With summer just around the corner, is it really the time to be going to Disney World?

If you have a trip to Disney World planned this summer, there’s a chance you might see it emptier than usual. Between Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and Magic Kingdom, a lot is going on at the parks this year. Even though summer is vacation time for lots of people, it might not be spent at the Most Magical Place on Earth. The question is, why?

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Too Much Construction

It’s no secret that a lot is coming to Disney World in the future, which means there is a lot of construction happening at the parks. Disney’s Animal Kingdom feels like a half-day park right now as Disney Imagineers continue to put together the brand-new Tropical Americas themed land, Puebla Esperanza. DINOSAUR was permanently closed earlier this year, and with Dinoland gone, the park just feels emptier.

Over at Hollywood Studios, construction is taking place in a few different spots. Even though the all-new animation courtyard, The Magic of Disney Animation, will be open by May 26th, Hollywood Studios will still have a lengthy construction period ahead of it. Muppets Courtyard closed down to make way for Monstropolis, and that whole area will be closed for a while.

As for Magic Kingdom, construction is underway for Piston Peak and eventually Villains Land. The entire area where Tom Sawyer Island is is completely walled off. Throw in all the construction taking place at the many resorts around the property, and you’re going to see a lot of walls and cranes at Disney World this summer!

Attraction Closures

On top of construction, there are many attractions that are closed right now. Some will open within the few weeks of summer, some possibly later. Attractions like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, the animation courtyard at Hollywood Studios, and Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster starring the Muppets are all closed right now.

They are set to open closer to the beginning of the summer, but it’s something you’ll want to be aware of. Also, this will be the first summer after DINOSAUR’s permanent closure.

Ticket Prices Are Too High

We hate to say it, but ticket prices are just too high at Disney World right now. It seems like every year, a Disney World vacation gets harder and harder to do, solely based on the cost of getting into the parks. Yes, Disney just dropped an afternoon ticket deal, but it still doesn’t feel like enough.

Days at Magic Kingdom can run as high as $200 this summer. No park hopper, no Lightning Lane, just one day at one park.

Everyone Is Going to Disneyland

It’s true, everyone is going to Disneyland this summer! This isn’t a debate about which park is better (you can have that amongst yourselves), it’s because the D23 Expo is happening at Anaheim in August. The D23 Expo is the ultimate Disney fan event, filled with awesome experiences, exclusive behind-the-scenes looks at Disney projects, merchandise, and more. All the Disney fans heading to D23 will surely spend their money for a day at Disneyland while they’re there.

Between D23, Disneyland, and Disney World, it seems logical that Disney World is at the bottom of the priority list for Disney fans this summer.

Epic Universe

Believe it or not, Universal’s Epic Universe is close to celebrating its first anniversary. On May 22nd, 2026, Epic Universe will have been open for one year. The brand-new park has been very popular, but if you remember, it was pretty limited capacity last summer. Everyone who missed out will want to check out that park this summer if they can. Same with everyone who wanted to wait to see what others said before checking it out.

All in all, Epic Universe will be taking some guests away from Disney World for the people who travel to Florida this summer!

IT’S SO DANG HOT

Everyone coming to Florida knows that the humid summer heat can be a lot to deal with. This is the least contributing factor on this list, but hey, some people don’t want to sweat all day long at Disney World while on their vacation. So, this is something to consider.

Just to be clear, we’re not saying DON’T go to Disney World this summer. Every day is a good day to be at the park we all love, but that doesn’t mean some seasons aren’t better or worse than others. In fact, maybe this summer is a good time to go if the park is emptier. However, if you decide to wait for another time because of these reasons, that’s totally valid. For more Disney content, make sure to stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog!

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Will you be coming to Disney World this summer? Let us know in the comments!