Item 1. Business

The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries, is a diversified worldwide entertainment company with operations in two segments: Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution (DMED) and Disney Parks, Experiences and Products (DPEP).

The terms “Company”, “we”, “our” and “us” are used in this report to refer collectively to the parent company and the subsidiaries through which businesses are conducted.

COVID-19 Pandemic

Since early 2020, the world has been, and continues to be, impacted by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and its variants. COVID-19 and measures to prevent its spread has impacted our segments in a number of ways, most significantly at the DPEP segment where our theme parks and resorts were closed and cruise ship sailings and guided tours were suspended. These operations resumed, generally at reduced capacity, at various points since May 2020. We have delayed, or in some cases, shortened or cancelled theatrical releases, and stage play performances were suspended as of March 2020. Stage play operations resumed, generally at reduced capacity, in the first quarter of fiscal 2021. Theaters have been subject to capacity limitations and shifting government mandates or guidance regarding COVID-19 restrictions. We experienced significant disruptions in the production and availability of content, including the delay of key live sports programming during fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2021, as well as the suspension of most film and television production in March 2020. Although film and television production generally resumed beginning in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020, we continue to see disruption of production activities depending on local circumstances. Fewer theatrical releases and production delays have limited the availability of film content to be sold in distribution windows subsequent to the theatrical release.

The impact of these disruptions and the extent of their adverse impact on our financial and operating results will be dictated by the length of time that such disruptions continue, which will, in turn, depend on the currently unknowable duration and severity of the impacts of COVID-19 and its variants, and among other things, the impact of governmental actions imposed in response to COVID-19 and individuals’ and companies’ risk tolerance regarding health matters going forward. We have incurred and will continue to incur additional costs to address government regulations and the safety of our employees, guests and talent.

Human Capital

The Company’s key human capital management objectives are to attract, retain and develop the highest quality talent. To support these objectives, the Company’s human resources programs are designed to develop talent to prepare them for critical roles and leadership positions for the future; reward and support employees through competitive pay, benefit, and perquisite programs; enhance the Company’s culture through efforts aimed at making the workplace more engaging and inclusive; acquire talent and facilitate internal talent mobility to create a high-performing, diverse workforce; engage employees as brand ambassadors of the Company’s content, products and experiences; and evolve and invest in technology, tools, and resources to enable employees at work.

The Company employed approximately 190,000 people as of October 2, 2021. Our global workforce is comprised of approximately 80% full time and 15% part time employees, with another 5% being seasonal employees.

Some examples of key programs and initiatives that are focused to attract, develop and retain our diverse workforce include:

• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I):** Our DE&I objectives are to build teams that reflect the life experiences of our audiences, while employing and supporting a diverse array of voices in our creative and production teams.

◦Announced the Company’s Reimagine Tomorrow endeavor, which builds on Disney’s longstanding commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. Launched the Reimagine Tomorrow digital destination, Disney’s first large-scale platform for amplifying underrepresented voices

◦Created a pipeline of next-generation creative executives from underrepresented backgrounds through programs such as the Executive Incubator, Creative Talent Development and Inclusion, and the Disney Launchpad: Shorts Incubator

◦Championed targeted development programs for underrepresented talent

◦Hosted a series of innovative learning opportunities to spark dialogue among employees, leaders, Disney talent and external experts

◦Sponsored over 75 employee-led Business Employee Resource Groups (BERGs) that represent and support the diverse communities that make up our workforce. The BERGs facilitate networking and connections with peers, outreach and mentoring, leadership and skill development and cross-cultural business innovation

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◦Added an Inclusion Key to the core set of values to serve as a catalyst for culture change and strengthen DPEP’s traditional Four Keys, Safety, Courtesy, Show and Efficiency

◦Reimagined The Disney Look appearance guidelines to cultivate a more inclusive environment that encourages and celebrates authentic expressions of belonging among employees

• Health, wellness, family resources, and other benefits:** Disney’s benefit offerings are designed to meet the varied and evolving needs of a diverse workforce across businesses and geographies while helping our employees care for themselves and their families. We provide:

◦Healthcare options aimed at improving quality of care while reducing out-of-pocket costs

◦Child care programs for employees, including access to onsite/community centers, enhanced back-up care choices to include personal caregivers, child care referral assistance and center discounts, homework help and a variety of parenting educational resources

◦Free mental and behavioral health resources, including on-demand access to the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for employees and their dependents

◦Two Centers for Living Well that offer convenient, on-demand access to board-certified physicians and counselors

• Continued response to COVID-19:** Our deliberate, phased, and multi-layered approach to respond to COVID-19 continued, and Disney was one of the first companies outside of the healthcare industry to institute a vaccination mandate for its employees, announced in July 2021. We:

◦Provided the ability for our employees to get vaccinated by offering on-site distribution in California, Florida, and Connecticut. Our Florida distribution center distributed approximately 1,000 doses weekly

◦Covered all COVID-19 testing and treatment under all Company medical plans at no cost to the employees and dependents

◦Introduced a process for those with medical or religious accommodation needs

◦Partnered with TrustAssureTM to help verify employee vaccination status

◦Provided employees with 24/7 access to a variety of educational resources about the pandemic, including ways to help stop the spread of the virus and to learn more about vaccination options. Due to increasing demand, a number of these resources were available to the public through a partnership with the Health Alliance, so employees could share them with friends and family

• Disney Aspire:** We support the long-term career aspirations of our hourly employees and further our commitment to strengthening the communities in which we work through our education investment program, Disney Aspire. The program helps our employees achieve their goals professionally - whether at Disney or beyond - by equipping them with the skills they need to succeed in the rapidly changing 21st century career landscape. More than 12,000 employees are currently enrolled in Disney Aspire, and more than half of our program graduates have earned an Associate, Bachelor or Master’s degree. Through Disney Aspire, we:

◦Pay 100% of tuition costs upfront at a variety of in-network learning providers and universities and reimburse employees for applicable books and fees

◦Provide access to a wide variety of degree, certificate, high school completion, college start, language learning and skilled trades programs

◦Offer employees flexibility to explore growth opportunities both internally and externally

◦Enable employees to choose the field they’re most passionate about - fields of study do not have to be related to an employee’s current position, nor do they have to stay at the Company upon completion of their studies

◦Offer exclusive access to the Disney Aspire Alumni Association, a support and networking group that connects graduates with leaders in their field of interest

• Talent Development:** We prioritize and invest in creating opportunities to help employees grow and build their careers through a multitude of training and development programs. These include online, instructor-led and on-the-job learning formats as well as executive talent and succession planning paired with an individualized development approach

• Social Responsibility and Community:** The Walt Disney Company’s longstanding commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) helps differentiate the Company as an employer that supports talent acquisition and retention. This year, we refreshed our CSR strategy to connect it more closely with the Company’s mission and environmental and social issues relevant to our business and employees. Our CSR priorities include diversity, equity, and inclusion; environmental stewardship and conservation; human capital management; operating responsibly; and giving back to our communities with a special focus on supporting children and families. The refreshed strategy provides employees

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with a path to embedding these CSR priorities into our offerings and operations in addition to our philanthropy. For example, employees on our creative teams are embracing inclusive storytelling while employees in our operational areas are embracing sustainable design. The Company also supports employees who give back to our communities with a generous matching gifts program and a unique employee volunteering program, Disney VoluntEARS, which rewards volunteer hours with the opportunity to direct not-for-profit donations by the Company.

