Florida Expects More UK Visitors in 2026: But Disney World Warns of "International Headwinds"

Florida's tourism bosses are feeling upbeat about the UK market for 2026, but Disney is warning of "international visitation headwinds" at its US parks in the next few months. For UK families planning Orlando, it's an interesting split: the state expects UK visitor momentum to continue, while Disney expects fewer international visitors at Walt Disney World.

We’re taking a look at why this could be the case and how this impacts your Florida and Disney World trip planning.

UK to Florida Visitors rise in 2025; expected to continue in 2026

Multiple sources are today revealing that UK visitation to Florida rose to 1.2 million in 2025, a 6% increase from 2024’s 1.14 million visitors. Since the pandemic ended there has been a yearly increase in UK visitors heading to the Sunshine State.

The graph shows that since the pandemic visitor numbers are increasing, getting closer to their 2019 record-breaking levels.

The jump from 140,000 in 2021 to 1.1 million in 2022 remains one of the fastest recoveries in Florida's tourism history. This was driven by pent-up demand and the lifting of "Testing and Vaccination" requirements for international arrivals.

Approximately 80% of these visitors (roughly 907,900 in 2024) choose Orlando as their primary base when visiting Florida, with the remainder visiting Miami, the Gulf Coast (Tampa/Clearwater), and the Florida Keys.

In an interview with Travel Weekly, the CEO of Visit Florida is quoted as saying he is:

Even with affordability and geopolitics raising eyebrows across the wider transatlantic market, Florida is expecting growth.

The speed with which Virgin Atlantic released new summer flights to Orlando following Aer Lingus confirming Manchester’s transatlantic base closure, would also support the idea that there is a continuing, if not growing appetite for Florida holidays among UK holidaymakers.

Disney’s more cautious 2026 UK visitor expectations

In Disney's 2nd February 2026 fiscal update, the company flagged that it expects only modest growth in its Experiences segment in the current quarter. One of the reasons for this was "international visitation headwinds at our domestic parks."

That doesn't mean Disney World is suddenly empty, far from it. Disney reported strong revenue and guest spending, but it's clearly signalling that the mix of visitors may tilt more domestic in the near term. The yare expecting international travel demand, (including visitors from the UK), to drop.

Why both can be true at the same time

Florida demand doesn’t equal Disney demand. For many UK trip planners, a trip to Florida does not necessarily involve many days at Disney World. Florida offers:

• beach breaks

• cruise starting points for many large cruise liners heading to the Bahamas and the Caribbean

• Multi-centre trips

• Other large theme parks and attractions, including Universal.

Not everyone is doing a full Disney stay.

Disney's warning is specifically about international visitation to its US parks, and it may reflect a mix of factors which we explore in more detail in our recent article Disney World expects fewer international visitors in the next few months.

In 2026, there is also another factor going to drive UK visitors to Florida: the World Cup. Seven matches are scheduled to be hosted in Miami, which includes the bronze final clash.

Florida could experience overall growth in tourism from the UK this year, while Disney may remain static or experience a short-term dip in theme park attendance.

Disney vs Universal Debate: Why Disney Crowds Could Drop

Disney has flagged "international visitation headwinds" at its US parks in the near term, which can show up when long-haul holidays feel harder to justify or when travellers change how they split time and spend across Orlando.

At the same time as Disney predict “headwinds” they close fan favourite lands in parks, such as the closure of DINOLAND USA on February 1st. With a transition period occurring due to land reimagining, the competition is looking to entice UK visitors.

Universal’s response to the closure of Dinoland USA was to launch a social media ad stating they still had dinosaurs. It was a style of banter reminiscent of Aldi vs Marks and Spencer here in the UK. Take a look:

They have also just launched a major new brand campaign debuting with a Super Bowl LX commercial released Wednesday 4th February 2026. You can read about the new advertising campaign and see the Super Bowl ad in Universal’s Super Bowl ad signals a bigger player for UK travellers in 2026.

While the Super Bowl may not be big in the UK, and social media marketing has a short life span, what is clear is that Universal is making a play for visitors to stay and visit the resort for longer.

The messaging is clear: Universal wants to be seen as a holiday destination that is comparable to a Disney holiday; it’s not a two-day add-on to a Disney trip. Offering world-class attractions and IP routed in UK interest, not to mention the construction of Universal Bedford, Universal is grabbing UK visitor interest, perhaps more than ever.

For UK visitors who often plan a split stay, that matters, because if Universal succeeds in persuading families to allocate more days, (and budget), to its parks, it can subtly change the balance of an Orlando itinerary. This means Florida tourism from the UK as a whole continues to grow.

Magic in a Minute

Florida is betting on a strong UK year, helped by air capacity and World Cup buzz, meanwhile Disney is bracing for a short-term dip in international visitors. For UK planners, that mix could create a sweet spot: high overall Florida energy, but potentially calmer conditions for Disney days if you travel outside peak weeks.