Guide to 2024 Hurricane & Storm Season at Disney World
One downside to summer & fall trips to Walt Disney World is tropical storm season. This post covers the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season forecast, tips for staying dry during rain & preparedness info for staying safe during Florida’s intense weather. (Updated March 3, 2024.)
In recent years, Hurricanes Dorian, Matthew, Irma, and Ian have all impacted the parks and resorts to varying degrees–in some cases, causing multi-day closures. This is definitely something to be cognizant of before booking your trip. This isn’t to say you should avoid September or other peak hurricane months, but it’s important to be aware of while weighing the pros and cons of various times to visit.
In an average year, the NOAA forecasts over a dozen named storms. While this is a lot of storms, it’s highly unlikely that any of these will make landfall and subsequently significantly impact Walt Disney World. It’s still uncommon to face park closures due to storms, but it has happened several times. However, even storms hundreds of miles off the coast can make for long, rainy days–rather than the normal afternoon showers that are a fact of life in Florida during the summer and fall.
In other words, if you’re visiting Walt Disney World during the storm season months of June through November 2024, it’s good to be prepared. If you’re visiting between August and October 2024–the heart of hurricane season–it’s also key to have a plan for more major storms.
With that in mind, let’s start with a look at the upcoming Atlantic hurricane season forecast and how it could have an impact on Walt Disney World…
2024 ATLANTIC HURRICANE SEASON FORECAST
Meteorologists are starting to release their forecasts for Atlantic hurricane season in 2024. Typically, the Colorado State University Tropical Weather and Climate Research Team, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and National Hurricane Center all release fairly reliable and non-sensationalized forecasts. We’ll update this section when those forecasts are released.
In the meantime, we have the forecast from two outlets that have varying degrees of credibility. The first is AccuWeather, which in its forecast sounded alarm bells that a “super-charged” hurricane season is possible in 2024. This could be a “blockbuster” hurricane season, AccuWeather hurricane experts warn, as all of the ingredients are coming together for explosive tropical development in the Atlantic this year.
While the Atlantic hurricane season does not officially start until June 1, there are already “serious and growing concerns” about the impending season, AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter said. There are two key factors that have AccuWeather forecasters sounding the early warning of a potentially super-charged season: The return of La Niña and historically warm water across the Atlantic Ocean.
It could be a back-loaded season in 2024, as La Niña might not officially develop until late summer or early autumn. The timing of the onset of La Niña could also dictate whether this upcoming season will be similar to the 2020 season, or if the number of tropical systems will fall short of historic levels. AccuWeather’s forecast alone would not be serious cause from concern, as there is a degree to which their reporting is sensationalized. However, it’s corroborated by another outlet.
That’s the WESH 2 forecast by local meteorologist Eric Burris. Last year, that team accurately predicted where every named storm went, and when they made landfall. We’ve found that WESH 2 doesn’t sensationalize storm season, and instead presents a facts-first approach. Their past forecasts have often been conservative relative to the consensus. (In general, local reporting by the Orlando and other Florida news stations is really good–better than the national coverage.)
Burris and WESH are predicting 16-20 named storms, 8-10 hurricanes, and 3-5 major hurricanes. WESH also identified potential hotspots for activity, all of which pointed to the eastern Gulf coast. This is particularly concerning for Florida, with Burris adding that not only is Florida under a higher threat for tropical impact, but “perhaps the greatest threat I’ve forecast since beginning these long range outlooks years ago.”
WESH attributes this in large part to the transition from El Niño to La Niña and sea surface temperatures, but goes deeper than that. They also cite Lezak’s Recurring Cycle, a meteorological technique that uses the past to predict the future, to identify long-term weather patterns repeating themselves in cycles. (If you click this WESH link, it goes into detail about specific dates that have the potential for a return of past weather patterns. It’s a fascinating read!)
