By all accounts, the Walt Disney World Resort crowds have been way down this summer. If you look at a crowd calendar, they would be anywhere from a three to a five, low for this time of year.
Related: There’s a Landry List of Reasons Disney World is Empty This Summer
Attendance at Disney parks is down this summer for several reasons, including the heat, the cost of a Disney vacation, and the post-COVID decline. However, the main reason is that Disney World has not opened a new attraction other than Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in the Magic Kingdom, and guests are waiting until 2025 when Universal Studios opens Epic Universe to head to Central Florida.
While the low crowds have jolted Walt Disney World, we are starting to learn how devastating this theme park revenue loss has been to all of Central Florida.
The Orlando Sentinel reported job figures for June this week. While the unemployment rate has remained steady throughout Florida, there was a dramatic decline in hospitality workers in Central Florida last month.
Related: Disney World Pushed Cast Members in Extreme Heat to the Point of Passing Out
According to the Orlando Sentinel, the leisure and hospitality industry in the Orlando area lost 14,700 jobs, including those at the Universal Orlando Resort and the Walt Disney World Resort. Most of the lost jobs were in restaurant services and hotels.
These numbers show that locals may still be coming to the Disney Parks, but out-of-town visitors who are more likely to use a Disney Resort hotel or restaurant are staying home.
In June 2023, the hospitality industry in Central Florida added 16,700 new jobs. Most of that increase was due to the post-COVID “revenge travel” that spiked Disney World attendance. However, even Disney CEO Bob Iger has admitted that those days are over, and the company should expect to see some “leveling off” of theme park attendance.
Related: Disney World Sees Its Largest Dip in Attendance Since the Pandemic
Stories have circulated all summer that the crowds at Walt Disney World have been down this year, including the lowest crowds for Fourth of July weekend in a decade. Disney World saw a similar swoon in attendance last summer but recovered nicely during the fall and early winter.
Last year, the hospitality industry added 66,000 jobs over the final six months of last year and the first five months of this year. Despite that growth, the drop in June has some officials concerned about the final six months of this year and its effect on hospitality workers.
However, with Universal Orlando opening Epic Universe next summer, officials expect this dip to be temporary for the industry. But with nothing bringing guests to Walt Disney World, it could be a while before Disney needs to hire thousands of workers.
How were the crowds when you were at Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort this summer?
