More Canadians this year are choosing Disney destinations across the Atlantic Ocean, as foreign visitors to the United States have declined even though worldwide travel trends remain strong.
Travel agencies and companies that specialize in Disney vacations — and other types of travel — say some Canadians are following through on plans to reduce or avoid travel to the United States.
President Donald Trump's trade policies, comments about Greenland, and stepped-up immigration enforcement efforts have led some travelers to reconsider U.S. trips, travel agents said.
For 2025, total foreign travel to the United States was down 5.4% through November, according to the U.S. Commerce Department's National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO), including 4 million fewer visits from Canadian travelers, a 22% drop from the previous year.
Christine Fiorelli, owner of Canadian travel agency Fairytale Dreams & Destinations, said she’s seen a 30% shift in clients who normally book a U.S. Disney vacation, as they are now turning to places like Disneyland Paris.
"Many travelers are still eager for that magical Disney experience but prefer to avoid supporting U.S.-based parks at this time," said Fiorelli. "It still holds a place in their heart, but not now."
Walt Disney CFO Hugh Johnston said on the company's latest earnings call that it had less visibility into international bookings for the second quarter and has shifted its marketing and sales efforts to domestic travelers.
Disney did not respond to an additional request for comment.
"We're huge Disney lovers, but given the current political climate, we're not traveling to anywhere in the U.S.," said Catherine Norris, 57, from the Toronto area, who has visited Disney World with her family every year since 2008.
She and her husband have booked a Disney vacation in Europe and back-to-back Disney cruises departing from Singapore instead.
"It will probably be at least five to ten years before we will travel to the U.S. again," Norris said.
In 2024, Canada was the top market for visitors to Orlando, home of Walt Disney World, with a record 1.2 million visitors, according to Visit Orlando, the city's destination marketing firm. Visit Orlando has not released 2025 figures.
The outlook could shift, however, with the World Cup soccer tournament set to start in June.
“President Trump has done more for American tourism than anyone," said Anna Kelly, White House deputy press secretary. "His America First agenda has restored our country’s place as the leader of the free world once again – making it the best place to live or visit."
However, the World Travel and Tourism Council estimates a 6% drop in foreign visitors to the United States in 2025, even as global tourism rose 6.7%.
The impact on travel has also extended to U.S. national parks, according to travel agencies.
Australia-based Intrepid Travel, which offers over 300 U.S. national park tours, said bookings are down 42% for 2026, particularly from Canada, UK, and Australia, with Canada bookings declining 93%.
UK-based luxury travel agency Cazenove Loyd said they scrapped plans for tailor-made itineraries centered around parks in states like Montana, Washington and California.
"It might not be quite the time to launch something that is dedicated to the States," said Christopher Wilmot-Sitwell, co-owner.
Hotel operator Hilton Worldwide's full-year results showed per-room revenue and occupancy rates declined in the United States in 2025 while rising in other regions.
At a conference in January, Marriott International’s CEO said the company was working with government officials on policies affecting international travel, according to a report by CoStar, a hotel analytics firm.
Bookings by Europeans to the U.S. between October 7 and January 31 were down 14% year-over-year, according to flight analytics firm Cirium, while bookings from Canada fell 17% in the same period.
The White House's proposal to require certain travelers to submit social media data has added to uncertainty, travel agents said. The U.S. Travel Association warned this could cause some vacationers to choose other destinations, as immigration enforcement efforts have led to a perception among some travelers that entry procedures are more complex, said Erik Hansen, the group's head of government relations.
"When you look at the data, the number of phone searches by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the number of denied entries has not gone up compared to previous administrations," he said.
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