Tropical Storm Nicole is set to be making landfall on Wednesday evening, the day it is expected to also become a Category 1 Hurricane. Ahead of its arrival, Walt Disney World Resort has announced that it will be closing its theme parks early on Wednesday night at as early as 5:00 PM. Guests are encouraged to eat before leaving the parks and returning to their hotels. With thousands of guests leaving the parks and heading to hotels, the dining options could potentially be overwhelmed. The announcement was made on The Walt Disney World Resort website. Disney also said that it was likely that the parks would be open later on November 10, 2022.
Because of the early closure, the nighttime spectaculars that are presented at the parks will be canceled tonight. This includes Disney Enchantment at Magic Kingdom, Fantasmic! at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and also Harmonious at EPCOT. Fantasmic! just reopened at Disney’s Hollywood Studios last week and has been incredibly popular. The Ferrytale Fireworks: A Sparkling Dessert Cruise to see Disney Enchantment has also been canceled for the evening of the 9th.
The incoming storm is also going to impact the guest staying at several resorts as well. Guests staying at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground and the Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort will be required to depart from these resorts by 3:00 this afternoon. Disney is helping them find alternate accommodations. All other hotels continue to remain open and operational, however. With the closure of Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue performances have been canceled for November 9, 2022.
There have also been updates to Disney dining or other experiences that require a reservation. Cancelation policies are not being enforced at this time. This includes experiences like Savi’s Workshop and Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. Guests who had pre-paid reservations will be cancelled and refunded. Character dining will be suspended on the morning of November 10, 2022. This is to allow for more guests to fit into dining locations.
Disney Springs will now be suspending its operations at 7:00 PM tonight. It will be closed through tomorrow morning, November 10th. A specific reopening time has not been announced at this time. Bus services from Disney Springs will continue for an extra hour and end at 8:00 PM.
Guests that were expecting to head to a galaxy far, far away aboard the Halcyon on November 10th will need to find a different time to blast off. This voyage of the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser has been canceled.
Walt Disney World Resort Official Tropical Storm Nicole Announcement:
Walt Disney World Theme Parks and Water Parks
As of 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9, we are planning to make the following operational adjustments as we continue to prioritize the safety of our Cast Members and Guests during the storm:
THEME PARKS
- Walt Disney World Resort theme parks will have a phased closure today, Nov. 9, beginning at 5 p.m. and will remain closed through tomorrow morning, Nov. 10. Resort Guests are encouraged to enjoy food and beverage options at the theme parks prior to returning to their Disney Resort hotel. Theme parks will likely not reopen at their regularly scheduled time tomorrow, Nov. 10.
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Closing today, Nov. 9, at 5 p.m. with last dining reservations at 5 p.m.
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Closing today, Nov. 9, at 6 p.m. with last dining reservations at 6 p.m.
- Magic Kingdom Park: Closing today, Nov. 9, at 7 p.m. Last dining reservations for Be Our Guest, Liberty Tree Tavern, Diamond Horseshoe and Cinderella’s Royal Table will be at 6 p.m., and last dining for all other dining reservations will be at 6:30 p.m.
- EPCOT: Closing today, Nov. 9, at 7 p.m. Last dining reservations for Monsieur Paul, Space 220 Restaurant, Akershus Royal Banquet Hall and Garden Grill Restaurant will be at 6 p.m., and last dining for all other dining reservations will be at 6:30 p.m.
As previously shared, extended evening theme park hours at Magic Kingdom will be canceled today, Nov. 9.
To align with modified theme park hours, nighttime spectaculars will be canceled today, Nov. 9, including Disney Enchantment at Magic Kingdom Park, Harmonious at EPCOT, and Fantasmic! at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
WATER PARKS AND MINI GOLF
- Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon will temporarily close tomorrow, Thursday, Nov. 10. (Disney’s Blizzard Beach is currently closed.)
- Winter Summerland Miniature Golf and Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf will close early today, Nov. 9, at 7 p.m. and will remain temporarily closed tomorrow, Thursday, Nov. 10.
Other Walt Disney World Experiences
Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser voyage scheduled to begin tomorrow, November 10 will be cancelled. We are contacting Guests with reservations.
Dining and Enchanting Extras
Effective immediately, we will not enforce cancellation policies until further notice for dining and other experiences like Savi’s Workshop and Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. Guests with pre-paid reservations will be cancelled and refunded to the original form of payment.
Performances of Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground have been cancelled for Wednesday, November 9.
Ferrytale Fireworks: A Sparkling Dessert Cruise has been cancelled for Wednesday, November 9.
Disney Springs
- Disney Springs will close early today, Nov. 9, at 7 p.m., with last dining reservations at 6:30 p.m. Disney Springs will remain closed through tomorrow morning, Nov. 10.
- Disney Bus transportation from Disney Springs will operate until 8 p.m. today, Nov. 9.