Again, we’ll update this section once the NHC, NOAA, and various reputable universities release their 2024 hurricane season forecasts. What follows is the rest of our general advice on visiting Walt Disney World during storm season–and our experience staying at Walt Disney World while the parks closed due to a hurricane…
Our Hurricane Experience
There is ample reason for trepidation if you’re thinking of visiting Walt Disney World in the summer or fall. As Hurricane Dorian, Matthew, and Irma demonstrated, these Atlantic storms have the potential to dramatically alter a vacation. The past is the best predictor of the future, so seeing how Disney dealt with Hurricanes Irma & Matthew could be helpful if you’re concerned about a hurricane impacting your Walt Disney World vacation during storm season.
Hurricane Irma caused Walt Disney World to be closed for two full days and resulted in some damage around the resort. As noted above, we got stuck in Walt Disney World after our Disney Cruise Line Bahamas sailing was canceled (and we were unable to rebook our flight due to the mass exodus of people trying to leave Florida).
You can read about that in Our Hurricane Irma Experience at Walt Disney World, which is like a trip report…but with none of the normal fun stuff, like attractions. It covers what we did to prepare for the storm, how Walt Disney World’s “ride out” Cast Members handled operations, and much more.
What you need to know for rainy days versus during hurricanes and tropical storms is radically different. With the exception of certain attractions and entertainment that might shut down for regular storms, it’s business as usual for Walt Disney World during the rain. That’s not the case during hurricanes and tropical storms, when operations can be brought to a screeching halt. Luckily, that’s very uncommon.
Although the prospect of visiting during rain or hurricane season might be unsettling, there also is some upside, as you’ll read…so it’s not all bad. Let’s take a look at how to prepare for, and deal with, summer storms at Walt Disney World; from regular small storms to tropical storms to even hurricanes. Let’s start with what you need to know for the worst case scenario…
Hurricane History, Official Policies, Preparedness Tips & Info
Hurricanes have caused Walt Disney World to close on six occasions. In 1999 for Hurricane Floyd; in 2004 on separate occasions in a six-week span for Hurricanes Frances, Charley, and Jeanne; in 2005 for Hurricane Wilma; in 2016 for Hurricane Matthew; in 2017 for Hurricane Irma; and in 2022 for Hurricane Ian.
That’s an average of about one closure per decade…plus three times in the last decade. There are also several other times when the parks have closed early, or the water parks and certain resorts have closed–but all of that is much more common and not something that’s closely tracked as a result. Suffice to say, the odds are against your trip to Walt Disney World being severely impacted by a hurricane. Nevertheless, storms are becoming increasingly common.
I’ve heard of some travel agents strongly encouraging guests to purchase travel insurance if visiting Walt Disney World in late summer or early fall. I can’t say that I agree with that advice, but then again, I’m not risk averse. We only purchase travel insurance when going abroad, and that’s only in case I get in a fight with a monkey and have to be hospitalized. With that said, here’s what you need to know if a hurricane or tropical storm is forecast during your visit.
Walt Disney World has a Hurricane Policy that will allow you to get a refund on any package booked through Disney. Of course, this won’t cover your airfare. Fortunately, recent storms have caused significant changes in severe storm policies among major airlines, so that shouldn’t be an issue, either. If that leaves any gaps in expenses you’ve paid for, any decent credit card will have you covered.
If you normally purchase travel insurance anyway, or you still want travel insurance specifically for hurricane season, make sure you get coverage that actually will do something for you in the event of hurricanes or storms. Most basic policies do not provide coverage for weather, so you’ll want to actually read the policy before you buy. In most cases, you’re going to have to purchase a more expensive policy that allows cancellation for any reason.
Beyond monetary loss, there’s the issue of safety, particularly during hurricanes. In terms of safety, Walt Disney World was built for strict compliance with hurricane readiness standards and has earned “StormReady” status from the NOAA. for this type of thing (regardless of how uncommon they are). In terms of preparedness, Disney is absolutely on the ball.
