Disney World is closing soon.
As Hurricane Milton approaches the west coast of Florida, the forecast is prompting Disney World to announce it will close its parks.
On October 9th, the theme parks and Disney Springs will be closed in phases beginning at 1 p.m. Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom will close at 1 p.m. Magic Kingdom, EPCOT and Disney Springs will close at 2 p.m. The parks are expected to remain closed on October 10th.
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is canceled for October 10th. Disney says tickets to the event will be refunded.
Walt Disney World Transportation, including buses, the Disney Skyliner, and the Walt Disney World Monorail, will stop operating after the parks close on October 9th. Limited Minnie Van and Mears taxi service will be available to Walt Disney World Resort Guests.
Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon, Winter Summerland Miniature Golf and Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf will be closed on Wednesday, October 9th. Disney’s Blizzard Beach remains closed for planned refurbishment.
Disney World says it will not enforce cancelation charges for dining and other experience reservations until further notice. If you pre-paid for an experience that is now canceled, Disney says you will be automatically refunded in 7 to 10 business days.
The hurricane is currently a category 5 hurricane but is expected to make landfall as category 3 late Wednesday or early Thursday. Its path is likely to cross over the Orlando and Disney World areas, and they are currently in a hurricane warning.
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Disney had previously announced some hotel closures at the resort. The following hotels will be closed beginning at 11AM on Wednesday, October 9th.
- Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground
- Copper Creek Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
- Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort
Additional cancelations that could affect your trip include:
- Orlando International Airport will close beginning at 8AM on October 9th, and re-open when weather conditions allow.
- Universal Orlando has announced its parks will close at 2PM on October 9th and remain closed on October 10th.
- SeaWorld Orlando will be closed on October 9th and 10th.
- Disney Cruise Line has canceled the October 11th sailing of the Disney Wish.
If you have a trip to Disney World planned, know that Disney has relaxed its cancellation policies because of the storm. Change and cancellation fees will be waived for check-in dates of Tuesday, October 8th to Monday, October 14th. If you need to update your travel plans you can do so online by logging in to your MyDisney account and going to “My Reservations”, and then you will see a link for “Modify Reservation” or by calling (407) 939-5277.
If you are currently staying at a Disney World resort, know that your resort staff is trained in safety in these situations, and be sure to follow their directions. We have been in Disney World hotels during hurricanes, and we want to reassure you that Disney will make your safety a priority, but also try to be sure you are having a good time! You can expect extra activities in your resort when it is safe to be out of your rooms. Here are some tips for riding out a hurricane in Disney World.
“33 Spaceship Earths of Debris” Florida Official Makes Hurricane Milton Prediction “in Disney Terms”
UPDATE:
As of October 9th, 2024, the following Disney World restaurants have announced temporary closures and abbreviated hours:
- Raglan Road: CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
- The Boathouse: CLOSED WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9TH AND THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10TH
- Jellyrolls Dueling Piano Showcase: CLOSED WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9TH
- Everglazed Donuts & Cold Brew: OPEN 9AM-2PM ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9TH
OPERATIONS UPDATE:
Disney confirmed that on Thursday, October 10th, the theme parks and Disney Springs will remain closed. Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is canceled, and event tickets will be refunded. If you have a partially-used multi-day ticket, the expiration dates will be modified to expire on October 11th, 2025.
The DFB Team in Florida is taking precautions to stay safe during the storm, and we hope all of our readers in Florida are taking the storm’s threat seriously. Stay with us for complete coverage of Hurricane Milton.
elizabeth Pokoly says
They do a great job throughout the storm process. Really top tier. Store some water in the room for drinking. stock the frig with stuff and i precooked my food as I have a special restrictions. We watched movies in the room, played cards and there were no outages in the rooms. It will be a long day but we always felt safe. Suggestion do not keep the hurricane news on all the time because it is so draining. We also got a boxed lunch or two I do not remember now. Be aware but be calm that is the best advice.