These Are the Worst Times To Go to Disney World if You Want To Avoid Hurricanes

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A rainbow crosses the sky over Magic Kingdom's Cinderella Castle

Credit: Disney

Every Floridian knows what August means: the hurricanes are coming.

While the Atlantic hurricane season officially kicks off on June 1 and runs through November 30, it’s the stretch from mid-August to mid-October that packs the most punch. History has shown that Florida, in particular, faces its fiercest storms during this peak period.

A bustling street scene at Disney World on a rainy day. Visitors are wearing colorful rain ponchos and holding umbrellas as they walk past charming, whimsical buildings. Flower baskets hang from lampposts, adding a touch of color to the wet surroundings despite a tornado watch in effect.
Credit: Hector A Parayuelos, Flickr

It’s no secret that when Walt Disney World Resort shuts its doors, things are getting serious. The resort has only closed a handful of times for hurricanes, and that’s only when the storm poses a real danger. Whether it’s Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or Animal Kingdom, Disney only pulls the plug and enacts its hurricane policy when guest safety is truly at risk.

Because of this, many avoid Disney World during hurricane season. However, visiting during these months also offers a silver lining—the parks are often less crowded with kids back in school.

Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World Resort after a rainstorm
Credit: Brett Kiger, Flickr

If you’re willing to gamble on the weather, these are the times when Disney has historically closed its doors due to storms. Of course, hurricanes are notoriously unpredictable, and storms can always pop up outside of these windows, but looking at the past, this is when they’ve been most frequent.

Mid-August

Early August has historically been calm, but mid-month is when things start to heat up. Hurricane Charley proved that when it triggered an early midday shutdown of Disney World on August 13, 2004. Animal Kingdom, Downtown Disney, and Typhoon Lagoon didn’t even open that day, as the storm forced Disney to act quickly and prioritize safety.

Walt Disney World in the rain resized
Credit: Disney

Late August

Hurricane Elena made history in late August 1985 as the first storm to hit Walt Disney World Resort (yep, it took a whole 14 years). Back then, only Magic Kingdom and EPCOT existed, and both closed early—but not for the whole day.

On August 31, 1985, Disney called it quits at 5 p.m., marking the first time the parks had ever shut down due to a hurricane. Elena set the stage for future storm responses at the resort.

All of September

September is Disney World’s most hurricane-prone month by far. After Hurricane Charley temporarily shut down the parks in 2004, Hurricane Frances rolled in and closed Disney World again on September 4 and 5 of the same year.

The longest hurricane-related closure happened when Hurricane Irma hit in 2017, forcing an early closure on September 9 and keeping the parks shuttered through September 10 and 11.

A heavy rainstorm causes significant flooding in an outdoor area of Disney World, with palm trees and an overhead structure. People are walking through the flooded park, some with umbrellas and rain ponchos. One person is using an umbrella while others are partially submerged in water.
Credit: Inside the Magic

In 2019, Hurricane Dorian caused all Disney parks—except EPCOT—to close early at 3 p.m. on September 4. Mid-September hasn’t been much better. Hurricane Floyd became Disney’s first full-day hurricane-related closure, with the parks closing early on September 14, 1999, staying closed the entire next day, and finally reopening on September 16.

Even the tail end of September has seen its share of storms. Hurricane Jeanne wrapped up a turbulent 2004 for Disney guests, marking the third storm closure of the year on September 26.

In 2022, Hurricane Ian prompted a state of emergency, with Disney World closing its parks on September 28 and 29. Typhoon Lagoon also closed on September 27 due to Hurricane Helene, though the other parks stayed open—except for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, which was canceled as a precaution.

An amusement park scene features a tall mountain with a ship perched on top and water slides cascading down. Lush trees and greenery surround the slides. A splash of water is visible at the bottom of one slide, indicating a recent descent. This could easily be one of the coolest Florida parks, perhaps even Disney!
Credit: Disney

Early October

October may be quieter, but it’s not totally free of hurricanes. In 2016, Hurricane Matthew swept in, forcing all of Walt Disney World to shut down early on October 6 and stay closed through October 7.

To keep guests entertained during the storm, Disney brought out familiar characters to the hotel lobbies and made sure everyone was well-fed. The resort also stepped up by waiving cancellation fees and helping guests who booked flights through Disney to reschedule, proving their dedication to guest experience even in the face of a hurricane.

Early November

Disney World - Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse on a float during a parade at Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.
Credit: Disney

Hurricanes in November are even more sporadic. However, the parks were also closed from early November 9 through mid-day November 10, 2022. That night’s Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party went ahead at Magic Kingdom Park as planned, but other performances—such as Fantasmic! at Disney’s Hollywood Studios—were canceled.

Have you ever visited Disney World during a hurricane?

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