Credit: Inside the MagicGuests heading out to the Walt Disney World Resort this month should prepare for heavy crowds as over 7 million people head through Orlando.
The Disney World theme parks are some of the most visited resorts in the world. In fact, Magic Kingdom, with its towering Cinderella Castle, is the most visited theme park destination as over 50 million guests vacation there year after year. It can be expected, then, that the Walt Disney World Resort can be heavily crowded on some of the more popular holidays.
From Thanksgiving to Christmas, New Year to Spring Break, Disney World crowds can be intense and often frustrating. With wait times sometimes soaring into the triple digits and Disney’s divisive “FastPass” service Genie+ frequently selling out, navigating the four Florida theme parks during these holiday periods can test even the most patient guest.
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For those heading out to visit Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or Disney’s Animal Kingdom this month, expect crowds to be higher than usual as the Spring Break season officially gets underway.
Orlando International Airport (MCO) recently shared that they are expecting another growth year on year–11% to be exact–with 7.6 million passengers set to pass through the airport. Chief Executive Officer of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, Kevin J. Thibault, spoke about the rise in traffic.
“We expect to set a new Spring Break benchmark with more than 7.6 million passengers,” the expert said via an MCO press release. “This growth is actually a continuation of what we saw in 2023. For the year, we shattered all passenger records with more than 57.7 million travelers.”
The press release outlines how the Spring Break season will look with the 44-day period stretching from Saturday, February 24, through Sunday, April 7. Per the information given, March 23 looks to be the busiest, with 197,697 passengers passing through the airport.
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Spring Break comes as the Sunshine State exits its record-breaking and unusual winter season that has caused parks across Central Florida to close frequently. The potent cold fronts, rainfall, and low temperatures have often caused Disney’s water park to close, sometimes for multiple days. Blizzard Beach is soon set to close indefinitely as Typhoon Lagoon reopens after a five-month refurbishment.
Guests visiting Disney World this Spring Break will also be able to view the current progress of the Splash Mountain redevelopment. Later this year, the Briar Patch will officially transform into New Orleans as Splash Mountain becomes Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at the Magic Kingdom Disney park.
Are you visiting Walt Disney World this Spring Break season? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!