Credit: DisneyIf there is one thing that any Walt Disney World Resort fan can count on during the summer months is that it will rain nearly every day. It does not matter if you are at Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or EPCOT — the rain will always appear. The good thing about the rain in Florida is that it often clears up shortly after it begins. That being said, thunder or lightning can cause many attractions to close at any theme park across the globe due to the safety of Guests, and Disney World is no different.
Related: Know Before You Go: Storms, Air Quality at Walt Disney World
Disney World has many indoor attractions; however, there are some outdoor attractions in each park that will need to stop operating if there is thunder or lightning in the area. Today, Orlando is experiencing quite a thunderstorm, which has left many of the theme parks having to close their outdoor attractions.
At the moment, it seems that the storm has hit Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. However, if we look at the My Disney Experience app, we can see that nearly every outdoor attraction is listed as closed, including Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Kali River Rapids, Expedition Everest, and more.
This is due to the ongoing storm and the severe flood warning. A flood warning has gone out in the Disney area and will last for the next hour. Weather reports also warn Guests: “Do not drive cars through flooded areas. The water depth and road condition may be unsafe.” Unfortunately, Disney World tends to flood rather fast due to landscaping and poor drainage, so it is not shocking to see what looks to be a kiddie pool in the middle of a walkway during a flood storm.
Once the weather clears up in the area, the attractions will reopen. However, there is a chance that one Park will reopen before others, as the storm may move in either direction, and each park is far apart on the property. To see which attractions are closed and find out when the ride you would like to get on is back up and running, Guests should keep an eye on the My Disney Experience app.
When storms occur, waiting in an indoor queue is always a good idea! It will keep you dry, and it will also pass the time of the storm. If you are lucky, you will see blue skies once you exit the attraction.
Just yesterday, we reported on travel advisories due to smoke warnings in Disneyland. This can severely impact travel in Anaheim, California, hurting Disney’s bottom line. To read more on that, click here.
Have you ever been caught in a rain or thunderstorm at Disney World? What advice do you have for others when that happens?
If you are looking to visit Walt Disney World Resort for a magical vacation, the Walt Disney World Website can be a great tool to begin planning your trip! You can begin exploring their theme parks: Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and EPCOT. You can also take a look at their water parks where you can splash around in the chill of Disney’s Blizzard Beach (alongside new Frozen characters, Anna, Elsa, Sven, and Kristoff), or hit the waves at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon. When you get hungry or want to go shopping, Disney Springs is the place to be, especially with World of Disney there ready to help you pick up some souvenirs! You can also begin looking for your Disney World Resort! Suppose you are looking to stay at a Deluxe monorail Resort like Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa or a Value Resort where you can hop on the Skyliner like Disney’s Pop Century Resort. In that case, it is always fun to look for a room that best suits you and your party. Plus, it has all the information you need to know on Disney Genie+ so that you will be ready to go on your My Disney Experience app once you download it! Click here to check it out today.