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Disney CEO Bob Iger pushed back on reports of worrisome drops in Disney World attendance, claiming that foot traffic is down because of difficult comparisons with 2020, when Florida’s lax COVID restrictions sparked an unusual boom at the theme park.

“Florida opened up early during COVID, and it created huge demand. It didn’t have competition because there were a number of other places — states — that were not open yet,” Iger said during a televised CNBC interview on Thursday.

Since 2019, lines for attractions at Magic Kingdom, Disney’s most-visited park, have gotten increasingly shorter, it was reported this week. Average wait times fell from 47 minutes per ride in 2019 to 31 minutes in 2022, according to The Wall Street Journal.

So far this year, lines at Magic Kingdom are averaging 27 minutes, according to The Journal. Shrinking wait times are also reportedly a trend that are apparent at EPCOT, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom.

In response, Iger told CNBC that in 2020, “Florida was the only game in town,” suggesting that wait times have dropped because “there’s much more competition today” and he’s “not at all concerned” that attendance would continue to drop and affect business over time.

CNBC interviewer David Faber asked the Mouse House boss if the company’s warring lawsuits with Gov. Ron DeSantis could be impacting attendance.

“No,” Iger said definitively. “We see no sign of that at all.”

Iger also said that The Journal’s report of declining attendance failed to take into account that Orlando, Fla.’s temperatures soar “to about 100 degrees and 99% humidity” in the summer.

He added that Independence Day’s figures are “inaccurate” measures of year-over-year declines as it only accounted for a single day.

“We do not have long-term concerns about that business,” Iger added of the Orlando theme park.

Orlando’s Walt Disney World closed its doors for COVID on March 16, 2020, and was permitted to reopen just four months later, in July of 2020.

For reference, California officials didn’t allow Disneyland’s West Coast park to reopen until April 30, 2021, more than one year after its initial closure.

July 4 attendance at Disney was particularly dismal, The Journal found.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which features Disneys Star Wars attractions, saw its third-slowest day of the past year on the Fourth of July.

Jaime Brown, a Walt Disney World annual pass holder who lives in Celebration, Fla., told The Wall Street Journal that she visited all four of the resorts theme parks during the week of July 4.

Brown said that she managed to easily patronize attractions that are normally in high-demand such as Spaceship Earth and the Topolinos Terrace restaurant.

I couldnt believe how light the crowds were, Brown told The Journal.

The Post has reached out to The Walt Disney Company for comment.

Travel agents have attributed Disney’s pricing model, in part, for its dwindling attendance.

Ticket prices surged in early December — and the cost of entering Magic Kingdom around the holidays nearly doubled.

Despite generating a whopping $28.7 billion in revenue and $7.9 billion in profit for fiscal year 2022 — topping the company’s pre-pandemic performance — Iger upped one-day tickets to any of its four Orlando theme parks from $109 to anywhere between $124 and $189 depending on date and demand.

Three of Disney’s annual passes also got a price increase.

The Incredi-Pass increased to $1,399 from $1,299 and the Sorcerer Pass went from $899 to $969. In addition, the PiratePass will cost $749, up from $699, while Pixie Pass prices remain at $399.

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Judge ties Berra on Yankees’ career HRs list

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Judge ties Berra on Yankees' career HRs list

CHICAGO — When Aaron Judge returned to the dugout after his first-inning homer, New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone yelled “Yogi!” in the direction of his star slugger.

Yogi indeed.

Judge moved into a tie with Hall of Fame catcher Yogi Berra for fifth in franchise history when hitting his 358th career homer during Sunday’s 3-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox.

“Not getting [the win] kind of stings,” Judge said, “but you know, get a chance to tie one of the greatest if not the greatest Yankee in homers is, it’s pretty special. The way Yogi played the game, what he meant to these pinstripes, you knew how much it meant being a New York Yankee to him. I feel the same way.

“I’m honored to wear this jersey, so it’s pretty cool to be on that list with him.”

Judge drove an 0-2 cutter from Martin Perez deep to center for a one-out solo shot. Judge’s 43rd homer of the season had a 112.6 mph exit velocity and traveled 426 feet.

He made a bid for another homer in the third, but his drive went off the wall in center for a double. He also singled in the fifth and popped out for the final out of the seventh.

Batting with a runner aboard and one out in the ninth, he flied to center.

“Just missed the last one,” Boone said. “I thought he made the right move on the pitch. Looked like he got a hanger there that I thought he put a great swing on. He got under it a little bit and hit it straight up in the air. So those things happen.”

