The original Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) was barely two years old. Adolph Hitler hadn’t invaded Poland, and World War II was still on the horizon. And very few people outside of the military or the territory of Hawaii knew what Pearl Harbor was. The last time a tropical storm hit southern California was 1939, a time only a handful of people can remember.
But this summer, Hurricane Hilary brought drenching rains and flooding to the area around Disneyland. And now, as Walt Disney World in Central Florida and the rest of the state recover from its first hurricane of the season, it’s time to take a look at how extreme weather events have impacted Disney this year and what that may look like in the future.
The Hottest Summer Ever
According to reports, 2023 is on track to be the hottest summer, and it’s not even over yet. Disney CEO Bob Iger blamed the heat for a drop in attendance at Disney World. Many factors caused the dip, but it’s hard to deny that heat was not one of them.
For the first time in 20 years, Central Florida saw seven straight days with excessive heat warnings, with “feels like” temperatures reaching over 100 degrees.
On the West Coast, Disneyland saw its first Tropical storm ever, causing a brief park closure. While Hilary was smashing, California, just north of LA, experienced an earthquake.
But earthquakes are nothing new in California, and neither are wildfires. But now, the frequency of these events is starting to put Disneyland in danger.
Even Disney’s Aulani Resort in Hawaii has been in the path of extreme weather. Earlier this year, a hurricane nearly missed the resort. The wildfires in Maui showed that even in paradise, there is a danger from severe weather, and precautions must be taken to ensure that steps are taken to prevent these kinds of tragedies.
Solutions
Disney cannot solve climate change alone. Let’s get that out of the way. However, the locations of Disney’s theme parks and resorts put them in greater danger of extreme weather events due to climate change.
So what can Disney do? Realistically, not much. Disney has already taken concrete steps to ensure that it will be net zero by 2030. You have probably already seen the giant Mickey-shaped solar panels at Disney World. But is that enough?
The Walt Disney Company has to start considering changes to its parks and resorts to accommodate the weather changes. SeaWorld Orlando has started giving guarantees for weather, including allowing guests to return to the park in cases of extreme heat. Now, there is no way Disney would let you return to the Magic Kingdom because rain ruined your day.
But there are some concrete steps Disney Resorts could take to help during severe weather. Perhaps during future renovations of the Walt Disney World Resort, consider more indoor attractions. This will help with any bad weather.
But these are realities for the theme park industry, especially along the Gulf Coast. It is realistically something that the Walt Disney Co. must consider moving forward.
Be safe in Hurricane Season.
