Social Media Industry Report

Comparing Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort

Introduction

Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort are two of the most prominent leaders in the theme park industry. However, both companies approach their social media platforms differently. Their social media presence plays a significant role in how they connect with fans. This blog post examines how each brand engages with audiences on Instagram and Twitter/X, using real-time data to compare their strategies, highlight strengths and weaknesses, and suggest areas for improvement in digital engagement.

Engagement Data Analysis

Engagement data from public posts within the last 30–60 days was collected to evaluate how both brands perform on Instagram and Twitter/X. These platforms were chosen because they are actively used by both companies to promote events, share updates, and interact with followers. Walt Disney World consistently shows stronger engagement across both platforms, particularly on Instagram, where its content receives significantly more likes and comments. Twitter engagement is slightly more balanced between the two brands. Overall, Disney still maintains a lead. Both brands primarily use Twitter to share announcements and promotions, with less focus on daily audience interaction.

Brand	Platform	Avg. Likes/Reactions	Avg. Comments/Replies	Engagement Rate (%)
Walt Disney World	Instagram	120,000	4,500	4.8%
Universal Orlando	Instagram	85,000	3,200	3.7%
Walt Disney World	Twitter/X	8,200	1,050	1.6%
Universal Orlando	Twitter/X	6,400	920	1.4%

Engagement metrics for Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort across Instagram and Twitter/X (last 30–60 days). Data compiled using manual post sampling and AI-assisted analysis via ChatGPT (OpenAI, 2025), supplemented by insights from PR Daily and Sprout Social.

Strengths & Weaknesses Analysis

Walt Disney World's strength lies in its polished and emotionally resonant content. Posts often include high-quality visuals, themed storytelling, and appearances from beloved characters. This helps maintain strong audience engagement. Universal Orlando stands out with its playful, "meme-driven" tone. Especially during events like Halloween Horror Nights which resonates well with younger audiences. However, Universal's less frequent posting schedule and limited use of newer Instagram features, such as Reels and Stories, may be holding back its overall performance.

Recommendations & Conclusion

Universal Orlando could benefit from a more consistent posting schedule and a wider variety of content formats. This could include more real-time engagement. For example, live tweeting and responding to fan comments could also strengthen community connection. Although Walt Disney World is currently leading in engagement, the brand could continue its momentum by integrating AR filters, hosting content challenges, and spotlighting user-generated content.

The main takeaway is that both Disney and Universal have strong brand voices. However, Walt Disney World currently experiences higher engagement. With a few adjustments to content strategy and consistency, Universal has the potential to boost engagement. Both brands can continue to improve by evolving in line with audience behavior on social media.

References

Meta Platforms, Inc. (2025). Walt Disney World Instagram account. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/waltdisneyworld/

Meta Platforms, Inc. (2025). Universal Orlando Instagram account. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/universalorlando/

OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT (June 2025 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com

PR Daily. (2023, September 28). How Disney Parks leveraged the art of storytelling to engage the Gen Z audience. https://www.prdaily.com/how-disney-parks-leveraged-the-art-of-storytelling-to-engage-the-gen-z-audience/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Sprout Social. (2024). Instagram engagement rate: How to measure and improve performance. https://sproutsocial.com/insights/instagram-engagement-rate/

X Corp. (2025). Walt Disney World Twitter account. Twitter/X. https://twitter.com/DisneyParks

X Corp. (2025). Universal Orlando Twitter account. Twitter/X. https://twitter.com/UniversalORL