Political tensions between the United States and Canada, sparked by President Donald Trump’s controversial rhetoric and policies, have led to a noticeable decline in Canadian tourists to U.S. destinations, including Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort. Amid growing dissatisfaction, millions of Canadians are choosing not to visit Disney parks this year, voicing concerns over the political climate in the U.S. under the current administration.
This shift began after President Trump, upon returning to office, threatened to impose harsh tariffs on Canada and proposed annexing it as the “51st state.” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau quickly responded, urging citizens to reconsider traveling to the United States and encouraging them to “Choose Canada” instead for their summer vacations.
Despite the backlash, Trump hasn’t backed down. In a recent interview with NBC’s Meet the Press, Trump confirmed that he would discuss the annexation threat with Canada’s newly elected Prime Minister, Mark Carney. However, Carney’s response was firm: Canada was “not for sale.”
The escalating tensions between the two nations have resulted in many Canadians canceling their planned vacations to Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort.
“Not a chance in hell we are going to go now,” u/pvtcowboy97 wrote on Reddit. “We were planning a Halloween trip but going to stay in Canada. We usually go once every year, but since Trump’s dragging of our country—sorry, not sorry. Maybe we will save for Japan next year.”
“Had two full weeks booked in September,” said u/wasnotwas76. “Now gonna cancel and we are going to Oktoberfest in Germany instead. Costs a bit more but whatever.”
The numbers show the results of these sentiments. According to a report by MLive, the number of Canadians returning from the United States through the Michigan border dropped by 1.5 million in March. This marks the third consecutive month of decreased Canadian travel to the U.S., with many Canadians opting for other destinations over the United States. Popular vacation spots like Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort, which rely on international tourism, are undoubtedly feeling the effects of this trend.
Though The Walt Disney Company has not publicly confirmed a drop in Canadian visitors to its American parks, the impact is hard to ignore. With a large portion of U.S. tourism revenue dependent on foreign guests, this political climate shift has reverberated throughout the industry.
Will the Canadians’ boycott impact Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort? Share your opinion with Disney Dining in the comments.
Does this mean they won’t be flooding the Jersey shore this year either? 😱 Since we’re going to both places this year I would consider that a win, win!