Here’s what happens when Disney World is hit by a hurricane

After Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key, Florida, around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, the catastrophic storm made its way eastward across the state. Though it weakened significantly before exiting Florida as a Category 1 hurricane, areas in the hurricane's path — including in Central Florida — saw significant damage.

Travelers vacationing at Disney World were faced with either driving or flying home before Orlando International Airport (MCO) shut down ahead of the storm starting at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024, or riding out the storm at Disney.

Disney shuttered its parks in phases Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. First, Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disney's Animal Kingdom theme parks closed at 1 p.m., followed by the Magic Kingdom, Epcot and Disney Springs at 2 p.m. Disney's theme parks and Disney Springs will remain closed Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024.

Disney expects to fully reopen its theme parks Friday, Oct. 11.

Related: Bonus vacation or choppy nightmare? Here's what it's like on a cruise ship stuck at sea during a hurricane

Back when Hurricane Ian made landfall as a Category 4 storm on Florida's southwestern coast in 2022, reports quickly came in of flooding, power outages, high winds and dangerous storm surges on the coast, but the storm's impact was still felt in Central Florida.

Similarly, Milton caused massive devastation in areas like Tampa and St. Petersburg, Florida, while the Orlando area saw high winds, heavy rain and power outages.

Here's a look at the current situation for guests already on the ground or with a planned visit in the near future, plus what it's like to ride out a hurricane at Disney.

Current closure information for Disney parks

Since opening in 1971, Disney has closed only nine times due to hurricanes. Closures lasted anywhere from a few hours to several days, with the longest weather-related closure coming during Hurricane Frances in 2004 when portions of Disney remained closed for three full days. Hurricane Milton will now officially be the 10th.

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In addition to the park closing information above, note that Disney also announced that Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort (including dining and recreation locations) and the Treehouse Villas at Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa would temporarily close beginning at 11 a.m on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024.

According to Disney, Fort Wilderness Resort and the Treehouse Villas are likely to remain closed until Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024.

Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at the Magic Kingdom is canceled for Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, and event tickets will be refunded.

For guests with partially used multiday tickets, Disney will adjust the expiration date to Oct. 11, 2025.

Disney will provide further updates on its dedicated "Weather Updates & Information" page.

Hurricane cancellation policy for Disney World

According to the Disney website, if a hurricane warning is issued by the National Hurricane Center for the Orlando area and/or your place of residence within seven days of your scheduled arrival date, you may reschedule or cancel your Disney vacation packages and most room-only reservations (booked directly with Disney) without any cancellation or change fees. Most room-only and vacation packages can be modified to change travel dates or canceled online.

Guests are still responsible for any rate differences, and discounts or special offers may not apply to new dates. You will not be charged Disney's standard cancellation fee of $200 per package if you cancel between two and 29 days prior to arrival (after that, you are responsible for the full package price).

This, of course, only applies to tickets and hotels booked directly with Disney. If you purchased tickets through a third-party vendor or are staying off-property, you would need to contact that company directly.

Disney will also refund all Lightning Lane passes that were purchased as part of your canceled trip. You will need to call the resort directly at 407-560-2428 to cancel these passes. Keep in mind that there may be a long wait time (we're hearing about a 35-minute hold time currently), but once your call is taken, a cast member will be able to cancel and refund all purchases.

Also keep in mind that regardless of what the parks do, the airports and roads may be seriously affected by storms — and related evacuation traffic. If you are planning to visit in the days after the parks reopen, be sure that your flight wasn't affected and that the roads in the area are safe.

What happened at Disney during Hurricane Milton

During Hurricane Milton, Disney asked that guests shelter inside, including Thursday morning while they assessed the damage. Disney also made guests aware that dining options would be limited and that guests should plan ahead by "stopping by any quick-service dining location to pre-purchase breakfast and lunch for Thursday, Oct. 10."

Based on reports on social media, Disney made peanut butter and jelly sandwich kits available at Disney resorts for $10. They also discounted certain merchandise, including board games, to keep guests entertained while they waited out the storm in their rooms.

Disney still made guests smile during the storm

Believe it or not, the Most Magical Place on Earth can still sprinkle in touches of magic if you are stuck there during a hurricane. Of course, Disney's first priority is the safety of guests and cast members, but the experience is not without a bit of pixie dust.

While guests were sheltering in place at their hotels during Hurricane Ian, Disney arranged indoor activities like arts and crafts and movie screenings in resort lobbies.

In lieu of visiting characters inside the parks, Disney brought the characters to the hotels to entertain guests. In some cases, it looked like the characters were having just as much fun as the guests.

While Disney can't control the weather, it still wants to make your vacation as magical as possible by keeping spirits high and providing fun activities to combat boredom (and, frankly, hurricane anxiety) by bringing Mickey and his friends directly to you for as long as possible.

Disney is one of the safer places to be during a hurricane

If you are forced to shelter in place, there aren't many better places to do it than Disney World. Though far enough inland to dodge the most severe tropical weather events, Central Florida is no stranger to hurricanes and tropical storms. As such, Disney has a detailed plan for inclement weather — and yes, even the castle is built to hurricane standards.

Should you ever be in this situation, it's still important to get some supplies ahead of time, as some hotel rooms at Disney require a walk outside to get to the lobby, which may not be possible during the worst of the storm when you need to shelter in place in your room.

Most Disney resorts, save for Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort, Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney's Wilderness Lodge, the Bungalows at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort and the Treehouse Villas at Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, are well equipped to weather a hurricane. When those locations close during a hurricane, guests are moved to other Disney resorts.

Reports from Milton showed debris and some damage around Walt Disney World Resort, including at Disney's Port Orleans Resort — Riverside.

At Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort, you can see some exterior damage as well.

Bottom line

Disney World and other major Orlando-area theme parks are currently assessing the damage Hurricane Milton left in its wake. Disney will remain closed on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, with plans to reopen on Friday, Oct. 11, 2024. It has also made a decision to shutter several freestanding villa and cabin accommodations. MCO remains closed at the time of publication.

While experiencing a hurricane during a visit to Disney World is far from the ideal scenario, Disney has various safety precautions in place and never totally runs out of pixie dust. From lobby character appearances to the arcades flipping on the "free" switch, it's probably the most fun you — or, at least, your kids — can have while weathering a storm.

For more helpful tips on navigating travel during hurricane season, read:

• Top travel mistakes to avoid during hurricane season
• Hurricane season is here: TPG's storm guide for travelers
• Cruising during hurricane season: What to know — and should you go?
• Should you get travel insurance if you have credit card protection?
• Is travel insurance worth it?
• Flight canceled or delayed? Here's what to do next