Extreme Weather and Climate Change Impact Theme Park Companies

Several major North American attractions this summer have been impacted by extreme weather exacerbated by climate change.

Six Flags, SeaWorld and Cedar Fair have all been impacted by extreme weather including “deadly flooding in the Northeast, record-breaking heat in the Southwest and California, and wildfires in Canada,” according to CNN.

Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando have also reportedly been impacted this summer with weakened attendance due to extreme heat in Florida.

In a note to clients, analyst at Macquarie Research, Paul Golding, explained that weather was the “clear driver of weakness” for regional theme parks this summer, per CNN.

Unusually high rainfall in the Northeast and Hurricane Ian also negatively impacted theme parks in 2022 due to park closures.

Theme parks have begun to take measures to help customers cope and plan for bad weather. Six Flags has added more shade structures, fans and air conditioned spaces to help visitors keep cool. Additionally, the roller coaster company, Premier Rides, has started using more steel to build structures in order to make them last longer in the heat and extreme conditions.

Some theme parks have also altered their policies to offer customers free ticket returns when extreme weather strikes.