Hurricane Helene fashioned this morning with the Nationwide Hurricane Heart forecasting the storm to quickly intensify and strike Florida as a serious Class 3 hurricane. Walt Disney World has already introduced closures, cancellations, and changes on account of the storm–listed here are updates on all the modifications, insurance policies, impacts and extra.
For essentially the most, it’s presently enterprise as ordinary at Walt Disney World. As of proper now (September 25, 2024 at 3 pm Japanese), the corporate has not indicated that it plans on closing Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, Disney Springs, or any resort inns. Nonetheless, there are different closures and fewer vital operational impacts as a result of Hurricane Helene.
Furthermore, Disney at all times displays the climate and can prioritize visitor and Solid Member security above all else. The present monitoring locations the worst of Helene fairly removed from Walt Disney World, but it surely might nonetheless ‘wobble’ to the east. If that occurs, and it turns into potential that Hurricane Helene will pose an precise risk to the parks and resorts–past simply moist climate and wind–inflicting extra bulletins tonight and even tomorrow.
For starters, we now have not obtained any indication that Walt Disney World has formally enacted its extra lenient hurricane cancellation and modification coverage. Nonetheless, this has been been informally instituted on a case-by-case foundation.
As a reminder, the coverage formally applies if a hurricane warning is issued by the Nationwide Hurricane Heart for the Orlando space—or in your place of residence—inside 7 days of your scheduled arrival date. In that situation, you could reschedule or cancel your Walt Disney Journey Firm Disney Resort resort packages and most leeway solely reservations (booked immediately with Disney) with none cancellation or change charges imposed by Disney. Most leeway-only and trip packages will be modified, or cancelled on-line, together with modifications to journey dates.
We additionally haven’t obtained phrase of any courtesy reductions. Usually, present company staying at Walt Disney World resort inns whose journey plans are impacted by hurricanes or tropical storms might obtain a reduced fee to increase their keep, if wanted, by visiting the entrance desk.
Equally, it’s additionally widespread for Florida residents evacuating from the storm and first responders aiding in storm-related restoration efforts to obtain 50% off Walt Disney World resort resort stays on the impacted evenings. Once more, this has not been formally introduced, however we’re guessing that it applies because it at all times does. (I’m not going to clog up the telephone strains making an attempt to determine it out.)
For evacuees, please name (407) W-DISNEY for particulars. For first responders, please name (407) 828-3200 (Choice 3). This is applicable to new bookings solely and is predicated on availability. In case you’re on the Gulf Coast, this can be a nice possibility–we’ve needed to journey out a hurricane at Walt Disney World earlier than, and it was about as secure as we probably might have felt given the circumstances.
Now let’s flip to the closures, cancellations & modifications to operations at Walt Disney World for September 26, 2024…
Walt Disney World has formally introduced that Hurricane Lagoon water park can be closed on September 26, 2024 as a result of inclement climate. Moreover, Beachcomber Shack (cabanas) and Hurricane Lagoon Umbrella leases are cancelled for Thursday, September 26, 2024.
Over at Common Orlando, the identical factor is going on with Volcano Bay closed on September 26 however anticipated to reopen the next day. (That’s the one UOR replace thus far–Halloween Horror Nights continues to be taking place at this level.) As you’re most likely conscious, Blizzard Seaside water park is already closed for “refurbishment” presently, so it additionally received’t be open tomorrow…however for causes wholly unrelated to climate.
Additionally because of the inclement climate, Winter Summerland Miniature Golf and Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf can be closed on September 26, 2024. As with the air quotes round refurbishment above, these closures are maybe simply as a lot as a result of a scarcity of visitor demand as they’re as a result of climate. Whereas it’s potential cleanup can be essential at Hurricane Lagoon, that’s the one park the place ‘storm-strewn’ is actually on-theme!
The largest information is that the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Get together taking place the night time of September 26, 2024 at Magic Kingdom has been cancelled. Right here’s the message from Walt Disney World relating to the closure:
“We’re at all times seeking to ship an amazing and fulfilling expertise for our company. As a consequence of forecasted climate and the affect to our outside leisure choices, we’re cancelling Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Get together tomorrow, Thursday, Sept. 26. Visitor tickets can be refunded. Refunds can be robotically issued to the unique type of fee inside 7 enterprise days.
Whereas Magic Kingdom was scheduled to shut tomorrow at 6 p.m., we’re extending working hours till 8 p.m. for company to get pleasure from extra time within the park.”
It’s price emphasizing that hours are being prolonged for now. With previous hurricanes or tropical storms, it’s develop into commonplace for the parks to shut early, typically with a same-day announcement. Walt Disney World’s intention is to remain open later as a visitor courtesy, however security comes first within the order of the 4 Keys.
As for why Walt Disney World would cancel Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Get together whereas extending park hours–seemingly contradictory strikes–it truly is smart. There’s heavy rain within the forecast beginning tomorrow afternoon and never relenting till late at night time. Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Get together would’ve been a complete rainout, with each parades, stage exhibits and different leisure nearly actually cancelled.
In previous such situations, we’ve seen one in every of two issues occur: both hour-plus strains at Metropolis Corridor with company requesting refunds or Walt Disney World getting forward of that by merely providing them robotically as a result of they anticipated as a lot. That just about assuredly would’ve occurred at tomorrow night time’s MNSSHP, so Disney is just appearing preemptively. It’d disappoint company as we speak, but it surely beats losing everybody’s time and much more cash to host the occasion solely to finish up disappointing them tomorrow.
