Summertime at the most magical place on earth is usually swarming with excited travelers of all ages. With kids off from school and warmer temperatures, high foot traffic is almost guaranteed in any Disney location. However, it seems that Disney parks, especially Disney World in Orlando, Florida, are experiencing an unexpected drop in visitor numbers. And reports are circulating with a few different reasons as to why attendance is dipping lower and lower.
Guests who visited these theme parks in July noticed that wait times on popular rides were much lower than usual, and Epcot and Hollywood Studios were specifically empty. In addition to shorter lines, park fans also noted extreme weather conditions and ticket prices as contributing factors to the ghost town vibe.
Want to see this phenomenon for yourself? Keep reading to check out photos and videos of eerily empty Disney parks.
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In a series of tweets posted by user @innoventioneast, photos were shared of Magic Kingdom and Epcot on Friday, July 21, and it's clear that the usual crowds were not there. The user shared more pictures throughout the weekend where spots like Galaxy's Edge and Main Street were completely deserted.
@themessengerontiktok#Disney theme parks are shockingly empty this summer thanks to high ticket prices, high temperatures, and high political tensions 😬#disneyland #disneyworld #bobiger #rondesantis #floridatravel #themepark
On TikTok, @themessenger gathered photos and clips of recent travelers to Disney Parks where you can see that attendance has dropped significantly. She claims the conglomerate has seen budget cuts and layoffs in recent months. In fact, Disney CEO Bob Iger lowered ticket prices when he took back over the role in Nov. 2022.
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@wdwntIt's the day after Independence Day and the park is empty! Where is everyone?!👀 #hollywoodstudios #disney #disneyparks #fourthofjuly #disneyworld #crickets #fyp
The day of July 4th saw an all-time low. TikToker @wdwnt shared this clip right after the holiday when they were shocked to see minimal crowds in Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World.
@disneylandnewstodaySo like…where is everybody? 🤨👀 #DisneylandResort #fyp #HowYallDoin #empty #DisneyParks
You can usually count on seeing hoards of people getting on and off rides at Disney parks, yet this one has zero passengers—and the ride was open and operating properly. But earlier this year, @disneylandtoday captured moments where you could walk without bumping into people and rides where you didn't have to wait.
EPCOT on a Saturday. Empty.
— Michael (@innoventioneast) July 22, 2023
It's hard to believe that places like Epcot would be drawing in fewer crowds, especially on a Saturday. But @inniventioneast proved everyone wrong when he posted about the park on Saturday, July 22, and there weren't more than a few people in one spot at a time.
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@all_in_tokDisney World is basically a ghost town. Why is it suddenly so empty? #disney #disneyworld #disneyland #davidfriedberg #theallinpod #chamathpalihapitiya #jasoncalacanis #florida #rondesantis
TikToker @all_in_tok mentions that people seem to not be spending their money at Disney World like they have in the past.
RELATED: People Are Turning Away From Disney Parks: "Absolutely Dead" on Former Peak Days.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Dana at Fan of theMouse Travel (@dana_at_fan_of_the_mouse)
On Instagram, user @dana_at_fan_of_the_mouse shared a series of photos of Disney World where the parks are practically empty no matter the time of day. And it seems that staff are more prominent than guests.
@magicalday44Disney world is Slow! #disneylover #mickey #disneyblogger #disneyfamily #disneyside #epcot #magickingdom #hollywoodstudios #disneyvacation #disneybound #animalkingdom #starwars #disneysprings #wdw #waltdisneyworldresort #disneylifestyle #travel #disneycharacters #happiestplaceonearth #disnerd #orlando #dhs #baylake #disneyart #disneyfood #disneyinstagram #disneyboardwalk #disney #florida #wdw #disneytravel
There are even fewer visitors to Disney's restaurants. TikToker @magicalday44 notes that getting reservations for the popular Disney World restaurant Hollywood and Vine on July 8 was much easier than it was in the past.
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No one seemed to be taking advantage of the after-hours perk that Disneyland offers as a pass add-on. As Instagram user @disneygoofgirl highlights, Fantasyland was still empty during the late-night hours on July 14.
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Instagram user @sarasphotoadventures posted this photo of the Hollywood Hotel in Disneyland, where there's truly no one around. Seeing it so empty might be a little more haunting than its Tower of Terror ride.
Courtney Shapiro Courtney Shapiro is an Associate Editor at Best Life. Before joining the Best Life team, she had editorial internships with BizBash and Anton Media Group.Read moreFiled UnderDestinations • DisneyRead This NextDisney Parks Making 4 Big Dining Changes
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