Environmental and Sustainability

The Company has developed measurable environmental and sustainability goals for 2030, grounded in science and an assessment of where the Company’s operations have the most significant impact on the environment, as well as the areas where it can most effectively mitigate that impact. These include goals to reach net zero Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions for our direct operations and zero waste to landfill at our wholly owned and operated parks and resorts by 2030.

DISNEY MEDIA AND ENTERTAINMENT DISTRIBUTION

The DMED segment encompasses the Company’s global film and episodic television content production and distribution activities. Content is distributed by a single organization across three significant lines of business: Linear Networks, Direct-to-Consumer and Content Sales/Licensing and content is generally created by three production/content licensing groups: Studios, General Entertainment and Sports. The distribution organization has full accountability for the financial results of the entire media and entertainment business.

The operations of DMED’s significant lines of business are as follows:

• Linear Networks

◦Domestic Channels: ABC Television Network (ABC) and eight owned ABC television stations (Broadcasting), and Disney, ESPN, Freeform, FX and National Geographic branded domestic television networks (Cable)

◦International Channels: Disney, ESPN, Fox, National Geographic and Star branded television networks outside of the U.S.

◦A 50% equity investment in A+E Television Networks (A+E), which operates a variety of cable channels including A&E, HISTORY and Lifetime

• Direct-to-Consumer

◦Disney+, Disney+ Hotstar, ESPN+, Hulu and Star+ direct-to-consumer (DTC) streaming services

• Content Sales/Licensing

◦Sale/licensing of film and television content to third-party television and subscription video-on-demand (TV/SVOD) services

◦Theatrical distribution

◦Home entertainment distribution (DVD, Blu-ray discs and electronic home video licenses)

◦Music distribution

◦Staging and licensing of live entertainment events on Broadway and around the world (Stage Plays)

DMED also includes the following activities that are reported with Content Sales/Licensing:

• Post-production services by Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sound

• A 30% ownership interest in Tata Sky Limited, which operates a direct-to-home satellite distribution platform in India

The significant revenues of DMED are as follows:

• Affiliate fees - Fees charged by our Linear Networks to multi-channel video programming distributors (i.e. cable, satellite, telecommunications and digital over-the-top (e.g. YouTube TV) service providers) (MVPDs) and television stations affiliated with ABC for the right to deliver our programming to their customers

• Advertising - Sales of advertising time/space at Linear Networks and Direct-to-Consumer

• Subscription fees - Fees charged to customers/subscribers for our DTC streaming services

• TV/SVOD distribution - Licensing fees and other revenue for the right to use our film and television productions and revenue from fees charged to customers to view our sports programming (“pay-per-view”) and streaming access to films that are also playing in theaters (“Premier Access”). TV/SVOD distribution revenue is primarily reported in Content Sales/Licensing, except for pay-per-view and Premier Access revenue, which is reported in Direct-to-Consumer

• Theatrical distribution - Rentals from licensing our film productions to theaters

• Home entertainment - Sale of our film and television content to retailers and distributors in home video formats

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• Other content sales/licensing revenue - Revenues from licensing our music, ticket sales from stage play performances and fees from licensing our intellectual properties (“IP”) for use in stage plays

• Other revenue - Fees from sub-licensing of sports programming rights (reported in Linear Networks) and sales of post-production services (reported with Content Sales/Licensing)

The significant expenses of DMED are as follows:

• Operating expenses consist primarily of programming and production costs, technical support costs, operating labor, distribution costs and costs of sales. Operating expenses also includes fees paid to Linear Networks from other DMED businesses for the right to air our linear networks and related services. Programming and production costs include amortization of acquired licensed programming rights (including sports rights), amortization of capitalized production costs (including participations and residuals) and production costs related to live programming such as news and sports. Programming and production costs are generally allocated across the DMED businesses based on the estimated relative value of the distribution windows. These costs are largely incurred across three content creation groups, as follows:

◦Studios - Primarily capitalized production costs related to films produced under the Walt Disney Pictures, Twentieth Century Studios, Marvel, Lucasfilm, Pixar and Searchlight Pictures banners

◦General Entertainment - Primarily acquisition of rights to and internal production of episodic television programs and news content. Internal content is generally produced by the following television studios: ABC Signature; 20th Television; Disney Television Animation; FX Productions; and various studios for which we commission productions for our branded channels and DTC streaming services

◦Sports - Primarily acquisition of professional and college sports programming rights and related production costs

• Selling, general and administrative costs

• Depreciation and amortization

Media and Entertainment Distribution Strategy

Shifting consumer preferences for consumption of video content, and in particular the increasingly widespread adoption of video streaming technology, has significantly disrupted the traditional means and patterns of distribution for film and television content. In general, film content was traditionally distributed first in the theatrical market, followed by the home entertainment market and then in the TV/SVOD market. Episodic television content was traditionally distributed at linear networks and then in the TV/SVOD market.

In response to these changes, the Company has significantly increased its focus on distribution of content via our own DTC streaming services relative to distribution along traditional patterns. Although the Company continues to monetize a significant amount of its content in the traditional manner, our focus on our own DTC distribution has had a number of impacts including but not limited to:

• in some cases, we are producing exclusive content for our DTC streaming services;

• rather than selling our content in the TV/SVOD market, we may choose to distribute it on our DTC streaming services;

• in part because of the impact of COVID-19 on theatrical markets around the world, we may alter our traditional theatrical distribution approach, for example by making a film available on our DTC streaming services at the same time it is in theaters; and

• we may choose to offer our content in pay-per-view format on our own DTC streaming services (e.g. Premier Access) in addition to distributing it in traditional home entertainment markets.

Over time, all else being equal, these impacts will tend to increase revenue at Direct-to-Consumer and reduce revenue at Linear Networks and Content Sales/Licensing.

A more detailed discussion of our distribution businesses and production groups follows.

Linear Networks

The majority of Linear Networks revenue is derived from affiliate fees and advertising sales. Generally, the Company’s networks provide programming under multi-year licensing agreements with MVPDs that include contractually specified rates on a per subscriber basis. The amounts that we can charge to MVPDs for our networks is largely dependent on the quality and quantity of programming that we can provide and the competitive market for programming services. The ability to sell advertising time and the rates received are primarily dependent on the size and nature of the audience that the network can deliver to the advertiser as well as overall advertiser demand.

Linear Networks consist of our domestic and international branded television channels.

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Domestic Channels

Our domestic channels include Cable operations comprising Disney, ESPN, Freeform, FX and National Geographic branded channels and Broadcasting operations comprising ABC and eight owned ABC affiliated television stations.

Cable

Disney Channels

Branded television channels include: Disney Channel; Disney Junior; and Disney XD (collectively Disney Channels). Disney Channels also includes the DisneyNOW App and website.

Disney Channel - the Disney Channel airs original series and movie programming 24 hours a day targeted to kids ages 2 to 14. The channel features live-action comedy series, animated programming and preschool series as well as original movies and theatrical films.

Disney Junior - the Disney Junior channel airs programming 24 hours a day targeted to kids ages 2 to 7 and their parents and caregivers. The channel features animated and live-action programming that blends Disney’s storytelling and characters with learning. Disney Junior also airs as a programming block on the Disney Channel.

Disney XD - the Disney XD channel airs programming 24 hours a day targeted to kids ages 6 to 11. The channel features a mix of live-action and animated programming.

