Walt Disney World’s historic closure is now behind us, and wow, what a roller coaster ride it was (and we’re not talking the fun kind).

Big Thunder Mountain

Disney World’s theme parks reopened in July 2020 after a 4-month closure with some significant changes, but many people were relieved to see any semblance of normalcy return, even if the parks looked a little bit different than we remembered. And yet, we wonder. Could a closure like this happen again? As much as we’d like to say no, it’s a little more complicated than that. Take a look.

Disney will have more protocols in place for health crises, but that doesn’t mean they definitely won’t close.

Part of the reason the most recent closure was so lengthy (more than 100 days!) is due to the fact that the COVID-19  global health crisis was completely unprecedented. Disney had to build protocols for the closure and reopening from the ground up. The last time a health crisis was this severe — during the the 1918 outbreak of Spanish Flu — the parks didn’t even exist. (Walt Disney was just 17 at the time and actually contracted and survived the virus.)

Welcome to Walt Disney World

Now that we have emerged from this closure, it does mean that we may be better prepared in the future. If there is a next time, the company can use what they learned during this crisis to help craft the response to the next one. Depending on the nature of the next health crisis, this could help to shorten a closure or potentially avoid one altogether.

Unfortunately, “the next crisis” is something we do have to worry about, according to Time. This won’t necessarily be the last pandemic in our lifetime. Part of what makes a virus turn into a pandemic is a lack of sufficient treatment or cure. If a future illness can spread effectively despite the health measures that Disney has implemented, it could force another closure as the world contends with it.

BoardWalk

Health crises aren’t the only situation we need to worry about.

Although this closure was the longest by far, Disney World has closed before for other reasons. It’s possible we’ll see the parks close again for a non-health-related situation. For instance, Disney World closed in response to the terror attacks on 9/11 because of concern that the parks could be a target. If there is ever such a threat to guest safety, Disney World will not remain open.

Hurricane Skies in Disney World’s Epcot

Mother Nature poses another threat to Disney World’s ability to stay open. Hurricanes are a pretty regular cause for shutting Disney down. Even with a well-crafted hurricane policy, sometimes it’s safer if the parks close when a particularly inclement storm comes through, to ensure the safety of Cast Members and guests. In fact, Florida has faced some especially active hurricane seasons recently. It’s feasible that Disney will need to close if any of these storms threaten the area.

Click here to learn about what to do if a hurricane impacts your Disney trip!

So, yes, Disney World might close down again — but they might be a little more prepared for crises in the future.

It can definitely feel frustrating that the parks could close again in the future, especially when the COVID closure was so trying. It is the reality though. Luckily, going forward, Disney will have options to turn to in the event of a similar crisis. The COVID situation means that new health measures and long-term closure protocols are now a part of the precedent: Disney now has a playbook.

Closed Path to Epcot

In fact, it’s possible Disney already has teams working on what-if scenarios in the event that this ever happens again! As disappointing as they may be, closures can be necessary to keep guests and cast members safe. Whatever happens, Disney Food Blog will be here to keep you up to date on all the latest at Disney World.

Click here to learn about all of the times Disney World has closed in the past.

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Do you think the Disney parks could close again? Tell us in the comments!