Disney CFO Hugh Johnston gave investors a look at the company's parks and experiences strategy at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference on Monday, March 2, 2026 - and his comments on the Experiences segment will be of particular interest to Walt Disney World fans.
Johnston was direct about the opportunity: Disney's parks and cruise ships are running close to full, demand is outpacing supply at peak times, and $30 billion in incremental capital is heading into the Experiences business. He said he expects returns to hold up "not just years to come, but probably a couple of decades to come."
Parks Are Close to Capacity
Johnston's clearest message on parks was about supply and demand. Right now, there's limited room to grow attendance because the parks are already performing at high capacity utilization. That changes as new capacity comes online.
"As we add more and more through '27 and '28 and '29, I would expect some balance of price realization along with attendance growth is what's going to drive that business," Johnston said.
In practical terms: the expansions currently under construction at Walt Disney World and beyond aren't just additions - they're what unlocks the next phase of attendance and revenue growth.
International Visitation Down, But Disney Has Adapted
Johnston acknowledged that international visitation to U.S. parks has been softer for a couple of quarters, something Disney flagged on its most recent earnings call. But he said the company has responded.
"We've actually pivoted our marketing more to a domestic audience, and by virtue of doing that, we're doing a good job really filling up the park and finding other sources of demand," he said. He expects that dynamic to persist through 2026.
Why Disney Is Putting $30 Billion Into Experiences
Johnston was asked to explain the confidence behind the capital investment. He pointed to two factors: demand and returns.
"If I look at demand and capacity utilization for our experiences assets, whether it's cruise ships or whether it's parks, capacity utilization is super high, and there's more demand than there generally is supply," Johnston said. "I know we can fill the capacity if we build it."
He also said the return profile on new projects within the Experiences segment is strong, and that the business as a whole carries more layers of competitive advantage than almost anything else in the Disney portfolio.
"The scale of those operations, the characters and the IP, the quality of the service and execution - it's pretty well unmatched," Johnston said. "So I'm super, super optimistic on where that can go."
He also flagged international demand specifically as a major growth driver, noting there is significant appetite for Disney experiences outside the U.S. that the company is positioned to serve.
CEO Transition: Josh D'Amaro Takes Over
Beyond parks, Johnston spent time addressing the leadership change that is front of mind for many Disney watchers. Josh D'Amaro, currently head of Disney Experiences, is set to take over as CEO in the coming weeks. Dana Walden moves into the chief creative officer role.
Johnston described the board's process as thorough, spanning around 18 months and covering both internal and external candidates. He said the internal reaction has been positive.
"Both of those leaders have tremendous followership, and they work incredibly well together," Johnston said. "I think it's going to be a fantastic combination, and we'll have a lot of fresh eyes on what we do."
He also noted that the entire existing leadership team is staying in place - something he described as unusual for a CEO succession.
Business and Financials
Johnston said Disney is tracking well against its guidance of double-digit earnings per share growth for both fiscal 2026 and 2027. He described the overall business as performing well across all three segments.
On the Experiences side specifically, he said revenue is expected to grow around 5% in Q2, with operating income up modestly. He noted some one-time costs tied to new cruise ship launches and dry docks are affecting Q2 margins, but described these as timing items.
On capital returns, Johnston said Disney bought back $7 billion in stock this fiscal year and expects to continue strong cash returns to shareholders.
Streaming
Johnston highlighted the planned merger of Disney Plus and Hulu into a single app by year-end as a major near-term priority. Disney Plus is approaching 200 million global subscriptions. He also described a partnership with OpenAI's Sora that will allow a limited set of Disney characters to appear in AI-generated video content, which will then be surfaced inside the Disney Plus app.
On AI in the parks specifically, Johnston said guest management is one of five key areas Disney is developing - with the goal of making the in-park experience more personalized and more engaging.
ESPN
Johnston described the recently closed NFL agreement as a significant addition, bringing ESPN the NFL Network, a combined fantasy football platform, and additional game and draft rights. He said sports remains a competitive advantage for Disney's streaming business that others cannot easily replicate.
Get Walt Disney World News Delivered to Your Inbox