Tokyo Disney Resort is thriving with Fantasy Springs and seasonal events driving record-breaking revenue, while Universal Studios Hollywood is experimenting with a bold new event: Fan Fest Nights. This week, we break down Oriental Land Company’s latest earnings, revealing how Fantasy Springs and seasonal activations like Halloween helped boost attendance and spending and created operational challenges. Then, we dive into Universal’s Fan Fest Nights, which blends pop-up experiences, immersive LARPing, and haunt-style walkthroughs to test new event formats. What does this mean for the future of park events? And will Universal’s experimental approach lead to year-round second gates?
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00:00 - Intro: Fantasy Springs vs. Fan Fest—Two Big Strategies
01:30 - Tokyo Disney’s Q3 Earnings: Record Revenue & Attendance
04:50 - Fantasy Springs’ Impact & Guest Spending Trends
08:20 - Why Seasonal Events Are Critical to Tokyo Disney’s Success
12:45 - Challenges: Rising Costs, Staffing, & Weather Impact
16:30 - Universal’s Fan Fest Nights: A New Testing Ground
20:10 - LARPing, Walkthroughs, and Live Shows—What’s Universal Trying?
25:30 - How These Strategies Reflect Bigger Industry Trends
29:00 - Wrap-Up: What This Means for Future Park Experiences