ESPN

Branded television channels include nine 24-hour domestic television sports channels: ESPN and ESPN2 (both of which are dedicated to professional and college sports as well as sports news and original programming); ESPNU (which is devoted to college sports); ESPNEWS (which simulcasts weekday ESPN Radio programming, re-airs select ESPN studio shows and airs a variety of other programming); SEC Network (which is dedicated to Southeastern Conference college athletics); ESPN Classic (which airs rebroadcasts of famous sporting events, sports documentaries and sports-themed movies); Longhorn Network (which is dedicated to The University of Texas athletics); ESPN Deportes (which airs professional and college sports as well as studio shows in Spanish); and ACC Network (which is dedicated to Atlantic Coast Conference college athletics). In addition, ESPN programs the sports schedule on ABC, which is branded ESPN on ABC.

ESPN also includes the following:

• ESPN.com, which delivers sports news, information and video on internet-connected devices, with approximately 20 editions in five languages across six countries globally. In the U.S., ESPN.com also features live video streams of ESPN channels to authenticated MVPD subscribers. Non-subscribers have limited access to certain content.

• ESPN App, which delivers scores, news, stories, highlights, short form video, podcasts and live audio, with fourteen editions in three languages globally. In the U.S., the ESPN App also features live video streams of ESPN’s linear channels and exclusive events to authenticated MVPD subscribers. Non-subscribers have limited access to certain content. The ESPN App is available for download on various internet-connected devices.

• ESPN Radio, which is the largest sports radio network in the U.S. and includes four ESPN owned stations in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Dallas.

In addition, ESPN owns and operates the following events: ESPYs (annual awards show); X Games (winter and summer action sports competitions); and a portfolio of collegiate sporting events including: bowl games, basketball games, softball games and post-season award shows.

ESPN is owned 80% by the Company and 20% by Hearst Corporation (Hearst).

Freeform

Freeform is a channel targeted to viewers ages 18 to 34 that airs original, Company owned (“library”) and licensed television series, films and holiday programming events. Freeform also includes the Freeform App and website.

FX Channels

Branded general entertainment television channels include: FX; FXM; and FXX (collectively FX Channels), which air a mix of original, library and licensed television series and films.

National Geographic Channels

Branded television channels include: National Geographic; Nat Geo Wild; and Nat Geo Mundo (collectively National Geographic Channels). National Geographic Channels air scripted and documentary programming on such topics as natural history, adventure, science, exploration and culture.

National Geographic, including the magazine and online business reported in Content Sales/licensing, is owned 73% by the Company and 27% by the National Geographic Society.

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The number of domestic subscribers (in millions) for the Company’s significant cable channels as estimated by Nielsen Media Research(1) as of September 2021 (except where noted) are as follows:

			Subscribers**(2)**
Disney
Disney Channel			76
Disney Junior			57
Disney XD			56
ESPN
ESPN			76
ESPN2			76
ESPNU			51
ESPNEWS(3)			59
SEC Network(3)			55
ACC Network(3)			42
Freeform			76
FX Channels
FX			77
FXX			72
FXM			47
National Geographic Channels
National Geographic			76
National Geographic Wild			51

(1)As a result of COVID-19, we understand there have been disruptions in Nielsen Media Research’s ability to collect in-home data, which may have had an impact on the estimated subscriber counts at September 2020 and September 2021. We believe these disruptions were more significant at September 2020 than at September 2021.

(2)Estimates include traditional MVPD and the majority of digital OTT subscriber counts.

(3)Because Nielsen Media Research does not measure this channel, estimated subscribers are according to SNL Kagan as of December 2020.

Broadcasting

ABC

As of October 2, 2021, ABC had affiliation agreements with approximately 240 local television stations reaching almost 100% of U.S. television households. ABC broadcasts programs in the primetime, daytime, late night, news and sports “dayparts”. ABC is also available digitally through the ABC App and website to authenticated MVPD subscribers. Non-subscribers have more limited access to on-demand episodes.

ABC also produces a variety of primetime specials, national news and daytime programming.

ABC provides online access to in-depth worldwide news and certain other programming through various Company operated and third party distribution platforms.

Domestic Television Stations

The Company owns eight television stations, six of which are located in the top ten television household markets in the U.S. All of our television stations are affiliated with ABC and collectively reach approximately 20% of the nation’s television households.

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The stations we own are as follows:

TV Station						Market						Television Market Ranking**(1)**
WABC						New York, NY						1
KABC						Los Angeles, CA						2
WLS						Chicago, IL						3
WPVI						Philadelphia, PA						4
KGO						San Francisco, CA						6
KTRK						Houston, TX						8
WTVD						Raleigh-Durham, NC						24
KFSN						Fresno, CA						55

(1)Based on Nielsen Media Research, U.S. Television Household Estimates, January 1, 2021.

International Channels

Our International Channels focus on General Entertainment, Sports and/or Family programming and operate under four significant brands: Disney; ESPN; Fox; and Star. The channels air programming from the Company’s content production groups, locally produced content and licensed programming.

The Company’s increased focus on DTC distribution in international markets is expected to negatively impact the International Channels business as we shift the primary means of monetizing our content from licensing of linear channels to distribution on our DTC platforms.

General Entertainment

The Company operates approximately 245 General Entertainment channels outside the U.S. primarily under the Fox, National Geographic and Star brands, which are broadcast in approximately 45 languages and 180 countries/territories.

Fox branded channels air a variety of scripted, reality and documentary programming. Channels are often thematically branded, focusing on such topics as comedy, cooking, crime, movies and travel, and are broadcast in most regions internationally.

National Geographic branded channels air scripted and documentary programming on such topics as natural history, adventure, science, exploration and culture, and are broadcast in most regions internationally.

Star branded channels air a variety of scripted, reality and documentary programming primarily in India. Channels are also broadcast in other countries in Asia Pacific.

In addition, the Company operates UTV and Bindass branded channels principally in India. UTV Action and UTV Movies offer Bollywood movies as well as Hollywood, Asian and Indian regional movies dubbed in Hindi. Bindass is a youth entertainment channel.

Sports

The Company operates approximately 55 Sports channels outside the U.S. under the ESPN, Fox and Star brands, which are broadcast in approximately 10 languages and 100 countries/territories.

ESPN branded channels primarily operate in Latin America, Asia Pacific and Europe. In the Netherlands, the ESPN branded channels are operated by Eredivisie Media & Marketing CV (EMM), which has the media and sponsorship rights of the Dutch Premier League for soccer. The Company owns 51% of EMM.

Fox branded sports channels primarily operate in Latin America, Asia Pacific and Europe. Fox Sports Premium, a pay television service in Argentina, airs the matches of the professional soccer league in Argentina.

Star branded sports channels primarily operate in India and certain other countries in Asia Pacific. Star has rights to various sports programming including cricket, soccer, tennis and field hockey.

Family

The Company operates approximately 85 Family channels outside the U.S. primarily under the Disney brand, which are broadcast in approximately 30 languages and 180 countries/territories.

Disney branded television channels include Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD and Disney International HD.

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As of September 2021, the estimated number of international subscribers (in millions) for the Company’s significant channels, based on internal management reports, are as follows:

			Subscribers
Disney
Disney Channel			162
Disney Junior			154
Disney XD			83
ESPN**(1)**			64
Fox**(1)**			184
National Geographic**(1)**			320
Star
General Entertainment(1)			132
Sports(1)			84

(1)Reflects our estimate of each unique subscriber that has access to one or more of these branded channels.

Equity Investments

The Company has investments in media businesses that are accounted for under the equity method, the most significant of which are A+E and CTV. The Company’s share of the financial results for these investments is reported as “Equity in the income (loss) of investees, net” in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations.