You literally wouldn’t be able to leave your room without receiving a status update of what’s going on, how operations will be affected, and what to do in case of an emergency. There are also notices up around the resorts and in-room televisions have more information than you’re likely to need on Disney’s channels.
Disney errs on the side of caution with this stuff, and you’d pretty much have to bury your head in the sand to not know what’s going on. You really won’t need anything beyond the information Walt Disney World will provide to you in order to keep safe, but if you want to be especially safe, we recommend reviewing FloridaDisaster.org’s information, including on evacuation routes.
Additionally, we recommend having at least a three-day supply of food, water and medicine on hand. Also, before the storm approaches, ensure cell-phones and other devices are fully charged (including external battery packs) in case of electrical power loss.
Storm Season Packing
When packing for a trip during storm season, you’ll want to make sure you come prepared in terms of rainwear and footwear. In terms of rainwear, you could pay $79.56 (slight exaggeration–only slight) for a poncho in the parks, or you could bring your own. You should instead get a cheap 10-pack of ponchos that are serviceable before your trip (or two 10-packs, depending upon how many people are in your group).
If you want something more robust that will keep you dry and is reusable, get this 5-Pack of “Pro” Ponchos. While these are technically disposable, they’re a thicker and higher quality material than the ponchos above. We’ve found that they’re easy to reuse–just hang them up to dry in your room at the end of the day! Unless you really want to throw away your ponchos after each use, this is definitely the superior option.
Second, footwear. Nothing is worse than walking miles around Walt Disney World in wet shoes. Trust me. Popular options to avoid this problem are traditional Crocs cogs. Personally, I prefer Crocs sandals because they don’t quite scream “80 year old hospital patient” quite as much. If you’re more serious about your footwear, consider hybrid water/athletic shoes; the best options we’ve found here are the Teva Churn (for men) and RYKA Hydro (for women).
Finally, accessorize with a Frogg Toggs Chilly Pad. This isn’t for the rain itself, but the heat and humidity that come once the rain leaves. Trust me on this once. These things do wonders for cooling you down, and readers of this blog are big fans of them, as can be evidenced by the comments to our Unique Disney Parks Packing List post.
Regular Rain Showers
There’s a real-world adage that the only certainties in life are death and taxes. If applied to Walt Disney World, that adage would probably be that the only certainties are a 3 o’clock parade and an afternoon shower. Short afternoon showers are fairly regular in Walt Disney World any time of the year, but during the summer and early fall, they are especially common. Plus, unlike the spring showers that might last for 10 minutes before the sun returns, summer storms can be marathon downpours that don’t relent for a few hours.
The prospect of rain should not keep you out of the parks (let alone from not visiting Walt Disney World during these months), as proper packing will make touring during rainy season a breeze. Plus, the rain will scare plenty of other guests away, so a nice afternoon shower might be just the thing to lower those crowds for you. (Although rain isn’t nearly as effective in Walt Disney World as it is in Disneyland–a light sprinkle there and all of the SoCal locals run for the exits!)
If it’s raining when you get up or the forecast is calling for a lot of rain on a particular day of your trip, we recommend going about your day as you normally would. We know, we know, this flies in the face of the “visit Disney Springs” advice offered by a lot of people, but we disagree with that advice.
To us, going to Disney Springs in the rain instead of a theme park doesn’t make a ton of sense. Besides the huge World of Disney, which is approximately twice the size of Manhattan or something like that, you’re going to spend less time in each shop than you would in a single attraction. This means just as much or more time outdoors in the rain than at a theme park.
If we weren’t going to go to the regular parks, we’d go to the water parks. I mean, why not? You’re going to get wet there anyway, so what’s a little rain? We’ve been to Blizzard Beach when it started raining, and for some reason, the place cleared out! If you don’t want to go to a theme park or a water park, consider your hotel’s pool. If you really, really hate the rain, wander around your resort (have a meal?).
Unless you’re from SoCal and are thus scared of rain, there’s no reason to let the rain completely derail your plans. If it’s raining, lots of other guests won’t be in the parks, so you’ll be able to do more than normal! If you do want to go to the parks, but don’t want to get wet, here are some things to do in the parks while it’s raining to minimize your outdoor exposure.
