Disney World Has Closed Down
By Jeff Moffitt
@moffittjc (118555)
Gainesville, Florida
October 7, 2016 12:19pm CST
For only the fourth time in it's 45 year history, Walt Disney World in Orlando has shut down, this time due to Hurricane Matthew.
The other three times the park was closed was:
September 15, 1999 - Hurricane Floyd
September 4-5, 2004 -- Hurricane Frances
September 26, 2004 -- Hurricane Jean
Interestingly, Hurricane Charley also hit Orlando/Disney in 2004, but the parks did not close ahead of time for that hurricane because the storm was not supposed to hit the area, but made a last second turn to the right and slammed into central Florida, catching everyone off guard.
Interestingly, Disney was open during the terrorists attacks on September 11, 2001, although they did end up closing the theme park later in the day to get everyone out for safety reasons (but then they opened back up).
28 people like this
30 responses
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
7 Oct 16
@moffittjc That would be pretty stupid even for Pluto.
3 people like this
@moffittjc (118555)
• Gainesville, Florida
7 Oct 16
I hear he's going to England to escape the rain from Hurricane Matthew!
4 people like this
@moffittjc (118555)
• Gainesville, Florida
7 Oct 16
@Asylum Well, I heard Goofy was in charge of the travel plans, so I would expect nothing less.
1 person likes this
@ricki_911 (21625)
• Toronto, Ontario
7 Oct 16
Glad they close up due to emergencies. I hope they reimburse their money.
5 people like this
@moffittjc (118555)
• Gainesville, Florida
7 Oct 16
Disney's usually pretty good about taking care of their visitors. They'll probably not only get reimbursed for the closing today, but Disney will probably throw in another free day on top of that.
5 people like this
@ricki_911 (21625)
• Toronto, Ontario
7 Oct 16
@moffittjc Wow! But then the costto get in is usually ridiculous.
3 people like this
@LovingMyBabies (85127)
• Valdosta, Georgia
7 Oct 16
I'm glad they were being safe and closed. =)
4 people like this
@moffittjc (118555)
• Gainesville, Florida
7 Oct 16
It was the right thing to do, although conditions in central Florida didn't end up being as bad as they originally feared.
3 people like this
@OneOfMany (12150)
• United States
7 Oct 16
I think the visitors will get something out of it. I think their safety is pretty nice in the first place, but people always think they are getting the raw deal despite common sense.
3 people like this
@OneOfMany (12150)
• United States
7 Oct 16
@moffittjc As far as the resorts are concerned, won't the people just be kept there at their hotels? I haven't been there in 20-some years but I would figure their accommodations are pretty good as far as entertainment goes.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118555)
• Gainesville, Florida
7 Oct 16
@OneOfMany Yes, the people who are already in the resorts will be allowed to stay. Disney will take good care of them. I'm willing to bet that Disney won't charge them for today, so they'll get a free day out of the deal (or they'll possibly give them a free day at another time)!
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118555)
• Gainesville, Florida
7 Oct 16
Disney always takes care of its guests, so anybody who had reservations or was staying at the resort properties will be taken care of in the best way.
3 people like this
@Mike197602 (15487)
• United Kingdom
7 Oct 16
Looks like they close for safety reasons...that's very safe
4 people like this
@moffittjc (118555)
• Gainesville, Florida
7 Oct 16
Yes, they closed for safety reasons, although they're probably kicking themselves for doing it, as the hurricane stayed off the coast of Florida and didn't bring the catastrophic conditions to the inland section of Florida like they had originally projected. It would have been a blustery day (as Winnie the Pooh would say) at Disney, but nothing that would have been unsafe for guests.
4 people like this
@Mike197602 (15487)
• United Kingdom
7 Oct 16
@moffittjc bad publicity or getting sued as Alton Towers is over here
Parks need to be , and are, more interested in guest safety...anything impacting on that and they'll respond on the side of safety or risk lawsuits.
Parks need to be , and are, more interested in guest safety...anything impacting on that and they'll respond on the side of safety or risk lawsuits.2 people like this
@thislittlepennyearns (58221)
• Defuniak Springs, Florida
7 Oct 16
How bad is the weather down there right now? We aren't getting hit at all. Not that I thought we would. But people were still freaking out.
4 people like this
@marlina (154165)
• Canada
7 Oct 16
@moffittjc Be staying put at home and on your guards. I hope that it won't hit too hard.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118555)
• Gainesville, Florida
7 Oct 16
Here in Gainesville it's been hit or miss. We'll have bands come through, and when it does the wind and rain are fierce, but then it will let up and be calm for a while until the next band hits. We're supposed to get the worst of the weather in about the next 2-3 hours, so we'll see how much conditions deteriorate. I've lost power several times already, but right now the electricity is on! And another band is starting to hit now!
