TORONTO — For Canadian Disney fans, the pull of the Magic Kingdom appears to be proving stronger than the broader downturn in travel to the United States.

The Walt Disney Company’s third-quarter fiscal 2026 results offer fresh evidence that international visitation to its U.S. parks remains under pressure. Yet for at least some Canadian travellers, pent-up demand, children getting older and Disney’s unique appeal are keeping vacations on the books.

Disney acknowledged “continued international attendance softness” at its domestic parks during its Aug. 5 earnings call, even as overall attendance and spending increased. CEO Josh D’Amaro said strong growth from domestic tourists and local residents helped offset the weakness from international visitors, while noting that the international decline has begun to moderate.

But for Teresa Simon, Senior Travel Advisor with Direct Travel in Paris, Ont., Disney demand among her own clients is actually running slightly ahead of last year.

“I’ve certainly had years where there were more bookings, but those who want to go have been saving for it or have kids who are aging out of the interest are definitely still going,” Simon told Travelweek.

“This year I have a few more bookings than last year. People are sick of waiting around to go and have decided to do it.”

INTERNATIONAL SOFTNESS PERSISTS 

Disney’s Q3 numbers illustrate an unusual split between the strength of its U.S. parks overall and continuing weakness from international markets.

Domestic parks attendance increased 3% year over year, while per-capita guest spending increased 4%. Across Disney Experiences globally, guest counts were up 4% from Q3 2025.

The Experiences segment generated a record $10 billion in quarterly revenue, up 10% year over year, with Disney reporting record Q3 operating income and margins for the segment.

But those headline gains mask the continued weakness in international attendance at Disney’s U.S. parks.

The issue came up directly during the earnings call when an analyst asked whether several new U.S. park discount programs were intended to offset “continued weakness in international visitation.”

D’Amaro pointed instead to Disney’s targeted approach to promotions and emphasized the strength of domestic demand. He later acknowledged the international softness, saying: “We did see strong domestic tourist and local resident growth, and that growth helped offset continued international attendance softness, although we’ve seen some moderation in that regard.”

Disney does not break out Canadian attendance separately in its Q3 results, so the company’s figures do not quantify how much of that international decline is attributable to Canada.

“THERE IS NO REPLACEMENT FOR IT”

Simon, whose family’s own history with Disney stretches back more than 50 years, says theme park travel is one of her specialties.

“My family, including my parents in their 90s, are Disney enthusiasts,” she said. “We’ve been going since 1974 and haven’t really stopped.”

Among her clients, she has seen cancellations of other U.S. trips amid the broader pullback in Canada-U.S. travel, but that hasn’t translated into cancellations of theme park vacations.

“I have had clients cancel other U.S. trips, but not theme park ones,” she said. “Disney is Disney. There is no replacement for it.”

For families still planning Disney vacations, Simon says timing is a major motivator. Some have waited to see how the Canada-U.S. situation develops but are increasingly reluctant to put off a major family vacation indefinitely.

“They’re sick of waiting for the U.S. to shape up, and they want to go before their kids or grandkids are too old,” she said.

COST MAY BE THE BIGGER HURDLE

For Simon, however, the political climate and broader decline in Canadian travel to the U.S. aren’t necessarily the biggest obstacles to selling Disney.

Price is.

“The biggest factor is that the costs are getting ridiculous,” she said. “As much as I love Disney, there is no way the average family can afford it anymore.”

Disney’s own results point to continued pricing power. In addition to the 3% attendance gain at its domestic parks, per-capita spending increased 4% year over year. D’Amaro argued that the combination showed Disney was not simply using discounts to manufacture attendance growth.

Simon said an earlier promotion offered Canadians savings on stays of five days or longer, though that offer is no longer available. Finding value therefore remains an important part of the planning process.

“I always recommend January for lower crowds and cheaper airfares, but honestly, people want to go and do it the way they have been planning,” she said.

One alternative she sometimes recommends is staying outside the Disney resort complex.

“I’ll often suggest staying offsite at a condo, which can save on meals, provide more space and cost less,” she said. “That usually involves a car rental and parking at Disney, though, so it really depends on the individual family.”

CANADIANS WHO WANT TO GO ARE GOING

For clients hesitant about travelling south, Simon takes a pragmatic approach rather than trying to push them toward a particular decision.

“There are problems all over the world and here at home. You can’t stay home forever,” she said. “Not going can mean punishing yourself and your family. The U.S. government clearly doesn’t care whether we go or not, so you have to do what feels right for your family.”

Disney, meanwhile, remains bullish about its parks business. The company said forward bookings at Walt Disney World remain healthy, while its Experiences segment is expected to finish fiscal 2026 at the high end of its previously forecast high-single-digit operating income growth range.

For the Canadian market, the picture is more nuanced. Disney’s results confirm that international attendance at its U.S. parks remains soft, but they do not identify Canada specifically or quantify the decline by source market.

Simon’s bookings, meanwhile, suggest that the travellers who have been holding off may not be willing to wait indefinitely – particularly when a Disney vacation has been years in the making.

“People want to go,” she said, “and they do it the way they have been planning.”