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Hurricanes and Park Closures?

abooch

Mouseketeer
Joined
Feb 27, 2007
Does anybody know how many times in the past decade the parks have been closed for a full day due to hurricanes? I'm going the last week of August and am a bit concerned about this hurricane season and safety, especially with air travel and arriving and whatnot... How is Orlando usually affected during a hurricane?

I'm staying offsite at the Marriott Cypress Harbour by the way..
 
I was there during Hurrican WIlma the storm had blown thru by Morning and they opened the park around 1pm but only for resort guests, they didn't open AK at all that day but I think that was more to let the animals calm down than anything. I think the times they have closed the parks for a full day is only a handful at best ( 5 or 6).
 
Seeing as I'm in for August:thumbsup2, it would not hurt for me to listen in.:surfweb:
 
We have been there many times in August and will be there again the first week. Only one time do I remember a major threat to Orlando. We stayed in our rooms all morning but were in the parks by mid afternoon. Its really a crap shoot going during hurricane season but the magic is still like nothing else. Pray and think magical thoughts
 


We have been there during several but not sure about all day closures. I know Animal Kingdom was closed after Charley, and all the parks were closed early the day of the storm which came in over Orlando at night.

I can't speak to safety of nonDisney resorts, but Disney resorts are some of the safest places to be. After Charley several hotels in the Lake Buena Vista area were badly damaged. The airport was closed.
 
A lot of it depends on the strength of the storm and the time of day it hits. Many of the hurricanes of the past few years either started late in the day or overnight, so the parks were open partial days for a couple days. After a storm, they will bring the parks back up in phases. Usually MK and Epcot are the first to open, then DHS, then AK (depending on any damage repairs that may be required). I think the worst storm in recent history was Hurricane Jeanne back in 2004. It took almost two days to clear the state, it was moving so slow. By comparison, Hurricane Charley was through in maybe three hours.
 
The parks closed early for Hurricane Charley as PP mentioned. The good thing was that they didn't charge your ticket admission for that day...you swiped your ticket but the day wasn't deducted from the balance...also Animal Kingdom was closed the day after, but the rest of the parks were opened. We took photos of Epcot getting "hurricane proofed" while we were there. They put large straps over the food carts, and the straps were secured in the ground on clips...thought it was cool.
 


We were there during Hurricane Frances in 2004 and all the parks were closed for an entire day.
 
We've gone in Aug. for 4 years in a row and once a few years before that. We only had one hurricane threat and it turned into a tropical storm. It was in 2008 and it was one that was slow and kept moving in and out of land! So annoying for those who lived along the coast because they were flooded for a week. Anyway, they were anticipating closing the day it was projected to come into Orlando, but we just got on and off misty bands of rain for three days. Yes, it was annoying because we didn't know what to expect, but the parks stayed open and we went an enjoyed everything...and there wasn't the super hot sun so it was cooler, though no less humid. Only downside was we didn't get in the pool but once...rain and no sun inhibited this w/a 8 month old.

Best friend went in 2005 in Oct. when hurricane went through. She said it started raining during Fantasmic so they stopped the show and went back to the resort. It howled and rained all night and was gone by morning. They opened the parks at noon and it was much cooler so they missed an evening firework show and a morning...but they appreciated the lazy morning to sleep in and take it easy.
 
Just curious how they communicate this info on property. I am guessing there is a channel you watch on tv?:confused3

I was wondering the same thing :confused3

First off let me say I'm from Montreal, Quebec. We don't have tornadoes or hurrican here. The only tornadoes I had seen were on Wizard of Oz and Twister!!!

In 2007, I went to WDW for a mother/son vacation :goodvibes on our last night in WDW there was a BIG storm. In the middle of the night, I turned on the TV and saw a Tornado warning:scared: There were talking about different counties affected. I had no idea where I was... I called the front desk, she was very calm- she didn't know the county we were in either...- but told me everything was fine. Needless to say I didn't sleep that night. I called the airline our flight was still on schedule. We left as planned at 7am. Once at the airport I saw the report on TV :eek: many died and there was a lot of damage. But WDW was untouched :wizard:

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN0238836020070203
 
They slipped this under our door:

Sep04UpdatePage1-60.jpg
 
I would not be too worried about hurricanes during your stay - in addition, if there is one headed toward FL or the Gulf Coast the cloud cover will keep temperatures down.
 
