The launch of Epic Universe rocketed Orange County’s tourist-tax collections to the highest level ever for the month of May.

The tax brought in nearly $30 million for the month, about $1.6 million more than the previous best for May, set last year. The 5.7 percent, year-over-year revenue increase came even though the eye-popping new theme park opened May 22, just ten days from the end of the month.

“I’m excited to see what the June numbers are,” said Comptroller Phil Diamond, whose office tracks the revenues generated by the 6% surcharge on the cost of a hotel room and other short-term rental lodging. “That’s going to be the first full month of Epic,” he said.

Tourism figures tend to slide in May, a month sandwiched between Spring Break and peak summer travel periods.

The monthly TDT report lags about five weeks behind hotel-tax collections. June figures will be released in early August.

Epic Universe opens, and Harry Potter ride quickly draws a crowd (and a 300-minute wait)

Diamond has noted new theme parks have historically boosted TDT collections.

When Disney’s Animal Kingdom opened in 1998, TDT went up about 8%.

The following year, Islands of Adventure at Universal lifted TDT figures about 2%.

Universal’s opening of the Harry Potter attractions at Universal helped raise TDT collections about 4% in 2010.

Diamond said many factors can move tourism up or down, including the strength of both the U.S. and global economies and international conflict, “but Orlando has a very strong tourism base and, overall, I think it’s very well-positioned for success in the long term.”

According to data cited by Diamond and credited to Visit Orlando, the region’s TDT-funded marketing agency, hotel occupancy in May 2025 rose to 69.2%, up 0.6% year-over-year, while hotel demand increased 2.6%, a figure impacted by 2,500 new hotel rooms in the market.

The average daily room rate climbed to $198.20 in May, up from $189.30 in May 2024.

Three large gatherings in May at the Orange County Convention Center also helped boost TDT figures.

The convention center hosted about 27,000 people for Coverings, the largest ceramic tile and natural stone conference and exhibition in the U.S. and North America; 17,500 attendees for a mega-tournament staged by U.S. Chess; and 15,000 for a technology show.

Casandra Matej, president & CEO of Visit Orlando, said advance hotel bookings are slightly ahead of last summer’s figures. But bookings in the short-term rental market are pacing 15% ahead of this time last year.

Through the first eight months of the current fiscal year, which began Oct. 1, TDT collections are about $13.1 million ahead of last year’s through the same period. Fiscal Year 2024 ended with a record total of $359.4 million, besting Fiscal Year 2023 by about $140,000.

TDT has paid to build, expand, operate and maintain the convention center; fund Visit Orlando and tourism promotion; build and upgrade public venues like Camping World Stadium and the KIA Center; and support community arts, cultural programs and museums.

shudak@orlandosentinel.com