Hurricanes can form unexpectedly and suddenly and with that, many theme parks try to come up with the best solution to keep guests and their staff safe.

Magic Kingdom during a hurricane

Hurricane Helene touched down in Florida last night and Disney World has already begun their recovery process, opening up their doors and returning to their regularly scheduled hours. As the incredible cast members came together to restore the grounds, we checked out the park to see what Disney World looks like after a hurricane.

Safety is always a top priority when it comes to theme park operations during a storm. In anticipation of Hurricane Helene’s arrival, Disney canceled their Halloween event, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party for the night of the 26th.

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party Crowds

In light of this closure, however, resort hotels, like Old Key West, gave out candy to resort guests. Cast Members continued to share the magic with a smile, despite the circumstances.

We are so grateful to the cast members who continued to share the magic

While most of the Disney World parks remained open, Typhoon Lagoon, Disney’s water park, was temporarily closed due to the weather. The park is back to regular operating hours starting today, Friday, September 27.

Typhoon Lagoon

And now, a day after Hurricane Helene has hit, Magic Kingdom is back to normal, with the sun returning to shine over Main Street, U.S.A.

Main Street U.S.A.

Crowds and wait times are currently low and tonight’s Halloween party will proceed as scheduled. The highest wait time we saw in the park was 45 minutes over at Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. Most rides were much lower including Peter Pan’s Flight which only held a 30-minute wait even hours after opening.

Low wait times at Magic Kingdom

We are happy to see that the parks are back to normal, with many of yesterday’s flooding and debris from the storm getting cleared up. Our gratitude goes out to every Cast Member who has worked tirelessly to keep the magic alive during a time that can feel frightening and overwhelming for many. Their recovery efforts and resilient spirit are admirable and without them, the parks would not feel as special, especially a day after a hurricane.

Cinderella Castle

Our hearts also go out to anyone impacted by Hurricane Helene. All of us on the DFB team hope everyone is safe and finds aid and comfort during this time of recovery.

Stay tuned as we bring you all the latest Disney World updates.

What Disney World Is Really Like Before a Hurricane

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