New Travel Rules Could Affect Central Florida Visitors After DeSantis Policy Change

Published 2 months ago• 4 minute read

, incorporating Pixar’s Cars franchise in a move that has sparked plenty of debate. Meanwhile, Disney’s Animal Kingdom is getting its own facelift, with Encanto and Indiana Jones taking over the space once occupied by DinoLand U.S.A.

Not all fans are on board with Disney’s direction, especially when compared to Universal’s aggressive expansion. The question remains: Is Disney doing enough to keep up?

With significant refurbishments and operational changes sweeping through Walt Disney World, some fans may opt to sit this year out. But make no mistake—Central Florida will remain a hotspot for tourists, with Universal Epic Universe standing tall as the year’s biggest theme park spectacle.

Promotional image for Universal Orlando's "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter"

Credit: Inside The Magic

“We know many travelers are locking in their first vacation of the year, and it’s clear they’re after warmer weather and major entertainment options with Florida, Las Vegas and Puerto Rico topping the list for our Guests’ most searched spring break destinations,” said Rana Ghosh, Senior Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer at Spirit Airlines (via PR Newswire).

“Spring break is a great time to choose to fly in style and enjoy the value and enhanced experience that Spirit’s new travel options offer.”

The official top five destinations were Orlando, which topped the list, Fort Lauderdale, Las Vegas, Miami, and San Juan.

Florida exit sign

Credit: Canva

Spirit’s data is just one piece of the puzzle, though. It seems that Orlando, Central Florida, is once again on track to deliver record numbers when it comes to tourism. According to Orlando International Airport (MCO), the busiest day ever was during last year’s spring break season.

“Orlando International Airport hit a new passenger record with 102,064 departing passengers,” a press release read. “That does not include arrivals, which would logically double that number to 204,128 total passengers – the most the airport has ever seen in a single day.”

While not every traveler is heading out to the Walt Disney World Resort, it being a major driving factor in Orlando’s tourism numbers, makes it undeniable that a proportion of those visitors would be heading to The Most Magical Place on Earth.

Spring break is the first big influx of guests after the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year periods making it notoriously busy at the Disney parks. This year looks no different.

Guests walking down Main Street, U.S.A. in Walt Disney World Resort

Credit: Lee (myfrozenlife), Flickr

With such large numbers moving through MCO, a recent Ron DeSantis appointment is tasked with making people’s journeys easier and smoother.

“Dan Giordano, recently appointed to the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) by Gov. Ron DeSantis, plans to leverage his hospitality expertise to create a more welcoming environment for travelers,” Click Orlando wrote at the time. “He is the vice president of corporate planning and development with Rosen Hotels and is one of the few on the board with a strong background in hospitality.”

Giordano previously said that “creating memorable experiences is at the heart of what we do in Central Florida,” and his appointment will directly impact those coming into the Sunshine State to visit the parks at places like Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando Resort.

Per Florida Review, the busiest period during the spring break period will be between March 1 and March 23.

When he’s not thinking about the Magic Kingdom, Thomas is usually reading a book, becoming desperately obsessed with fictional characters, or baking something delicious (his favorite is chocolate cake -- to bake and to eat). He's a dreamer and grew up on Mulan saving the world, Jim Hawkins soaring through the stars, and Padmé Amidala fighting a Nexu. At the Parks, he loves to ride Everest, stroll down Main Street with an overstuffed pin lanyard around his neck, and eat as many Mickey-shaped ice creams as possible. His favorite character is Han Solo (yes, he did shoot first), and his favorite TV show is Buffy the Vampire Slayer except when it's One Tree Hill. He loves sandy beach walks, forest hikes, and foodie days out in the Big City. Thomas lives in England, UK, with his fiancée, baby, and their dog, a Border Collie called Luna.

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