Magic Kingdom
- Carousel of Progress – Rarely has a line meaning you can ride repeatedly if you’d like.
- Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover – Lengthy, covered ride that gives you a birds’ eye view of rain status.
- Country Bear Jamboree – Grab a snack or meal at Pecos Bill after, as the attraction dumps you out right there.
- Hall of Presidents – Grab a waffle sandwich or dessert at Sleepy Hollow and take it to the covered seating area after.
- Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room – Shortest show on this list, but it has a covered pre-show, too.
Epcot
- American Adventure – Another place that can eat an hour when you combine the Voices of Liberty with the show. If it’s still raining after the show ends, go back in to take a look at the art in the lobby gallery.
- The Land Pavilion – In EPCOT, there are several pavilions that are large and indoors. At the front of the park, you have both the Land and Seas pavilions. It’s easy to kill time in the Seas simply by looking at aquatic animals–don’t miss the manatees! Over in the Land, there are three attractions, and you can have a meal at Sunshine Seasons or Garden Grill. If you have a bit of money, the Behind the Seeds at Epcot tour is a GREAT (and relatively inexpensive) way to kill an hour and a half or so, too. Doing all of those things is a good way to kill nearly half a day in one pavilion…which is hopefully enough time for the rain to pass!
- Impressions de France – The same could probably be said for the other World Showcase films, but this is one we can watch again and again; it’s so great that we consider it one of Walt Disney World’s most underrated attractions.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- MuppetVision 3D – Awesome pre-show and awesome post-show; consider dining at PizzeRizzo or Mama Melrose after the show to avoid rain.
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance – A long line, most of which is indoors, makes this a good option during storms.
- Walt Disney Presents – Possibly the best option in all of Walt Disney World if you’re a serious Disney fan and it’s raining; you could easily spend a few hours in here combing over the displays and watching the film.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
- Finding Nemo: The Big Blue…and Beyond! – The wait for this musical is outdoors, so show up no more than 10 minutes before a show is scheduled to start; you should have no trouble getting in when it’s raining.
- Festival of the Lion King – A long, indoor show; covered character meet & greets are nearby to kill time, too.
- Avatar Flight of Passage – Not so much a long attraction…but an attraction with a really long, indoor queue. That’ll work!
- ??? – If you can avoid going to Animal Kingdom when it’s raining or a lot of rain is in the forecast, that might be best. It’s definitely most enjoyable in nice weather.
Even after our experience with hurricanes and tropical storms at Walt Disney World, we’d have no hesitation to book trips to Florida in the months of August through October, during the height of potential hurricane or tropical storm season. A good attitude to have when the weather gets bad (or when anything goes wrong, for that matter), is that a rainy day at Walt Disney World is better than a normal day at home. Roll with the punches, improvise, and have a good time. Just think, at the very least…rain makes the parks less crowded.
For where to eat, try out our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews page. If you want to save money on tickets or determine which type you should get, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at unconventional things you should take on your trip. Once you arrive at the parks, our Walt Disney World “Ride Guides”are great for determining what to do and when to do it. For overviews of all of these topics and so much more, the best place to start is our comprehensive Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide to make the most of your experience!
Your Thoughts
Do you agree with our mentality about visiting Walt Disney World when it’s raining? Which activities or attractions do you recommend when it’s raining? How do you feel about the controversial subject of travel insurance? Do you have any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
My husband and I are bringing our 7 year old daughter next week and we are SO excited! I am actually hoping it DOES rain to thin out some of the lines we’ll face…specifically the new 7 dwarfs mine train! every time I check the line time online it’s over an hour, sometimes even 2 hours! So bring on the rain!! we’ve got our ponchos and sandals and we are ready!!!
