For over four decades, Disney (DIS) has become a special part of Christmas morning for many families across the globe.
Disney’s Christmas Day parade, which often features musical performances, Disney character appearances, floats, etc., has aired on ABC Network every Christmas morning since 1983, and watching it has become a popular holiday tradition for many families.
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While this year’s Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade was hosted by Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro, and featured performances by singers Elton John, John Legend and K-pop band Seventeen, some viewers claim the parade had lost its magic this year.
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On social media platform X, some viewers criticized the show for being a giant advertisement for Disney’s theme parks and less of a parade.
Hey @Disney @juliannehough your parade on TV is awful. Just a big commercial do better for next year
— Nichole (@1985_music) December 25, 2024
They only show each parade float for 10 seconds then have either a musical performance or commercial for Disney… #DisneyChristmasParade
— KBrew (@kbrewFL) December 25, 2024
2 hours of nothing but Disney self-promotion. Every minute is designed around their theme parks, cruise boat, movies and musical stars they promote. Then you get 5-6 minutes of commercials…oh yes there is about 3 minutes of actual parade…
— Shredd1 (@RealShredd1) December 25, 2024
Disney’s Christmas Day parade was mainly filmed at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, with some performances recorded at Disneyland in California and other Disney locations in the Bahamas and Hawaii.
Disney faces weak demand at theme parks
The harsh feedback from consumers comes after Disney revealed in its fourth-quarter earnings report for 2024 that its Experiences segment, which includes its theme parks, cruise lines and resorts, faced a 6% year-over-year decline in operating income during the quarter.
So it is no surprise that Disney is heavily advertising its products and services during its popular Christmas Day parade.
Gary Hershorn/Getty Images
In August, Disney even warned that during the third quarter, it started to see a “moderation of consumer demand” at its theme parks that “exceeded” its previous expectations.
“While we are actively monitoring attendance and guest spending and aggressively managing our cost base, we expect Q4 Experiences segment operating income to decline by mid-single digits versus the prior year,“ said Disney in its third-quarter earnings report in August.
Disney vacations are becoming more expensive
It is no secret that Disney vacations have grown to become more expensive over the past few years.
Over the past decade, between 2014 and 2025, Disney World’s lowest-priced 1-Day ticket has increased by almost 27%, or $25, according to a recent analysis from MickeyVisit.com.
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Another analysis from MickeyVisit.com also found that the highest-priced 1-Day ticket at Disneyland has increased by about 114% since 2014.
In October, Disney even announced price increases for multiple Disneyland and Disney World tickets and annual passes, which frustrated many consumers.
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The price hikes come during a time when consumers are falling into debt in order to pay for trips at Disney theme parks.
According to a recent survey by LendingTree, 24% of visitors and 45% of parents who visit Disney theme parks have gone into financial debt to cover the cost of their trips, and unexpectedly high costs were listed as a major factor.
About 65% of the survey respondents said that food and beverages at Disney parks were a significant expense, while 48% highlighted transportation and 47% said accommodations.
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