Hurricane Ian has rocked central Florida over the last 24 hours. As the sun rose on the waterlogged state this morning the storm began to run out of steam and was downgraded to a Tropical Storm. Ian is currently on Florida’s East Coast, with rain bands still affecting much of the state.
The storm is expected to be on its way out to sea and on its way north by Friday. Because of the flooding and damage to the area, albeit minor damage, relatively speaking Disney is acting in an abundance of caution to protect Cast Members and Guests and despite rumors to the contrary, the Resort will be enacting a phased reopening today Friday September 30, 2022.
Hurricane Ian has battered down on the area and as it moves away, time is needed as clean up efforts commence. Many are still without power. Many Cast Members lack the ability to report to work still and as such, the staggered openings help alleviate not only Guest traffic but allows Cast Members ample time to make arrangements.
It is unknown what exactly is meant by the phased reopening. Disney has not yet released Park hours but we would.imagine that each Park will have a different opening time to stagger the demand in the morning. They have promised more information will.come regarding the details and hours later today.
The official announcement from Disney reads:
“Update on Hurricane Ian: We are seeing the impacts of Hurricane Ian across Florida and are thinking of our neighbors in Central Florida and across the state. We will share more information about our plan to support relief efforts for our Florida neighbors soon.
We thank our first responders and community leaders for their courageous efforts in preparing for and managing the storm’s impact. To our cast members in Florida and in South Carolina, thank you for selflessly taking care of our guests.
We continue to closely monitor weather conditions as we assess the impact of Hurricane Ian on our property. While theme parks and many operating areas remain closed to guests today, we anticipate weather conditions to improve this evening. Walt Disney World Resort will resume theme park and Disney Springs operations in a phased approach starting on Friday, Sept. 30. Operating hours will be updated later today on DisneyWorld.com/weather.”
