Disney to invest 60 billion dollars in its theme parks

ORANGE COUNTY, Flor. (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - Disney says it plans to invest $60 billion dollars into its theme parks around the world.

This comes after the company's top executives told investors that fewer people have been coming to Disney World this year when compared to the same time last year.

"We're already hard at work at basically determining where we're going to place our new investments and what they will be," said Bob Iger, CEO of Disney.

Iger talked to investors on the first quarter earnings call, saying most of the $60 billion they plan to plow into theme parks, and the cruise line, will be spread out around the world.

Executives said the theme park division, overall, had a record quarter, with 10% higher operating income year over year. But Disney World was a drag: The Central Florida parks actually declined.

The company chalks it up to inflation and higher wages. Plus, lower attendance so far this year, compared to the big numbers they saw a year ago, for the parks' 50th anniversary celebration. But they said they expect the new investments to pay off.

Some have been speculating that Disney is looking to build a fifth theme park in Florida: The company even included a future major theme park, in the controversial developer agreement it signed with the Reedy Creek Improvement District, before Governor Ron DeSantis' people took it over.

Iger was asked specifically about the fifth gate idea on the call and sidestepped saying anything, one way or the other.

"We've got a menu of things that we'll basically start opening in [2025], and there will be a cadence every year of additional investment and increased capacity," Iger added.