diff --git a/plotly/figure_factory/_distplot.py b/plotly/figure_factory/_distplot.py
index 73f66096456..42a88957cda 100644
--- a/plotly/figure_factory/_distplot.py
+++ b/plotly/figure_factory/_distplot.py
@@ -387,31 +387,60 @@ def make_normal(self):
         mean = [None] * self.trace_number
         sd = [None] * self.trace_number
 
+        # Instead of lists, use tuple and local access for performance in loop
+        norm_fit = scipy_stats.norm.fit
+        norm_pdf = scipy_stats.norm.pdf
+
+        # Avoid repeated indexing into self by pulling needed data once per iteration
+        histnorm = self.histnorm
+        bin_size = self.bin_size
+        start = self.start
+        end = self.end
+        hist_data = self.hist_data
+        curve_x = self.curve_x
+        curve_y = self.curve_y
+
+        # Avoid recomputation by precompute commonly-used values and reuse loop variables
+        alt_histnorm = ALTERNATIVE_HISTNORM
+
         for index in range(self.trace_number):
-            mean[index], sd[index] = scipy_stats.norm.fit(self.hist_data[index])
-            self.curve_x[index] = [
-                self.start[index] + x * (self.end[index] - self.start[index]) / 500
-                for x in range(500)
-            ]
-            self.curve_y[index] = scipy_stats.norm.pdf(
-                self.curve_x[index], loc=mean[index], scale=sd[index]
-            )
+            data = hist_data[index]
+            s0 = start[index]
+            e0 = end[index]
+            step = (e0 - s0) / 500
+            mean_val, sd_val = norm_fit(data)
+            mean[index] = mean_val
+            sd[index] = sd_val
 
-            if self.histnorm == ALTERNATIVE_HISTNORM:
-                self.curve_y[index] *= self.bin_size[index]
+            # Use list comprehension directly for curve_x, local binding of s0 and step
+            x_vals = [s0 + x * step for x in range(500)]
+            curve_x[index] = x_vals
+
+            y = norm_pdf(x_vals, loc=mean_val, scale=sd_val)  # y is np.ndarray
+
+            if histnorm == alt_histnorm:
+                y *= bin_size[index]  # vectorized multiplication
+
+            curve_y[index] = y
+
+        colors = self.colors
+        group_labels = self.group_labels
+        show_hist = self.show_hist
+
+        # Use locals + np.ndarray if possible for y, avoids extra conversion
 
         for index in range(self.trace_number):
             curve[index] = dict(
                 type="scatter",
-                x=self.curve_x[index],
-                y=self.curve_y[index],
+                x=curve_x[index],
+                y=curve_y[index],
                 xaxis="x1",
                 yaxis="y1",
                 mode="lines",
-                name=self.group_labels[index],
-                legendgroup=self.group_labels[index],
-                showlegend=False if self.show_hist else True,
-                marker=dict(color=self.colors[index % len(self.colors)]),
+                name=group_labels[index],
+                legendgroup=group_labels[index],
+                showlegend=False if show_hist else True,
+                marker=dict(color=colors[index % len(colors)]),
             )
         return curve