TripAdvisor Reveals Why Disney World Could Be So BUSY Right Now

We’ve been telling you about how busy things are in Orlando right now.

The crowds are here!

Even Orlando International Airport has warned travelers about projected holiday travel crowds visiting the airport. Disney World is super busy, too, as we’ve seen with crowd levels AND the price of Genie+ (which has hit its highest ever). Well, it turns out that Orlando is also near the top of an important list for winter travel.

TripAdvisor just released its Winter Travel Index, which determined that 58% of Americans surveyed planned to travel during the winter season. The numbers broke down like this: 91% of those traveling are doing so for seasonal things like winter festivals, winter sports and activities, school breaks, and holidays.

The holidays are a BIG reason for travel this season

The survey also revealed that Americans had bigger trips planned this winter over previous winters, with longer trips of five or more nights being planned. But more importantly, it’s WHERE they’re traveling that has us interested. The #1 American destination might be New York, but the second most popular destination is Orlando (which explains why Disney World is so packed right now).

©Orlando International Airport

Hotel searches on TripAdvisor show that the most popular week for travel is December 25th through 31st, coinciding with school breaks. December 26th is the top hotel check-in day. TripAdvisor also looked at prices for the winter season and determined that the least expensive time to travel to Orlando is from December 11th through 17th (oh, well, we’ve missed that window, huh?).

Disney World entrance sign

Of course, we’ve found that the least crowded time during the holiday season at Disney World is generally the week after Thanksgiving. That said, there will still be some crowds, but the crowds really pick up towards the end of the month, so this is a good time to enjoy everything the holidays have to offer in Disney World, like the EPCOT Festival of the Holidays.

Festival of the Holidays

Of course, it’s ultimately up to you when you want to visit: we’ve got a month-to-month guide to help you make up your mind.

Stay tuned to DFB for more!

2 NEW Laws You Need To Know When You Visit Disney World in 2024

DON'T MISS A MOMENT
OF HOLIDAY MAGIC

Holidays at Disney World: DFB's Merriest Guide is a one-of-a-kind resource that will help you get the most out of your holiday vacation at Walt Disney World.

It includes all the must-have information for navigating the holiday season at Disney World, including:

The COMPLETE schedule of events for the Holiday Season
How to avoid the crowds on Disney World's busiest days (and when Disney World closes their parks due to capacity!)
ALL of the events, activities, and holiday additions in Walt Disney World. ALL. OF. THEM.
And, of course, we'll tell you where to eat!

Save 20% on the Holidays at Disney World: DFB's Merriest Guide with code PEPPERMINT.