Everything You Need To Know About Visiting Disney World During Hurricane Season

September 6, 2018

The late Summer early Autumn months can be some of the best times to visit Disney World. During this period crowds start to thin out, rates are lower and it is usually a good time for seasonal discounts. However, one thing that first time planners and veterans alike may fail to consider is that late Summer/early Autumn Disney vacations also fall smack bang in the middle of Hurricane Season. Though its impact on your vacation may be non-existent, its good to know at least a little bit about what you might face if travelling during this stormy time of year. Here are a few answers to your most common Hurricane-related questions.

When is Hurricane Season? Florida’s Hurricane Season technically starts around the 1st of June and runs until the 3oth of November. Hurricanes can happen at any time. However, peak season (when there’s the greatest likelihood of a storm) is typically between the middle of August through the end of October.

Has Disney World ever closed down due to a Hurricane? If you find yourself travelling this September or October don’t panic! Disney World’s location in Central Florida means that it’s unlikely to feel the full brunt of a storm. Though Disney has closed a few times in the past for hurricanes (most notably for Hurricane Irma last year and Hurricane Matthew in 2016), full park closures are pretty few and far between. Now that’s not to say that the weather can get downright nasty, but it probably won’t result in lengthy disruptions or massive cancellations.

Will Disney all me to re-book or get a refund if they close due to a Hurricane? If the National Hurricane Center for the Orlando area officially issues a Hurricane Warning within 7 days of your scheduled arrival date, guests who call in advance are able to reschedule or cancel your Walt Disney World Travel Company vacation package.

For those looking to reschedule- Disney will make every attempt to match the booking that you are cancelling to a new booking. However, Disney cannot guarantee you that your same resort/room category will be available. When cancellations and re-bookings do happen, Disney can get swamped and rooms for subsequent dates book up really quickly. Guests are advised to try to make changes as soon as possible. Similarly, if guests booked under a discount offer, but the new travel dates fall during offer blackout dates, the original discount offer may not be applied.

Disney is only able to re-book the accommodation, ticket and dining portion of your holiday. Flights, car rentals, and any other bookings made with outside companies are subject to the policies of those companies.

Will rides and attractions remain open in the event of bad weather? It’s more than likely that Walt Disney World will remain open even if the weather is a bit on the nasty side. However, that doesn’t mean that it will be business as usual. Anyone that’s visited during a bad electrical storm will tell you that Disney will close rides and its the outdoor ones that are the first closed when the weather turns sour. So don’t be expecting to ride Seven Dwarfs Mine Train during a bad storm. You may want to opt for Space Mountain instead. As a matter of fact, if you know you’re hitting the parks in the midst of a tropical storm and bad weather is on its way, head for parks like Magic Kingdom or Hollywood Studios where you can still find a lot of indoor attractions to help you pass the time.

Does Walt Disney World offer travel protection? If you are travelling during Hurricane Season and are worried about the impact that inclement weather may have on your trip then take out travel insurance just for that extra little bit of security. Disney offers insurance through Aon Affinity and the cost is $77.50 per adult and $5.50 per child. If booking your vacation directly through Disney or working with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, get in touch to have insurance added to your package. Policy details can be found here.

In the event that you do find yourself in Walt Disney World during a severe storm or hurricane, familiarize yourself with the safety procedures, pack lots of rainy day clothes and ponchos, and keep communicating with Cast Members who are there to assist you and keep you and your family safe. But, I hope at the same time, this article has placated your fears over your vacation being drastically affected by bad weather or at least helped you find comfort in the fact that in the case of a Hurricane Warning, you do have options.

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Find articles like this helpful? Then why not consider booking with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner? As an agent with MickeyTravels, I’ll be on hand to help you with everything from finding your perfect package to sharing tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your time at Disneyland. Best of all, my services are absolutely FREE. Get in touch at 1.800.801.4025, via email at mroden@mickeytravels.com or follow along on Facebook.

Images copyright Disney.

Everything You Need To Know About Visiting Disney World During Hurricane Season 1

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