Will Disney World Close Again? Hurricane Oscar Now Forms Days After Milton's Destruction

Another hurricane is brewing in the ocean, and after the recent events of Hurricane Milton, many upcoming Disney guests may be wondering if this tropical monster will be putting them in danger.

Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom after Hurricane Milton — Credit: Inside the Magic

Do Florida’s major theme parks close when a tropical storm or hurricane is approaching? It’s possible, but it largely depends on the storm’s trajectory, intensity, and the potential impact on Orlando and Central Florida.

Disney World operates 365 days a year, regardless of holidays or other events. However, there have been rare instances when the parks have temporarily closed due to extreme weather or global events.

When closures occur, they are made with the safety and well-being of both guests and Cast Members as the top priority. Over the park’s 50+ year history, these precautionary closures have only been necessary a few times.

Hurricane Helene intensified from a Category 1 to a Category 5 storm, hitting Florida’s coast as a Category 4 hurricane. Unlike previous storms, Helene took a more direct path toward Orlando, posing a significant threat to the millions of tourists in the area at the time.

While theme parks generally stay open during brief periods of severe weather, decisions to close for tropical storms or hurricanes depend on the storm’s projected path and severity. For instance, the theme parks and resorts temporarily closed on the afternoon of Wednesday, October 9, ahead of Hurricane Milton’s landfall near Siesta Key as a Category 4 hurricane.

The parks remained closed the following day, Thursday, October 10, as Milton moved out of Florida and into the Atlantic.

A large and ornate castle with spires, surrounded by lush greenery and a colorful garden with umbrellas, under dark, dramatic clouds in the sky. People are walking around the castle, enjoying the park. — Credit: Bill Dodd, Flickr

After the hurricane, operations resumed to normal, and guests were kept safe throughout the storm, despite Disney receiving some backlash for overcharging for snacks, limiting food, and forcing cast members to work past the shelter-in-place recommendation time.

Now, a new hurricane warning has been announced as Hurricane Oscar begins to grow, per The Orlando Sentinel.

Hurricane Oscar Update

Disney's Grand Floridian under a dramatic stormy sky with lightning. A Disney World monorail passes in front at dusk, and the hotel's many windows — Image Credit: Inside The Magic

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) was monitoring two systems on Sunday: Hurricane Oscar in the western Caribbean Sea and Tropical Depression Nadine over Central America.

Hurricane Oscar intensified rapidly after forming as a tropical storm near the Turks and Caicos on Saturday morning. As of the NHC’s 8 a.m. advisory, Oscar was a compact but strong Category 1 hurricane, positioned about 10 miles southwest of Great Inagua Island and approximately 115 miles east-southeast of Guantanamo, Cuba.

The storm was moving west-southwest at 12 mph, with sustained winds of 80 mph and higher gusts. Gradual weakening is expected to begin tonight and continue through Monday.

Oscar is expected to maintain its west-southwestward track at a slower pace through tonight, followed by a turn to the northwest and eventually north on Monday and Tuesday.

Based on the forecast, Oscar’s center will pass away from Great Inagua later this morning and make landfall along Cuba’s northeastern coast later today. It will then move across eastern Cuba tonight and into Monday, before accelerating northeastward through the central Bahamas by Tuesday.

A hurricane warning is in effect for the southern Bahamas and Cuba’s northern provinces of Holguin and Guantanamo to Punta Maisi. Despite its intensity, Oscar remains a very small hurricane, with hurricane-force winds only extending 5 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds reaching up to 45 miles.

Oscar is not expected to pose a direct threat to the U.S. which is great news for Florida after being devastated by Helene and Milton. This also means that Walt Disney World Resort should not feel any of Oscar’s impact.

Meanwhile, Tropical Depression Nadine made landfall as a tropical storm near Belize City on Saturday around noon, but weakened into a depression by evening as it moved into northern Guatemala.

As of the 8 a.m. advisory, Nadine was located 85 miles east of Tuxtla Gutierrez, Mexico, moving west-southwest at 15 mph with maximum sustained winds of 30 mph. Nadine is forecast to move across southern Mexico today, weakening further, and is expected to dissipate later in the day.

So far, the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season has produced 14 named storms, including nine hurricanes, three of which impacted Florida. Additionally, there have been two potential tropical cyclones. The NHC’s naming scheme is currently up to 15, despite 14 official storms being named, due to one potential system in September that did not fully develop before making landfall.

Disney World Hurricane Tips

Guests, Cast Members, and characters dancing in the lobby of Wilderness lodge. — Credit: Disney

Don’t Panic: While hurricanes may hit Florida, Disney World is in central Florida, not on the coast. The resort has only closed a few times due to hurricanes.
Hurricane Floyd: Closed early on September 14, 1999, with a partial day closure on September 15.

Hurricane Charley: Closed early on August 13, 2004.

Hurricane Frances: Fully closed on September 4-5, 2004.

Hurricane Jeanne: Closed on September 26, 2004.

Hurricane Matthew: Closed early on October 6, 2016, and remained closed on October 7.

Hurricane Irma: Closed early on September 9, 2017, and remained closed September 10-11.

Hurricane Dorian: Closed early on September 3, 2019.

Hurricane Ian: Closed on September 28-29, 2022.

Hurricane Nicole: Closed early on November 9 and reopened mid-day on November 10, 2022.

Hurricane Milton: Closed in phases from October 9-10, 2024.
Disney is known for its quick recovery and reopening after storms, so don’t rush to cancel your trip unnecessarily.
Trip Insurance: If you have trip insurance, contact your provider as soon as you know you need to file a claim. Don’t cancel flights on your own; wait for the airline to do so. Canceling early could void your insurance claim, as flights might proceed as scheduled if conditions improve.
Stay Informed: Keep in touch with the front desk at your resort for the latest updates. Remember, cast members are locals who may be dealing with personal challenges during the storm, so approach them with kindness and understanding. If they cannot assist you, politely ask for a manager.
Check Out Properly: If you decide to leave early, inform the front desk before departing. This ensures they have an accurate guest count and can assist with refunds for unused tickets, prepaid hotel accommodations, and canceling dining reservations to avoid no-show fees. Evacuations may cause slow traffic and limited availability of gas and lodging, so plan accordingly.
Car Preparation: Keep your vehicle’s gas tank full, as stations may run out. GasBuddy or similar apps can help find available fuel. Diesel vehicles may still find fuel at stations showing “no gas” signs.
Stock Up on Supplies: If a hurricane seems likely, get food, beverages, and bottled water early in the day using a taxi or ride-share service. Grocery delivery services may stop as drivers prepare for the storm. Disney may offer boxed food items for guests to take to their rooms if needed.
Stay Positive: A hurricane might disrupt your plans, but your reaction will shape how your loved ones, especially children, remember the trip. Keeping a positive attitude can turn a challenging situation into a memorable, bonding experience.
Use a Disney Travel Agent: Booking through a Disney specialist can help during hurricanes. Agents can manage cancellations, refunds, and other issues on your behalf, saving you time and reducing stress. They can be particularly helpful when lines are long at the front desk or when conflicting information arises, as was the case during Hurricane Matthew.

Do you have a Disney World trip planned during the rest of the hurricane season?