Credit: Hong Kong DisneylandOne Disney park didn’t have a great time today, with an unexpected disruption closing a huge chunk of its rides.
Disney parks are known for their reliability, but unexpected events have forced rare closures throughout history. Severe weather, including hurricanes and earthquakes, has temporarily shut down parks, while national tragedies, such as the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and the September 11 attacks, prompted abrupt closures for safety and mourning.
More recently, the COVID-19 pandemic led to an unprecedented months-long shutdown, marking one of the longest disruptions in Disney’s history.
Unexpected Closures Hit Disney Park
Weather, however, remains the most frequent reason for unexpected closures, as proven today at one Disney park.
Guests visiting Hong Kong Disneyland today were blocked from many attractions due to stormy conditions at the resort. Not only was a heavy rainstorm warning issued in the area, but lightning strikes meant it was temporarily unsafe to operate outdoor attractions.
[Weather information]
Hong Kong Disneyland is
Heavy rain warning issued,
And due to lightning strikes caused by heavy rain,
Some outdoor attractions are temporarily closed.#HKDL_now
#HKDL
【天気情報】
香港ディズニーランドは、
大雨注意報の発令、
および大雨に伴う落雷が発生のため、
一部の屋外アトラクションは一時休止中です。#HKDL_now #HKDL— Emporium HKDL情報🏰✨ (@hk_emporium) March 15, 2025
Of course, like any Disney park, a huge chunk of Hong Kong Disneyland attractions are outdoors. The long list of attractions impacted includes the following:
- Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars
- Cinderella Carousel
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant
- Hong Kong Disneyland Railroad
- Jungle River Cruise
- Mad Hatter Tea Cups
- Main Street Vehicles
- Orbitron
- Rafts to Tarzan’s Treehouse
- RC Racer
- Slinky Dog Spin
- Tarzan’s Treehouse
- Toy Soldier Parachute Drop
- Wandering Oaken’s Sliding Sleighs
Fortunately, tomorrow is slated to be a much brighter and clearer day in Hong Kong, meaning everything should operate as usual.
Past Closures at Hong Kong Disneyland
This is far from the first time Hong Kong Disneyland has had to close attractions due to stormy conditions.
Just like Walt Disney World Resort, Hong Kong Disneyland – the smallest of Disney’s theme park resorts, located on Hong Kong’s Lantau Island – is prone to tropical storms. In November, the park was forced to shutter outdoor attractions on multiple occasions.
In 2023, Typhoon Saola caused notable damage across the resort. The storm approached Hong Kong as the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane, battering the city with winds of up to 120mph and felling trees at the Hong Kong Disneyland entrance.
Hong Kong Disneyland Turns Things Around
While no park wants to close unexpectedly, Hong Kong Disneyland has long been in a more vulnerable place than most. The park faced economic struggles since its 2005 opening, with lower-than-expected attendance and financial losses in its early years. The park turned profitable in 2012 but was hit hard by political unrest in 2019 and the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced prolonged closures.
In recent years, however, things have started to turn around. Thanks in no small part to additions such as Stark Expo in Tomorrowland and Disney’s first Frozen (2013) land, World of Frozen – complete with Frozen Ever After and Wandering Oaken’s Sliding Sleighs – Hong Kong Disneyland posted a net profit of HK$838 million (US$108 million) for 2024, marking an all-time high since it first opened.
This year is set to mark the park’s 20th anniversary. Its “Most Magical Party of All” will see Hong Kong Disneyland welcome a new stage show featuring Mickey and Friends, Duffy and Friends, and Disney princesses, as well as a brand-new daytime parade.
“Friendtastic!” Parade has been billed as the park’s largest ever, starring the likes of Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, and Goofy. This is also notably the park’s first daytime parade (not a cavalcade) since 2020.
Have you ever been caught up in a tropical storm at a Disney park?