What happens at Disney World during a hurricane?
(NEXSTAR) — Hurricane Milton, a Category 4 storm as of Tuesday afternoon, is barreling toward Florida’s Gulf Coast. Current forecasting has it tracking through the Tampa Bay area as a Category 3 storm before weakening to a Category 2 storm as it moves inland.
Among the various communities and venues that could be in Milton’s path is Walt Disney World.
The “most magical place on Earth” is no stranger to storms. In 2022, Disney World closed temporarily amid Hurricane Ian. The theme and water parks were initially closed for two days, but remained closed longer as crews assessed the impacts of the storm. When Disney World did reopen, it took a phased approach.
In a Monday evening update, Walt Disney World Resort said it is “closely monitoring the path of the projected storm” and is “operating under normal conditions and will continue to be” through the day. The park is, however, already preparing for the weather.
In a Tuesday afternoon update, the resort said it continues to "closely monitor the path of Hurricane Milton" and announced "additional operational adjustments."
The park's hotels, meanwhile, will remain open. According to the Associated Press, Disney’s hotels often serve as havens for coastal Florida residents fleeing incoming storms. As of Tuesday morning, there were no vacancies on Disney World’s online reservation system.
Guests who were at the resort when Hurricane Irma moved through in 2017 explained in a travel blog post that they encountered many Floridians and their pets — the latter are usually barred from coming, but Disney drops its no-pet policy during storms — who had evacuated to the Orlando theme park.
Those who find themselves riding out the storm at Disney World have been known to encounter certain surprises, too. During Irma, actress Kristen Bell, the voice behind Anna in the Disney film “Frozen,” was stranded with other guests at the resort.
Disney World, which did not respond to Nexstar’s request for comment on Tuesday, is said to be well-prepared for hurricanes and severe weather. In addition to its properties being able to withstand the weather, the aforementioned travelers wrote that Disney continued to provide food as well as daily activities for its stranded guests, including appearances by characters, a pet parade, screenings of Disney movies, and a free arcade.
Until the hurricane neared Orlando, guests were reportedly allowed to roam freely. As the storm moved it, guests were told to remain in their rooms, according to the travel blog. Guests weren’t able to leave until the resort was deemed safe.
Irma is just one of a handful of storms that forced Disney World to close, the fan-published “Walt Disney World Magazine” reports. In 2022, Disney World also closed for Hurricanes Ian and Nicole. Last month, Disney World closed some experiences during Hurricane Helene.
If you had plans to visit Disney World this week, you won’t automatically get a refund. According to Disney World’s website, you can “reschedule or cancel your Walt Disney Travel Company Disney Resort hotel packages and most room only reservations (booked directly with Disney) without any cancellation or change fees imposed by Disney” if a hurricane warning is issued for the Orlando area or where you live within a week of your scheduled arrival date.
If you booked through a third-party, you’ll need to contact those companies directly. The same is true for other aspects related to your trip, like air travel. Orlando International Airport announced on Monday that it would pause commercial operations starting Wednesday at 8 a.m. ET because of Milton.