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NEWS: What Happens When a Major Hurricane Hits Disney and Universal?

Updated: Jan 24, 2023

As Hurricane Dorian threatens to impact Central Florida over this Labor Day weekend as a major hurricane, one may ask the question: "What happens when a storm hits the parks?"

There are many layers to this question. How do the parks prepare? When does the park close? What happens if you have a vacation booked to the parks during the storm? What do the park employees do during the storm? What happens after the storm? Let's look at each of these questions in more depth.

How do the parks prepare?

Disney and Universal both have emergency preparedness plans they put into effect several days before a storm threatens an approach on the Central Florida area. As we speak, team meetings are occurring that begin to strategize on what needs to occur before the storm hits. Once a plan has been finalized, implementation teams start preparing their prospective areas of responsibility.

In 2017, Hurricane Irma was a Category 5 storm that went right up the peninsula of Florida. To prepare for that storm, some notable preparations included:

Walt Disney World Resort

  • Bags placed over streetlights to catch potential shattered glass

  • Monorails stored in backstage area and Contemporary Resort station

  • Touch Points at the front gates wrapped in plastic for protection

  • Rows of utility trucks ordered and staged at Epcot in case they are needed post-storm

  • Trash cans tied down

  • Black fabric over windows to protect possible shatter

  • Construction sites secured and loose items removed

  • Outdoor shops emptied

Universal Orlando Resort

  • Tree limbs cut

  • Signage and banners taken down

  • Flags rolled up or removed

  • Awnings removed

  • Non-secured HHN props removed

  • Antique cars in front of Mel's Diner moved to storage

  • Outdoor stages (such as for HHN shows) deconstructed with scaffolding lowered

  • Water in lagoons lowered to accommodate extra rain

Other preparations at both resorts also occur such as ensuring efficient amount of staff will be available during and after the storm, inspecting roofs for potential leaks, sandbagging doorways, and ensuring all drains are clear of debris.

When do the parks close?

Park officials at both Disney and Universal pay close attention to the alerts sent out by the National Weather Service on the official track and projected winds for the Central Florida area leading up to landfall of the hurricane. Because this is a business, it is common for the parks to want to stay open as long as safely possible. In fact, the Walt Disney World Resort has only closed 5 times in history...all of which except for 1 instance (September 11, 2001) being due to an approaching hurricane. One of Walt Disney's main criteria for choosing Orlando as the home of the resort was that it provided great year-round weather and was considerably inland which would protect his park from the devastation of hurricanes. Hurricanes weaken rapidly once they hit land, so being 60 miles inland from the Atlantic and 70 miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico puts Orlando almost dead center of the state. This means by the time the storm gets to Orlando, it has dropped in intensity considerably.

Because of this, If a storm is not anticipated to be a direct hit to the Orlando area, the parks will typically stay open with warning to guests that they could close at any minute due to inclement weather. Crazy enough, this is actually a great time to go visit the parks! Light wind and rain can be expected, but the crowds are extremely light the day prior to the storm! The park will typically only close if it is going to be a direct hit and hurricane force winds are anticipated in the Orlando area.

An official course of action for if and when the parks will close come around the time that Hurricane Watches are posted by the National Weather Service. At that point, press releases will go out on when the park will close and how long they anticipate that closure to last. It is not uncommon for the park to be open for a partial day prior to the storm hitting if the hurricane is anticipated to hit during the late night. The park staff needs enough time to ensure all guests are out of the park, final preparations are conducted, and non-essential team members are able to return home safely and off the roads before dangerous conditions occur.

What happens if you have a vacation booked to the parks during the storm?

The most important thing to do is pay close attention to the official track of the storm and make the best decision you feel is right for your family. Thankfully, Universal and Disney both have policies that allow you to cancel or reschedule your vacation if there is a Hurricane Warning posted within 7 days of your planned vacation. If this applies to you and you do not wish to travel to the Orlando area during that window, call +1-407-939-7675 for Disney and +1-800-711-0080 for Universal to cancel or rebook your vacation. Do note that anything not booked through the resorts, including airfare, rental cars and tickets for other attractions, is not included under these guarantees.

If you do decide to still visit while the storm is approaching, here is what to expect:

  • 1-2 days prior to the storm, the parks will likely still be open. However, certain outdoor attractions may be closed down to inclement weather that often comes with the outer rain bands of the storm.

