Orlando Sentinel - Disney theme-park bookings have slowed despite discounts on Tourism Central Florida

Walt Disney Co. CEO Bob Iger said this evening that theme-park bookings have slowed, despite the company's heavy discounting efforts.

"We're on par with where we were a year ago. But we're discounting in the marketplace," Iger told analysts at the Deutsche Bank Securities media and telecom conference. "So the bottom line will be affected somewhat by that."

Disney had said in early February that bookings between January and June were running slightly ahead of last year's pace, thanks largely to its seven nights for the price of four hotel-and-ticket promotion.

Still, the Disney chief pointed to the recent opening of the new American Idol Experience at Disney's Hollywood Studios as evidence that the company will keep making long-term investments in its parks despite the deep recession.

"We'll continue to look at opportunities like that," Iger said. "We'll continue to invest carefully and selectively and strategically."

Orlando Sentinel - Disney theme-park bookings have slowed despite discounts on Tourism Central Florida

It's interesting to see how Disney is weathering the economic downturn. If I read this correctly, sounds like their discounts are mostly working when it comes to actually getting vistors to the parks, but those guests are spending less while they are there.

One has to be encouraged that Iger still sees the need for investing in the parks even during tough times. They will need to be positioned to take advantage of the recovery, when it happens, since Harry Potter's Wizarding World will, in my opinion, draw a lot of folks away from Disney, for the first time.

I'm still hoping that Disney will come out with some even better deals before all is said and done. It's a buyer's market for the vacationer!