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Credit: DisneyIt’s been under three months since Donald Trump took office, and the effects of his policies and rhetoric are starting to be felt across Central Florida, especially at the Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando Resort.
Weeks into his term, Trump threatened to turn Canada into the “51st state” and levied tariffs on goods coming from our neighbors to the north. Since then, Canadians have responded by canceling their Disney World and Universal trips.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, 3.3 million Canadians came to Central Florida in 2024, approximately two percent of the total visitors to the area and the largest group of international visitors. However, those numbers are going to be significantly down for 2025.
Canadian travelers are down nine percent in April, and for upcoming bookings in May, that number jumps to 35.1 percent compared to 2025.
Sandra Pappas, who owns a Disney-focused travel agency in Canada, told the Orlando Sentinel:
Unfortunately, there has been a huge drop-off, more for future travel. It’s quieter than we’ve ever seen, except for COVID.
Pappas also told the Sentinel that there has been an over 50 percent decline in Canadians booking trips to Florida at her agency. Instead, they are heading to Disney’s international parks in Europe and Asia rather than spend their money in a state that Trump won.
However, Canadians are also concerned about crossing the United States border. Stories have emerged about Canadians being harassed and detained at the border, and that is keeping some Canadians home.
Ravi Jain, a Toronto-based immigration lawyer, said:
They are expressing their dissatisfaction with some of the president’s comments with their feet and their travel dollars. … They certainly don’t want to post on social media to their friends, ‘Hey, I went on a vacation to Florida.’
Numbers are unavailable for the summer months, especially after Epic Universe opens at Universal. However, if this trend continues, it could cost Disney World millions in revenue at a time when the company is looking to invest $17 billion in its parks.
What happens next is anyone’s guess, but we know there will be significantly fewer Canadians in Central Florida in the next few months.