Walt Disney World Rarely Closes for Inclement Weather!
But rest assured that they have plans in place to shelter their guests if it is required! Shades of Green, which is a military facility, also has plans for these situations.
If a hurricane is heading somewhere near Central Florida, the Disney World area will be in store for very heavy winds and lots of rain at the least!
If you decide to continue with your vacation plans, you can expect lots of hard driving rain and probably very low attendance in the Disney theme parks.
I visited Walt Disney World just after Hurricane Irma passed through Central Florida in September 2017. This was shortly after Avatar – Flight of Passage opened, and 3-hour standby wait times were the standard. In the couple of days after the storm, wait times were down to 15 minutes all day long!“
Driving Rain with lightning and thunder at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Aug 2020.
Now rain isn’t out of the ordinary at Disney World during the summer and fall. In the summer, it can rain every day at WDW. But a hurricane will dump lots more water than the Orlando afternoon rainstorms can. So you should be prepared to be very wet all day!!!
There are things you can do to prepare for rain at Disney World, and how to work with it when it rains.
- Bring or buy ponchos or rain gear for your backpack – Disney sells ponchos for under $10
- Pack lots of socks and extra footwear, you’ll want to start the day with your feet dry
- Bring ball caps or hats
- Hole up in a restaurant or shop during the worst of the rain
- Ride the rides – While others are holed up in restaurants & shops
- Spend a day inside Disney Quest & see a movie at the Downtown Disney AMC Theatre
- Spend time having a table service meal in a theme park restaurant
- Most importantly, though, stay inside if there is any lightning! You can spend that time shopping, eating, or enjoying a beverage.
WHAT IF IT’S SO BAD THAT I WANT TO CANCEL MY VACATION?
Hurricane Dorian
Disney World has established policies for just this situation. Disney’s Hurricane Policy states that it is a temporary policy effective in the event of a hurricane warning issued no more than 7 days before your scheduled arrival date by the National Hurricane Center for the Orlando area or your place of residence.
You may call in advance to reschedule or cancel your Walt Disney Travel Company Magic Your Way vacation package and most room-only reservations (booked directly with Disney) without any cancellation or change fees imposed by Disney.
If you have products and services provided by third-party suppliers included in your vacation-such as airlines, hotels, car rental agencies, or vacation insurance companies-you will continue to be responsible for any non-refundable payments, as well as cancellation or change fees assessed by those suppliers. The policy does not apply to certain special events or dining experiences.
You may call in advance to reschedule without a Disney-imposed change fee. All amounts you paid to Disney for rooms, Theme Park tickets, Disney Dining Plans, and other Disney products and services will be applied toward your new reservation. Any discounts or free offers applicable to your original vacation will not apply to the rescheduled vacation. We cannot guarantee the availability of similar accommodations for the new travel dates. Any discounts or free offers applicable to your original vacation will not apply to the rescheduled vacation.
If you made your reservations through a travel agent versus through Disney, you should contact your travel agent or tour operator directly for information relating to the cancellation and change policies that apply to your package.
So some key info in Disney’s policy that you should be aware of is that if you are on a special rate like the Armed Forces Salute room discounts, those rates are not guaranteed on dates or at the same resort that you may reschedule to, as they are based upon availability.
Also, please be reassured that any reservations made through my recommended Disney-specializing Travel Agent, The Mouse Experts, will not incur any extra charges!
Shades of Green has no published Hurricane/Inclement Weather Cancellation Policy. But will cancel reservations due to a coming storm without penalty. Contact their reservations department to inquire: 888-593-2242.
KEEP INFORMED
Hurricanes are unpredictable, so be sure to keep checking to see what the latest info is. Then decide what you think is right for you and your family!
Here are some links for you to stay informed:
Here is a fantastic chart from Dave at YourFirstVisit.net for those trying to plan when is the best time during Hurricane Season to take a WDW vacation. It gives the chances of a cyclonic storm affecting Florida during a 9-day vacation.
Keep informed, stay safe, and keep dry!!!
Will a Hurricane keep you away from WDW? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
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This MDT Post By: Steve Bell Steve is the Military Disney Tips Founder. He is a retired U.S. Military Member who's been touring the Disney Parks since 1971! He has been writing about Disney for the US Military Community here for 18 years. Steve's mission is to help military families with their Disney vacations in every way possible. See Steve and His Family's Content |
Planning a Disney Trip? Want to get the best military discounts that are available? Feeling a little confused? See Our Great Disney Discount and Planning Info:
- Back to Basics Posts - A great place to start, offering basic topics!
- Disney Veteran & Military Discount Eligibility Guide
- The Military Family’s Walt Disney World Comprehensive Vacation Planning and Preparation GuideÂ
- Military Disney Tips Disney Packing ChecklistÂ
- Disney Military Tickets – Your Start-to-Finish Guide
- Resorts/Hotel Overview Page
- Dining Overview Page
- Transportation Overview Page
- Technology Overview Page
- Shades of Green, WDW’s Military-Only Resort
 The Mouse Experts is a travel booking company specializing in Disney vacations. Military family owned and operated! They know all the ins and outs of Disney military discounts!
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