Major Tropical Storm Rolls Towards Theme Parks – Is Disney at Risk of Abrupt Closure?

in Disney Parks, Universal Studios

Mickey Mouse in front of Tokyo's Cinderella Castle

Credit: Tokyo Disney Resort

A major storm is brewing, raising questions about whether one Disney resort will face a total lockdown.

Try though he might, even Mickey Mouse can’t control the weather. Disney’s resorts worldwide have all had to deal with inclement weather at one point or another, but thanks to their geographical locations, some are at more risk than others.

The Beast's castle in the rain at Magic Kingdom
Credit: Brett Kiger, Flickr

Walt Disney World Resort is, of course, the most vulnerable to tropical storms. Hurricane season rarely goes by without a single threat to Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom operations (although, interestingly, it took nearly 14 years for the Central Florida resort to close for its first hurricane. Thanks, Hurricane Elena).

Over the years, the likes of Hurricane Dorian, Hurricane Ian, Hurricane Matthew, and Hurricane Irma have all forced some kind of closure at Disney. Other Central Florida theme parks, such as LEGOLAND Florida and SeaWorld Orlando, are typically also affected.

While this year’s hurricane season has been “highly active,” its impact on Disney World has been relatively minor—so far, at least. Earlier this month, Hurricane Debby caused heavy rain and winds across the theme park area, with Typhoon Lagoon and the Walt Disney World Monorail temporarily closing due to the conditions and several flags left in shreds.

Disney World Visitors Brave Rain During HURRICANE Debby

Universal Orlando Resort was also hit pretty hard, with flooding reported across the resort and multiple attractions and rides temporarily closed as crews worked to remove debris and assess structural impacts.

As per the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), there’s still more to come from this year’s hurricane season. In the past, we’ve seen Disney close its Florida theme parks for the entire day – sometimes even two – to allow guests and cast members alike to hunker down and stay safe from the storm.

Due to their exposed nature, The Campsites and The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort have also previously given guests the option to either leave early or evacuate to a Disney hotel, with the evacuation reportedly going from voluntary to mandatory as soon as winds hit 30 mph.

Should a potentially dangerous hurricane head toward the area, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis typically declares a state of emergency for the affected counties – which, in the case of Disney World, would be Orange and Osceola.

Fantasyland at Tokyo Disneyland at Tokyo Disney Resort
Credit: Disney

Related: State of Emergency – Hurricane Beryl to Directly Affect Millions of Disney World Guests, Future Vacations at Risk

But Disney World isn’t the only resort at risk of tropical storms. Much like Florida, parts of Japan boast a humid subtropical climate prone to hurricanes (although storms that form over the Northwest Pacific Ocean, not the Atlantic Ocean, are known as typhoons). Tokyo Disney Resort has been struck by its fair share of typhoons in its time, typically during peak Typhoon Season (September and October).

The resort – which recently permanently closed its version of Space Mountain and debuted a brand-new land, Fantasy Springs – has also faced partial or total closure of its parks and attractions due to these storms. For example, in October 2019, Typhoon Hagibis – one of the strongest typhoons to hit Tokyo since 1958 – forced both Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea to close for a day and a half.

Tokyo Disney Resort Monorail.
Credit: Disney

Related: Florida Residents Revolt Against Orlando Theme Park Guests

Only last week, the Oriental Land Company (which operates both parks thanks to a licensing deal with The Walt Disney Company) closed the parks at 3 p.m., six hours earlier than scheduled, due to Typhoon Ampil.

But just one week later, yet another typhoon is forming off the coast of Japan. As per the Japan Meteorological Society, Typhoon Shanshan – also known as Typhoon No. 10 – is slowly moving west-northwest as of Thursday morning and is expected to make landfall on the morning of August 26.

Multicolored light beams illuminate Hogwarts Castle at night under a starry sky, creating a magical and mystical ambiance.
Credit: Universal Studios Japan

At present, it doesn’t look like the storm will directly hit Tokyo Disney Resort, which means the resort likely won’t face closure. However, projections do look like Typhoon Shanshan may impact Universal Studios Japan in Osaka, where the storm is expected to hit sometime between late Monday evening and Tuesday morning.

Like Disney, this park is also no stranger to typhoons. In 2018, the park closed for two days due to Typhoon Jebi, the worst storm in Japan since 1993.

The most-visited Universal Studios theme park outside of the United States, Universal Studios Japan features its own version of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, plus lands inspired by franchises such as Jurassic Park and Minions.

In 2021, it also debuted the world’s first SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, which has since been partially replicated at Universal Studios Hollywood and will also feature at the upcoming Orlando theme park Universal’s Epic Universe when it debuts in 2025.

Have you ever been to a theme park during a hurricane?

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