Orlando, Thursday, 23 October 2025.
Herschend Family Entertainment agreed to acquire Palace Entertainment’s entire U.S. portfolio earlier this year, bringing 24 regional parks and attractions into one family-owned operating model. For retail and F&B operators inside parks, the most intriguing fact is Herschend’s scale now reaches roughly 49 properties and over 20 million annual visitors, creating immediate procurement and seasonality advantages. Near-term priorities include rebranding, aligning labor and vendor contracts, capital expenditure planning, and securing regulatory approvals — all of which will reshape negotiations, supply chains and investment pacing across the mid-market attractions segment. Expect consolidated purchasing, centralized menu and merchandise standards, and a phased capex roadmap that could accelerate reinvestment at high-return sites while trimming duplication. Competitors and suppliers should reassess pricing, distribution and partnership models; talent and union groups will watch contract transitions closely. This acquisition signals a wave of mid-market consolidation with practical implications for procurement managers, retail directors and asset planners.