Are you worried about visiting Disney World during hurricane season?

Hurricane Ian near Disney World

Hurricanes can impact Disney World, and sometimes that weather could even close the parks. We’ve seen it happen multiple times in the past, so what should you do if a hurricane is headed to the Orlando area while you’re visiting Disney World? Well, we’re going to tell you what happens if a hurricane impacts your trip.

The Basics

First, you should know that any trip booked for June 1st through November 30th is within the window of hurricane season in Disney World, although we’ve seen hurricanes before and after those dates. That means you should probably go ahead and make a plan in the event that a hurricane impacts Disney World.

Hurricane Ian

For starters, you’ll want to make sure you’re staying in a hotel equipped to handle hurricanes. That means you probably don’t want to book a campsite at Fort Wilderness. It also means you might want to only consider hotels that have indoor commutes for shopping and dining. We’d suggest skipping larger resorts that are more spread out, like Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort or the All-Star Resorts.

So You Think You Want To Go To Disney World During Hurricane Season…

Hope for the best and prepare for the worst

Understand that if you do choose to travel to Disney World during a hurricane, your plans could be seriously impacted. The parks could close, meaning you’d be spending some time stuck at a hotel with your group. Bring plenty of things to do, just in case, and make sure those laptops and phones are charged with apps, games, and streaming services. If you’ve got room, bring some cards or board games.

Board Game

It’s also a good idea to stock up on snacks, although the hotels will do their best to make sure you and your group don’t go hungry (but you’ll still have to pay for food). Many hotel restaurants will offer Hurricane Meal Kits or pre-packaged meals and snacks from dining locations.

Meal Kits ©@georginamitchener

If the parks do remain open, prepare for the weather. Don’t forget to pack your rain gear, and be sure to include extra socks and shoes because your feet WILL get wet if it’s stormy. You’ll also need to understand that severe weather can close outdoor rides. You’ll need to have your ride priorities planned if that happens.

Rainy Day in Magic Kingdom

You might also want to consider purchasing Trip Insurance if you don’t already have some way to be compensated if your trip is affected. Some travel credit cards offer insurance as a benefit, so check with that before shopping around for the best insurance for your trip.

Here Are 6 Tips for Planning a Disney World Trip During Hurricane Season

So What Happens When There Is A Hurricane?

If a hurricane shuts down Disney World parks while you’re there, you will be instructed to stay at your hotel in your room. However, you’ll find that hotels will often find ways to keep guests entertained by coming up with games, bringing in characters, showing movies, and other activities.

Cast Member helping with indoor recreational activities ©@aarti1021

If you have any questions during this time, Cast Members will be on hand and are trained to deal with this situation.

Be Prepared To Cancel Or Reschedule Your Trip

Let’s say you’re headed to Disney World and a hurricane is confirmed to be headed that way, Disney World generally relaxes its cancellation policy. The Disney World website says: “If a hurricane warning is issued by the National Hurricane Center for the Orlando area—or for your place of residence—within 7 days of your scheduled arrival date, you may reschedule or cancel your Walt Disney Travel Company Disney Resort hotel packages and most room only reservations (booked directly with Disney) without any cancellation or change fees imposed by Disney. Most room-only and vacation packages can be modified, or cancelled online, including changes to travel dates.”

©Disney

With dining, each Disney World restaurant has its own cancellation policy, although that can change during hurricanes. The current cancellation policy for most restaurants allows you to cancel up to two hours in advance of your reservation.

Here’s A Step-by-Step Guide to Hurricane Cancelation Policies and Refunds in Disney World

As we said, being prepared and knowing what to expect is the best thing you can do if you’re planning a trip to Disney World during hurricane season. So be sure to consider that if you’re traveling during those critical hurricane weather months.

We’ll also keep you updated when hurricanes, and other weather, could impact your Disney World trip, so stay tuned to DFB for more!

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YOU CAN, TOO.

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Have you been in Disney World during a hurricane? How did you handle it? Let us know in the comments!