A+E

A+E is owned 50% by the Company and 50% by Hearst. A+E operates a variety of cable channels:

• A&E – which offers entertainment programming including original reality and scripted series

• HISTORY – which offers original series and event-driven specials

• Lifetime and Lifetime Real Women – which offer female-focused programming

• Lifetime Movie Network (LMN) – which offers female-focused movies

• FYI – which offers contemporary lifestyle programming

A+E also has a 50% ownership interest in Viceland, a channel offering lifestyle-oriented documentaries and reality series aimed at millennial audiences.

A+E programming is available in approximately 200 countries and territories. A+E’s networks are distributed internationally under multi-year licensing agreements with MVPDs. A+E programming is also sold to international television broadcasters and SVOD services.

As of September 2021, the number of domestic subscribers (in millions) for A+E channels as estimated by Nielsen Media Research(1) are as follows:

			Subscribers**(2)**
A&E			75
HISTORY			76
Lifetime			75
LMN			56
FYI			46

(1)As a result of COVID-19, we understand there have been disruptions in Nielsen Media Research’s ability to collect in-home data, which may have had an impact on the estimated subscriber counts at September 2020 and September 2021. We believe these disruptions were more significant at September 2020 than at September 2021.

(2)Estimates include traditional MVPD and the majority of digital OTT subscriber counts.

CTV

ESPN holds a 30% equity interest in CTV Specialty Television, Inc., which owns television channels in Canada, including The Sports Networks (TSN) 1-5, Le Réseau des Sports (RDS), RDS2, RDS Info, ESPN Classic Canada, Discovery Canada and Animal Planet Canada.

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Direct-to-Consumer

Our DTC businesses consist of subscription services that provide video streaming of general entertainment, family and sports programming (services are offered individually or in a bundle) and digital content distribution services. The subscription services are offered to customers directly or through third-party distributors on mobile and internet connected devices.

Disney+ Services (includes Disney+ Hotstar and Star+)

Disney+ is a subscription based DTC video streaming service with Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic branded programming, which are all top level selections or “tiles” within the Disney+ interface. Programming includes approximately 33,000 episodes and 1,850 movies from the Company’s produced and acquired television and film library and approximately 75 exclusive original series and 40 exclusive original movies and specials. Disney+ launched in November 2019 in the U.S. and four other countries and launched in other Western European countries in the Spring of 2020. In April 2020, paid subscribers of the Hotstar streaming service in India were converted to Disney+ Hotstar subscribers, and in June 2020, current subscribers of the Disney Deluxe service in Japan were converted to Disney+ subscribers. In September 2020, Disney+ was launched in additional European countries and Disney+ Hotstar was launched in Indonesia. In November 2020, Disney+ was launched in Latin America. Additional launches are planned for various Asia Pacific territories by the end of calendar 2021.

Disney+ Hotstar is a subscription based DTC video streaming service with television shows, movies, sports, news and original series in approximately ten languages. The service incorporates gaming and social features. Disney+ Hotstar has exclusive streaming rights to Home Box Office, Inc.’s original programming in India and also carries content from Showtime. Disney+ Hotstar is available in India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.

In February 2021, Disney+ expanded its general entertainment content offerings outside of the U.S. and Latin America with the launch of a STAR tile. In August 2021, STAR+ launched as a standalone DTC streaming service in Latin America.

STAR and STAR+ programming includes a variety of general entertainment content from Disney’s various studios as well as content licensed from third parties. STAR+ also includes live sports.

The majority of Disney+ revenue is derived from subscription fees. In addition, Disney+ Hotstar generates advertising revenue and Disney+ generates Premier Access fees.

As of October 2, 2021, the estimated number of paid Disney+, Disney+ Hotstar and STAR+ subscribers, based on internal management reports, was approximately 118 million.

ESPN+

ESPN+ is a subscription based DTC video streaming service offering thousands of live sporting events, on-demand sports content and original programming. ESPN+ revenue is derived from subscription fees, pay-per-view fees and, to a lesser extent, advertising sales. Live events available through the service include mixed martial arts, soccer, hockey, boxing, baseball, college sports, tennis and cricket. ESPN+ is currently the exclusive distributor for UFC pay-per-view events in the U.S. As of October 2, 2021, the estimated number of paid ESPN+ subscribers, based on internal management reports, was approximately 17 million.

Hulu

Hulu is a subscription based DTC video streaming service with content that is internally produced, commissioned or licensed. Hulu’s revenue is primarily derived from subscription fees and advertising sales. Hulu offers two SVOD services with either limited commercial announcements or with no commercial announcements, and offers a digital OTT MVPD (Live TV) service that can be combined with either of the SVOD services. Hulu’s Live TV service includes live linear streams of cable networks and the major broadcast networks. In addition, Hulu offers subscriptions to premium services such as HBOMax, Cinemax, Starz and Showtime, which can be added to the Hulu service. Certain programming from ABC, Freeform and FX Channels is also available on the Hulu SVOD service one day after airing on these channels. As of October 2, 2021, the estimated number of paid Hulu subscribers, based on internal management reports, was approximately 44 million.

The Company has a 67% ownership interest in and full operational control of Hulu. NBC Universal (NBCU) owns the remaining 33% of Hulu. The Company has a put/call agreement with NBCU, which provides NBCU the option to require the Company to purchase NBCU’s interest in Hulu and the Company the option to require NBCU to sell its interest in Hulu to the Company, in both cases, beginning in January 2024 (see Note 4 of the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information).

Digital Content Distribution Services

BAMTech LLC (BAMTech) operates the Company’s DTC sports business, which includes ESPN+. BAMTech also provides streaming technology services to third parties. BAMTech is owned 85% by the Company and 15% by Major League

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Baseball (MLB), which has the right to sell its shares to the Company in the future (see Note 2 of the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information). Hearst has a 20% interest in the Company’s DTC sports business.

Content Sales/Licensing and Other

The majority of Content Sales/Licensing revenue is derived from TV/SVOD, theatrical and home entertainment distribution. In addition, revenue is generated from music distribution and stage plays.

The Company also publishes National Geographic magazine and provides post-production services through Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sound. These activities are reported with Content Sales/Licensing.

TV/SVOD Distribution

Our film and television content is licensed to third-party television networks, television stations and other video service providers for distribution to viewers on television or a variety of internet-connected devices, including through SVOD services (such as Netflix and Amazon). For films released theatrically, the television distribution market generally comprises multiple pay and free TV windows, which have license periods of various lengths, generally following the home entertainment distribution window.

The Company’s film library includes content from approximately 100 years of production history, as well as acquired film libraries and totals approximately 4,900 live-action titles and 400 animation titles.

The Company’s television programming library includes content from approximately 70 years of production history. Series with four or more seasons include approximately 75 one-hour dramas, 50 half-hour comedies, 5 half-hour non-scripted series, 25 one-hour non-scripted series, 15 half-hour animated series and 10 half-hour live-action series.

Theatrical Distribution

The Company licenses full-length live-action and animated films from the Company’s Studio production group to theaters globally. Cumulatively through October 2, 2021, the Company has released approximately 1,100 full-length live-action films and 100 full-length animated films. In the domestic and most major international markets, we generally distribute and market our films directly. In certain international markets our films are distributed by independent companies. During fiscal 2022, we expect to release approximately 20 films, although the timing and number of these releases could be impacted by COVID-19, and certain films intended for theatrical release may be made available on our DTC streaming services in certain territories.

