Orlando's top tourist attractions are bucking the state's persistent economic slump with a multibillion-dollar building boom.

New and expanded venues are popping up at Disney, Universal and a host of other theme parks, laying claim to some 50 million tourists who visit Central Florida annually.

"What recession?" asks Erik Yates, who runs the website BehindTheThrills.com. "The whole corridor from Melbourne to Orlando and Tampa -- there's nothing but new construction going on."

Though Central Florida's visitation numbers dipped slightly last year, the crowds roared back this past spring break. Yates reported that Disney and Universal's Islands of Adventure had to shut down briefly because they were over capacity -- and that was during a midweek.

Universal's "Wizarding World of Harry Potter" was so jammed that hours were extended and re-entry passes were given to patrons who were turned away, Yates said from his Fort Pierce office.

Now Orlando-area attractions are expanding to accommodate what they project to be rising demand from in-state and out-of-state visitors.

WALT DISNEY WORLD, celebrating its 40th anniversary in Orlando, is the 800-pound gorilla of Orlando area tourism. Disney properties account for $18.2 billion in annual economic impact to Central Florida and $6 billion in direct and indirect compensation to workers.

Disney parks and resorts alone represent 2.5 percent of the state's entire gross domestic product, said Al Weiss, president of worldwide operations for the company.

But Disney, whose footprint spreads across 40 square miles, isn't resting on its laurels, even during tight economic times.

The park's fabled Fantasyland is undergoing a major redesign to include more interaction with movie characters. The venerable Dumbo the Flying Elephant is among the rides being "completely re-imagined," the company says.

The Star Tours simulator ride at Disney's Hollywood Studios is also getting a makeover. It is expected to reopen later this year with a new 3D experience and several new Star Wars scenes, according to the Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association.

Over at Downtown Disney, new stores have been added and the Pleasure Island 24 AMC has been upgraded.

Honeydukes Sweetshop at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Universal Orlando

UNIVERSAL ORLANDO, a more compact 100-acre venue, posted an unofficial 46 percent rise in attendance, said Yates, mainly due to the Harry Potter's "Wizarding."

Opened in 1999, Universal continues to mix attractions at its amusement park and entertainment complex that features "The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man,""Jurassic Park River Adventure" and "Seuss Landing."

Universal spokesmen, like Disney's, would not disclose dollar amounts or employment numbers on their projects. But Yates said activity at the park has been "nuts" since Potter opened.