Thank goodness I found this blog! The grand kids, 2 5-year-olds and an 8 year old, my mom and I will be heading to WDW on Monday, June 16, 2014. We have a 650 mile drive, and it’s looking like some rain the entire trip!
I feel so much more comfortable knowing that all will not be lost. Plus if I told them we’re not going because of rain I think they’d kill me!!
Thanks for all the wonderful information!!
Thank you for this wonderfully positive and informative article. My family and I are visiting WDW for the first time in mid-July. I am significantly less nervous about rainy day fun after reading your article!
I’m a long time central Floridian and annual passholder.
Oh the stories of the rain I could tell you. Please be very careful
In the summertime storms. We are the lightning capital of the world.
We were also staying at WDW during Hurricane Jeanne in 04. We live
Where they all crossed paths that year. We have so many memories
From that trip. The cast members were great. Turns out our weekend
Trip ended up being 10 days long because our street was hit by a tornado
During the hurricane. They gave us storm refugee rates.
Our kids have stories to tell thier grand kids from that trip.
is this year in may in disney world getting bad storms durning near the end of may we going to be traveling i just wounder is it be nice or not day. i afriad the thounderstorm an tornado.
I have one question about the rain. I’m used to it raining in cold weather. I haven’t been to Florida when is raining. My family is planning a trip for June/July. I know how hot it will be then but when it rains I’m wondering what the temperature will be like? I’ll have three small children with me and I don’t want to risk them getting sick if it’s too cold. Any advice would be helpful.
We went last June for our first time and TS Andrea was not very fun. My mom had said what you so it rains there everyday so not a bit deal but this was torential downpours. I’m lucky we had the cheap ponchos and some umbrellas. Downside the ponchos were ripping and many attractions did close up I which were things we wanted to see. Didn’t help we had a cranky friend with, which I thought was impossible for being in Disney. We made the best of it and can’t wait to go back. We did do Disney quest on a very rainy day and left the cranky friend in the hotel room.
Dear Tom,
Thanks A LOT for so much interesting and useful information!!! I’m a big Disney fan and I’m taking my 3 kids for the first time this year, really excited!!!!
After reading this post I was wondering if any rides close when it rains. For example those which are absolutely under the rain, as Dumbo the flying elephant. And what about the parades, Fantasmic and fireworks?
Hope to hear from you soon!
Thanks again and ALL THE BEST!
On our first trip to Disney World, we had three or four afternoons of rain – and it couldn’t have worked out better! Since we planned our character meals in the early afternoon, two helped us avoid the rain. The parks cleared quite a bit and it was so enjoyable. It’s was amazing how many leave due to rain. I would suggest if you have flexibility in your itinerary to plan trips to MK on days it may rain since its so busy. There is SO much to do out of the rain that it really doesn’t damped the trip at all!
Yep, the rain can definitely work to your advantage, especially on otherwise busy days!
During our June trip, TS Andrea decided to join us. For the better part of a day it was torrential downpours and high winds. Being properly prepared with umbrellas and cheap ponchos we braved the day and headed to MK. It was wet, empty, wonderful and FUN! We rode many rides over and over without getting off (including the new Voyage of the Little Mermaid). Priceless memories made in the puddles that day! 🙂
I take myself to Disneyland every year for my birthday (February). Last year, it rained. I’d really lucked out on my WDW trips, never got in the rain–but it rained the first day I was at Disneyland. It was GREAT–put on some rain shoes, a poncho–and enjoy your very own private Disneyland/DCA. No lines for anything! (well, except for Indiana Jones). The locals flock to the exits in panic. Riding California Screamin (walk-up, no line) in the rain is a trip in and of itself.
Some very sound advice there, I remember last time I visited Florida in July. Evey day it would rain at 5pm with out fail and last for a good hour or so, and it never stoped me enjoying the parks, just got out my mac-in-a-bag and went about as usual.
Was fun to watch everyone run for the hills as it were, while I went about as if the sun was ou. Being British and used to rain I just got on with my holiday. No need to let some rain spoil a holiday.
