Credit: Edited by Inside the MagicFor guests looking to begin their Walt Disney World Vacation today, or to end it, they may find that their plans are not going off as well as they would have hoped.
While Orlando may be located in the Sunshine State of Florida, it also rains quite a bit. Last year, it was confirmed that Florida is actually the wettest state in the country. Sometimes, that rain lasts for a short period of time, but at other times Florida is susceptible to terrible storms and hurricanes which can dramatically affect anyone’s Disney vacation.
Today, Central Florida was hit with a Tornado warning while the weather turned from blue skies to gray storming weather. Fox reported, ” Wednesday is a FOX 35 Storm Alert Day for severe storm potential from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Orlando metro region, packing wind gusts past 60 mph and a chance for an isolated tornado within several miles of our Atlantic beaches. ”
Now, WESH has confirmed that Orlando International Airport has issued a ground stop.
“The Orlando International Airport has issued a ground stop. As a result of weather, flights crossing the boundary in North Florida could see delays or be rerouted. Additionally, a traffic flow program is in place for flights that are southbound and coming to Florida. This comes as severe weather is forecast to move through Central Florida and bring strong winds.
“Departures to Orlando International are grounded due to thunderstorms,” the Federal Aviation Administration’s website read.“
For those who may not know, when an airport issues a ground stop, no flights are allowed to take off or land at that airport for a specified period of time. This could be due to various reasons such as severe weather, air traffic congestion, security issues, or other operational concerns. Ground stops are implemented to ensure safety and efficiency in air traffic management.
Orlando International Airport also shared information on their X (formally Twitter) account:
Weather Alert ⛈️ Due to weather conditions, airline operations may be impacted – flight/baggage delivery delays may occur. Please check with your airline directly for any updates regarding their operations. For airport status, visit: http://nasstatus.faa.gov. Thank you.
Weather Alert ⛈️ Due to weather conditions, airline operations may be impacted – flight/baggage delivery delays may occur. Please check with your airline directly for any updates regarding their operations. For airport status, visit: https://t.co/vm0yMYHkcv. Thank you. https://t.co/7NhHaNWxMU
— Orlando International Airport (@MCO) April 3, 2024
According to Flight Aware, there are now 537 delayed flights, with 94 more officially canceled. At the moment, delays are being reported to take around 75 minutes, however, that time has been increasing. If you are traveling today, it would be best to take a look at your flight to see if it has been delayed or canceled before leaving your home or resort.
Starting off or ending a magical Disney World vacation is not so magical when you have to deal with flight and possible tornado warnings. Luckily, if you are at Walt Disney World during a tornado, or any natural disaster, you will be safe as the theme parks have been built to have shelter that can withstand even the worst of weather.
Right now, there are a few rides that are non-operational due to the weather like Kali River Rapids, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Slinky Dog Dash, Test Track, and Tom Sawyer Island, however, the rest of the attractions remain unaffected by the weather. Plus, wait times are not too long considering the egregious crowds that we have seen over the past week — at the moment Frozen Ever After has the longest wait of 105 minutes, with popular attractions like Rise of the Resistance and Avatar Flight of Passage having waits of just over an hour.
With many rides being indoors with indoor queues, it could be a good idea to hunker down for that popular attraction
The timing for this weather came at a not so great moment, as there are currently millions of travelers coming in and out of Orlando thanks to a combination of spring break and the Easter long weekend that just passed. MCO has even had to warn guests traveling to arrive at the airport at least three hours before departure to account for increased security and wait times.
Have you ever had a flight canceled or delayed when traveling to Walt Disney World?