Walt Disney Co. (NYSE:DIS) and other theme park operators, which have had lukewarm summer attendance, are gearing up to put the worst behind them and look ahead to the fall with optimism.
What Happened: Disney, Cedar Fair L.P. (NYSE:FUN), which owns Dorney Park, Six Flags Entertainment Corp. (NYSE:SIX) and SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE:SEAS) are betting big on Halloween and Oktoberfest events to rescue them from the ravages inflicted by a rude summer, which was hit by extreme weather, Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday.
Disney is among the theme parks that have rolled out themed events earlier than usual this year, with “haunted houses and fleets of ghoulish actors” taking over the parks in the coming weeks, the report said.
The year has so far been brutal for these companies due to a cold, wet spring season that was followed by scorching summer heat waves, it added. Theme park attendance across ...