Hurricane Idalia nears Florida, Disney World in Orlando 'operating under normal conditions'

Jennifer Sangalang, Florida Today
Updated ·2 min read
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There's a hurricane coming, and that undoubtedly means these questions come up: Where is it headed and will Disney World close?

Tropical Storm Idalia was expected to become a Category 3 hurricane before making landfall along Florida's Gulf Coast on Wednesday. Here's a look at the Orlando theme park's policies on inclement weather.

When Hurricane Idalia hits, will Disney World in Orlando close?

As of 3 p.m. Monday, Aug. 28, Disney posted a hurricane update online: "Walt Disney World Resort is currently operating under normal conditions. We are closely monitoring the path of the projected weather as we continue to prioritize the safety of our Guests and Cast Members."

The theme park giant reiterated that statement as of 9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 29, the day Idalia strengthened into a hurricane.

The theme park, which includes Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot and Hollywood Studios, created an FAQ page regarding hurricanes. Regarding cancellations and rescheduling Disney vacations, the theme park giant states this: "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 Co. 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."

Cancellations and rescheduling due to hurricanes applies to Disney tickets purchased via a third party site: "If you have products and services provided by third-party suppliers included in your vacation — such as air transportation, hotels, car rental agencies or travel 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."

The policy also applies to Disney's Vero Beach Resort or Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort in the event a hurricane warning is issued for those destinations, the site states.

To modify, cancel or get help rescheduling a Disney vacation due to a hurricane warning, guests can call 407-939-7675.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Will Disney close when Hurricane Idalia makes landfall in Florida?