Thank you for this article! I was a little worried and bummed out about the weather forecast coming up the next week because this will be my first time at Disneyworld and I was expecting good weather. However, this article puts my mind to ease about going to the parks. 🙂
I completely agree that you can’t be scared off by the rain and more so you should enjoy it, in all honesty a favourite memory of mine in WDW is the storms!
However I massively disagree with the point about going to the waterparks in the rain – it would be madness to be near any body of water when there’s any risk of lightning. Also in my experience (admittedly 10 years since I was there) they used to close the waterparks when storms were approaching.
They close the water parks when there’s any risk of lightning, so it’s a moot point. You can only go when it’s *just* raining. I’m not recommending anything dangerous.
We are hopefully planning on booking our honeymoon for Disney the entire month of August and I was freaking out about the rain and storms but you have put my mind totally at ease thank you!!
Any tips on
1. What shoes/clothes to wear that will dry out quickly/not be squelching in soggy shoes.
2. Good photo ops for rainy days?
Thanks 😀
You cracked me up with the DeLorean comment.
We were actually there in October of 2004. We saw that aftermath of Frances and while we were there, Jeanne hit. That day was spent in our hotel room, but the next day we headed to the Magic Kingdom. I couldn’t believe it. It was like fairies had been at work all night cleaning it up. It was spotless! And pretty empty of crowds, I must say.
Oops. Sorry, it was late September.
It’s pretty crazy how quickly they can manage to get the parks looking good. We were there until 4 am once the week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve (one of the busiest days of the year). The next day the park was open at 7 am, looking as good as ever!
We never let rain dampen our spirits at Disney!! One year it rained so hard at MK, the entire area in Tomorrowland by Buzz flooded…we just tromped on through, after riding Space Mountain 3 times in a row with no waiting!!! The younger kids stuck around Buzz and rode it with no waits for about half an hour! Leaving a park is not in our game plan 🙂
We did AK 3 weeks ago during TS Andrea on a Thursday. Had to go because our Fl resident tickets blacked out that Sat and we had MK for Friday with pirate makeup, bippity boppity, and dinner in the castle already booked.
Crocs and ponchos secured and a cover for the stroller, we were off. There was a steady rain right up until the 3pm Nemo show. The lines were non existant (15 min max for Safari and Everest)and there were just enough places to dry off a little and head back out. Time the shows, dry to dry your feet often, and enjoy the liquid sunshine!
I was happy to read this, and so glad you recommend staying the parks! We went to disney in May and it ended up raining A LOT! But the day that it rained non-stop all day, ended up being my favorite day. The crowd at Magic Kingdom disappeared and we were able to walk right up to all the rides with zero wait. It felt like running around the park with VIP access, just because it was pouring rain! I did learn that I’m going to bring a rain cover for our stroller next year, and buy the $5 ponchos or rain coats instead of the .99 kind.
Also, the first day that it rained i didn’t bring my camera with me because I was scared it would get wet. When it rained the next day, I decided I was bringing my camera with me anyway, and I am so glad I did! I put it in a large ziplock bag inside my backpack. (although I was warned by the security search people that it could get humidity in the ziplock…but it never did). But many DSLRs have some degree of weather proofing, and ultimately I have my camera insured, so I decided even if it got wet, it would be worth it!
Just out of curiosity, why will you buy $5 ponchos over $.99 ones? Did the cheaper ones not work well?
As for humidity in the bag, just throw a silica gel packet in there!
Any tips of how you protect your camera in the rain? I’ve seen a couple items on Amazon that I’m debating getting, but I’m curious what you do.
For a point and shoot I have always used a ziplock bag. While hiking I have crossed rivers with my camera in my pocket and never had a problem while it was sealed inside. If you are using a SLR….REI sells some camera bags, but leave the SLR at home. Point and shoots take decent photos and are a lot easier to carry around.
I think this advice is YMMV depending upon how much you care about photos. Besides, at night, the wet pavement makes for GREAT photos with a DSLR!