Disney announces opening for Star Wars lands
LOS ANGELES - Disney (DIS) CEO Bob Iger says the company will open its Star Wars-themed lands at California’s Disneyland and Florida’s Walt Disney World in 2019.
The 14-acre attractions were announced in 2015 and are under construction at the parks. Disney says the lands will include attractions and entertainment alongside aliens and droids. The attractions represent the parks’ largest single themed land expansion ever.
During the company’s earnings call Tuesday, Iger also set an opening date of May 27 for the new World of AVATAR attraction at Disney World’s Animal Kingdom.
The Walt Disney Company on Wednesday reported net income of $2.48 billion for its fiscal first-quarter on revenue of $14.78 billion. That’s down from income of $2.88 billion and revenue of $15.24 billion in the year-ago period.
Diluted earnings per share was $1.55, down 10 percent from $1.73 a year ago. Disney’s stock price is up 4.6 percent on the year to 4.6 percent.
Disney is expecting a boost from the March release of a live-action version of “Beauty and the Beast.” Iger said an online trailer for the film drew more than 127 million views, breaking the record held “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”
“The first week of ticket pre-sales has also been very strong, reminiscent of pre-sales for some of our biggest Marvel movies,” Iger said.
A sequel to Marvel’s 2014 “Guardians of the Galaxy” comes out in May.
