Hurricane Helene shaped this morning with the Nationwide Hurricane Middle forecasting the storm to quickly intensify and strike Florida as a significant Class 3 hurricane. Walt Disney World has already introduced closures, cancellations, and changes because of the storm–listed here are updates on the entire adjustments, insurance policies, impacts and extra.
For essentially the most, it’s at the moment enterprise as traditional 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 motels. Nevertheless, there are different closures and fewer vital operational impacts attributable to Hurricane Helene.
Furthermore, Disney all the time displays the climate and can prioritize visitor and Forged 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 doable that Hurricane Helene will pose an precise menace 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. Nevertheless, 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 Middle for the Orlando space—or to your place of residence—inside 7 days of your scheduled arrival date. In that situation, it’s possible you’ll reschedule or cancel your Walt Disney Journey Firm Disney Resort resort packages and most leeway solely reservations (booked instantly with Disney) with none cancellation or change charges imposed by Disney. Most space-only and trip packages could be modified, or cancelled on-line, together with adjustments to journey dates.
We additionally haven’t obtained phrase of any courtesy reductions. Usually, present friends staying at Walt Disney World resort motels whose journey plans are impacted by hurricanes or tropical storms could obtain a reduced charge 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 helping 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 all the time does. (I’m not going to clog up the cellphone 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 & adjustments to operations at Walt Disney World for September 26, 2024…
Walt Disney World has formally introduced that Storm Lagoon water park might be closed on September 26, 2024 attributable to inclement climate. Moreover, Beachcomber Shack (cabanas) and Storm Lagoon Umbrella leases are cancelled for Thursday, September 26, 2024.
Over at Common Orlando, the identical factor is occurring 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 Seashore water park is already closed for “refurbishment” right now, so it additionally gained’t be open tomorrow…however for causes wholly unrelated to climate.
Additionally as a result of inclement climate, Winter Summerland Miniature Golf and Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf might be closed on September 26, 2024. As with the air quotes round refurbishment above, these closures are maybe simply as a lot attributable to a scarcity of visitor demand as they’re attributable to climate. Whereas it’s doable cleanup might be needed at Storm Lagoon, that’s the one park the place ‘storm-strewn’ is actually on-theme!
The most important information is that the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Social gathering taking place the night time of September 26, 2024 at Magic Kingdom has been cancelled. Right here’s the message from Walt Disney World concerning the closure:
“We’re all the time seeking to ship an incredible and pleasing expertise for our friends. On account of forecasted climate and the affect to our outside leisure choices, we’re cancelling Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Social gathering tomorrow, Thursday, Sept. 26. Visitor tickets might be refunded. Refunds might 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 friends to take pleasure in extra time within the park.”
It’s price emphasizing that hours are being prolonged for now. With previous hurricanes or tropical storms, it’s turn 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 Social gathering 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 Social gathering would’ve been a complete rainout, with each parades, stage exhibits and different leisure virtually actually cancelled.
In previous such situations, we’ve seen certainly one of two issues occur: both hour-plus strains at Metropolis Corridor with friends 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 solely appearing preemptively. It’d disappoint friends right this moment, 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 bought out of the season, so in the event you don’t need a refund and as an alternative need tickets to a distinct date, we’d suggest contacting Walt Disney World ASAP. Prior to now, they’ve opened up some availability for storm-displaced friends, but it surely’s restricted and case-by-case. The sooner you name, the extra doubtless you might be to have success in getting tickets for a future date that’s already bought out. (Word that this solely applies to ticket-holders of the September 26 MNSSHP; in the event you 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 motels will proceed to function or shut underneath regular circumstances.
That’s it for now so far as closures, cancellations & adjustments go. We’ll proceed monitoring bulletins and can replace the above accordingly. You may also observe Walt Disney World’s Climate Updates web page (though all the pieces isn’t all the time posted there–as an illustration, there’s no point out of the MNSSHP cancellation).
As of the two pm replace on September 25, 2024 from the Nationwide Hurricane Middle, 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 prolong out 25 miles and tropical-storm-force winds prolong 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 Massive Bend area west to Panama Metropolis on the Panhandle. Nationwide Hurricane Middle 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 energy.
The Nationwide Hurricane Middle signifies that as a result of massive dimension of Helene, there’s a hazard of life-threatening storm surge alongside your complete west coast of the Florida Peninsula and Florida Massive Bend. The very best inundation of larger than 10 ft is predicted alongside the Florida Massive Bend coast. Residents in these areas ought to observe recommendation given by native officers and evacuate if informed 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 ought to 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 properly 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 robust wind properly outdoors its cone. Appreciable and doubtlessly 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 reasonable 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 might be up to date all through right this moment and tomorrow with information about how the parks & resorts will or won’t be impacted, and whether or not the parks are working usually or not.
Our guess/hope is that Hurricane Helene gained’t trigger a closure of the Walt Disney World theme parks. Maybe night leisure might be cancelled, hours might be shortened, or possibly minor operational updates might be made on the final minute…however that’s most likely about it. Hurricane Helene is approaching the west coast, somewhat than the east coast, of Florida. Though it’s intensifying, it doesn’t have the identical energy as different storms from the previous few 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 apart from a fan weblog about Disney. Because it issues our precise space of experience, we wouldn’t be shocked to see a relocation of friends 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 newest replace is the extent of the official Hurricane Helene operational affect.
We’ll preserve you posted with updates from the Nationwide Hurricane Middle and operational updates from Walt Disney World every time one is launched. In case you’re planning a go to, you may as well 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 driving out a hurricane. We hope and doubt it’ll come to that with Hurricane Helene!
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Find out about motels on our Walt Disney World Resorts Critiques web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Critiques. To save cash on tickets or decide which sort to purchase, learn our Ideas for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets put up. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys put up takes a singular take a look at intelligent gadgets to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Journey Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, one of the best place to begin is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for all the pieces it is advisable to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Are you involved that Hurricane Helene will affect Walt Disney World? Are you at the moment in Central Florida? Have you ever visited throughout previous tropical storms or hurricanes? Any more information, ideas, or first-hand experiences to share about driving out a hurricane at Walt Disney World? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions we can assist you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even if you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
