In the wake of Hurricane Helene, Florida's parks and attractions are implementing various measures to ensure the safety of their visitors and staff. Here's the latest update on each park:
Walt Disney World
Starting Wednesday, September 25, Disney World’s theme parks, including Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom, remain open. However, some attractions will be closed tomorrow, Thursday, September 26. Magic Kingdom will extend its operating hours to 8 p.m. on that day.
Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park and the Fantasia Gardens and Winter Summerland mini-golf courses will be closed on Thursday, September 26. Additionally, the Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party scheduled for that day has been canceled.
Other Disney activities that will be canceled or closed on Thursday due to Hurricane Helene include Savor the Savanna, Up Close with Rhinos, Walking with Giants, Wild Africa Trek, Fantasia Gardens and Fairways Miniature Golf, and Winter Summerland Miniature Golf.
Universal Orlando Resort
The theme parks, including Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, and the Halloween Horror Nights events, will continue their normal operations. Universal Volcano Bay water park will close on Thursday, September 26, and is expected to reopen on Friday, September 27, at its regular hours.
SeaWorld Orlando
Although SeaWorld has not issued a specific statement regarding Helene, its "Weather-or-Not Assurance" policy allows visitors to reschedule their visits in case of bad weather. SeaWorld typically remains open during inclement weather, though some activities may be affected.
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Busch Gardens will be closed on Thursday, September 26, to ensure the safety of visitors, employees, and animals.
Legoland Florida
Legoland will remain open with no operational changes. They are closely monitoring the storm and will update visitors on any potential closures.
Fun Spot America
No statements or operational changes have been issued for their locations in Orlando and Kissimmee.
Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens
The zoo will be closed on Thursday, September 26, and will reopen on Friday, September 27. The Lemurs of Madagascar event has been canceled, and Sunset at the Zoo has been rescheduled for October 10.
Disney World's History of Hurricane Closures
Disney World has closed less than a dozen times since its opening in 1971. Previous closures include:
- Hurricane Floyd (September 1999)
- Hurricane Charley (August 2004)
- Hurricane Frances (August 2004)
- Hurricane Jeanne (August 2004)
- Hurricane Matthew (October 2016)
- Hurricane Irma (October 2017)
- COVID-19 Pandemic (May 15, 2020 - July 11, 2020)
- Hurricane Ian (September 2022)
Each park is taking specific precautions based on the intensity and path of Hurricane Helene, with a strong focus on visitor and employee safety.
Universal Orlando Resort has a severe weather policy that allows visitors to cancel tickets and hotel reservations without fees if a hurricane or tropical storm warning has been issued by the National Hurricane Center or an emergency has been declared in Orlando within the week of their arrival. Visitors can contact Universal Orlando's team to manage these cancellations or changes.
For SeaWorld Orlando, their "Weather-or-Not Assurance" policy allows visitors to reschedule their visits if the weather is unfavorable, offering the option to return on another date at no additional cost.
Hurricane Helene has intensified to a Category 1 storm and is expected to become a Category 4 hurricane when it makes landfall on Florida's northern coast late Thursday after passing through the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency for the entire state in anticipation of the impending threat.