Disney is turning to artificial intelligence to help Disney World guests plan vacations, give personalized recommendations for shows on Disney+, and forecast labor demand at its theme parks, the company’s leaders said. 

After taking over in March, Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro gave an update on how The Mouse is using AI while discussing his overall company strategy. D’Amaro spoke to the investor community during Wednesday’s earnings call as Disney’s second-quarter earnings beat Wall Street expectations.

Operating income for Disney Experiences, which includes theme parks and Disney Cruise Line, jumped 5% to $2.6 billion compared to the same time period in 2025. Higher guest spending at the parks and the launch of Disney Adventure and Disney Destiny helped fuel the increase, Disney said.

D’Amaro called technology “a real powerful accelerant for Disney.”

For AI, the company is using AI “in a way that keeps human creativity at the center of everything that we do” and upholds Disney’s valuable intellectual property, D’Amaro said.

D’Amaro explained that AI can help with vacation planning. A visit to Disney World requires park reservations, Lightning Lanes to skip ride lines and other hoops to jump through.

“We see a significant opportunity to make it easier for families to plan their trip, to optimize all their time with us and to personalize their experience,” D’Amaro told investors Wednesday. “We’re using AI to reduce the complexities around planning and booking a trip and trying to make that whole experience specifically tailored to what our guests want most.”

Disney+, the company’s streaming services, is going to “play an increasing central role” to bring together the company’s divisions of sports, movies, streaming and theme parks, the CEO said.

“Disney has, you know, the world’s most passionate and loyal fans,” D’Amaro said.

“A large number of our park visitors, they’re also Disney+ subscribers, but there are millions of Disney+ subscribers who aren’t regular park visitors. And so this is where we’re focused. Our parks, they’re essentially the physical centerpiece of the company. And similarly, we’re building Disney+ to serve as the immersive, interactive digital centerpiece of the company.”

With Disney+ serving as a digital centerpiece, D’Amaro added that he is “pushing the entire organization to prioritize against” losing Disney+ subscribers as streaming companies work to limit subscriber churn.

D’Amaro pledged to invest in both existing franchises and new intellectual property, citing the recent “Hoppers” Pixar film as a good example of an original storyline.

“Creative excellence, it’ll remain at the center of everything that we do,” D’Amaro said.

During the first three months of 2026, park attendance was down 1% at the California and Florida theme parks, according to the company. But Disney leaders sounded optimistic, saying they expected park attendance to continue improving as the excitement surrounding a competitor’s park, Epic Universe at Universal Orlando Resort, waned following its launch last year.

So far, rising gas prices have not hurt Disney theme park crowds either, Disney said. The company is also expanding its cruise ship fleet.

“The good news is, as we look forward, we expect growth to improve in the back half,” Disney Chief Financial Officer Hugh Johnston said. “Our forward bookings are very encouraging as we look to the rest of the year.”

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