Total shutdowns of Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, are exceedingly rare, occurring only about a dozen times in over 50 years of operation. The resort is designed to be a "bubble" of continuity, but it will close for major safety threats, primarily hurricanes. As of 2026, the parks have closed for storms such as Hurricane Floyd (1999), Matthew (2016), Irma (2017), Ian (2022), and Idalia (2023). Most closures last only one or two days. Outside of weather, the most significant closure in history was the COVID-19 pandemic, which shuttered the resort for nearly four months in 2020. Other brief, partial, or full closures have occurred for the 9/11 terrorist attacks and power outages. Generally, Disney employs a "phased" closure approach where they might close the theme parks but keep the resort hotels and Disney Springs open to provide services for stranded guests. The resort’s infrastructure is built to withstand massive wind loads, so the decision to shut down is usually more about the safety of "Cast Members" commuting and the danger of guests being outdoors in high-velocity winds and flying debris.