Following the death of Pope Francis, Walt Disney World Resort has kept its flags at half-staff across its Central Florida properties, joining the nationwide observance honoring the late Catholic leader. The 88-year-old pontiff died Monday morning after suffering a stroke that led to heart failure. He had been hospitalized earlier this year for double pneumonia and was known to have a chronic lung condition.
Just one day before his death, Pope Francis met with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert, on Easter Sunday. That same day, the pontiff gave what would be his final Easter address. Though unable to deliver the full homily himself, he greeted the crowd at St. Peter’s Square with “Buona Pasqua!” (“Happy Easter!”) before an archbishop read his message to thousands of attendees.
Shortly after the Vatican confirmed Pope Francis’s death on April 21, President Donald Trump issued a directive for flags to be flown at half-staff “upon all public buildings and grounds” until sunset on the day of interment. Walt Disney World Resort’s flags were already lowered to honor the victims of a shooting at Florida State University the previous Thursday. That incident left two people dead and six injured.
A report from WDWNT confirmed that the Central Florida resort had originally planned to return its flags to full-staff at noon on Monday. However, they remained lowered in accordance with the new federal order to mourn Pope Francis.
Magic Kingdom Park continues to hold its daily Flag Retreat ceremony, even when flags are at half-staff. Each day at 5:00 p.m., Disney cast members invite one veteran guest to help lower the flag from the pole above Town Square. The ceremony includes a performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, and the retiring of the flag for the evening.
Though Disney did not issue an official statement specific to the Pope’s death, the flag-lowering in his honor marks a rare moment in which the world’s most-visited theme park participates in an act of national religious mourning.
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