This is what occurs when Disney World is hit by a hurricane

As Hurricane Milton swirls toward Florida as a Category 4 storm, residents in the hurricane’s path — including in Central Florida — are preparing for the storm by stocking up on necessities like food, water and fuel. For those visiting Disney World, however, there’s a different list of decisions to think through, like whether they should return home early and what to do if they get stuck at Disney.

Orlando International Airport (MCO) has announced it will shut down ahead of the storm starting at 8 a.m. on Wed., Oct. 9, 2024. And Disney has now said that their parks will close on Wed., Oct. 9, in phases. First, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park will close at 1 p.m. Then Magic Kingdom, Epcot and Disney Springs will close at 2 p.m. Disney says the theme parks will likely remain closed on Thurs., Oct. 10.

If you are supposed to visit Disney tomorrow, you should cancel, it is not the right time to go. However, if you’re already in Orlando, there is some important information to know.

Related: Bonus vacation or choppy nightmare? Here’s what it’s like on a cruise ship stuck at sea during a hurricane

Back when Hurricane Ian made landfall as a Category 4 storm on Florida’s southwestern coast in 2022, reports quickly came in of flooding, power outages, high winds and dangerous storm surges on the coast. While the Orlando area is not on the coast, the storm’s impact was still felt in Central Florida.

Like Hurricane Ian, Hurricane Milton is expected to affect other parts of the state, including Orlando, when it makes landfall on Wednesday. You should avoid traveling to Central Florida if you can. However, if you know you’ll have to be at Walt Disney World for this storm, here’s a look at the current situation for guests already on the ground and who have a trip booked in the coming days, plus what it’s like to ride out a hurricane at Disney.

Disney will provide further updates on its dedicated “Weather Updates & Information” page.

Disney will also refund all Lightning Lane passes that were purchased as part of your canceled trip. You will need to call the resort directly at 407-560-2428 to cancel these passes. Keep in mind that there may be a long wait time (we’re hearing about a 35-minute hold time currently), but once your call is taken, a cast member will be able to cancel and refund all purchases.

Based on reports on social media, Disney made boxed meals available at Disney resorts, with prices that range from $5 to $7 for sandwich and wrap boxes. Guests reported long lines that snaked on for a couple of hours at some locations for packaged meals and dining.

Flashlights and tarps were also delivered to guest rooms to accommodate power outages and leaks, and outdoor patio furniture was brought indoors, sometimes into guest rooms and hallways.

Believe it or not, the Most Magical Place on Earth can still sprinkle in touches of magic if you are stuck there during a hurricane. Of course, Disney’s first priority is the safety of guests and cast members, but the experience is not without a bit of pixie dust.

While guests were sheltering in place at their hotels during Hurricane Ian, Disney arranged indoor activities like movie marathons, games and crafts at the resort hotels.

Disney kept the pools open as long as was safely possible, likely to lessen the crowds inside the hotel buildings and to keep guests occupied until they were forced inside.

In lieu of visiting characters inside the parks, Disney brought the characters to the hotels to entertain guests. In some cases, it looked like the characters were having just as much fun as the guests.

At Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort, Chip, Dale, Goofy and Goofy’s son, Max, were seen watching Mickey cartoons with a group of children in the lobby.

While Disney can’t control the weather, it still wants to make your vacation as magical as possible by keeping spirits high and providing fun activities to combat boredom (and, frankly, hurricane anxiety) by bringing Mickey and his friends directly to you for as long as possible.

It’s very possible some of the parents were actively working on keeping in touch with family members or homes in the path of Hurricane Ian, but thanks to Disney, the kids got to focus on characters and cartoons.

Disney is one of the safer places to be during a hurricane

If you are forced to shelter in place, there aren’t many better places to do it than Disney World. Though far enough inland to dodge the most severe tropical weather events, Central Florida is no stranger to hurricanes and tropical storms. As such, Disney has a detailed plan for inclement weather — and yes, even the castle is built to hurricane standards.

Should you ever be in this situation, it’s still important to get some supplies ahead of time, as some hotel rooms at Disney require a walk outside to get to the lobby, which may not be possible during the worst of the storm when you need to shelter in place in your room.

Most Disney resorts, save for Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort, Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, the Bungalows at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort and the Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, are well equipped to weather a hurricane. When those locations closed during Hurricane Ian, guests moved to other Disney resorts.

Reports from that storm showed debris, flooding and some damage around Walt Disney World Resort.

The parks usually aren’t as crowded when they reopen

With Hurricane Milton tracking toward the Orlando area, many guests understandably canceled their trips or pushed them out to a later date.

Related: Disney World cared for thousands of guests during the storm: Here’s how the theme park handled the hurricane

Because of this, guests who do visit when the parks reopen likely won’t be dealing with the large crowds of people that are common on a Disney vacation.

Disney has a hurricane policy if you need to change your plans

Guests who do choose to wait for sunny skies to return before visiting Disney World are able to take advantage of Disney’s hurricane policy. The policy went into effect as soon as a hurricane warning was issued for the Orlando area. Any guest with a planned arrival date within seven days of the hurricane warning was able to call to reschedule their Disney vacation package or hotel reservation without cancellation or change fees.

Guests are still responsible for any rate differences, and discounts or special offers may not apply to new dates, but you will not be charged Disney’s standard cancellation fee: $200 per package if you cancel between two and 29 days prior to arrival (after that, you are responsible for the full package price).

This, of course, only applies to tickets and hotels booked directly with Disney. If you purchased tickets through a third-party vendor or are staying off-property, you would need to contact that company directly.

Also keep in mind that regardless of what the parks do, the airports and roads may be seriously affected by storms — and related evacuation traffic. If you are planning to visit in the days after the parks reopen, be sure that your flight wasn’t affected and that the roads in the area are safe.