Earlier this month, during The Walt Disney Company’s earnings call, the company admitted that it wasn’t worried about Universal Orlando Resort’s opening of Epic Universe in 2025. Disney believed more guests coming to Central Florida would benefit both theme parks.
Despite its statements, everything Disney has done since that earnings call points to one point: the company fully expects fewer people to visit the Walt Disney World Resort in 2025, and the opening of Epic Universe will significantly damage its attendance next year.
With Disney World closing large portions of its parks and raising prices across the board, it will be much less desirable for most guests to visit the parks in 2025. Former Imagineer Jim Shull chimed on in Disney World in 2025, saying:
People plan vacations and travel spending months in advance. The Disney message is don’t come in 2025 or the next several years until our construction is done. Meanwhile Universal is looking like a great option.
People plan vacations and travel spending months in advance. The Disney message is don’t come in 2025 or the next several years until our construction is done. Meanwhile Universal is looking like a great option.
— Jim Shull (@JimShull) November 26, 2024
Disney has already announced that Big Thunder Mountain will be closed for the entirety of 2025, and Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island will close permanently at the Magic Kingdom. This will impact much of Frontierland and Liberty Square, including the Haunted Mansion.
Disney will be opening a new Cars Land and Villains Land, but those projects are not expected to open until 2026 at the earliest. This means the crowds at the Magic Kingdom will be dispersed over a smaller space with fewer thrill rides, making the park feel more crowded.
At Disney’s Animal Kingdom, which already lacks rides and attractions, nearly a quarter of the park will be closed to make way for the new Encanto-themed land. The removal of DINOSAUR also takes away one of the few thrill rides at the park, putting even more pressure on the remaining rides and causing even longer wait times.
The same can be said for Hollywood Studios, which also lacks space. With the closure of Muppet Vision 3D and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, the park will feel even more crowded than ever, and no one actually thought that was possible.
The only good news for Disney is that Test Track 3.0 is set to reopen in 2025. However, no one is spending thousands on a Disney World vacation for Test Track.
So, despite what Disney tells you, its actions suggest that guests should avoid Disney World in 2025.
