Walt Disney World has closed a handful of times in its 53-year history, mostly due to hurricanes. In addition to full-day closures, the parks have also been forced to close early or open late a few times. Here is a list of every time Walt Disney World has closed and why.

1985: Hurricane Elena

The first time Walt Disney World was forced to close early was due to Hurricane Elena. Magic Kingdom and EPCOT closed early on August 31, 1985. Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom did not exist yet.

The winds from Hurricane Elena reached maximum speeds of 125 mph making it a Category 3 hurricane. It ultimately caused an estimated $1.3 billion in damage.

1999: Hurricane Floyd

Hurricane Floyd prevented all four Walt Disney World theme parks from opening on September 14, 1999. The hurricane reached Category 4 status, achieving sustained winds of 155 mph. The hurricane never actually made landfall in Florida, ultimately turning away from the coastline. However, the storm still caused an estimated $6.5 billion in damage to Florida, surrounding states, and Caribbean islands.

2001: 9/11

On the morning of September 11, 2001, Walt Disney World guests heard a sudden announcement:

Ladies and gentlemen, due to circumstances beyond our control, Walt Disney World is now closed. Please follow the instructions of cast members and move to the nearest exit.

The abrupt closure followed the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. Disney announced the closure on ABC before the FAA even grounded flights. Disneyland and Disney California Adventure never opened that day. (via Click Orlando)

2004: Hurricane Charley

When Hurricane Charley turned toward the Orlando area, Walt Disney World closed early and Disney’s Animal Kingdom never opened on August 13, 2004. The hurricane passed over the parks that night and they reopened the next day.

The Category 4 hurricane ultimately caused an estimated $16.9 billion in damage and led to 35 fatalities.

2004: Hurricane Frances

Less than a month after Charley, Walt Disney World had to close again, this time due to Hurricane Frances. None of the theme parks opened on September 4 or 5, marking the first time that Walt Disney World closed for consecutive days.

Hurricane Frances was also a Category 4 hurricane, and it caused another $10.1 billion in damages. The hurricane reached maximum wind speeds of 145 mph.

2004: Hurricane Jeanne

The deadliest storm of the infamous 2004 Atlantic hurricane season was Hurricane Jeanne. Though its worst impact was in Haiti, it did make landfall in Florida, just two miles from where Frances made landfall earlier in the month. Walt Disney World closed on September 26, 2004, due to the storm.

2005: Hurricane Wilma

Due to Hurricane Wilma, Walt Disney World did not initially open on the morning of October 24, 2005. After the Category 5 hurricane had safely passed, the parks opened late in the afternoon.

“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” was also forced to pause filming in the Bahamas due to Wilma.

In total, Wilma caused $26.5 billion in damages and reached sustained wind speeds of 185 mph.

2016: Hurricane Matthew

Over a decade after closing for Wilma, Walt Disney World theme parks closed early on October 6 and remained closed on October 7, 2016, due to Hurricane Matthew. Disney Springs reopened on the evening of October 7, while the parks reopened on October 8.

Matthew never actually made landfall in the United States, but it still caused significant damage in Florida. In all, the storm caused 731 fatalities and an estimated $16.5 billion in damages.

2017: Hurricane Irma

Walt Disney World theme parks closed slightly early on September 9, 2017, and remained closed through September 11. Irma made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 hurricane and caused minor damage throughout the parks.

Irma is the third-strongest hurricane to ever make landfall after forming in the Atlantic. It caused over $77 billion in damages.

2019: Hurricane Dorian

Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom closed in the early afternoon on September 3, 2019, as Hurricane Dorian approached. When it was clear the hurricane would have minimal impact, Disney decided to keep EPCOT and Disney Springs open into the evening.

While the impacts at Walt Disney World were minor, Dorian is still the most expensive disaster in the history of The Bahamas.

2020: COVID-19

The second time Disney ever closed for reasons other than a hurricane was due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which began to seriously spread through the U.S. in March 2020. The parks were closed from March 16 through July 10. Disney Springs reopened on May 20. The parks reopened in phases beginning with Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom on July 11. EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios then opened on July 15.

In total, the Walt Disney World theme parks were closed for 116 days and Disney Springs was closed for 65 days. These spans are the longest that Walt Disney World has ever been closed.

2022: Hurricane Ian

Walt Disney World was closed on September 28 and 29 due to Hurricane Ian. It reopened in phases starting on September 30.

Ian famously caused significant damage to Universal Orlando Resort.

To this day, Ian is the costliest hurricane in Florida history. In all, the storm caused over $113 billion in damages, affecting Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Cuba, and more.

2022: Hurricane Nicole

A few months after Ian, Hurricane Nicole hit Florida. Walt Disney World theme parks closed early on November 9. They reopened late the next day between noon and 2 p.m.

Hurricane Nicole was only a Category 1 hurricane, recording maximum winds of 75 mph. However, it made landfall in ‘s unpredictable path led to it making landfall in Florida twice. Nicole is one of only three hurricanes to make landfall in Florida in November.

2024: Hurricane Milton

Walt Disney World announced on October 8 that they would close their parks early on October 9 — Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom at 1 p.m., Magic Kingdom and EPCOT at 2 p.m. They initially said it was “likely” they would remain closed on October 10, and then they later confirmed the parks would remain closed that day.

Walt Disney World did not close for Hurricane Helene in September 2024, although Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and nighttime spectaculars were canceled.

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