Walt Disney World closures as Hurricane Milton batters Florida: a complete history of shutdowns

The parks, including Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom, have shut down early as the hurricane batters Florida.

The theme parks have closed their doors a few times in its 53-year history, primarily due to hurricanes and other major events. They are:

1985: Hurricane Elena

The first early closure happened on August 31, 1985, when Hurricane Elena approached Florida. Magic Kingdom and EPCOT closed early due to strong winds reaching 125 mph.

1999: Hurricane Floyd

Walt Disney World fully closed on September 14, 1999, as Hurricane Floyd, a Category 4 storm with 155 mph winds, threatened the state. Fortunately, the hurricane didn’t make landfall in Florida but caused significant damage elsewhere.

2001: 9/11 Terrorist Attacks

On September 11, 2001, the parks were abruptly closed following the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. The closure was announced via park-wide loudspeakers, marking the second non-weather-related shutdown in the park's history.

2004: Hurricanes Charley, Frances, and Jeanne

In 2004, Disney experienced three hurricane-related closures.

2005: Hurricane Wilma

On October 24, 2005, Walt Disney World delayed opening due to Hurricane Wilma. The parks reopened later that afternoon after the storm passed.

2016: Hurricane Matthew

The parks closed early on October 6 and remained closed through October 7, 2016. The parks reopened on October 8 after Matthew caused minimal damage in the region.

2017: Hurricane Irma

Irma caused the parks to close early on September 9, 2017, and remain closed until September 11. Irma was a Category 4 hurricane, but Disney sustained only minor damage.

2019: Hurricane Dorian

The parks closed early on September 3, 2019, as Dorian approached. While Disney’s parks saw little impact, Dorian caused widespread destruction in the Bahamas.

2020: COVID-19 Pandemic

The most extended closure in Disney's history occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. The parks shut down on March 16, 2020, and remained closed until July 11. This 116-day closure was unprecedented and impacted Disney’s operations globally.

2022: Hurricanes Ian and Nicole

Hurricane Ian prompted closures on September 28-29, 2022, with phased reopenings starting on September 30. Ian caused significant damage in Florida. Hurricane Nicole caused the parks to close early on November 9 and reopen later on November 10, 2022.

2024: Hurricane Milton

Most recently, Hurricane Milton caused Walt Disney World to close early on October 9, 2024, with a full closure on October 10. The parks will remain shut until it’s safe to reopen.