  • If the parks do close, you will be required to remain in your hotel during and even shortly after the storm. Florida officials will put a curfew in effect a few hours prior to the storm making landfall where it is illegal to be on the roads unless there is an emergency. This curfew will not be lifted until they feel conditions are safe to be outside and driving, which is usually several hours after the storm has passed. This is largely due to the hazards that fallen powerlines can bring to people who get near them.

  • Disney and Universal hotels make the experience as exciting as possible for you and your family. They will prepare food, provide bottled waters and juices, have medical staff standing-by for emergencies, and even have exciting events like dance parties, character meet-n-greets, and movie watching. Both Disney and Universal want to make the best of the circumstances for the guests, so expect to ride out the storm with some fun. All is not lost!

  • Although the resorts will provide food and water, make preparations for your family by buying snacks, drinks, medicines and medical supplies, flashlights, charge up your electronic devices to full-capacity, and even buy some sort of non-electronic entertainment such as board games to keep the little ones occupied. Understand that the storm may pass quickly, but it could be several days before the roads are cleared of debris and stores are back open. Make sure to also gas up your call to "Full" as there is typically a shortage the week after the storm.

  • Power may go out during the storm. This is typical and is often the result of a tree falling on top of a power source such as a powerline. However, both Disney and Universal have back-up generators that will kick on if this occurs. Fortunately, Orange County's bread and butter relies on tourism, so you can bet that power will be restored to the tourist areas and resorts FIRST. That's just how the cookie crumbles...

What do park employees do during the storm?

Believe it or not, Disney and Universal both have a tremendous amount of staff still working during the storm! Although the park is closed to guests, there are still several departments of employees working diligently to ensure the safety of those still on property as well as to protect the assets of the park. These staff members are typically there on volunteer status, meaning they are getting paid but elected to remain at work rather than staying at home with their families. So be kind to these staff members if you are staying on property...they chose to be there with you and make sure your family is safe and making the best of the situation!

Here are a few tasks that employees of Disney and Universal may be doing during the storm:

  • Hotel staff will be working their typical positions and helping out where needed by direction of their managers.

  • Park staff are often relocated to the resorts to provide additional support for guests staying on property including providing extra hands to pass out supplies and entertain guests. It is also common practice that a few members of the attraction staff will stay within the attraction building and watch for preventable damages such as leaks and flooding.

  • Electricians are on standby for the inevitable power outages that will occur during the storm to ensure power is back up quickly.

  • Park Services staff are on standby waiting to clean up the parks and walkways to get park up and running as quickly as possible.

  • Medical staff are on-hand for any guest or employee related injuries since Orange County first responders cannot respond to emergencies during the storm.

  • Security and police are on-staff to ensure looting, theft, or any other crimes remain to a minimum.

  • Command Central staff stay in the controls room monitoring the storm and keeps communication flowing amongst departments. They are also watching security cameras to watch for potential safety issues for guests as well as watching to ensure park facilities and attractions remain secure.

These are just some of the positions that park staff members will be doing during the storm. There are many more that are not listed. Those that did not volunteer to stay on-property during the storm are required to leave several hours before the storm hits to ensure they are off the roads prior to the state-mandated curfew.

What happens after the storm?

Park officials will assess the damage from the storm and begin the clean-up phase. Ensuring the on-property guests' safety is their first concern, so restoring power and water to the resorts is a top priority. Clearing roads and walkways will also be a critical priority to park officials to ensure local first responders can get to the resorts if needed.

Once the resorts are secured and the state of Florida has lifted the curfew, park officials will allow on-property guests to leave the hotel and venture out. However, do not expect the parks to be open immediately! The park staff will need time to get to work safely, and if the roads are badly damaged, this can hinder the park opening. Clean-up will also need to be conducted within the parks before they open, which can be 24-48 hours in length after the storm is gone. Even still, some attractions may not open if damage was done to the building or infrastructure of the ride system.

If you are staying on-property or within the tourist area of Orlando, you can expect a few things after the storm to occur. Expect a gas shortage. Gas trucks often have issues getting to gas stations after the storms due to damage done to roadways, down powerlines, and no power to the gas stations. Speaking of power, expect power outages. Power could be out for several days after the storm. Although the resorts area typically get power first over the local residents (again, it's just how the cookie crumbles...), power will be out at surrounding stores and gas stations. Also expect some street lights to be out on property. Florida Highway Patrol will often go to busy intersections and direct traffic, but if no officer is there, treat this situation as a 4-way stop!

So stay safe out there friends...the storm will likely be a doosey so remain inside, stay calm, and be prepared.

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