The Company incurs significant marketing and advertising costs before and throughout the theatrical release of a film in an effort to generate public awareness of the film, to increase the public’s intent to view the film and to help generate consumer interest in the subsequent home entertainment and other ancillary markets. These costs are expensed as incurred, which may result in a loss on a film in the theatrical markets, including in periods prior to the theatrical release of the film.

Home Entertainment Distribution

We distribute the Company’s film and episodic television content in home entertainment markets in physical (DVD and Blu-ray disc) and electronic formats globally.

Domestically, films and episodic television content are distributed directly to retailers, wholesalers and consumers. Internationally, films and episodic television content are distributed directly and through independent distribution companies. Physical formats of our films and episodic television content are generally sold to retailers, such as Walmart and Target, and electronic formats are sold through e-tailers, such as Apple and Amazon, and MVPDs, such as Comcast and DirectTV. The Company also operates Disney Movie Club, which sells DVD/Blu-ray discs directly to consumers in the U.S. and Canada.

Distribution of film content in the home entertainment window generally starts two to four months after the theatrical release. Electronic formats may be released up to four weeks ahead of the physical release.

Distribution of episodic television content in the home entertainment window includes sales of season passes that can be purchased prior to, during and after the broadcast season with individual episodes typically available to season pass customers shortly after the initial airing of the show in each territory. Individual episodes are also available for purchase shortly after their initial airing in each territory.

As of October 2, 2021, we have approximately 2,500 produced and acquired film titles that are actively distributed in the home entertainment window, including approximately 2,200 live-action titles and approximately 300 animated titles.

Concurrently with physical home entertainment distribution, we license titles to video-on-demand (VOD) services for electronic delivery to consumers for a specified rental period.

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Disney Theatrical Group

Disney Theatrical Group develops, produces and licenses live entertainment events on Broadway and around the world. Productions include The Lion King, Aladdin, Frozen, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Mary Poppins (a co-production with Cameron Mackintosh Ltd), Newsies, Aida and TARZAN*®*.

Disney Theatrical Group also licenses the Company’s IP to Feld Entertainment, the producer of Disney On Ice and Marvel Universe Live!.

Music Distribution

The Disney Music Group (DMG) commissions new music for the Company’s motion pictures and television programs and develops, produces, markets and distributes the Company’s music worldwide either directly or through license agreements. DMG also licenses the songs and recording copyrights to third parties for printed music, records, audio-visual devices, public performances and digital distribution and produces live musical concerts. DMG includes Walt Disney Records, Hollywood Records, Disney Music Publishing and Disney Concerts.

Equity Investment

The Company has a 30% effective interest in Tata Sky Limited, which operates a direct-to-home satellite distribution platform in India.

Studios

The Studios produce motion pictures under the Walt Disney Pictures, Twentieth Century Studios, Marvel, Lucasfilm, Pixar and Searchlight Pictures banners. Costs to produce the films are generally capitalized and allocated to the distribution platform utilizing the content.

Marvel licensed rights to produce and distribute Spider-Man films to Sony Pictures Entertainment (Sony) prior to the Company’s fiscal 2010 acquisition of Marvel. In general, Sony incurs the costs to produce and distribute Spider-Man films and the Company licenses the merchandise rights to third parties. The Company pays Sony a licensing fee based on each film’s box office receipts, subject to specified limits. In general, the Company distributes all other Marvel-produced films.

In fiscal 2022, the Studios plan to produce approximately 50 titles, which include films and episodic television programs, for distribution theatrically and/or on our DTC platforms. The timing and number of productions could be impacted by COVID-19.

General Entertainment

Content produced by General Entertainment primarily consists of original episodic television programs and network news content. General Entertainment also acquires episodic television programming rights. Original content is generally produced by the following Company owned television studios: ABC Signature; 20th Television; Disney Branded Television; FX Productions; and National Geographic Studios. Original content is also commissioned by General Entertainment and produced by various other third-party studios. Costs to produce original content are generally capitalized and allocated to the distribution platform utilizing the content. Program development is carried out in collaboration with writers, producers and creative teams.

We estimate the number of original programs that will be produced or commissioned by General Entertainment for use by the Company’s various distribution platforms in fiscal 2022 is as follows, although the timing and number of productions could be impacted by COVID-19:

• 60 unscripted series

• 30 comedy series

• 25 drama series

• 15 docuseries/limited series

• 10 animated series

• 5 made for TV movies

• Numerous specials and shorts

Programming produced by our television studios for third-party platforms include eight returning and three new one-hour dramas; seven returning and one new half-hour comedies; and two new limited series. For many of these productions, the third parties have domestic linear distribution rights, and the Company has SVOD and international distribution rights.

Sports

The Company has various professional and college sports programming rights, which the Sports group uses to produce content aired on our Linear Networks and distributed on our DTC platforms including live events, sports news and original content. In the U.S., rights include college football (including bowl games and the College Football Playoff) and basketball, the

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National Basketball Association (NBA), the National Football League (NFL), MLB, US Open Tennis, the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) Championship, the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), soccer, Top Rank Boxing, the Wimbledon Championships, the Masters golf tournament, mixed martial arts and the National Hockey League (NHL) (beginning with the 2021-2022 season). Internationally, rights include various cricket events (for which the Company has the global distribution rights to certain events), soccer (including English Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga and multiple UEFA leagues), motorsports, tennis, combat sports, the NFL and MLB.

Competition and Seasonality

The Company’s Linear Networks and DTC streaming services compete for viewers primarily with other television networks, independent television stations and other media, such as other DTC streaming services and video games. With respect to the sale of advertising time, we compete with other television networks, independent television stations, MVPDs and other advertising media such as digital content, newspapers, magazines, radio and billboards. Our television and radio stations primarily compete for audiences and advertisers in local market areas.

The Company’s Linear Networks compete with other networks for carriage by MVPDs. The Company’s contractual agreements with MVPDs are renewed or renegotiated from time to time in the ordinary course of business. Consolidation and other market conditions in the cable, satellite and telecommunication distribution industry and other factors may adversely affect the Company’s ability to obtain and maintain contractual terms for the distribution of its various programming services that are as favorable as those currently in place.

The Content Sales/Licensing businesses compete with all forms of entertainment. A significant number of companies produce and/or distribute theatrical and television content, distribute products in the home entertainment market, provide pay television and SVOD services, and produce music and live theater.

The operating results of Content Sales/Licensing fluctuate due to the timing and performance of releases in the theatrical, home entertainment and television markets. Release dates are determined by several factors, including competition and the timing of vacation and holiday periods.

The Company’s websites and digital products compete with other websites and entertainment products.

We also compete with other media and entertainment companies, independent production companies, SVOD providers and DTC streaming services for the acquisition of sports rights, creative and performing talent, story properties, show concepts, scripted and other programming, advertiser support and exhibition outlets that are essential to the success of our DMED businesses.

Advertising revenues at Linear Networks and Direct-to-Consumer are subject to seasonal advertising patterns, changes in viewership levels and the demand for sports programming. In general, domestic advertising revenues are typically somewhat higher during the fall and somewhat lower during the summer months. In addition, advertising revenues generated from sports programming are impacted by the timing of sports seasons and events, which varies throughout the year or may take place periodically (e.g. biannually, quadrennially). Affiliate revenues vary with the subscriber trends of MVPDs.

In addition, operating results at all of our businesses may fluctuate in response to business closures or disruptions, such as those described under COVID-19 Pandemic.

