Experts Agree This Upcoming July Weekend Could BREAK TRAVEL RECORDS in Orlando

It’s no secret that you can expect crowds in Disney World during a holiday.

You might be surprised at how many people travel to Orlando and then on to Disney World for the 4th of July. We’ve seen big crowds around the 4th of July before, but this year, we could see even more crowds in Disney World than ever. Yep, we’re looking forward as to what to expect this year for the holiday.

According to AAA, nearly 71 million people are expected to travel 50 miles or more from home over the July 4th week. Not only does that number exceed pre-pandemic numbers, but it actually sets a record for 4th of July travel. The 2024 projected number of travelers is up 5% from 2023 and up 8% from 2019.

The projection is that 60.6 million people will be traveling by car. If you are traveling by car, the best time to travel throughout the day is on Monday, July 1st. Other good times to travel by car are after 7PM on July 2nd, before noon on July 3rd and 4th, before 10AM on July 5th and 6th, before 11AM on July 7th, and after 7PM on July 8th.

The worst times to be making road trips are between 2 and 6PM on July 2nd, from 2 to 7PM on July 3rd and 4th, from 11AM to 4PM on July 5th, 10:30AM to 2:30PM on July 6th, from 2 to 8PM on July 7th, and from 1 to 5PM on July 8th, per AAA.

The number of air travelers is projected at 5.74 million people. This will set a new record, up 7% from 2023 and up 12% from 2019. The good news is that domestic airfare is 2% cheaper than it was that time last year. But you know what this means, right? It means airports are going to be VERY crowded.

So where are all these people heading? Well, the top domestic location is Seattle, but sitting at #2 is Orlando, which could mean Orlando International Airport is about to get hit with even more crowds than normal.

If you are flying during this busy time, especially out of the Orlando International Airport, be sure to give yourself plenty of extra time: the rule of thumb for Orlando is generally to arrive at the airport at least three hours before your departure time. You’ll also want to take advantage of TSA PreCheck if you have it, or you can sign up for MCO Reserve to schedule a time to go through security (which means it’s a lot faster than normal security lines).

If you’re headed to Disney World, you’ll want to pack your patience. It may be worth your while to grab Genie+ at midnight of each day you’re visiting the parks so you can take advantage of Lightning Lanes and skip long standby lines for rides. If you plan on using Mobile Order at quick service restaurants, order WELL ahead of when you want your food and just set the time to pick it up later.

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