This morning, Comcast held their 2nd Quarter Earnings Call, which was nothing but good news for NBCUniversal and theme parks. Comcast’s revenue is up 9.8% from 2Q16, while NBCUniversal is up 17.3%. This growth is mostly due to the massive performance of The Fate of the Furious in the filmed entertainment devision, but theme parks were also a big player.
Revenue in the theme parks was up 15.6% for 2Q17 thanks to the continued success of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal Studios Hollywood, Volcano Bay in Universal Orlando, and the Minion Park in Universal Studios Japan. Theme parks saw higher attendance and per capita spending, and there was a favorable comparison due to the timing of Spring Break and Easter, which both occurred in 1Q16. EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization) was up 17.3%, and even if you’d adjust the timing of Spring Break and Easter, EBITDA would’ve still been up double digits.
Overall, this continue to look promising for Universal Parks & Resorts for 2017.
I think this is good news for everyone. One, it speaks to the wonderful attrations at Universal. But, two, people are going on vacation. A sign of a strong economy?