Behind the Scenes at Disney World on Day One of Hurricane Milton
Something unusual occurred on Wednesday, October 9, 2024.
During that evening, Walt Disney World’s theme parks had long since closed.
Photo: WESH
However, Disney kept the resorts open to protect Florida residents and tourists alike.
Let’s go behind the scenes to learn more about Disney’s “off-day” and how hotel guests handled night one of Hurricane Milton.
A Curfew Is in Place
Let’s start with a confirmation that a curfew is more or less in place at Walt Disney World.
Government officials took that decision out of Disney’s hands when Osceola County declared an 8 p.m. curfew for Wednesday evening.
Photo: National Hurricane Center
According to an official press release, Osceola officials made that choice to protect residents and tourists.
While most of Walt Disney World famously resides in Orange County, Florida, a small portion of it remains in Osceola County, which includes the city of Kissimmee, a place where many Cast Members live.
Disney World weather warning
Disney wasn’t about to endanger anyone’s life by making them break curfew, so Disney requested guests not to leave the hotels after 8 p.m. on Wednesday.
Realistically, anyone in the hotel on Wednesday night was going to be there through Friday morning.
Photo: Fox
There are much worse places to get stuck than the impeccably themed Disney World resorts.
Still, many guests were understandably stressed given the severe nature of Hurricane Milton.
Disney’s Wilderness Lodge lobby
The storm officially made landfall in Siesta Key, Florida, at 8:38 p.m. as a Category 3 hurricane.
As bizarre as this statement sounds, it was once feared to be substantially worse.
Photo: National Hurricane Center
Hurricane Milton attained Category 5 status twice, with a recorded average velocity of 185 miles per hour at one point.
So, while 120 miles per hour may sound devastating – because it is – it’s 50 percent less powerful than during its peak.
Photo: WESH
That’s still not great news for Tampa and Sarasota area residents, some of whom are friends of my family.
We’re hoping they will check in soon.
Photo: National Hurricane Center
For people currently in Central Florida, it was at least slightly better news, as hurricanes have historically decreased in velocity as they’ve moved inland.
How Disney Approached the Evening
Disney took steps earlier in the day to ensure the safety of hotel guests.
For example, Disney asked that guests staying in hotel rooms with balconies or patios bring their furniture inside.
Disney’s Riviera Resort
Where nobody had booked the rooms, Cast Members did the heavy lifting.
The company loosened the rules on other policies as well.
Disney’s Riviera Resort
As Allison Fricker mentioned two weeks ago, the hotels relaxed their pet policies.
So, guests saw their fair share of cats and dogs in the hotel lobby.
Photo: Disney
To be fair, many of them were safely tucked away in pet carriers
Disney temporarily altered its pet policy to provide shelter for displaced Floridians and their little furry friends.
Disney’s Contemporary Resort Lobby
Since kids don’t expect to see animals at Disney hotels, the sight of adorable creatures added a bit of comfort during a stressful time.
The strange circumstances led to other unexpected sights as well.
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort Lobby
At Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney closed the outer doors at the Monorail Station.
It’s an understandable practice to block the wind from getting into the hotel, but it’s also something many Disney fans didn’t even know was possible.
Monorail Blue
Thus, they stared in amazement as they watched two Monorail trams parked at the Contemporary during the hurricane.
The Hotel Guest Experience on Night One
MickeyBlog has mentioned several times this week that the locals consider Walt Disney World one of the safest places to stay during a hurricane.
Over the past 24 hours, the media has picked up on this, with publications like Newsweek running similar stories.
Magic Kingdom in a Storm
Disney was under a great deal of pressure to take care of its guests.
On the first night, Disney offered several unique amenities.
Photo: Disney
You won’t find these during your visit. Instead, they were gestures of goodwill during a crisis.
After 4 p.m. on Wednesday, hotel guests could play in the hotel arcades for free.
Fast Forward Arcade
Speaking as someone who has spent $50 in an hour at one of them, I sincerely state that this is a great deal.
If I were at the Contemporary right now, you wouldn’t be able to keep me out of The Game Station.
Photo: www.yelp.com
The hotels also offered free in-room Disney movies for guests who understandably didn’t want to leave their rooms.
Costumed character visits also began on Wednesday afternoon.
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa Lobby
In addition, Disney offered plenty of unique games in the various hotel lobbies.
You could play general ones like Name That Tune or Disney-specific games like Name That Attraction.
Photo: Disney
To keep the children entertained, many resorts offered sillier events like Ducky Ring Toss and a Plushy Parade.
Some of the hotels offered themed games fitting their identities. At Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, you could play Musical Horseshoes, watch the Pony Parade, or prove your skill in Triple Crown Trivia.
Disney’s Yacht Club Lobby
At Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, cast members threw a Pajama Party, while Disney’s Wilderness Lodge hosted a movie night at Artist Point.
Rather than enjoying Storybook Dining, guests watched Brother Bear.
Wilderness Lodge lobby
That’s a sizable downgrade in my opinion.
To end the evening, Disney also offered Bedtime Stories at most resorts.
How Was the Food Situation?
As you might expect, the food situation was a bit chaotic. It typically is on the first day of a hurricane stay.
Remember that many guests are staying for the first time and don’t know the rules.
Everything Pop Shopping & Dining Refurbishment at Disney’s Pop Century Resort
Mobile ordering led to some unexpected outcomes with pickup times varying wildly.
On the plus side, Disney meal kits were cheaper this time, with some prices ranging from $5-7 on the first day.
Drinks
This may have varied depending on the result, but it was true on the menus I’ve seen thus far.
You could also buy a Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich Kit for $10. It included a full jar of peanut butter, a full jar of strawberry jelly, and an entire loaf of bread.
Peanut Butter & Jelly Kits
In other words, Disney gave that package away at cost, which is rather commendable.
A couple of years ago, Disney unintentionally went viral for its hurricane meal kit lines at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort.
Grounds of Coronado Springs
Hundreds of guests stood in line awaiting their meal kits during Hurricane Ian.
To prevent a repeat, Disney encouraged the use of mobile ordering.
POP Food Court Mobile Order
That’s why the return times proved so unpredictable. And there was a second reason as well.
Disney encouraged guests to go ahead and order their Thursday meals ahead of time.
Everything POP Food Court Mobile Order Pick-up
So, some guests were ordering up to four meals consecutively, which isn’t something the mobile ordering system is well equipped to handle.
Disney adopted this approach so that it would gain more accurate head counts for the amount of food it needed to feed guests on Thursday.
Riverside Mill Food Court
Many resort restaurants were operational, but they had atypical hours, which caused a modest bit of confusion in some instances.
As usual, guests enjoyed solid discounts at the resort restaurants, but most of the buzz was about the reasonable pricing for the meal kits.
Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich Kit
Overall, Disney showed once again why it’s a reliable place to be during hurricane prep.
Hopefully, today goes just as smoothly. Be safe, everyone.
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