Walt Disney World is among the most secure locations to remain when a hurricane hits Central Florida. Many locals go away house and relocate at resorts to journey out storms as a result of on-site buildings are constructed properly above code, and engineered to face up to the worst winds & climate. This covers the perfect resorts at WDW for hurricane season for many who wish to plan forward and hedge their bets through the highest danger months.
From the beginning, we wish to emphasize that this can be a planning useful resource and never tailor-made in direction of any particular storm or circumstance. If there’s a hurricane approaching Orlando everytime you’re studying this and are questioning whether or not it is best to cancel your journey, go away early, and so on., this doesn’t reply that. Quite, it’s geared toward offering a rundown of reserving standards and finest choices in case you’re visiting throughout storm season, are anxious about hurricanes, and need further peace of thoughts.
I wouldn’t say we’re overly involved about hurricanes hitting Walt Disney World, however we’re undoubtedly a bit preoccupied with them. Practically a decade in the past, we ended up caught at Walt Disney World throughout Hurricane Irma at a time once we had been out of state vacationers. As an alternative of going house, on a cruise, or to the parks, we spent just a few nights “attending to know” the rooms at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn. Suffice to say, it was not enjoyable and we each wished we might have made the decision earlier to chop brief our journey and head house.
Quick-forward just a few years, and the circumstances had been related with Hurricane Dorian whereas we lived in Florida. That storm reached Class 5 standing, and was the strongest hurricane in fashionable document to make landfall within the Bahamas. Whereas parts of Central Florida had been within the cone of uncertainty, fashions didn’t name for it to make landfall in Florida–and it didn’t.
We had been in Florida for a number of different tropical storms and potential hurricanes over the course of the ~5 years we lived within the state. Dorian was forecast to be the worst of those–despite the fact that it turned out to largely miss us–however none of them had been easy crusing. The unpredictability and concern of the unknown was at all times there, and had us anxious. Maybe it could’ve modified ultimately, however we by no means acquired “used” to hurricanes.
We by no means booked rooms at Walt Disney World resorts as locals, however we at all times debated it. Properties in Florida are constructed for hurricanes and most storms weaken by making it to Orlando, however I’d nonetheless take building requirements of Walt Disney World resorts over single-family properties rapidly constructed in subdivisions. A part of the calculus was not eager to “take” the spot from somebody making an attempt to evacuate from the coast who wanted it much more. There have been different concerns, however the primary level was that it was at all times on the desk for us, whilst locals, and one thing we considered rather a lot.
That was when it was simply the 2 of us. If we nonetheless lived in Florida final 12 months for Hurricane Milton now that we have now a daughter, we might’ve completely booked a room at a Walt Disney World resort. Little question about it. As out of state vacationers, we nonetheless recreation out our contingency plan for Walt Disney World within the fall, from when to drag the plug to concerns about the place to remain. (Study from our mistake: simply since you wish to minimize brief a visit doesn’t imply you’ll be able to!)
That’s principally what this put up is–our private ideas and conversations we’ve had about storm season stays at Walt Disney World, cleaned up and put to (digital) paper.
Benefits of Staying On-Web site Throughout Storms
In all chance, Walt Disney World’s resort resorts can have electrical energy, working water, and meals all through the storm. That is most likely the most important motive why some locals choose to remain on-site throughout hurricanes. There’s a robust likelihood {that a} residential house will lose energy (ours did, greater than as soon as), whereas I’ve by no means heard of that occuring at Walt Disney World.
The opposite massive upside is that Solid Members will proceed to workers the Walt Disney World resort resorts. Now, earlier than you move judgment, considering that it’s “merciless” of Disney to make Solid Members work throughout hurricanes as an alternative of being at house, be mindful the above sentiment from the locals’ perspective about preferring to remain on-site.
We’ve identified a number of Solid Members who proactively volunteered to be on the storm “journey out” groups for exactly that motive. Many lived alone in residences and didn’t wish to be remoted throughout a hurricane, felt safer in a resort, and so on. Being on the “journey out” crew appears fairly fashionable, and I’d hazard a guess that much more Solid Members would volunteer for these roles if eligible.
Because of the journey out staff of Solid Members, most indoor services at sure resorts are operational throughout hurricanes. On high of that, Walt Disney World sometimes goes above and past with leisure and recreation, together with character appearances and extra at choose resorts.
Staying on-site is a good way to remain secure and comfy through the storm. It’s additionally an important choice for having enjoyable, taking your thoughts off the hurricane, and making human connections which can be optimistic and uplifting.
Tacky as it’d sound, this can be a large benefit of being on-site. You don’t really feel alone or fixated on up-to-the-minute climate updates while you’re surrounded by tons of of different company, making lemonade out of lemons.
Standards for WDW Resort Storm Picks
You’ll notice the above asterisks about “most indoor services at sure resorts” being operational and “choose resorts” having added programming. These aren’t simply filler phrases–that is essential.
The first standards is enclosed, indoor walkways between visitor rooms and the resort foyer, eating places, and retail. If a resort lacks this, it’s off the desk for providing the above.
This guidelines out most of Walt Disney World’s Worth and Reasonable resorts. The overwhelming majority of these have clusters of outlying buildings that require a stroll from visitor rooms to the foyer. So all the pieces closes down throughout a hurricane and company shelter in place solely of their rooms.
