Disney Ranks (Much) Lower Than a Key Rival in Study of Travel Destination Search Patterns

Disney World doesn’t even appear in the results of state-by-state searches.

Disney’s newly returned CEO Bob Iger has hinted that the multimedia giant’s theme parks may be overpriced. At the same time, they remain so popular that the company has had to limit attendance to avoid excessive overcrowding.

One of the easiest ways to do that is by raising prices, but that tends to alienate a lot of people. 

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It’s a safe bet that Disney  (DIS) - Get Free Report won’t ever have trouble finding people who want to visit its U.S. parks in Florida and California.

However, a new study about travel destinations Americans are searching for offered some surprising findings.

The study by familydestinationsguide.com. looked at which tourist attractions get the most searches in each state.

The results range from national parks, such as Glacier, Acadia and Grand Canyon, to beaches like Rehoboth and Myrtle, to regional favorites like Graceland. The Elvis Presley home and museum is tops with people in Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas. 

But, intriguingly, Walt Disney World in Florida didn’t even make the list at all. And Disneyland, in Anaheim was the most popular in only one state: California.

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Perhaps more troubling for Disney was that its growing rival in Florida, Comcast-owned  (CMCSA) - Get Free Report Universal Orlando Studios, was among the most frequently searched attractions.

In four states, including two really big ones, Universal Orlando was the most frequently researched destination, according to the study. The states were Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts and Texas.

There are several potential reasons of course. 

One is that Universal Orlando has been moving to grow its park footprint in Florida and plans to open an entirely new park called Epic Universe in 2025.

A second is that Disney may have seen its popularity in Florida dim since it has become a political football, serving as a whipping boy for Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis as he gins up a run for president in 2024.

A third is that everybody already knows about Disney World and it's just a victim of its own success.