Judge, 33, also connected for a solo homer in New York’s 11-inning victory at Chicago on Saturday night. The two-time American League MVP and seven-time All-Star batted .241 (20-for-83) with 6 homers, 12 RBIs and a .417 on-base percentage in 24 games in August.

Next up for Judge and the Yankees is four consecutive series against playoff contenders, beginning with the opener of a three-game set at Houston on Tuesday night.

“That’s what we want,” said Judge, who signed a $360 million, nine-year contract with New York in December 2022. “It’s coming down to the wire. We want to play the best teams and especially getting down the stretch here into the postseason, this is what it’s all about.”

Hall of Famers Babe Ruth (659 homers), Mickey Mantle (536), Lou Gehrig (493) and Joe DiMaggio (361) are on top of the Yankees’ career home runs list. Judge’s drive produced the first change in the franchise’s top five since Mantle hit his 203rd career homer Aug. 7, 1957, snapping a tie with Bill Dickey.

Judge was selected by New York in the first round of the 2013 amateur draft and made his debut with the Yankees in 2016. Berra was 90 when he died in 2015.

“Didn’t get to see him too much. He was definitely around over at big league camp,” Judge said. “But he was a special individual. A lot of the veteran guys talk highly of him. It was probably some of their favorite memories, you know, coming to spring training was having a chance to talk with him during camp, just hear some of his stories.”

Judge was activated from the 10-day injured list Aug. 5 after being sidelined by a flexor strain in his right elbow. He has been serving as the team’s designated hitter, but he could return to the outfield at some point this season.

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Phillies sign veteran RHP Buehler to minors deal

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Phillies sign veteran RHP Buehler to minors deal

The Philadelphia Phillies signed veteran right-hander Walker Buehler to a minor league contract, the team announced on Sunday.

Buehler was assigned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley by Philadelphia. The Phillies plan to use Buehler, who will be eligible to pitch in the postseason, in their starting rotation, a source told ESPN’s Buster Olney.

Buehler, who got the final out in the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ World Series victory last season and was expected to be a key member of the Boston rotation this year, was released on Friday after the Red Sox concluded he couldn’t help their playoff push from the bullpen.

Buehler, 31, has struggled since signing a $21.05 million contract with Boston, going 7-7 with a 5.45 ERA. He made 22 starts before he was demoted to the bullpen last week; in his only relief appearance since earning a save in Game 5 of the Series, he allowed two runs in 2⅓ innings in a loss to the New York Yankees.

A two-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion, Buehler is 54-29 in 144 starts over eight major league seasons. He struggled last year coming off a second Tommy John surgery but pitched a perfect ninth in the Series clincher two days after pitching five shutout innings as the starter in Game 3.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Red Sox, Chapman agree on $13.3M deal for ’26

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Red Sox, Chapman agree on .3M deal for '26

BOSTON — All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman and the Boston Red Sox finalized a $13.3 million, one-year contract for 2026 that includes a 2027 vesting option.

Chapman will be guaranteed $26 million over two years if he pitches at least 40 innings next season. The team announced the deal Sunday following a 5-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates at Fenway Park.

Chapman, who earned his eighth All-Star selection this season, gets a $13 million salary next year. If the left-hander reaches 40 innings in 2026, he gets a $13 million salary again in 2027. If not, he would receive a $300,000 buyout unless both sides accept a mutual option, which would be unlikely.

The 37-year-old Chapman is having perhaps his best year, with a career-low 1.02 ERA during his 16th major league season and first in Boston. He converted his 27th save Sunday.

“This guy has been great for us, and not only on the field,” manager Alex Cora said before the game. “What he’s done on the field is amazing.”

After earning his 350th career save this season, the hard-throwing Chapman said his goal was to reach 400.

He extended his career-best hitless streak Sunday to 15 games, the longest in club history and tied for the third longest in the majors since 1901. Toronto’s Sergio Santos was the last to go that long, in 2013.

Chapman has 76 strikeouts in 53 innings this season. He hasn’t given up a hit to the past 44 batters he has faced.

Chapman is 59-47 with a 2.52 ERA and 362 saves for the Reds (2010-15), Yankees (2016-22), Cubs (2016), Royals (2023), Rangers (2023), Pirates (2024) and Red Sox (2025). He ranks third in strikeouts by a relief pitcher (1,322) and 13th on the career saves list.

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