Credit: Inside The MagicAs the Government Shutdown entered its third day on Friday, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) announced the House of Representatives would not schedule any votes through Friday, October 10. This allowed House Members to remain in their districts through the week, but more importantly, it means that Johnson fully expects the shutdown to drag on through next week.
While the Government Shutdown doesn’t directly impact Disney World or Disneyland, it does affect those guests who have to fly to get there. With TSA and FAA agents working without pay during the shutdown, you can expect longer lines and delays at airports nationwide, including Orlando International Airport.
“Over time, I expect sick leave absences to go up tremendously,” Mary Schiavo, former Department of Transportation inspector general, told Forbes. “At first, it’ll be business as usual, but things slow down after people start missing paychecks.
She also said that she expects some of those TSA employees to start using sick time to work other jobs that actually pay them, so they can pay their bills.
The best example of what’s to come is from the Government Shutdown in 2018, during Trump’s first term. That shutdown lasted 35 days, and as it dragged on, hundreds of TSA screeners called in sick, which led to massive flight delays and cancellations.
The FAA has already said that it plans to furlough 25 percent of its workforce, and its 13,000 air traffic controllers will work without pay. Should those air traffic controllers decide to call out sick, it could lead to widespread cancellations and make flying more dangerous.
After only a few days, many of America’s major airports reported long lines at TSA checkpoints and delays. Congress clearly expects this shutdown to last at least through next week, meaning that flyers can only expect this situation to get worse.
As October and the shutdown drag on, Disney World expects significantly larger crowds, which means the airports will also see those larger crowds. Guests can expect longer lines and delays. Just be prepared.
What has your experience been like at the airports since the shutdown? Let us know in the comments.