by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 3:45 PM ET, Thu June 5, 2025
It’s no secret that Disney is a juggernaut when it comes to driving economic growth and job creation, along with supporting small businesses across the United States.
Now the entertainment giant has data to back up its behemoth reputation, specifically with regard to the impact of its domestic resorts in California and Florida on the U.S. economy.
A new report from Tourism Economics, a division of Oxford Economics, shows that Disney's Florida and California parks and resorts have a combined nationwide economic impact of nearly $67 billion and support more than 403,000 direct and indirect jobs.
This is the first time Disney has combined the economic impact from both of its U.S. resorts to provide a nationwide picture of the company's impact.
“Our presence is felt across the country,” Josh D’Amaro, chairman, Disney Experiences, said in a statement. “Our destinations create economies far beyond the gates of our parks.”
Disney has been conducting studies on its economic impacts, particularly with regard to local economies, for the past 20 years. The newly released report resulting from this effort includes an in-depth analysis of the impacts of Disneyland on Southern California's economy.
Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, which opened in 1955, generated $16.1 billion in annual economic impact across Southern California in 2023 and supported more than 102,000 jobs in the Southern California region (directly and indirectly).
Meanwhile, previous research about the economic impact of Disney’s presence in Florida in fiscal year 2022 show that Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, along with Disney Signature Experiences, including Disney Vacation Club and Disney Cruise Line, generated $40.3 billion in annual economic impact across the state and supports more than 263,000 jobs in that state both directly and indirectly.
Adam Sacks, president of Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics company, described Disney as “an iconic economic engine powering entire ecosystems of jobs, small businesses and public revenue.”
“What began as a single destination has evolved into one of the most impressive examples of local and national economic growth,” Sacks added.
Continued growth
Looking ahead, Disneyland Resort in California has said it is intends to invest a minimum of $1.9 billion in new experiences, which could generate as much as $30 million in annual revenues for the city of Anaheim. That anticipated spending includes Disney’s investment of $30 million in affordable housing, $8 million for city parks and $45 million for street and sewer improvements.
With the new developments, Disney will double the size of its Avenger’s Campus at Disney’s California Adventure park, and will also create new attractions at Disneyland Resort based on Disney and Pixar’s Coco and Avatar.
“As we celebrate 70 incredible years in Southern California, we are deeply proud of the lasting impact Disneyland Resort has made — creating thousands of jobs, fueling the local economy and welcoming the world to this extraordinary region,” Thomas Mazloum, president, Disneyland Resort, said in a statement. “And we’re just getting started — the decades ahead hold even greater promise, and we look forward to growing, evolving and contributing more to the community we call home.”
Meanwhile, in Florida, Disney is moving forward with the largest-ever expansion of the Magic Kingdom, including a reimagined section of Frontierland inspired by the Pixar Animation Studios film Cars and a new land themed around Disney Villains from classic Walt Disney Animation Studios films.
Additionally, Disney’s Animal Kingdom continues to grow with a new Tropical Americas land featuring attractions based on Encanto from Walt Disney Animation Studios and Indiana Jones. At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the first-ever land based on Pixar Animation Studios’ Monsters, Inc. is coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Empowering local businesses
Disney’s latest report also underscores its impact on local businesses both in Florida and California, as well as nationwide. The entertainment giant said it powers “a massive small business ecosystem across the country.”
“The company works with thousands of local businesses across all 50 states, which employ workers and provide a wide range of goods and services — from the paint used on Sleeping Beauty Castle to specialty popcorn served in the theme parks, towels and linens provided for guests across Disney Resort hotels and more,” says the new report.
In addition to working with domestic suppliers, Disney said it prioritizes providing education and training opportunities for entrepreneurs and collaborates with local businesses to develop innovative new experiences and products.
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