Federal Regulation

Television and radio broadcasting are subject to extensive regulation by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) under federal laws and regulations, including the Communications Act of 1934, as amended. Violation of FCC regulations can result in substantial monetary fines, limited renewals of licenses and, in egregious cases, denial of license renewal or revocation of a license. FCC regulations that affect our DMED segment include the following:

• Licensing of television and radio stations. Each of the television and radio stations we own must be licensed by the FCC. These licenses are granted for periods of up to eight years, and we must obtain renewal of licenses as they expire in order to continue operating the stations. We (and the acquiring entity in the case of a divestiture) must also obtain FCC approval whenever we seek to have a license transferred in connection with the acquisition or divestiture of a station. The FCC may decline to renew or approve the transfer of a license in certain circumstances and may delay renewals while permitting a licensee to continue operating. Although we have received such renewals and approvals in the past or have been permitted to continue operations when renewal is delayed, there can be no assurance that this will be the case in the future.

• Television and radio station ownership limits. The FCC imposes limitations on the number of television stations and radio stations we can own in a specific market, on the combined number of television and radio stations we can own in

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a single market and on the aggregate percentage of the national audience that can be reached by television stations we own. Currently:

◦FCC regulations may restrict our ability to own more than one television station in a market, depending on the size and nature of the market. We do not own more than one television station in any market.

◦Federal statutes permit our television stations in the aggregate to reach a maximum of 39% of the national audience. Pursuant to the most recent decision by the FCC as to how to calculate compliance with this limit, our eight stations reach approximately 20% of the national audience.

◦FCC regulations in some cases impose restrictions on our ability to acquire additional radio or television stations in the markets in which we own radio stations. We do not believe any such limitations are material to our current operating plans.

• Dual networks. FCC rules currently prohibit any of the four major broadcast television networks — ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC — from being under common ownership or control.

• Regulation of programming. The FCC regulates broadcast programming by, among other things, banning “indecent” programming, regulating political advertising and imposing commercial time limits during children’s programming. Penalties for broadcasting indecent programming can be over $400,000 per indecent utterance or image per station.

Federal legislation and FCC rules also limit the amount of commercial matter that may be shown on broadcast or cable channels during programming designed for children 12 years of age and younger. In addition, broadcast stations are generally required to provide an average of three hours per week of programming that has as a “significant purpose” meeting the educational and informational needs of children 16 years of age and younger. FCC rules also give television station owners the right to reject or refuse network programming in certain circumstances or to substitute programming that the licensee reasonably believes to be of greater local or national importance.

• Cable and satellite carriage of broadcast television stations. With respect to MVPDs operating within a television station’s Designated Market Area, FCC rules require that every three years each television station elect either “must carry” status, pursuant to which MVPDs generally must carry a local television station in the station’s market, or “retransmission consent” status, pursuant to which the MVPDs must negotiate with the television station to obtain the consent of the television station prior to carrying its signal. The ABC owned television stations have historically elected retransmission consent.

• Cable and satellite carriage of programming. The Communications Act and FCC rules regulate some aspects of negotiations regarding cable and satellite retransmission consent, and some cable and satellite distribution companies have sought regulation of additional aspects of the carriage of programming on cable and satellite systems. New legislation, court action or regulation in this area could have an impact on the Company’s operations.

The foregoing is a brief summary of certain provisions of the Communications Act, other legislation and specific FCC rules and policies. Reference should be made to the Communications Act, other legislation, FCC rules and public notices and rulings of the FCC for further information concerning the nature and extent of the FCC’s regulatory authority.

FCC laws and regulations are subject to change, and the Company generally cannot predict whether new legislation, court action or regulations, or a change in the extent of application or enforcement of current laws and regulations, would have an adverse impact on our operations.

DISNEY PARKS, EXPERIENCES AND PRODUCTS

The operations of DPEP’s significant lines of business are as follows:

• Parks & Experiences:

◦Theme parks and resorts, which include: Walt Disney World Resort in Florida; Disneyland Resort in California; Disneyland Paris; Hong Kong Disneyland Resort (48% ownership interest); and Shanghai Disney Resort (43% ownership interest), all of which are consolidated in our results. Additionally, the Company licenses our IP to a third party to operate Tokyo Disney Resort.

◦Disney Cruise Line, Disney Vacation Club, National Geographic Expeditions (73% ownership interest), Adventures by Disney and Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa in Hawaii

• Consumer Products:

◦Licensing of our trade names, characters, visual, literary and other IP to various manufacturers, game developers, publishers and retailers throughout the world, for use on merchandise, published materials and games

◦Sale of branded merchandise through retail, online and wholesale businesses, and development and publishing of books, comic books and magazines (except National Geographic magazine, which is reported in DMED)

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The significant revenues of DPEP are as follows:

• Theme park admissions - Sales of tickets for admission to our theme parks

• Parks & Experiences merchandise, food and beverage - Sales of merchandise, food and beverages at our theme parks and resorts and cruise ships

• Resorts and vacations - Sales of room nights at hotels, sales of cruise and other vacations and sales and rentals of vacation club properties

• Merchandise licensing and retail:

◦Merchandise licensing - Royalties from licensing our IP for use on consumer goods

◦Retail - Sales of merchandise at The Disney Store and through internet shopping sites generally branded shopDisney, as well as to wholesalers (including books, comic books and magazines)

• Parks licensing and other - Revenues from sponsorships, real estate rent and sales and royalties earned on Tokyo Disney Resort revenues.

The significant expenses of DPEP are as follows:

• Operating expenses consisting primarily of operating labor, costs of goods sold, infrastructure costs, supplies, commissions and entertainment offerings. Infrastructure costs include information systems expense, repairs and maintenance, property taxes, utilities and fuel, retail occupancy costs, insurance and transportation

• Selling, general and administrative costs

• Depreciation and amortization

Significant capital investments:

• In recent years, the majority of the Company’s capital spend has been at our parks and experiences business, which is principally for theme park and resort expansion, new attractions, cruise ships, capital improvements and systems infrastructure. The various investment plans discussed in the “Parks & Experiences” section are based on management’s current expectations. Actual investment may differ.

Parks & Experiences

Walt Disney World Resort

The Walt Disney World Resort is located approximately 20 miles southwest of Orlando, Florida, on approximately 25,000 acres of land. The resort includes theme parks (the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom); hotels; vacation club properties; a retail, dining and entertainment complex (Disney Springs); a sports complex; conference centers; campgrounds; golf courses; water parks; and other recreational facilities designed to attract visitors for an extended stay.

The Walt Disney World Resort is marketed through a variety of international, national and local advertising and promotional activities. A number of attractions and restaurants in each of the theme parks are sponsored or operated by other corporations under multi-year agreements.

Magic Kingdom — The Magic Kingdom consists of six themed areas: Adventureland, Fantasyland, Frontierland, Liberty Square, Main Street USA and Tomorrowland. Each land provides a unique guest experience featuring themed attractions, restaurants, merchandise shops and entertainment experiences.