We were there a few years ago when hurricane Jeanne arrived.To tell the truth,it wasn't until we were on the bus going to AK when we heard other people on the cell phones trying to get their flights out sooner.Then my husband (who had stayed at the resort) called me and said it was all over the news and for us also to try to get flights out.We couldn't get any flights out and the weather was very cloudy and windy,but really no more than the afternoon storms that came everyday.We were in the towers at the Contemporary and they too sent letters under the door and also on the voicemail giving updates and telling people what to do and what not to do.Housekeeping came and moved all the stuff from outside into our rooms and pulled the curtains and said to leave them closed and stay away from them when the storm comes.They also came to each room and gave us flashlights and we knew when the food court and others would be closeing and we were told to get things to keep in our rooms for food and also to help past the time away.They also had boxed food for us to purchase after it was OK to leave our room (we were told when the storm came not to even open our door,but also not to lock it).It was the next day when the storm arrived and all the parks were closed and stayed closed and the front desk gave everyone who has tickets that they couldn't use because of the storm,a single day ticket to take its place.It was our first hurricane (had been in tropical storms but not hurricanes till then).So we ended up stay a couple of days longer and the front desk worked to give us a good rate.I will say that we never lost power (their lines,I was told are underground) and everyone at home were calling non stop with worry about us.All phones worked even all our cell phones.So this year again we are going during hurricane season (Aug) because so times you have to go when you can,not always when you want.I had joked before we went to WDW and told everyone at home that I was at least taking extra stuff like RX's,snacks that we alway take,clothes, money,etc,just in case we would need it,but I didn't think I would have to use them,but we good fooled.So again this year,I will pack the deck of cards that I had got at the gift shop,and all the other things,just in case because you really never know.
 
We were there at the end of August in 2006 during a hurricane that became a tropical storm by the time it reached Orlando; we received similar notices slipped under the door to our room the day before they expected it, and then one of the television channels in the room posted updates overnight and the next day. The parks were closed in the morning following the worst of the storm but opened around 11am, and we went to Animal Kingdom and had the whole place to ourselves until around 4pm because no one came out in the rain (which was more like a hot drizzle). It rained all day and into the night, and then the next day it was just hot and sunny again.

Because of the way hurricanes draw their power from moisture, only the very worst storms (Cat 4 or 5) will have any major impact on Disney World. Generally, they are downgraded to tropical storms or tropical depressions as they move over Central Florida because they are mostly over land, and pick up steam and hurricane-force winds again as they head northeast. You're going to experience a lot of heavy rain and sustained wind, but you'll be okay as long as you're not out in it.

If you're staying in a Disney resort, Disney will take care of you. My mom was with us and made a few panicked phone calls to our resort's front desk, and they were very reassuring. They indicated to her that they do have an evacuation plan for the guests if a storm is projected to be so dangerous that it calls for it.
 
We always go to WDW the last week of Aug/1st week of Sept depending on the kids school schedule. We haven't been through a Hurricane yet. Katrina was suppose to turn north & hit the area as a category 1 in 05'. Got to fly through it on the way back north or at least according to our pilot. Other then that we've been through many tropical storms. (We kinda like the Tropical Storms, clears out the parks.)

Since Orlando is in central Florida, storms die out or start to lose strength. Tropical Storms are not that bad, can't imagine a category 1 or 2 would be that bad either. I would imagine when you get into the the larger storms (cat. 4 or 5) would be when you have to worry.
 
We were at WDW in 2008 with Hurricane Faye. Very slow moving and it rained for three or four days on and off. It did keep it cooler though. None of the parks closed. we were in MK one of mthe nights with the rain and we were able to walk on everything! It was a really fun night even with the weather. It is one of our best memories. We went universal from Disney for 2 days. Faye was still on and off. It made the crowds much less. We did get in the pool at the Hard Rock for about 1 hour. Good Luck!
 

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