Walt Disney World Resort is experiencing something surprising this summer: July 4 crowds that aren’t showing up. For years, Independence Day has been one of the busiest days of the year for the Central Florida theme parks, with families flocking to the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT to celebrate the holiday. However, in 2025, things are looking a little different.
On Wednesday, Disney Parks fans started to notice something odd—sparse crowds at three of the four Walt Disney World Resort theme parks. These reports follow several weeks of claims that Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom are not experiencing the typical summer crowds. The question on many fans’ minds: why?
Earlier this summer, rumors about low attendance at Walt Disney World Resort began circulating. These claims were fueled by the simultaneous discounts on park tickets and Disney Resort hotels, which apparently failed to draw guests as intended. In addition to lower ticket prices, reports of low attraction wait times and ample availability of advanced dining reservations have been circulating, leaving fans puzzled. After spring break, which was packed as usual, these quieter crowds are unexpected.
Many Disney Parks fans have offered their own theories for the drop in attendance. Some are blaming the political and economic climate in the United States, while others point to boycotts from foreign tourists. The summer heat in Florida is another factor. Despite these theories, some Disney Park guests argue that Walt Disney World Resort is just as busy as ever. Due to Disney’s lack of live crowd data, it’s impossible to say definitively what is happening.
The conversation continued when Redditor u/reddituser6742 shared screenshots on July 2 showing alarmingly low wait times at EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom during what should have been a busy summer afternoon, especially with July 4 just around the corner.
WDW parks seem to be EMPTY based off the wait times in the app
WDW parks seem to be EMPTY based off the wait times in the app
byu/reddituser6742 inWaltDisneyWorld
The wait times for some of the most popular attractions were surprisingly low. For instance, Avatar Flight of Passage had a 40-minute wait, Frozen Ever After had 45 minutes, and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance had a 45-minute wait. Typically, Disney Parks fans expect to wait one to two hours for these rides on a summer day.
Several Reddit users chimed in with their theories. Some commenters pointed to Florida’s unpredictable weather—summer afternoons are often a mix of scorching heat and sudden downpours—as a possible factor in the lower attendance.
“The great realization that florida is miserable during the summer has arrived ( I live in florida and treat july like a month long blizzard.),” said u/Duox_TV. “I am shocked those 99 dollar a night offer didn’t pull ppl in. If I could have gotten it in time I would have gone during july instead of my plan in September.”
Other commenters suggested that Disney’s decision to block out many Annual Passholders ahead of the busy July 4 weekend could be a contributing factor.
“Most Locals being blocked out probably plays a part in that,” u/wrestlefan44 wrote.
However, some fans were simply grateful for the low wait times.
“I’ve been here since Friday,” said u/taflad. “Whilst it’s not completely empty in any of the parks, we haven’t queued for more than an hour for anything yet. I’m [at] HS today, Mickey and Minnie RR was 45 mins, tower was 15 mins. RnRcoaster is currently closed. We hit tron on Friday and took 20 mins.”
“I hope it’s like this next week when I’m there,” u/temporary-brother206 commented.
Have you recently visited Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park? In the comments, share your experience with the summer crowds at Walt Disney World Resort with Disney Dining!
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