EPCOT — EPCOT consists of four major themed areas: World Showcase, World Celebration, World Nature and World Discovery. All areas feature themed attractions, restaurants, merchandise shops and entertainment experiences. Countries represented with pavilions include Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, Norway, the United Kingdom and the U.S. EPCOT is undergoing a multi-year transformation, which includes the addition of Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure attraction and the Harmonious nighttime spectacular, which both opened in October 2021, and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, which is expected to open in summer 2022.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios — Disney’s Hollywood Studios consists of eight themed areas: Animation Courtyard, Commissary Lane, Echo Lake, Grand Avenue, Hollywood Boulevard, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Sunset Boulevard and Toy Story Land. The areas provide behind-the-scenes glimpses of Hollywood-style action through various shows and attractions and offer themed food service, merchandise shops and entertainment experiences.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom — Disney’s Animal Kingdom consists of a 145-foot tall Tree of Life centerpiece surrounded by five themed areas: Africa, Asia, DinoLand USA, Discovery Island and Pandora - The World of Avatar. Each themed area contains attractions, restaurants, merchandise shops and entertainment experiences. The park features more than 300 species of live mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians and 3,000 varieties of vegetation.

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Hotels, Vacation Club Properties and Other Resort Facilities — As of October 2, 2021, the Company owned and operated 18 resort hotels and vacation club facilities at the Walt Disney World Resort, with approximately 24,000 rooms and 3,500 vacation club units. Resort facilities include 500,000 square feet of conference meeting space and Disney’s Fort Wilderness camping and recreational area, which offers approximately 800 campsites. The Company is constructing the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, a new hotel at the Walt Disney World Resort scheduled to open in March 2022.

Disney Springs is an approximately 120-acre retail, dining and entertainment complex and consists of four areas: Marketplace, The Landing, Town Center and West Side. The areas are home to more than 150 venues including the 64,000-square-foot World of Disney retail store. Most of the Disney Springs facilities are operated by third parties that pay rent to the Company.

Nine independently-operated hotels with approximately 6,000 rooms are situated on property leased from the Company.

ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex is a 230-acre center that hosts professional caliber training and competitions, festival and tournament events and interactive sports activities. The complex, which welcomes both amateur and professional athletes, accommodates multiple sporting events, including baseball, basketball, football, soccer, softball, tennis and track and field. It also includes a stadium, as well as two venues designed for cheerleading, dance competitions and other indoor sports. In 2020, the complex hosted the remainder of the previously suspended NBA season, including the playoffs and finals.

Other recreational amenities and activities available at the Walt Disney World Resort include three championship golf courses, miniature golf courses, full-service spas, tennis, sailing, swimming, horseback riding and a number of other sports and leisure time activities. The resort also includes two water parks: Disney’s Blizzard Beach and Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon.

Disneyland Resort

The Company owns 486 acres and has rights under a long-term lease for use of an additional 55 acres of land in Anaheim, California. The Disneyland Resort includes two theme parks (Disneyland and Disney California Adventure), three resort hotels and a retail, dining and entertainment complex (Downtown Disney).

The Disneyland Resort is marketed through a variety of international, national and local advertising and promotional activities. A number of the attractions and restaurants in the theme parks are sponsored or operated by other corporations under multi-year agreements.

Disneyland — Disneyland consists of nine themed areas: Adventureland, Critter Country, Fantasyland, Frontierland, Main Street USA, Mickey’s Toontown, New Orleans Square, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, and Tomorrowland. These areas feature themed attractions, restaurants, merchandise shops and entertainment experiences.

Disney California Adventure — Disney California Adventure is adjacent to Disneyland and includes eight themed areas: Avengers Campus, Buena Vista Street, Cars Land, Grizzly Peak, Hollywood Land, Pacific Wharf, Paradise Gardens Park and Pixar Pier. These areas include themed attractions, restaurants, merchandise shops and entertainment experiences.

Hotels, Vacation Club Units and Other Resort Facilities — Disneyland Resort includes three Company owned and operated hotels and vacation club facilities with approximately 2,400 rooms, 50 vacation club units and 180,000 square feet of conference meeting space.

Downtown Disney is a themed 15-acre retail, entertainment and dining complex with approximately 30 venues located adjacent to both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. Most of the Downtown Disney facilities are operated by third parties that pay rent to the Company.

Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa

Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, is a Company-operated family resort on a 21-acre oceanfront property on Oahu, Hawaii featuring approximately 350 hotel rooms, an 18,000-square-foot spa and 12,000 square feet of conference meeting space. The resort also has approximately 480 vacation club units.

Disneyland Paris

Disneyland Paris is located on a 5,510-acre development in Marne-la-Vallée, approximately 20 miles east of Paris, France. The land is being developed pursuant to a master agreement with French governmental authorities. Disneyland Paris includes two theme parks (Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park); seven themed resort hotels; two convention centers; a shopping, dining and entertainment complex (Disney Village); and a 27-hole golf facility. Of the 5,510 acres comprising the site, approximately half have been developed to date, including a planned community (Val d’Europe) and an eco-tourism destination (Villages Nature).

Disneyland Park — Disneyland Park consists of five themed areas: Adventureland, Discoveryland, Fantasyland, Frontierland and Main Street USA. These areas include themed attractions, restaurants, merchandise shops and entertainment experiences.

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Walt Disney Studios Park — Walt Disney Studios Park includes four themed areas: Front Lot, Production Courtyard, Toon Studio and Worlds of Pixar. These areas each include themed attractions, restaurants, merchandise shops and entertainment experiences. Walt Disney Studios Park is undergoing a multi-year expansion that will include Avengers Campus, which is expected to open in summer 2022, and a new theme area based on Frozen.

Hotels and Other Facilities — Disneyland Paris operates seven resort hotels, with approximately 5,750 rooms and 250,000 square feet of conference meeting space. In addition, eight on-site hotels that are owned and operated by third parties provide approximately 2,575 rooms.

Disney Village is an approximately 500,000-square-foot retail, dining and entertainment complex located between the theme parks and the hotels. A number of the Disney Village facilities are operated by third parties that pay rent to the Company.

Val d’Europe is a planned community near Disneyland Paris that is being developed in phases. Val d’Europe currently includes a regional train station, hotels and a town center consisting of a shopping center as well as office, commercial and residential space. Third parties operate these developments on land leased or purchased from the Company.

Villages Nature is a European eco-tourism resort that consists of recreational facilities, restaurants and 900 vacation units. The resort is a 50% joint venture between the Company and Pierre & Vacances-Center Parcs, who manages the venture.

Hong Kong Disneyland Resort

The Company owns a 48% interest in Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) owns a 52% interest. The resort is located on 310 acres on Lantau Island and is in close proximity to the Hong Kong International Airport and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge. Hong Kong Disneyland Resort includes one theme park and three themed resort hotels. A separate Hong Kong subsidiary of the Company is responsible for managing Hong Kong Disneyland Resort. The Company is entitled to receive royalties and management fees based on the operating performance of Hong Kong Disneyland Resort.

Hong Kong Disneyland — Hong Kong Disneyland consists of seven themed areas: Adventureland, Fantasyland, Grizzly Gulch, Main Street USA, Mystic Point, Tomorrowland and Toy Story Land. These areas feature themed attractions, restaurants, merchandise shops and entertainment experiences. The park is in the midst of a multi-year expansion project that includes a Frozen-themed area.

Hotels — Hong Kong Disneyland Resort includes three themed hotels with a total of 1,750 rooms and approximately 16,000 square feet of conference meeting space.

Shanghai Disney Resort

The Company owns a 43% interest in Shanghai Disney Resort and Shanghai Shendi (Group) Co., Ltd (Shendi) owns a 57% interest. The resort is located in the Pudong district of Shanghai on approximately 1,000 acres of land, which includes the Shanghai Disneyland theme park; two themed resort hotels; a retail, dining and entertainment complex (Disneytown); and an outdoor recreation area. A management company, in which the Company has a 70% interest and Shendi has a 30% interest, is responsible for operating the resort and receives a management fee based on the operating performance of Shanghai Disney Resort. The Company is also entitled to royalties based on the resort’s revenues.

