Disney World, in Florida, is reported to be “dead”, as rides are quiet and there are few queues. Americans have expressed worry about the state of tourism in the US
There’s been plenty of upheaval at Disney World lately, with a beloved attraction shutting its doors for good after 54 years. However, holidaymakers are now spotting another major shift at the popular destination, as the resort has apparently become “dead.”
Claims are emerging that the famous theme park has grown remarkably quiet this summer, with visitors sharing different theories about what might be behind it. The issue was recently highlighted by a man called thenobleways on TikTok, who filmed his latest trip to Disney World to share his thoughts on what was happening in Florida.
During his weekend visit, he insisted Disney World was “empty.” This comes months after several rides at the theme park shut down permanently.
He said: “I’m at Magic Kingdom right now, and this place is a tomb. There is literally nobody here. There is no wait time for anything.
“Space Mountain – walk on. Haunted Mansion – walk on. Pirates of the Caribbean – walk on. The longest I have even seen a wait time for Seven Dwarfs today [is] 30 minutes.
“Peter Pan’s Flight – up to 30 minutes, but everything is walk on all day long. I don’t know what’s going on. It’s Labor Day weekend – should be crowded, should be packed normally – this place is empty.
“I am absolutely loving it, but what do you think? What’s going on? Why is there nobody here? I have never seen it like this.
“It’s been years since I’ve seen it this empty, especially on a holiday weekend. I don’t know, I’m going to enjoy it while I can.”
The clip has racked up more than 7,000 views since being posted, with viewers rushing to share their theories about the quiet scenes.
One person commented: “People don’t want to go to Florida.” Another chimed in with: “Too expensive, politics, Trump.”
A third weighed in: “Florida is imploding financially and nobody wants to go there. Miami and the other beaches are struggling as well.”
Meanwhile, a fourth also remarked: “Nobody can afford Disney anymore. Think [it’s] the tariffs.”
Someone else also pitched in with: “That’s because it’s Florida. Disney in California is packed. Let’s face it, Florida is in major decline.”
Last month, CBS reported that tourism is actually on the rise in Florida, despite a drop in Canadian visitors. Visit Florida previously estimated 34.435 million people travelled to Florida from April 1 to June 30, which increased from 34.279 million people during the same period last year.
However, Disney is reported to have experienced a decline in tourism. The drop in travel to Orlando, particularly linked to the Walt Disney World theme parks, is said to partly stem from Disney Experiences’ major renovation projects taking place across the resort.
There could be a multitude of reasons for the dwindling crowds in Orlando, including steep ticket prices that some find hard to justify, a decrease in international visitors, particularly from Canada, stiff competition from Universal’s upcoming Epic Universe park and the ongoing effects of the pandemic.