If you’re planning on traveling to Disney World this summer, there are some things you NEED to know.

Of course, you can expect LOTS of heat so you’ll want to pack for that. You’ll also want to be prepared for how hurricane season might impact your plans. Plus, there are new restaurants and experiences to look for. But before you get to any of that, you have to GET to Disney World and there are some key things about travel in the US in general that could affect your decisions.

The following information is thanks to the 2023 Summer Travel Outlook from Hopper. Much of it is about domestic travel in general but some of it is Disney World-specific and it could all impact your plans to visit the Mouse. So let’s dive in to see what YOU should know before you book that summer trip.

Domestic Airfare Is a Little Better

First, domestic airfare isn’t looking all that bad at the moment. Currently, the domestic airfare cost is averaging around $306 per ticket — that’s 19% lower than last year and an increase of only 6% compared to the summer of 2019.

This is thanks to higher capacity on airlines and slightly lower jet fuel prices.

So if you’re planning to travel this summer, hopefully, your airfare costs won’t feel quite as bad as they did last year when they hit your bank account.

Click here to see some CHEAP nonstop flights to Disney World for this summer

AVOID Peak Weekends (If Possible)

If you’ll be flying this summer, there are some important days to avoid (when possible). Airfare this summer is expected to be the most expensive for weekend trips around the 4th of July. Memorial Day trips could be quite pricey too and their costs are expected to spike in the next month.

Labor Day weekend prices are averaging $283 (domestic) for now and could stay low for a few weeks, but NOW is the time to book those before they go up.

Overall, Hopper recommends avoiding those 3 “peak weekends” if you can so you can save on airfare and potentially long lines in the airport.

That’s not always feasible given vacation schedules, so if you do have to travel during these times just be prepared to face potential delays (a.k.a. arrive EARLY to the airport for security and download your airline’s app to get notifications on your flight) and expect to pay more for your tickets (so adjust your budgets accordingly).

Click here to see what we’re DREADING about Disney World this summer

Expect Delays and Cancelations to Continue

Last year, summer travel disruptions peaked in late June, at which point an average of 3% of flights were canceled while 23% were delayed on departure. Airlines and airports have increased their staffing and adjusted schedules to potentially make things better, but Hopper warns you should still expect some disruptions along the way.

For now, the delays are tracking at or below where they were in 2022, and cancelations are below the highs of 2022. BUT summer could change things since it is the busiest season of the year. And this will apparently mark the “first full summer season with airlines operating more capacity than in 2019.”

Hopper notes that you should be prepared for summer flights to have around ~2% departing flights canceled and ~20% of departing flights delayed. The highest rates are expected for June and early July.

Be sure to look at the terms of your ticket and what rules/policies apply if your airline cancels or delays your flight. You can also visit the Department of Transportation’s Airline Customer Dashboard website. It’ll show you what each airline has promised to provide when a delay or cancelation is under their control.

That might include booking you on a new flight at no additional cost, giving you complimentary hotel accommodations, and more. You may also want to see if a travel protection policy is worth it for you and see if you have any credit cards or other memberships that offer free travel protection when used for booking.

See how you might get PAID for your canceled flights as airline changes get proposed

Your Hotel Could Be MORE Expensive Than You Think

When it comes to hotels, the prices for this summer are going UP. Hotels are averaging around $237 per night which is an increase of 11% compared to last year. Orlando is one of the most searched hotel markets and it looks like prices can be around $123 per night there, marking a 4% increase from 2022.

Rental homes are also continuing to be a big thing for travelers, with Florida being a particular hot spot. According to Hopper, people going to Orlando are paying an average of “$360 per night to be close to Disney World.”

If you’re heading to Disney World this year, be sure to look for any and all deals that could help you SAVE on your hotel stay. Disney has announced several summer discounts for various groups that you’ll want to take advantage of to make sure you’re getting the best deal — see a full list of discounts here.

To take some of the deal-searching stress out of your day, reach out to our friends at Small World Vacations. They’re constantly looking for the latest deals so they can make sure you take advantage of the best discounts for your trip and their services are totally FREE.

Car Rentals Are Slightly Better in Price

If you are trying to rent a car, things are looking better there. Rental prices are averaging $46 per day (a decrease of 17% compared to last year). And Orlando rental car prices have dropped nearly 35% compared to 2022.

If you were on the fence about booking a rental car, look into the prices now to see what they’re like and whether they make sense for you.

Disney World May Not Be Totally Empty

We’ve shared some information lately about why Disney World could be EMPTY this summer, particularly given recent updates.

Annual Passes are on sale again and haven’t sold out, Park Pass availability has been VERY good for the upcoming months, Disney has released quite a few summer discounts, and Disney has admitted that in the “back half of this fiscal year,” they expect that there will be an “unfavorable comparison” when compared to last year because the 50th Anniversary is no longer going on. Basically, things may have slowed down a bit now that the 50th is over.

But that doesn’t mean that NO ONE will be in the parks this summer. Hopper has warned that Orlando (along with the “adjacent” Disney World) is one of the top most searched destinations for the summer. That could indicate that a lot of folks out there are at least considering visiting the Mouse.

So if you do visit during the summer, just be prepared for a mix — potentially some more manageable crowds at times if demand is really going down compared to last year since the 50th Anniversary is over, with larger crowds at other times as people visit Orlando while school is out.

Click here to see what big change you’ll want to look for in Magic Kingdom this summer

Travel Tips

And now it’s time to hit those travel tips. These are some of the top things Hopper advises:

1. Book your trip for the summer ASAP because prices are expected to increase in the coming weeks
2. Booking 3-4 months in advance for domestic trips is usually a “sweet spot” to get a good deal
3. See if you can use tools to freeze a price if you aren’t ready to book right away
4. Fly mid-week (Tuesday or Wednesday) to save around $56 per ticket on domestic flights
5. See if trip protection is right for you
6. To avoid delays and cancelations, consider booking the first flight of the day — flights that leave after 9AM are two times more likely to be delayed than ones that are scheduled between 5 and 8AM

We’ll continue to be on the lookout for more summer tips and tricks. In the meantime, click our links below to see all kinds of helpful travel info!

Are you visiting Disney World this summer? Tell us in the comments.

The post Price INCREASES and More Summer Travel News You Need to Know first appeared on the disney food blog.