Orlando Tourism Suffering Amid ‘Empty’ Disney World Claims

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A comparison of Disney World crowds as Guests return to the Parks following a slight decrease in wait times and attendance at Disney World Resort

Credit: Inside The Magic

This summer, there’s been a hot debate on whether Disney World has been “empty” throughout its most popular months. That debate has been answered by a Disney vlogger who frequents the Parks 5 days per week. But that’s not all. It would appear that more things are afoot as the debate of whether WDW is empty or not continues.

Two little girls walk toward the disney castle, being photographed by a woman in mickey ears. All carry balloons.
Credit: WDW News

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Is Disney World ‘Empty’ or Are Media Outlets Exaggerating?

Walt Disney World has been in a sort of decline in crowds levels ever since 2021. The number of people entering the Parks and staying has declined recently. We are in a post-pandemic world now, and who knows if things will ever go genuinely back to the way things were. One thing is sure: there seems to be a debate taking place online on whether or not Disney World is truly “empty” or “crowded.” Before the COVID-19 pandemic, crowd levels at Walt Disney World varied depending on the time of year and special events. As one of the most popular vacation destinations in the world, Disney World typically experiences higher attendance during peak seasons, holidays, and school breaks. Weekends were often busier than weekdays as well.

Fireworks at the Disney World castle from afar
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In 2021, the crowd levels at Walt Disney World were still affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. While the theme parks had reopened with limited capacity and implemented various health and safety measures, including mandatory mask-wearing and physical distancing, crowd levels were not back to pre-pandemic levels. Disney World continued to manage attendance through a reservation system that required Guests to secure a reservation for Park entry in advance. This system helped control the number of Park visitors on any given day and allowed Disney to maintain appropriate distancing and safety protocols. Crowd levels during 2021 varied depending on the time of year and events, but generally, they were lower than during typical pre-pandemic years, especially during the traditionally busy seasons. Capacity restrictions and other measures were in place to prioritize the health and safety of Guests and employees. After a devastating blow to crowd levels at Disney World in 2021, things began to look vastly different for WDW in 2022. According to the Global Attractions Attendance Report, a collaboration of the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) and the economics practice at AECOM. This calendar-year study of worldwide attendance is a resource for Park operators, developers, and the travel industry. Top worldwide theme parks, amusement parks, water parks, museums, and theme Park operators are named, ranked by attendance, and industry trends are identified. The Global Attractions Attendance Report is considered the gold standard within the theme Park industry. TEA is credible and a good source for update-to-date information on theme Parks. The report showcased Magic Kingdom as the highest-attended theme Park in the country last year, with over 17.1 million Guests visiting the Disney Parks.

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Disney Influencer Who Frequents the Parks Admits Attendance Has Been Low

But despite growth in crowd levels, news media outlets across the nation, including Inside The Magic, covered the low attendance that occurred on July 4, which has since then been the precedence on whether or not crowds have been expected at WDW across all the Parks. Recently, a TikToker by the name of wdw_kevin did a short vlog where he examined and discussed the rumors, speculation, and news of the crowd levels at Disney World being lower than usual, but not empty:

@wdw_kevin

Hollywood Studios Mini Vlog #DisneyWorld #DisneyParks #wdw

♬ original sound – WDW Kevin

 

At the start of the video, the Disney influencer mentions how crowd levels inside the Disney Parks have been lower than usual, which he can test as someone who “frequents” the Parks 5 times per week. But the lower crowd levels are not a good sign for overall Orlando tourism, based on tourists visiting places like the downtown area, Disney World, and Universal Orlando Resort. Although touched briefly, it can be noted that although the crowds are much lower than seen in previous years, overall tourism has also plummeted, leading to potential financial hiccups and mishaps in the coming years. This could be attributed to the recent claims of Disney World going “woke” and not providing Guests with the same magical experience as they once did.

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