Major theme park additions and a film that could breathe new life into Disney’s animation studio have the potential to make this month promising for shareholders.
There’s no June swoon for Walt Disney (DIS -0.23%) this year. The media giant is keeping busy with a major theatrical release and bar-raising theme park experiences.
With Disney shares sliding in back-to-back months, the catalysts are there to bring back the bullishness. The arrival of new attractions in Japan and Florida comes just as the peak summer travel season kicks off. A new movie will be the first of three major animated features that Disney has slated for theatrical release by the end of the calendar year. Let’s take a closer look at what to watch in the month ahead.
June 6
Tokyo Disney is the only resort that the House of Mouse doesn’t own or have a significant stake in, but it doesn’t mean that investors shouldn’t keep an eye on the grand opening of Fantasy Springs. The $2 billion expansion at Disney TokyoSea includes new attractions based on popular franchises like Peter Pan, Frozen, and Tangled.
The resort is owned and operated by Japan’s Oriental Land Company, but Disney still receives royalties and licensing fees from the business. The success of the resort’s two theme parks also helps generate interest for Disney products and upcoming projects. It’s a win-win arrangement, and now the company can cash in on a $2 billion expansion it didn’t have to pay for that will drum up even more interest in three of its iconic properties.
Image source: Disney.
June 14
Disney has been intentionally quiet at the multiplex since late last year, but it’s starting to make some noise again. The cage-rattling started last month with Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. It’s currently topping $140 million in stateside ticket sales and $338 million worldwide, making it the studio’s biggest hit since July of last year.
There’s a half dozen more potential blockbusters coming out of Disney in the rest of the calendar year, and the next big draw will likely be Inside Out 2, which hits theaters next week. The first Pixar film raked in $357 million domestically and $858 million globally in 2015, and ticket prices are substantially higher now.
There are reasons to be cautious. Fans know that they should be able to stream it on Disney+ in a few months, and that limits sales and repeat viewings. However, with rival studios scoring the top animated films in 2022 and 2023, it’s time for the industry leader to take back the crown. If Inside Out 2 isn’t a hit, you can count on big numbers coming out of the new Moana and Lion King films that Disney has slated for the potent holiday viewing season.
June 28
It’s not just Japan that is getting shiny new theme park experiences this month. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure officially opens at the site formerly occupied by the Splash Mountain log flume ride at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. It’s the same watery thrills reskinned with a new storyline and updated scenes themed to Disney’s The Princess and the Frog.
It’s not the only refreshed attraction that the leading entertainment stock is introducing to the world’s most-visited theme park this summer. The classic Country Bear Jamboree will soon reopen with a brand-new show featuring the singing audio-animatronic bears performing Disney songs re-recorded with country music vibes.
The debut of the water ride later this month and the updated air-conditioned show opening this summer will give guests ways to cool down as temperatures heat up. The new experiences follow the introduction of the Tron Lightcyle Run roller coaster that opened at the park in the spring of last year. Disney is widely expected to announce new additions across its empire of industry-leading theme parks in two months when it hosts its D23 fan conference in California.