Disneyland Increases Its Economic Impact On Orange County

ANAHEIM, CA —An economic impact report shows that Disneyland's economic impact has jumped by 50% since 2013, a Cal State Fullerton study released Friday.

The theme park had an $8.5 billion impact on the region and created more than 78,000 jobs as of the most recent fiscal year, according to a study of October 2017 through September of last year. Disneyland visitors spent $2.5 billion at local businesses outside the theme park, the study showed.

"Tourism is one of the major and growing segments of the economy as consumers shift more of their spending to leisure activities," said one of the study's leaders, Anil Puril, director of the university's Woods Center for Economic Analysis and Forecasting.

"Disneyland Resort has shown phenomenal growth," Puri added. "Disneyland Resort also plays an important role in propelling the economy forward through programs like Disney Aspire, a free education program, and other programs offering skills for economic mobility and advancement."
Since 2013, Disneyland's job rate has grown at a 7.2-percent average annually, which is higher than the general job growth of 2.3-percent in the region.

Disneyland generates more than 78,000 jobs in Southern California. More than 57,000 of those jobs, or 73-percent, are in Orange County and account for 3.6-percent of all jobs in Orange County.

Disneyland's workers, guests and the company's businesses generated nearly $510 million in annual state and local taxes, which is 6-percent higher than the average annual growth since 2013. Anaheim pocketed nearly $162 million in taxes.