‘Explosive’ Hurricanes Coming For Disney World

Earlier this year, scientists and meteorologists met to determine if a change needed to be made to how they rated a hurricane. The current system ranges from a tropical storm to a category 5 hurricane and has existed since the 1970s.

However, with climate change warming oceans around the globe, the National Hurricane Center is seeing storms exceeding the threshold for a category 5 hurricane, and adding a category 6 may be necessary.

During the 2022 hurricane season, Hurricane Ian shut down the Walt Disney World Resort, significantly damaging other parts of Florida. During the 2023 hurricane season, Hurricane Idalia nearly missed Disney World, but the storm significantly damaged other parts of Northern and Central Florida.

For the first time since 1939, the Disneyland Resort was hit with a hurricane. Hurricane Hilary clipped Southern California, causing Disneyland to shut down and dumped nearly 12 inches of rain on the state.

While last year’s hurricane season was relatively quiet for the Walt Disney World Resort, meteorologists expect an ‘explosive’ hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean.

Click Orlando said: 

More robust tropical waves moving off Africa will be expected this upcoming season. The mechanism that produces these waves, however, also tends to transport dry, dusty air from the Sahara Desert into the development zone of the Atlantic Ocean. Dry, dusty air suppresses tropical development. While La Niña typically reduces overall wind shear across the basin, larger-than-normal temperature differences between the tropics and subtropics could induce more shear north of the Caribbean. Wind shear helps to rip storms apart.

The maps show an increased possibility of a hurricane hitting Central Florida if not more than one.

So, what does that mean for your vacation to Walt Disney World or Universal Orlando? Booking a trip to Disney World during hurricane season means you’re risking the possibility of spending a couple of days in your hotel room as Disney shuts down every theme park.

Hurricane Ian shut down the Walt Disney World Resort and the Universal Orlando Resort for two days. Later that same year, Hurricane Nicole shut Disney World down for four days. It was the longest shutdown at the Walt Disney World Resort due to a hurricane. Disney World shut down for 116 days during COVID-19.

Hurricane Nicole was unusual for the Atlantic Hurricane season. The storm didn’t make landfall in Central Florida until November 9, an unusually late date for a hurricane.

However, with the increased strength of hurricanes and the warmer water temperature in the Caribbean, these types of storms will become more frequent and intense.

The National Hurricane Center releases its predictions for the 2024 hurricane season in late May, which should add some clarification to what Click Orlando is reporting. Hurricane Seasons begins June 1 for Central Florida and runs through November.

We will continue to update this story at Disney Fanatic.