Walt Disney World Resort is under a tropical storm watch as Tropical Storm Idalia heads toward Florida. The storm has led to hurricane warnings for large portions of Florida’s West Coast. Orange and Osceola Counties, where Walt Disney World Resort are both currently under a tropical storm watch. At this time, it appears that Hurricane Idalia will be hitting Florida further north and continue to pass north of the Walt Disney World Resort area. Tropical Storm Idalia is expected to strength to a Category 3 Hurricane before arriving in Florida.
This storm is expected to be a major hurricane and will be causing damage to those who are in its path. “The risk continues to increase for life-threatening storm surge and dangerous hurricane-force winds along portions of the west coast of Florida and the Florida Panhandle beginning as early as late Tuesday,” the National Weather Service said on Monday morning.
Currently it is expected that a Hurricane Idalia will make landfall in Florida somewhere between Tampa Bay to the Big Bend on late Tuesday into early Wednesday. Impacts of the storm will be felt in Central Florida as early as Tuesday morning. If the storm ends up tracking East and landing on the Eastern end of its current tragectory cone, this could lead to a greater impact on the Walt Disney World Resort area.
The Walt Disney World Resort is prepared for foul weather and has many decades of experience keeping its guests safe during storm, while also offering Disney magic. At this point, Walt Disney World has not changed any of its operations. However, if the track of the storm changes, Walt Disney World Resort could change things as well to keep both its guests and cast members safe.
On Monday afternoon, Walt Disney World Resort posted the following statement on its website:
Tropical Storm Idalia
Walt Disney World 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.
Last year Hurricane Ian led to Walt Disney World Resort closing its theme parks and modifying its operations at its hotels. Hurricane Ian became a category 1 hurricane on September 26, 2022. The once-in-a-lifetime storm hit Florida on September 28. It caused massive flooding, storm surge, and other damage. Daps Magic covered the progress of this storm and provided updates on how it impacted Walt Disney World Resort and the Disney Cruise Line.
Already, Tropical Storm Idalia has led to the Disney Fantasy changing its itinerary to avoid the storm. Guests were told about the course change when they boarded the Disney Cruise Line ship on Saturday, August 26, 2023.
Daps Magic will continue to monitor the progress and impact of Idalia as it nears the Walt Disney World Resort area. If you are staying at Walt Disney World Resort, kindly follow the instructions of the cast members. They are tasked with keeping your safe, and are also still attempting to create a magical environment. If a hurricane or tropical storm does hit, there are many different types of dangers that will accompany it. This doesn’t just include the storm itself, but also the water and flooding that comes with it. This can also lead to other dangers that may not be overtly apparent to guests. However, Disney will do everything its can to keep both guests and cast member safe.
*Updated with statement from Walt Disney World Resort on Tropical Storm Idalia*
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