Disney World has been a popular holiday destination for years, but it seems that the iconic theme park has become notably quieter this summer. Holidaymakers seem to be ditching parts of Florida
Significant changes have swept through Disney World in recent years, with many Brits being known to visit the popular attraction during the summer months. However, visitors are now spotting another major shift at the popular holiday destination, as the resort has reportedly become remarkably “empty.”
Claims are emerging that the legendary theme park has grown considerably less busy this summer, with guests offering various theories about what might be causing this phenomenon. The situation was recently highlighted by a TikTok user known as thenobleways, who documented his latest trip to Disney World to share his observations about what he believed was happening in Florida.
During his weekend visit, he insisted Disney World appeared “empty.” It’s a stark difference to what was reported just a few years ago when a couple moved to America to visit Disney World every single day.
He said: “I’m at Magic Kingdom right now, and this place is a tomb. There is literally nobody here. There is no wait time for anything.
“Space Mountain – walk on. Haunted Mansion – walk on. Pirates of the Caribbean – walk on. The longest I have even seen a wait time for Seven Dwrafs today [is] 30 minutes.
“Peter Pan’s Flight – up to 30 minutes, but everything is walk on all day long. I don’t know what’s going on. It’s Labor Day weekend – should be crowded, should be packed normally – this place is empty.
“I am absolutely loving it, but what do you think? What’s going on? Why is there nobody here? I have never seen it like this.
“It’s been years since I’ve seen it this empty, especially on a holiday weekend. I don’t know, I’m going to enjoy it while I can.”
The video has garnered over 7,000 views since being shared, with viewers quick to share their theories as to why this might be the case.
One individual commented: “People don’t want to go to Florida.” Another chimed in with: “Too expensive, politics, Trump.”
A third person responded: “Florida is imploding financially and nobody wants to go there. Miami and the other beaches are struggling as well.”
Meanwhile, another added: “Nobody can afford Disney anymore. Think [of] the tariffs.” Yet another person remarked: “That’s because it’s Florida. Disney in California is packed. Let’s face it, Florida is in major decline.”
Last month, CBS reported that, despite a drop in Canadian visitors, tourism in Florida is actually increasing. Visit Florida previously estimated that from April 1 to June 30, 34.435 million people travelled to Florida, up from 34.279 million during the same period last year.
However, it’s reported that Disney has seen a dip in tourism. The downturn in travel to Orlando, particularly related to the Walt Disney World theme parks, is said to be partly due to major renovation projects happening across the resort by Disney Experiences.
Other contributing factors could be the high ticket prices that some individuals find hard to justify, a decrease in international visitors (particularly from Canada), heightened competition from Universal’s forthcoming Epic Universe park and the impact of the pandemic. All these elements could be leading to unusually low crowd numbers in Orlando.