Shanghai Disneyland — Shanghai Disneyland consists of seven themed areas: Adventure Isle, Fantasyland, Gardens of Imagination, Mickey Avenue, Tomorrowland, Toy Story Land and Treasure Cove. These areas feature themed attractions, shows, restaurants, merchandise shops and entertainment experiences. The Company is constructing an eighth themed area based on the animated film Zootopia.

Hotels and Other Facilities — Shanghai Disneyland Resort includes two themed hotels with a total of 1,220 rooms. Disneytown is an 11-acre outdoor complex of dining, shopping and entertainment venues located adjacent to Shanghai Disneyland. Most Disneytown facilities are operated by third parties that pay rent to Shanghai Disney Resort.

Tokyo Disney Resort

Tokyo Disney Resort is located on 494 acres of land, six miles east of downtown Tokyo, Japan. The Company earns royalties on revenues generated by the Tokyo Disney Resort, which is owned and operated by Oriental Land Co., Ltd. (OLC), a third-party Japanese corporation. The resort includes two theme parks (Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea); four Disney-branded hotels; six other hotels (operated by third parties other than OLC); a retail, dining and entertainment complex (Ikspiari); and Bon Voyage, a Disney-themed merchandise location.

Tokyo Disneyland — Tokyo Disneyland consists of seven themed areas: Adventureland, Critter Country, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, Toontown, Westernland and World Bazaar.

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Tokyo DisneySea — Tokyo DisneySea is divided into seven “ports of call,” including American Waterfront, Arabian Coast, Lost River Delta, Mediterranean Harbor, Mermaid Lagoon, Mysterious Island and Port Discovery. OLC is expanding Tokyo DisneySea to include an eighth themed port, Fantasy Springs.

Hotels and Other Resort Facilities — Tokyo Disney Resort includes four Disney-branded hotels with a total of more than 2,400 rooms and a monorail, which links the theme parks and resort hotels with Ikspiari. OLC is currently constructing an approximate 600-room Toy Story themed hotel that is expected to open in April 2022 and an approximate 475-room Disney-branded hotel at Tokyo DisneySea that is expected to open in 2023.

Disney Vacation Club (DVC)

DVC offers ownership interests in 15 resort facilities located at the Walt Disney World Resort; Disneyland Resort; Aulani; Vero Beach, Florida; and Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Available units are offered for sale under a vacation ownership plan and are operated as hotel rooms when not occupied by vacation club members. The Company’s vacation club units range from deluxe studios to three-bedroom grand villas. Unit counts in this document are presented in terms of two-bedroom equivalents. DVC had approximately 4,300 vacation club units as of October 2, 2021. The Company also plans to convert certain existing hotel rooms at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa into approximately 70 DVC units by summer 2022 and build a new DVC property at Disneyland Resort with 135 units that is expected to open in 2023.

Disney Cruise Line

Disney Cruise Line is a four-ship vacation cruise line, which operates out of ports in North America and Europe. The Disney Magic and the Disney Wonder are approximately 85,000-ton 875-stateroom ships, and the Disney Dream and the Disney Fantasy are approximately 130,000-ton 1,250-stateroom ships. The ships cater to families, children, teenagers and adults, with distinctly-themed areas and activities for each group. Many cruise vacations include a visit to Disney’s Castaway Cay, a 1,000-acre private Bahamian island.

The Company is expanding its cruise business by adding three new ships. The first ship, the Disney Wish, is scheduled to launch in June 2022 with the other two ships to be delivered from the shipyard in 2024 and 2025. Each new ship can be powered by liquefied natural gas and will be approximately 140,000 tons with 1,250 staterooms.

The Company has an agreement with the Government of The Bahamas to create and manage a destination at Lighthouse Point on the island of Eleuthera, which is scheduled to open in 2024.

Adventures by Disney and National Geographic Expeditions

Adventures by Disney and National Geographic Expeditions offer guided tour packages predominantly at non-Disney sites around the world.

Walt Disney Imagineering

Walt Disney Imagineering provides master planning, real estate development, attraction, entertainment and show design, engineering support, production support, project management and research and development for the DPEP segment.

Consumer Products

Licensing

The Company’s merchandise licensing operations cover a diverse range of product categories, the most significant of which are: toys, apparel, games, home décor and furnishings, accessories, health and beauty, books, food, footwear, stationery, consumer electronics and magazines. The Company licenses characters from its film, television and other properties for use on third-party products in these categories and earns royalties, which are usually based on a fixed percentage of the wholesale or retail selling price of the products. Some of the major properties licensed by the Company include: Mickey and Minnie, Star Wars, Frozen, Disney Princess, Avengers, Spider-Man, Toy Story, Disney Classics, Winnie the Pooh and Cars.

Retail

The Company sells Disney-, Marvel-, Pixar- and Lucasfilm-branded products through retail stores and internet sites globally. During 2021, the Company announced plans to focus on its e-commerce business and significantly reduced its brick-and-mortar footprint in North America and Europe. At October 2, 2021, the Company owns and operates approximately 40 stores in Japan, 20 stores in North America, 15 stores in Europe and two stores in China. Retail stores operate under The Disney Store name and are generally located in leading shopping malls and other retail complexes. Internet sites are generally branded shopDisney.

The Company creates, distributes and publishes a variety of products in multiple countries and languages based on the Company’s branded franchises. The products include children’s books, comic books, digital comics and ebooks, learning products and storytelling apps.

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Competition and Seasonality

The Company’s theme parks and resorts as well as Disney Cruise Line and Disney Vacation Club compete with other forms of entertainment, lodging, tourism and recreational activities. The profitability of the leisure-time industry may be influenced by various factors that are not directly controllable, such as economic conditions including business cycle and exchange rate fluctuations, health concerns, the political environment, travel industry trends, amount of available leisure time, oil and transportation prices, weather patterns and natural disasters. The licensing and retail business competes with other licensors, retailers and publishers of character, brand and celebrity names, as well as other licensors, publishers and developers of game software, online video content, websites, other types of home entertainment and retailers of toys and kids merchandise.

All of the theme parks and the associated resort facilities are operated on a year-round basis. Typically, theme park attendance and resort occupancy fluctuate based on the seasonal nature of vacation travel and leisure activities, the opening of new guest offerings and pricing and promotional offers. Peak attendance and resort occupancy generally occur during the summer months when school vacations occur and during early winter and spring holiday periods. The licensing, retail and wholesale businesses are influenced by seasonal consumer purchasing behavior, which generally results in higher revenues during the Company’s first and fourth fiscal quarter, and by the timing and performance of theatrical and game releases and cable programming broadcasts.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY PROTECTION

The Company’s businesses throughout the world are affected by its ability to exploit and protect against infringement of its IP, including trademarks, trade names, copyrights, patents and trade secrets. Important IP includes rights in the content of motion pictures, television programs, electronic games, sound recordings, character likenesses, theme park attractions, books and magazines, and merchandise. Risks related to the protection and exploitation of IP rights are set forth in Item 1A – Risk Factors.

AVAILABLE INFORMATION

Our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports are available without charge on our website, www.disney.com/investors, as soon as reasonably practicable after they are filed electronically with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). We are providing the address to our internet site solely for the information of investors. We do not intend the address to be an active link or to otherwise incorporate the contents of the website into this report.