Credit: Inside the MagicThe Sunshine State is about to get flooded with travelers this holiday season.
Orlando International Airport has released a statement after being voted one of the Top 10 global travel destinations (by Conde Nast Traveler and WalletHub). The airport confirms it is looking at a record year for visitors.
“The 2024 holiday travel period begins on Friday, [December 20], and runs through January 5, 2025. During the 17-day period, MCO is expecting 2.9 million passengers, a slight increase of 1 percent over 2023’s record numbers,” MCO wrote. “The busiest travel day is expected to be Saturday, [December 28], with more than 192,000 total arrivals and departures.”
The airport, known for its good communication during busy periods like Christmas and Thanksgiving, advised travelers on managing crowds this holiday season. so, if you’re traveling to Disney World in the coming days and weeks, take notes.
“To assist in making the travel journey as seamless as possible, we encourage travelers to try our new MCO app and website,” Chief Executive Officer of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, Kevin J. Thibault, said. “Once there, you can access a wealth of information that ranges from signing up to reserve your space for parking, reserve space in the security checkpoint line, or follow step-by-step directions on where to find amenities throughout the terminals.”
MCO shared the infographic showing the number of visitors expected through the airport from December 20 through January 5, with the heaviest traffic on the weekend of December 28 and December 29.
The news of a busy period for the Sunshine State’s leading airport comes as the Walt Disney World Resort gears up for another bout of heavy crowds this holiday season. Following Thanksgiving, which saw millions descend on the Central Florida Disney parks, Christmas and New Year look set to dominate.
Already, the divisive (and expensive) Lightning Lane Premier Pass has begun selling out at Disney World. The Magic Kingdom option for December 22—priced at $429 —has completely sold out, likely beginning a trend for the rest of the week. Adding to the high footfall will be guests looking for a chance to ride a number of attractions set to go dark—indefinitely or permanently—in the New Year.
Notably, Magic Kingdom will lose Big Thunder Mountain Railroad until 2026, while over at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the less popular TriceraTop Spin will close for good as the Mouse House readies its DinoLand U.S.A. transformation into the Tropical Americas-themed Pueblo Esperanza area.
Are you visiting Orlando this Christmas season? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!