Even before the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) mandated that all planes land and cleared the airspace coast to coast, the execs made the decision to close all Disney parks worldwide, which was announced on ABC. The word spread rapidly to attraction leads, security, and all other cast members.

Yes, September 11, 2001, marked a historic and unprecedented moment when all Disney theme parks in both Florida (Walt Disney World) and California (Disneyland) were shut down for the day. At Walt Disney World, the parks had already opened when the attacks occurred; cast members were instructed to perform a "controlled evacuation" by forming human chains and calmly directing guests toward the exits without explicitly stating the nature of the national tragedy to avoid mass panic. Within 30 minutes of the decision, the parks were cleared. At Disneyland in California, the parks never opened for the day due to the time zone difference. For the remainder of the day, Disney resorts became isolated hubs where guests watched the news in common areas, while cast members provided free food, movies, and character appearances to comfort families. The parks reopened on September 12th with significantly heightened security measures, including the introduction of bag checks and "no-fly zones" over the properties that persist to this day.