It’s price noting that MNSSHP is now completely offered out of the season, so for those who don’t need a refund and as an alternative need tickets to a special date, we’d advocate contacting Walt Disney World ASAP. Previously, they’ve opened up some availability for storm-displaced company, but it surely’s restricted and case-by-case. The sooner you name, the extra seemingly you might be to have success in getting tickets for a future date that’s already offered out. (Observe that this solely applies to ticket-holders of the September 26 MNSSHP; for those who haven’t already purchased tickets, you’re out of luck.)
Walt Disney World additionally introduced that the next excursions and Enchanting Extras Assortment experiences are cancelled for Thursday, September 26:
- Savor the Savanna
- Up Shut with Rhinos
- Strolling with Giants
- Wild Africa Trek
Swimming pools at Disney Resort inns will proceed to function or shut underneath regular circumstances.
That’s it for now so far as closures, cancellations & modifications go. We’ll proceed monitoring bulletins and can replace the above accordingly. It’s also possible to observe Walt Disney World’s Climate Updates web page (though every little thing isn’t at all times posted there–for example, there’s no point out of the MNSSHP cancellation).
As of the two pm replace on September 25, 2024 from the Nationwide Hurricane Heart, Helene remained a Class 1 hurricane with 80 mph sustained winds about 110 miles north-northeast of Cozumel, Mexico and 480 miles south-southwest of Tampa because it moved north-northwest at 10 mph. Hurricane-force winds lengthen out 25 miles and tropical-storm-force winds lengthen out 275 miles from the middle.
Hurricane Helene’s projected path has the middle making landfall with a cone starting from south of Tallahassee in Florida’s Huge Bend area west to Panama Metropolis on the Panhandle. Nationwide Hurricane Heart forecasters predict that the system will attain peak sustained winds of 125 mph with gusts as much as 155 mph and storm surge that would high 18 ft. That’s places it simply shy of Class 4 storm power.
The Nationwide Hurricane Heart signifies that because of the giant measurement of Helene, there’s a hazard of life-threatening storm surge alongside your entire west coast of the Florida Peninsula and Florida Huge Bend. The very best inundation of better than 10 ft is predicted alongside the Florida Huge Bend coast. Residents in these areas ought to observe recommendation given by native officers and evacuate if instructed to take action.
Devastating hurricane-force winds are anticipated throughout parts of northern Florida and southern Georgia the place the core of Helene strikes inland. Preparations to guard life and property must be accomplished by early Thursday since tropical storm circumstances are anticipated to start inside these areas on Thursday. Due to Helene’s anticipated quick ahead velocity, damaging and life-threatening wind gusts, are anticipated to penetrate effectively inland over parts of the southeastern United States, together with within the larger terrain of the southern Appalachians.
Helene will deliver heavy rain together with sturdy wind effectively exterior its cone. Appreciable and probably life-threatening flash and concrete
flooding is predicted throughout parts of northwestern and northern Florida, the Southeast, southern Appalachians, and the Higher Tennessee Valley Wednesday by Friday. This contains the danger of landslides throughout the southern Appalachians. Widespread minor to average river flooding is probably going, and remoted main river flooding is feasible.
DisneyWorld.com has added the above banner to the highest of the web site. This can be up to date all through as we speak and tomorrow with information about how the parks & resorts will or is not going to be impacted, and whether or not the parks are working usually or not.
Our guess/hope is that Hurricane Helene received’t trigger a closure of the Walt Disney World theme parks. Maybe night leisure can be cancelled, hours can be shortened, or possibly minor operational updates can be made on the final minute…however that’s most likely about it. Hurricane Helene is approaching the west coast, quite than the east coast, of Florida. Though it’s intensifying, it doesn’t have the identical power as different storms from the previous couple of years, and the system’s present path has the worst impacts lacking Orlando.
That most likely means it’ll be principally a matter of heavy rain and wind at Walt Disney World. However, and this most likely goes with out saying, you must get extreme climate preparedness recommendation from sources aside from a fan weblog about Disney. Because it issues our precise space of experience, we wouldn’t be shocked to see a relocation of company from Fort Wilderness. However even that hasn’t occurred as of Wednesday, so it appears unlikely barring a last-minute forecast change. We wouldn’t be shocked if the most recent replace is the extent of the official Hurricane Helene operational affect.
We’ll maintain you posted with updates from the Nationwide Hurricane Heart and operational updates from Walt Disney World at any time when one is launched. In case you’re planning a go to, it’s also possible to seek the advice of our Ideas for Hurricane & Storm Season at Walt Disney World for generalized recommendation on packing, avoiding the worst of the moist climate, and even using out a hurricane. We hope and doubt it’ll come to that with Hurricane Helene!
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Study inns on our Walt Disney World Resorts Opinions web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Opinions. To economize on tickets or decide which sort to purchase, learn our Ideas for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets submit. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys submit takes a singular take a look at intelligent objects to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Experience Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the perfect place to start out is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for every little thing it’s essential to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Are you involved that Hurricane Helene will affect Walt Disney World? Are you presently in Central Florida? Have you ever visited throughout previous tropical storms or hurricanes? Any more information, ideas, or first-hand experiences to share about using out a hurricane at Walt Disney World? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions we might help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
