Does Disney World close during hurricanes?

It is very rare for Disney World to entirely close for a storm. Typically, the park stays open while certain rides or attractions will close as the weather requires.



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Florida is known to be incredibly rainy during the summer months, and June through November is also considered hurricane season. Although a hurricane may sound scary for many who are not familiar, Disney property is actually one of the safest places to be in the middle of a hurricane.

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Hurricane Irma was only the fifth time the park has been closed since it opened in 1971. It is typically open every day of the year. NBC News has previously reported that each previous time Disney World was closed was also for an impeding hurricane — Floyd in 1999, Frances in 2004, and Jeanne in 2004.

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Considering hurricanes of Categories 1 to 5, the most secure regions in Florida include Central Florida (for instance, Orlando), Northeast Florida (such as Palatka), Central West Florida (Tampa), and North Central Florida (including Gainesville).

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We'll begin with an important caveat: Disney World's hotels are all generally considered safe when it comes to hurricanes (though limited spots like Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, or the Treehouse Villas may be evacuated in some situations for certain safety concerns).

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In general, Disney World is a 365 day a year operation. It never closes, even for rain, with basically one exception. Hurricanes. Even then it doesn't always close for hurricanes.

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Disney's official policy is that it does not offer refunds for rain. What is this? The show must go on, and even when it is rainy, Disney World is open. Now, of course if Disney does happen to close for a weather event (like a hurricane) they will issue refunds then.

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Well, Disney doesn't evacuate their animals. They remain on property. Actually, a lot of them are moved backstage to their pens and barns that are built to withstand a Major Hurricane.

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On Monday and Tuesday, Disney posted a hurricane update online: Walt Disney World Resort is currently operating under normal conditions.

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Disney World was closed for a record 116 days
  • Hurricane Floyd: September 15, 1999.
  • Hurricane Frances: September 4-5, 2004.
  • Hurricane Jeanne: September 26, 2004.
  • Hurricane Matthew: October 7, 2016.
  • Hurricane Irma: September 10-11, 2017.
  • COVID 19 Pandemic: March 16, 2020 ? July 11, 2020 (116 days)


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Worst Times to Visit Disney World Despite this, prices and crowd size both hit a peak in June, July, and August — so if you want to save money and avoid unpleasantly long lines, you may want to plan your trip for another season.

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The cheapest tickets will typically be in late January or early Fall, and the most expensive will be during the Christmas holidays. Other times of year will vary: expect higher prices near holidays and weekends and lower during slower periods.

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