Hurricane Dorian: Disney World to close parks early Tuesday, list of all park, Disney Springs, resort closures

Walt Disney World is adjusting its operating hours Tuesday and will be closing its the theme parks starting at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 3, due to Hurricane Dorian.

This will be the sixth time Disney World has closed parks due to a hurricane since opening in 1971. The last time Disney World closed for a hurricane was two years ago during Hurricane Irma.

The National Weather Service has placed Central Florida under a Tropical Storm Warning, which means there could be sustained storm winds between 40-45 miles per hour with gusts of up to 65 mph. Orlando International Airport will be ceasing operation at 2 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 3.

“We are closely monitoring the progress of the storm and are making operational adjustments as needed, because nothing is more important than the safety of our Guests and Cast Members,” Disney stated on its website.

No decision has yet been made about Wednesday, Sept. 4.

The parks will be closed in phases. Here is the specific list:

• Magic Kingdom Park: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. (opening at 7 a.m. for Extra Magic Hours
• Epcot: 7 a.m. – 3 p.m.
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. (opening at 6 a.m. for Extra Magic Hours)
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. (opening at 7 a.m. for Extra Magic Hours)
• Disney Springs: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
• ESPN Wide World of Sports: Closed
• Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park: Closed
• Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
• Winter Summerland Miniature Golf: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
• Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Disney Resort Hotels

• Disney Resort hotels remain open.
• Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground will be closed beginning September 3 at 3 p.m. and will reopen following the storm when it is safe to do so.
• We have contacted guests with current and upcoming reservations at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, Copper Creek Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa and the Bungalows at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort to relocate them to other resorts on property and to help them plan for anticipated weather impacts.

Special Event Cancellations

• Disney After Hours at Disney’s Animal Kingdom has been canceled on Tuesday, September 3, 2019. Guests with pre-purchased event tickets for this date are able to exchange their tickets for one of the following options:
  Tickets to attend another Disney After Hours event in 2019.
  Tickets to a Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party or Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party event in 2019.
• 1-Day Flexible Date Ticket with Park Hopper Option, which can be used any day prior to December 31, 2020.
• Receive a full refund for event tickets.
• To redeem these other options, guests should call (407) 939-7818 by December 15, 2019, between the hours of 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. or email us at Ticket.Inquiries@DisneyWorld.com. Please have your tickets available so we may process your request for you as quickly as possible.

Dining Reservations

On Sept. 3, theme park dining reservations will be honored up to one hour prior to park closing. Resort dining reservations will be honored until 5:30 p.m. Disney will not enforce cancellation policies for dining and other experiences, so there’s no need to cancel existing reservations through Tuesday, Sept. 3. Pre-paid dining and other experiences outside of the modified operating hours for Sept. 3 will be automatically canceled and refunded.