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Would you plan a trip to a foreign country if you knew there was even a tiny chance you might not be able to leave? That’s the issue many international tourists are considering about the United States right now, and the Walt Disney Company sees it as a problem, especially in its theme parks.
During an earnings call on Monday, Disney cited “international visitor headwinds” as a concern and the reasoning behind a recent decline in theme park attendance. What does “headwinds” mean? What could possibly be pushing people towards not visiting Disneyland or Walt Disney World? Well, without saying, the company is clearly referring to the anti-immigration policies of President Donald Trump. As has been very well documented in recent months, Trump’s government has allowed members of ICE to snatch, detain (and worse) almost anyone for any reason, even U.S. citizens. If people who live in the U.S. legally are in danger, how much greater is that danger for someone who doesn’t live here?
International tourism to the U.S. already saw a significant 6% drop in 2025, at the same time as global tourism had gone up almost 7%, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council, via Reuters. As a result, Disney’s CFO Hugh Johnston explained that upcoming promotional efforts would be focused more on bringing U.S. customers into the parks. Which has been working.
Even with park attendance declining, that branch of the company has been its most profitable. In the most recent quarter, it made about $10 billion in revenue, which accounted for 72% of the company’s profit over that time span. A large part of that is because while fewer people attended Disney parks over the past quarter, they spent more, according to the Independent.
With the United States set to host some other major international events in the coming years, most prominently the World Cup this summer and the Summer Olympics in 2028, expect this issue to be one that is felt way beyond the castles of Disney.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
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