United Parks & Resorts, the parent company of SeaWorld Orlando, reported declines in attendance, revenue and net income for its most recent fiscal year, which ended in December.
“Our fiscal 2025 results did not meet our expectations,” CEO Marc Swanson said on Thursday. “While the consumer environment was uneven and our results were impacted by negative international tourism trends and volatile weather during certain peak visitation periods, we should have delivered better results, particularly on the cost side of the income statement.”
Attendance was down 1.8%, about 21.2 million visitors, for the company. The report does not break out attendance figures for its 13 individual parks, a lineup that also includes Aquatica water park, Discovery Cove day resort and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay theme park.
Total revenue for the year was $1.7 billion, a drop of 3.6% from fiscal 2024, and net income was $168.4 million, a decrease of 26%.
A brighter spot was an increase of in-park per-capita spending by 1%, including a 2.1% increase in the fourth quarter, which set a company record, the report said.
“Guests continue to respond positively to our offerings and spend when they visit our parks,” Swanson said.
The company has taken measures to improve its results, he said.
“We have moved decisively to address our less-than-optimal cost management and have updated and focused our plans and investments for 2026, designed to drive attendance and guest spending across our parks,” Swanson said. That includes new rides and attractions, expanded concert lineups and enhanced marketing plans, he stated.
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In 2026, SeaWorld Orlando plans to open SEAQuest: Legends of the Deep, an undersea dark ride, while Busch Gardens Tampa Bay will introduce Lion & Hyena Ridge, an animal habitat featuring five young lions and a pair of hyenas. Some SeaWorld Orlando enhancements for this year have not been announced yet, Swanson said, and Discovery Cove bookings are up for the year.
“I really think the lifeblood of giving people a reason to visit is having new attractions and events and shows,” Swanson said during a conference call with market analysts.
He also repeated that the opening of Epic Universe theme park last year is a positive development for the Central Florida market.
“We’re investing in a market that continues to attract high-quality investments from other people as well,” he said. “We think that benefits everyone, and we’ll continue to do our part to drive people to our parks while they’re here.”