4 people like this
@thislittlepennyearns (58221)
• Defuniak Springs, Florida
7 Oct 16
@moffittjc have they closed businesses and schools in gainesville?
3 people like this
@luisadannointed (4171)
• Philippines
8 Oct 16
I think any business will close that if there are threats for the safety of their customers and will open up if it is safe to do business again.
@moffittjc (118555)
• Gainesville, Florida
7 Oct 16
@pgntwo I'm not complaining...I get a paid day off of work as a result of this storm!
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118555)
• Gainesville, Florida
7 Oct 16
So far, so good! I have a leak in my roof, but it's not too bad right now. I've lost power in my home a few times off an on today, but other than that I'm holding up pretty well!
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118555)
• Gainesville, Florida
8 Oct 16
Yes, very sad indeed. No one ever wants to see a notice that Disney World is closing down, even if it is only for one day!
@Daljinder (23233)
• Bangalore, India
7 Oct 16
A place packed like Disney, it's good to stay closed in such calamities!
2 people like this
@annaroselock (805)
• United Kingdom
8 Oct 16
Those Hurricanes were really close together!
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118555)
• Gainesville, Florida
8 Oct 16
In 2004, I got hit with four storms in a row...Tropical Storm Bonnie, and Hurricanes Charley, Frances and Jean. It was brutal, and I've never been so terrified in my life! I was absolutely convinced my home would be destroyed from either the winds ripping the roof off, or all the trees falling on it! We definitely lost all the trees (every tree on my property got ripped out the ground), but interestingly every single one of them fell away from my home.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118555)
• Gainesville, Florida
7 Oct 16
I agree. It was not only the safe thing to do, but the right thing to do.
1 person likes this
@CoolPeace (1566)
• Miami, Florida
7 Oct 16
I don't blame them for shutting down.
2 people like this
@CoolPeace (1566)
• Miami, Florida
8 Oct 16
@moffittjc These people need to understand there is nothing wrong with having fun as long if it is safe. They didn't care if a hurricane was coming or a tornado.
2 people like this
@infatuatedbby (94921)
• United States
9 Oct 16
It is the right thing to do! It wouldn't be safe to go to the amusement park during the hurricane.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118555)
• Gainesville, Florida
9 Oct 16
@infatuatedbby Thanks! Don't encourage me! LOL
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118555)
• Gainesville, Florida
9 Oct 16
I would go to Disney during a hurricane! It would be epic! But then again, I am a crazy guy! lol
1 person likes this
@judyjudy78 (139)
• India
8 Oct 16
These events clearly shows that life goes on whether there is natural disaster like hurricanes or 'man-made' disasters like Sept 11. Even this time I strongly believe that Disney Land will survive Hurricane Matthew without much damage.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118555)
• Gainesville, Florida
8 Oct 16
Yes, they survived with no damage whatsoever.
1 person likes this
@Drosophila (16573)
• Ireland
7 Oct 16
look like hell hath no fury than a hurricane named after a man..
1 person likes this
@Drosophila (16573)
• Ireland
8 Oct 16
@moffittjc still "Mathew" sounds like a wimpy kid that failed their swimming lesson! Next time plz name the darn thing "hurricane destroyer"
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118555)
• Gainesville, Florida
8 Oct 16
@Drosophila I don't know where they come up with these damn names, but they need to do a better job! They should name them after super heroes and villains, like Hurricane Thor, or Hurricane Loki!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118555)
• Gainesville, Florida
7 Oct 16
We were tired of all the female hurricanes getting all the credit for being badasses!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118555)
• Gainesville, Florida
9 Oct 16
You know Florida is in serious trouble when Disney shuts down! That's our signal to evacuate and get the hell out! lol
1 person likes this
@Deepizzaguy (94864)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
9 Oct 16
Better to be safe than sorry with the threats of hurricanes like Matthew that will go down in history as one of the baddest storms of all time. Thanks for sharing the history of when Disney World closed due to weather troubles.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118555)
• Gainesville, Florida
9 Oct 16
It's weird...I don't feel like Matthew was that big of a deal, but like you said, it will probably go down in history as a bad one. I wonder...if you take Haiti out of the equation, would it still go down in history as one of the worst storms?
1 person likes this
@Deepizzaguy (94864)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
9 Oct 16
@moffittjc That is true.
1 person likes this
@AliCanary (3038)
•
10 Oct 16
It's just amazing, the tiny number of closures , when Florida is a frequent target of storms. Maybe they have a magical weather shield :)
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118555)
• Gainesville, Florida
10 Oct 16
I'm convinced that they do have a magic shield or something! All around Florida, people often speculate that Disney controls their own weather! lol
1 person likes this
