Universal Orlando attendance returns to 2019 levels as theme parks recover from the pandemic

[Disney4me]

“For the first time since the pandemic, our theme parks returned nicely to profitability,” said Comcast CEO Brian Roberts. “This was led by Orlando, where we’ve seen strong domestic demand.”

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Universal Orlando attendance returns to 2019 levels as theme parks recover from the pandemic

By AUSTIN FULLER

ORLANDO SENTINEL |

JUL 29, 2021 AT 12:04 PM

 

Universal Orlando’s attendance returned to 2019 levels in the quarter ending June 30, executives from parent company Comcast revealed on a Thursday morning earnings call.

“For the first time since the pandemic, our theme parks returned nicely to profitability,” said Comcast CEO Brian Roberts. “This was led by Orlando, where we’ve seen strong domestic demand.”

Comcast’s theme parks’ revenue increased to nearly $1.1 billion in the quarter, up from $136 million in the same quarter last year.

NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell said from an attendance standpoint, Orlando is “pretty close to back where we were in 2019 even though we don’t have any international visitors.”

“You would expect those international visitors to pick up over time,” Shell said.

He did say the coronavirus situation could be “non-linear,” but so far the trajectory for the domestic theme parks is good and expected to continue. Universal’s Islands of Adventure officially opened a new ride, Jurassic World VelociCoaster, in June.

Austin Fuller

Orlando Sentinel