Memorial Day weekend travel: Best times and what to expect at Florida’s theme parks
- Orlando and Miami are among the top 10 most popular destinations for Memorial Day travel.
- Florida's theme parks, including the newly opened Universal Epic Universe, are expected to be extremely crowded.
- While drought conditions persist in Florida, the weather forecast for Memorial Day weekend in Orlando and Tampa predicts hot and sunny conditions.
Memorial Day weekend is on the horizon, which means an unofficial start to the summer season. Why not spend it with Mickey Mouse, Harry Potter, or some sea creatures?
The federal holiday lands on May 26 this year and is a day of remembrance and commemoration for military members who lost their lives in service. Many Americans also take advantage of the three-day weekend to travel, especially to Florida's theme parks.
AAA projects 45.1 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home over the Memorial Day holiday period from Thursday, May 22, to Monday, May 26. The organization said this year’s domestic travel forecast will increase by 1.4 million travelers compared to last year and set a new Memorial Day weekend record.
For wanting to spend the three-day weekend at Disney World, Universal Orlando, or any of Florida's theme parks, here's what to know about traveling and what the weather forecast will look like:
What are the top travel destinations for Memorial Day weekend? Orlando ranks high
Orlando unsurprisingly ranked in first place on AAA’s list of the top 10 most popular Memorial Day weekend destinations in the United States for 2025. The list is based on AAA booking data for trips between Thursday, May 22 through Monday, May 26.
Here’s AAA’s list of the top 10 most popular Memorial Day weekend destinations in the United States this year:
◾Orlando
◾Seattle
◾New York City
◾Las Vegas
◾Miami
◾San Francisco
◾Anchorage, Alaska
◾Chicago
◾Denver
◾Boston
Where are Florida's main theme parks located?
Before you head out on your road trip, make sure you know where you're going. From Orlando to Tampa, here are the official addresses for each of the top theme parks in Florida:
Walt Disney World
- ◾Magic Kingdom ‒ 1180 Seven Seas Drive, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
- ◾EPCOT ‒ 200 Epcot Center Drive. Lake Buena Vista, FL 32821
- ◾Hollywood Studios ‒ 351 South Studio Drive, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
- ◾Animal Kingdom ‒ 2901 Osceola Parkway, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
Universal Orlando Resort
- ◾Universal Studios and Universal's Islands of Adventure - 6000 Universal Blvd., Orlando, FL 32819
- ◾Universal's Epic Universe -1001 Epic Blvd., Orlando, FL 32819
SeaWorld Orlando - 7007 Sea World Drive, Orlando, FL 32821
Legoland Florida - 1 Legoland Way, Winter Haven, FL 33884
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay - 10165 McKinley Drive, Tampa, FL 33612
How busy will Florida's theme parks get during Memorial Day?
Florida's theme parks will be incredibly busy ‒ and not just because of the holiday weekend.
Universal Orlando's newest theme park, Epic Universe, will open to the public a few days before Memorial Day on Thursday, May 22. The new park will see large crowds in its first months (or even years), seeking to immerse guests in five new worlds to experience and explore.
Theme park travel blogs always stress how packed the parks can get during holiday weekends. Memorial Day weekend is listed among the busiest times to visit in general.
What is the busiest travel day this Memorial Day weekend?
According to AAA’s Memorial Day weekend travel outlook for 2025, you should avoid driving on Thursday and Friday evenings. And if you’re planning to travel home on Sunday, the earlier you leave, the better.
Here are the best and worst times to travel by car this Memorial Day weekend, according to AAA and INRIX:
Best times for traveling:
◾Thursday, May 22 – Before noon.
◾Friday, May 23 – Before 11 a.m.
◾Saturday, May 24 – Before noon.
◾Sunday, May 25 ‒ Before 1 p.m.
◾Memorial Day Monday, May 26 ‒ Before 2 p.m.
Worst times for traveling:
◾Thursday, May 22 – 1 p.m. through 9 p.m.
◾Friday, May 23 ‒ Noon through 8 p.m.
◾Saturday, May 24 – 2 p.m. through 6 p.m.
◾Sunday, May 25 ‒ 1 p.m. through 6 p.m.
◾Memorial Day, May 26 ‒ 4 p.m. through 7 p.m.
What will the Florida weather forecast look like?
As of May 12, the weather forecasts for Memorial Day weekend are still changing and not 100% clear yet.
Drought conditions are currently impacting 84% of the state, ranging from abnormally dry to extreme drought, according to NOAA's National Integrated Drought Information System. While many areas will have some rain showers until then, it looks as though Memorial Day Weekend will be hot and dry.
Here's what the forecast looks like in Orlando and Tampa, where the state's theme parks are housed, according to Accuweather:
Orlando weather
◾Friday: A shower in spots in the morning; otherwise, mostly sunny. High of 89, low of 71.
◾Saturday: Sunshine. High of 88, low of 72.
◾Sunday: Brilliant sunshine. High of 89, low of 70.
◾Memorial Day: Sun giving way to increasing clouds. High of 91, low of 73.
Tampa weather
◾Friday: Mostly sunny. High of 93, low of 73.
◾Saturday: Plenty of sun. High of 90, low of 72.
◾Sunday: Plenty of sun. High of 91, low of 73.
◾Memorial Day: Rather cloudy and humid. High of 91, low of 74.
Contributing: Cheryl McCloud, Paste BN Network-Florida