Last update on 2024-03-05

Walt Disney (DIS) Explained

An Overview of DIS: Its Business Strategy, Core Products, Major Competitors, and Essential Insights into its Role in the Entertainment Industry

Walt Disney owns the rights to some of the most globally recognized characters, from Mickey Mouse to Luke Skywalker. These characters and others are featured in several Disney theme parks around the world. Disney makes live-action and animated films under studios such as Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm and also operates media networks including ESPN and several TV production studios. Disney recently reorganized into four segments with one new segment: direct-to-consumer and international. The new segment includes the two announced OTT offerings, ESPN+ and the Disney SVOD service. The plan also combines two segments, parks and resorts and consumer products, into one. The media networks group contains the U.S. cable channels and ABC. The studio segment holds the movie production assets.

Current Business Strategy

Walt Disney's current strategy focuses on leveraging its diverse portfolio of brands, content, and franchises to enhance direct-to-consumer streaming services, expand its global theme park operations, and exploit cross-selling opportunities across its various business segments. This strategy includes significant investment in content creation for its streaming platforms like Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+, aiming at subscriber growth and retention. Additionally, the company focuses on integrating technology to improve customer experiences in its theme parks and resorts worldwide.

Most known Products

Here is the list of the 5 most well-known products of Walt Disney (DIS):

• Disney+: A direct-to-consumer streaming service offering movies, TV shows, and exclusive original content across the Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic franchises.
• Marvel Cinematic Universe: A series of superhero films and television series produced by Marvel Studios, featuring characters from Marvel Comics, known for its interconnected storytelling, spanning over a decade.
• Disney Theme Parks and Resorts: A global set of theme parks and resorts, including Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort, offering entertainment, rides, and attractions based on Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars themes.
• Star Wars Franchise: A space opera franchise that includes movies, TV shows, books, and merchandise, spanning several generations and known for its iconic characters, such as Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader.
• Pixar Animation Studios: An animation studio that produces feature films and shorts. Known for its advanced CGI animation and beloved films like Toy Story, Finding Nemo, and Inside Out.

Competitors

Here is the list of the main 5 competitors of Walt Disney (DIS):

• NFLX: Netflix is a leading competitor in the streaming service sector, offering a wide range of television series, documentaries, and feature films across a variety of genres and languages.
• CMCSA: Comcast, through its subsidiary NBCUniversal, competes with Disney in broadcasting, cable television, movies, and theme parks.
• T: AT&T, before the spin-off and merger of its WarnerMedia division with Discovery, was a competitor through its ownership of Warner Bros., HBO, and other assets, competing in film, television, and streaming.
• AMZN: Amazon competes with Disney in the streaming space through its Amazon Prime Video service and also in retail, selling a vast array of merchandise including Disney products.
• SONY: Sony, through its various business units including Sony Pictures Entertainment and PlayStation, competes with Disney in movies, television, and gaming, offering both content and platforms that rival Disney's offerings.