unusual number of open reservations.

In an effort to manage costs and attract more visitors, Disneyland Paris has introduced discount promotions and shortened its operating hours. The park, which normally remains open until 11 p.m., now closes at 10:30 p.m. and will further reduce closing times to 10 p.m. starting August 19, and 9 p.m. beginning September 9. However, these adjustments are limited by the need for darkness during the evening shows, Disney Electrical Sky Parade and Disney Illuminations.

While the current situation is less than ideal, Iger remains hopeful that visitor numbers will return to normal levels once the Olympic Games conclude. Disneyland Paris continues to adjust its operations in response to the quieter-than-expected summer, as the company prepares for the post-Olympics period. Subscribe to AirMagique for more updates and news.

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