Disney World to start closing parks Saturday night due to Hurricane Irma, list of all theme park closures
Walt Disney World will begin closing its theme parks Saturday, Sept. 9 by 9 p.m. due to Hurricane Irma.
The parks will remain closed Sunday and Monday, Sept. 10 and 11 and are expected to open Tuesday, Sept. 12. While the parks are closed the resort hotels remain open.
This is the fifth time Disney World has completely closed the parks due to a hurricane since opening in 1971.
The parks will be closed in phases. Here is the specific list:
Disney’s Blizzard Beach is already closed.
Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon will closed Saturday, Sept. 9 at 5 p.m.
ESPN Wide World of Sports will not open Sept. 9 and reman closed. It will re-open Sept. 12.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios is closing Saturday, Sept. 9 at 7 p.m. The Saturday Fantasmic! and Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular performances are canceled.
Epcot is closing Sept. 9 at 9 p.m. The Saturday Illuminations Reflections of Earth performance is canceled.
Magic Kingdom is closing Saturday, Sept. 9 at 9 p.m. The Saturday Happily Ever After fireworks performance is canceled.
Disney Springs will close Saturday, Sept. 9 at 9 p.m.
All other Orlando theme parks announced their closing plans earlier. (More specifics below)
Hurricane Irma is now a massive Category 4 storm and will most slam into south Florida with that force. Forecasters predict the hurricane will head up the spine of Florida and hit the Disney World area as a Category 2 hurricane.
Early indications is the area around Disney World will receive anywhere from 7 to 15 inches of rain and winds reaching speeds of 50 to 60 mph with higher gusts. Storm conditions would begin Saturday night with the worst conditions Sunday into Monday. This forecast will change as the path of the storm changes, so keep checking with the National Hurricane Center.
SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay earlier announced plans to close by 5 pm on Saturday as well and remained closed Sunday and Monday, Sept. 11. Aquatica Orlando and Adventure Island will be closed on Saturday, Sept. 9, through Monday, Sept. 11. Discovery Cove will be closed on Sunday, Sept. 10 and Monday, Sept. 11.
LEGOLAND announced it will be closed Saturday, Sept. 9 through Monday, Sept. 11. LEGOLAND Hotel will remain open to admit arriving guests. LEGOLAND Beach Retreat guests will be relocated to the LEGOLAND Hotel.
Disney has spent the past few days preparing for the storm taking down signs and cleaning up construction areas.
Disney World closed on Sept. 15, 1999 for Hurricane Floyd; for Hurricane Frances it closed Sept. 4 and 5, 2004; for Hurricane Jeanne it closed Sept. 26, 2004 and for Hurricane Matthew it closed Oct. 7, 2016.
