Latest Update: 9/30/22 8:57 pm EDT – Disney World Theme Parks Return to Normal Operation Saturday
Published: 9/23/22: 9:13 am EDT
Previous Updates: 9/23/22
11:42 am EDT – Hurricane Likely to Hit Florida as Category 3
5:15 pm EDT – DeSantis Declares State of Emergency, MCO Issues Update for Travelers
11:13 pm EDT –Tropical Storm Ian Forms, Category 2 Hurricane Now Expected to Reach Disney World Area
Previous Updates: 9/24/22
9:37 am EDT –Tropical Storm Ian Grows, Disney World County Starts Storm Prep
11:25 am EDT – Path Moves Slightly West, Cape Canaveral Begins Preparations
5:22 pm EDT – Ian to Become Category 4 Hurricane, DeSantis Expands State of Emergency
11:26 pm EDT – Ian to Become Hurricane Sunday, Biden Cancels Disney World Visit
Previous Updates: 9/25/22
8:45 am EDT – Ian Still Tropical Storm, Still Moving West
11:45 am EDT – Path to Panhandle Narrows, Disney World Still at Risk
5:41 pm EDT – TS Ian Still Low and Slow, But Some Tracks Stay Over Disney World
11:33 pm EDT – Topical Storm Ian Building Strength, Turning Closer to Disney World
Previous Updates: 9/26/22
9:00 am EDT – Hurricane Ian Forms in Caribbean – Disney World Weekly Forecast
11:39 am EDT – Hurricane Ian Strengthens, Disney World Under Tropical Storm Watch
5:34 pm EDT – Hurricane Ian Now Category 2, Could Still Hit Disney World
11:25 pm EDT – Ian Expected to Become Major Hurricane, Disney Theme Parks Still Opening
Previous Updates: 9/27/22
8:45 am EDT – Ian Now a Category 3, Disney World Still Open Today
11:34 am EDT – Ian Still Cat 3, Disney World Under Hurricane Watch
5:43 pm EDT – Hurricane Ian Eyes Orlando, Disney World Confirms Multi-Day Park Closure
11:27 pm EDT – Hurricane Ian Set to Make Landfall, Still Locked on Disney World Area
Previous Updates: 9/28/22
8:43 am EDT – Hurricane Ian Nearing Cat 5 Strength – Disney World Weather Update
12:38 pm EDT – Disney World Guests Hunker Down as Hurricane Ian Makes Landfall
6:02 pm EDT – Hurricane Ian Makes Landfall, Passing Through Disney World Area Tonight
11:30 pm EDT – Storm Center Moves into Disney World County
Previous Updates: 9/29/22
9:03 am EDT – VIDEO: Record Flooding Hits Central Florida — Disney World Status Update
12:20 pm EDT – Ian Leaving Florida, But Storm Still Rages in Orlando Area
7:10 pm EDT – Disney World, Disney Cruise Line Assess Damage Reopening Plans
Previous Updates: 9/30/22
8:47 am EDT – Storm has Passed – Disney World, Universal, MCO Begin Reopening
12:34 pm EDT – Post-Storm Update: Crowds Return to Parks, Disney World Weekend Weather Forecast
Tropical Depression 9 has formed in the Southern Caribbean, and most reports are now projecting it to develop into a Category-2 Hurricane Hermine and potentially charge through Central Florida next week.
A morning of Coffee Talk with WESH2 meteorologist Eric Burris shows that most of the American GFS and European models are showing the entirety of South Florida in the Cone of Uncertainty, with it projected to be over Cuba by Tuesday and then making the crossing to Florida by Wednesday. It appears that they are still predicting this to be a “Wednesday, Thursday, Friday” occurrence.
COFFEE TALK: Newly formed TD9 has it's sights set for the gulf, and then Florida? Let's take a look at the data… https://t.co/wbynG5qNIc
— Eric Burris (@EricBurrisWESH) September 23, 2022
One person asked, “We have friends coming to Disney on Monday, do you think it would be wise to change plans?”
“Maybe? It depends on how easy it would be to change those plans,” Burris said.
Another viewer asked about flights out of Orlando on Tuesday, and the meteorologist believes that flights out of Florida will still be fine on Tuesday and even Thursday at this point. The amount of rain and wind that we will get in the area of Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort is still too soon to tell.
Well, no doubt you've seen we have Tropical Depression 9… and perhaps you've seen that cone…
Here's the timeline for us the next few days;
Watching it develop these next few days- getting stronger in the Caribbean this weekend, and then next week? Might have it in FL; pic.twitter.com/SjDre3qmmu
— Eric Burris (@EricBurrisWESH) September 23, 2022
Related: Tropical Storm Gaston Forms in Atlantic
Burris also mentioned that the projections are showing a very similar path to another storm that passed Disney World’s way, Charley, in 2004. However, there are still several uncertainties at this moment. The storm is currently fighting against a massive wind sheer over Aruba that is displacing the center. This storm is going to have to cross the mountains of Cuba, but it is also going to have to pass across some of the hottest waters in the Caribbean.
It should be mentioned that if there is any place in Florida to be stuck during a hurricane, it is the Walt Disney World Resort, as both the infrastructure and the Cast Members stand ready to weather the storm and keep everybody safe and as comfortable as possible. Please be sure to keep an eye on emails and stay updated regarding any weather advisories in the coming days concerning both Disney World and Disney Cruise Line vacations out of Port Canaveral and Miami.
We at Disney Fanatic will continue to keep our readers updated on this storm as more developments come to light.