ORLANDO, Fla. — The Thanksgiving holiday travel season is upon us and according to the American Hotel & Lodging Association, many Americans are opting to stay home this holiday season with 61% saying they don't plan to travel for Thanksgiving. 

Orlando, however, appears to be an exception.

What You Need To Know

  •  Friday is the official start of the 12-day Thanksgiving travel season

  •  Orlando International Airport officials say they are expecting 1.63 million travelers during that time, about 2.5% down from pre-pandemic numbers

  • According to the American Hotel & Lodging Association, 61% of Americans don't plan to travel for Thanksgiving

Friday is the official start of the 12-day Thanksgiving travel. Orlando International Airport is expecting 1.63 million travelers over that time, which would be just about 2.5 percent less than pre-pandemic 2019 numbers.

Flying in from Utah Thursday, members of the Price family said they are anxious for all Central Florida has to offer during the next week.

“We are going to go explore the beach and some of Gainesville," McKelle Price said at the airport with her four kids. "We are going all over, and maybe Legoland, we will see.”

Despite the American Hotel Lodging Association survey stating only 29% of Americans are likely to travel for Thanksgiving this year, Orlando is expected to see a boom. According to AAA booking data, Orlando tops domestic travel for both Thanksgiving and Christmas travel, but its not just Turkey people are coming for.​

“For both business and pleasure," AirSafe CEO Todd Curtis said. "It (Orlando) has always been a popular destination both national and internationally for decades. For example, a lot of frequent flyer miles, which people may cash in for for pleasure trips, one of those destinations that they go to repeatedly is Orlando.”

Orlando for Price and her four kids is all about family, fun and sun.

“Really just the fact that it is open," she said. "The fact we can go and enjoy lots of things that you can’t at a lot of places. That’s a huge deal.”

And area attractions also are doing their part to keep locals and travelers as safe as possible.

“They are taking steps above and beyond," Curtis said. "Whatever state mandate may exist to make sure that their patrons and customers and participants are safe.”

Which, Price said, is all a mom can ask for when making memories that will hopefully last a lifetime.

Another promising sign that Orlando is having a big bounce back this holiday season is not just coming from the amount of passengers flying in.

Visit Orlando officials say that advance hotel bookings for the Thanksgiving weekend are running about 90% of the same time frame in 2019.