Credit: Walt Disney World ResortA beloved Walt Disney World Resort has suffered damage at the hands of Hurricane Ian.
Hurricane Ian made landfall as a Category 4 Hurricane on the west coast of Florida yesterday afternoon and has caused major flooding and damage to areas in its path.
As a result of the hurricane, Walt Disney World Resort was forced to close its doors on both Wednesday and Thursday, and there are now expectations that the Disney Parks could be facing an even longer closure.
Updated: Disney to begin phased reopening on Friday, including Disney Parks and Disney Springs.
While many Guests made the decision to hunker down at Disney World– or were forced to due to canceled flights and travel plans– they were not immune to the effects of the hurricane, including spotting very visible damage.
User @GottaGoOrlando shared a photo of damage at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.
HURRICANE IAN UPDATE Hurricane Ian Causes Damage At Disney’s Contemporary Resort #waltdisneyworld #disneyworld #hurricaneian #ian #disneyscontemporaryresort #orlando #magickingdom #disney #wdw
HURRICANE IAN UPDATE 🚨
Hurricane Ian Causes Damage At Disney's Contemporary Resort#waltdisneyworld #disneyworld #hurricaneian #ian #disneyscontemporaryresort #orlando #magickingdom #disney #wdw https://t.co/eha8N8rKpf
— Gotta Go Orlando ☀️ (@GottaGoOrlando) September 29, 2022
As you can see in the photo, an entire panel has been ripped off the side of the building and is now lying on the balcony.
Disney Resort Guests were told to shelter in place in their rooms beginning yesterday evening until the storm passed, and now damage assessments will begin.
While many are hoping to see the reopening of Disney Parks– including Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios– Disney has not made an announcement as of yet, and the rumored expectation currently is that the Parks will remain closed on Friday with a reassessment to happen again for a decision on Saturday.
While there haven’t been any major damages reported at Disney World, there has been some major flooding and damage from the storm in the Central Florida area, including in Orlando. Until the roads are deemed safe and Disney Cast Members can arrive safely, the Parks will remain closed.
At this point, it’s unclear exactly how long that might take or what a reopening timeframe might look like.
Inside the Magic will continue to keep you updated on Disney Park & Resort damage, Disney’s reopening decisions, and the effects of Hurricane Ian across the state.