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Credit: Orlando International AirportThe world may still be battling through the pandemic as the Delta variant relentlessly continues to surge, but travel to Florida only seems to be picking up.
Throughout the height of the pandemic, Florida was the most traveled vacation destination, and it is not surprising as to why. The state had one of the least restrictions in the country. On top of that, Florida is full of beaches, warm weather, and both Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando Resort.
Lately, we have seen travel increase to Florida exponentially, almost putting the state back to its pre-pandemic travel rates. As we have reported:
Florida drew 31.7 million visitors in the second quarter of this year, a 16.3% improvement from the first three months of the year and 223.4% above the second quarter of 2020, when the global COVID-19 pandemic shut down most of the tourism industry.
Orlando International Airport has seen increasingly larger crowds lately, and now, they are preparing for a busy Labor Day weekend. Click Orlando is projecting an overall 7% increase in Guests traveling into the airport. If we look at the numbers listed above for Florida’s overall tourism boost, that is only around 2% less than the pre-pandemic travel. Although that number is an overall total, Orlando International Airport was the busiest in all the state. A 7% jump means that the number of incoming Guests will likely be higher than pre-pandemic numbers.
Orlando International Airport noted that “This holiday, it appears many travelers are soaking in the last bit of summer by taking a trip to Orlando.” The timing is great for Guests coming into visit the theme parks, as both Disney and Universal have Halloween on display. Although Boo Bash, Disney’s After Hours event at Magic Kingdom, is sold out, Halloween Horror Nights are just about to begin at Universal!
Plus, as we have been reporting on shockingly low wait times at both Resorts, we will likely see a big jump in wait times as more Guests come in on their vacation.
Do you plan to travel to Florida soon? Let us know in the comments below.
If you want help planning your Disney vacation, we have the people for the job! Click here.