Can we learn from Disney?
In February the Walt Disney Company (Disney) reported their earnings for the First Quarter of their Fiscal Year of 2026. In that report they announced that “The experiences unit, which includes Disney’s parks, cruises and consumer products, carried the December quarter, generating $10 billion in revenue and 72% of the company’s quarterly operating profit of nearly $5 billion.” (Emphasis added by Funeral Director Daily).
Current CEO Bob Iger, who will be retiring at the end of the year, also made this comment, “In the world that changes as much as it does, in some form or another trying to preserve the status quo was a mistake, and I’m certain that my successor will not do that. . . ”
When he talks about preserving the “status quo” I think that comment is aimed at the TV Channels group of Disney. As you may know, Disney owns the ABC channel, ESPN channel, and many others. The report mentions that “Disney also stopped disclosing revenue and operating income for its TV channels” . . .saying it was “no longer relevant in a world where entertainment is distributed broadly”.
The company also made this comment about their services that directly compete with the TV Channel group, “Disney’s streaming services, which include Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN, reported a 72% spike in operating income to $450 million. Revenue rose to $4.4 billion, up 13% from a year ago.
Related — Article titled “Disney shares slump as theme parks see fewer International visitors“. Yahoo Finance
Tom Anderson
Funeral Director Daily
Funeral Director Daily take: I don’t think that the company is Disney matters to my take on this issue. Disney simply is a company with many revenue sources and a company that is continuously evolving their product offerings to appease the consumer’s changing appetite.
I take two points from this report and correlate them to funeral services or Death Care. First of all, CEO Bob Iger’s quote “In the world that changes as much as it does, in some form or another trying to preserve the status quo was a mistake, and I’m certain that my successor will not do that. . . ” hits home for me when I look at some traditional funeral homes and their operations today.
I think it is a statement that I would argue says to us “We can’t do things like we’ve always done and expect to be successful”. Continuing on that point with the thought process of Disney’s TV Channel unit, we don’ want to be part of a business that our consumers believe is “no longer relevant” in a world of more and more options for Death Care disposition.
Death Care providers also need to continue to provide a recipe of services that appeals to that consumer appetite. And, if we know that traditional burials will continue to decline, what will that appetite consist of?
That’s where my second thought or point of the article comes in. Disney’s “Experiences Unit generated 72% of the company’s quarterly operating profit”. Can we conclude by that that the American consumer is looking for “Experiences” and will pay for “Experiences”?
If that is true, I don’t think that families see charges for “Use of Facilities”, or “Basic Services of Funeral Director and Staff”, or “Embalming”, or “Transfer of Remains to the Funeral Home” as “Experiences” that they are willing to pay for.
For what it is worth. . . .I think more American consumers than we think are looking for “Experiences” or “Celebrations” surrounding the death of a loved one or have other ideas about memorialization concerning the expenditures around the death of a loved one. It is my opinion that we need to start moving in that direction with our nomenclature and offerings and the much-delayed review of the FTC Funeral Rule may be one place to start.
And, don’t just take my word for it. . .. Here’s part of Carriage Service’s CEO and Chairman Carlos Quezada’s opening statement in Carriage’s latest Earnings Call. Quezada capsulated what Carriage is doing in part by saying, “In closing, we’re building a best-in-class death care company defined by premier experiences, a high-performance culture, . . . . .”
I’m suggesting that as merchants of Death Care it would be wise to give your client families an unmatched experience in your care of them . . . . or somebody else probably will for the next family member. The same old, same old treatment will probably no longer resonate with today’s new consumers.
More news from the world of Death Care:
- Fohn Funeral Services expands burial services and support resources for Southwest Missouri families. Hattiesburg American USA Today Network
- A child buried in a Phillipsburg wheat field in the 1840’s is finally getting a grave marker. LehighValleyLive.com (PA)
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I loved your article today! I tried to leave a comment but I received a message suggesting it was deemed “spam” by an automated filter.
Regardless, I thought I’d share it with you directly as I think your call to reimagine what’s possible is critical for the future success of our industry.
Here’s the comment I tried to post:
Tom, this really resonates, especially the idea that families are seeking meaningful experiences rather than simply a list of services.
One of the most powerful examples we’ve seen of this shift is through what we call a Laying-In Ceremony as part of the NOR/terramation process. For those unfamiliar, this is a participatory gathering where family and friends come together with their loved one, who has already been gently and respectfully placed into the Chrysalis vessel, covered in a shroud and resting on a bed of organic materials such as straw. During the ceremony, families may share music, readings, reflections, or quiet moments of presence, creating a space that is both intimate and deeply personal.
Family members and friends are also invited to place additional organic materials into the vessel, love notes, feathers, flowers, or other meaningful items. In doing so, they are not only honoring their loved one, they are actively participating in the commencement of the natural process of transformation.
What’s striking is the consistency of the response. Time and again, people walk away saying, “Wow, that was beautiful,” “I didn’t know that was possible,” and very often, “That’s what I want when I go.”
It transforms what could otherwise feel like an unseen or purely technical process into something tangible, human, and connected. Families are not simply observers, they are present, engaged, and part of the experience in a meaningful way.
At The Natural Funeral and with our TerraCare partners, more than 50% of families who choose terramation also choose to include a Laying-In Ceremony. That, to me, speaks directly to your point. When given the opportunity, families don’t just accept experiences, they seek them out.
There is also a natural extension of this experience on the other side of the process through what we think of as laying-out services. Once the transformation is complete, families are guided in returning their loved one’s Regenerative Living Soil™ to the earth in meaningful ways. For some, that may be coordinating the planting of a memorial tree or gently placing soil into personal gardens or flower beds. For funeral homes with cemetery properties, it opens the opportunity to create pollination gardens where a loved one’s soil supports vibrant plant life, sometimes accompanied by a memorial stone or plaque, creating a living, growing place of remembrance.
There’s a real opportunity for our profession to reimagine how we serve, not by abandoning what has been meaningful, but by expanding what’s possible.
Interesting, Tom – I recently wrote an article for NFDAs The Director magazine about learning from Disney and What Funeral Professionals Can Learn from Experiential Experts. It came out last November, I think it was.
We have much to learn from the hospitality industry and these experiential experts.
Imagine a memorial that reflects the spirit of the person being honored just as much as the details of their death. I speak nonstop about this and have done so for nearly 2 decades now. I teach courses on it and offer help to those willing to make and see change. As Dylan says – “these times….”