It’s not simply Worth and Moderates, although. Two of the most costly resorts at Walt Disney World, the Polynesian and Grand Floridian, each have outlying buildings. Whereas the Grand Floridian has some foremost constructing rooms (leading to choose facilities staying open), the Polynesian doesn’t.
That means the one manner you might have entry to something is in case you’re staying Membership Stage. Talking of which, Membership Stage lounges virtually at all times keep open throughout hurricanes. For that motive, these are the highest decide for these prepared to splurge regardless of the place you’re staying (even the Poly!).
It’s additionally vital to be aware of which otherwise-indoor resorts even have out of doors entry to eating. Regardless of all being beneath the identical roof, the majority of BoardWalk Inn’s eating places shut throughout a hurricane since they require strolling exterior to entry. Again once we rode out Irma at BoardWalk, this was a particular draw back.
However, resorts with conference facilities have an important benefit in with the ability to scale up their eating demand and serving company through makeshift catered buffets. In order that was a particular win for BoardWalk, and virtually sufficient for it to make this record.
One other promoting level is resorts with a kitchenette or full kitchen within the room. You’ll have advance discover of the hurricane, permitting ample time to go get or have groceries delivered. This was one other upside of our studio at BoardWalk, and would’ve been a good larger benefit had we booked a bigger villa. (Because of this, the Artwork of Animation Household Suites are the one Worth Resort that virtually makes this record. They’re nonetheless missing in different regards, however in case you largely wish to journey out the storm in your room, they’re a very good decide.)
On the subject of Disney Trip Membership or Deluxe Villa Resorts, in case you keep in a one-bedroom or above, you’ll even have in-room laundry. That means you’ll be able to have some enjoyable doing laundry to move the time whereas driving out the storm, or maybe extra importantly, have clear garments within the occasion your journey will get unexpectedly prolonged.
With all of that in thoughts, right here’s a rundown of our favourite hurricane-ready resorts at Walt Disney World…
Disney’s Up to date Resort
Each time we recreation out storm season stays, we at all times find yourself on the Up to date. On the one hand, this constructing has flooring to ceiling home windows and is over 50 years outdated. It might not look like a major candidate on that foundation.
However, it’s over 50 years outdated and continues to be going sturdy! This pet was constructed to final, and possibly has sufficient metal and concrete that it’ll be the one construction at Walt Disney World nonetheless round 371 years from now through the zombie apocalypse. (Aspect notice: it’s additionally the place I’d keep at Walt Disney World throughout a zombie apocalypse.)
Joking apart, the large benefits supplied by the Up to date are a number of eating places all beneath one roof and all kinds of them. Not solely that, however the resort additionally has a conference heart accessible from the primary foyer and loads of area for strolling, widespread areas, and so on., in case you get stressed. Rooms are extra spacious, too. And to every their very own on this one, however I truly view these flooring to ceiling home windows as an asset. They make it simple to see what’s happening exterior, and so they’re nonetheless there 50+ years later.
Simply don’t e book the Backyard Wing rooms or Bay Lake Tower. These are usually our favorites for being cheaper (through {dollars} or DVC factors) and providing many of the similar upsides as the primary tower on the Up to date, however none of that holds true in the case of a hurricane.
Gran Destino Tower
Very related story right here as with the Up to date Resort, however for many who need new builds versus older ones. Like the primary A-frame on the Up to date, this can be a tower (it’s proper there within the identify). Which may make some individuals uncomfortable, however the main upside is that constructing requirements are extra stringent for taller constructions.
In any other case, some great benefits of Gran Destino Tower are virtually similar to the Up to date. It has much more eating choices, each within the tower itself and over at El Centro and the conference heart, all of which is (critically) linked to Gran Destino through indoor walkways. This could be my decide if cash had been a problem.
Once more, simply don’t completely ‘low-cost out’ and e book the outlying buildings at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. These provide no benefits over some other Worth or Reasonable Resort since they require an out of doors stroll to Gran Destino.
Disney’s Riviera Resort
Quite a lot of commonalities between Gran Destino Tower and Disney’s Riviera Resort, each of which opened inside the final decade. Riviera has fewer flooring, if that issues to you for no matter motive. It additionally lacks a conference heart, and has far fewer completely indoor eating choices.
That is one factor WDW diehards have to be cautious about when selecting the place to remain to journey out a hurricane. If it requires any out of doors stroll in any respect, it’s off the desk. That means that Bar Riva, which is a stone’s throw from Primo Piatto, is off the desk. Between the counter service Primo Piatto and desk service Topolino’s Terrace, we nonetheless view Disney’s Riviera Resort as ‘adequate’ in the case of eating.
The large tradeoff right here is that Riviera is a Disney Trip Membership resort, which suggests the entire rooms have at the very least kitchenettes, whereas the bigger models have full kitchens. This makes it a robust choice for hunkering down in your room and making ready your personal meals. The downsides are a small foyer and no conference heart, however the resort has loads of lengthy hallways for strolling.
Yacht Membership
This checks rather a lot the identical packing containers because the above entries. Yacht Membership has an hooked up conference heart, a good number of indoor eating choices, and loads of indoor areas for roaming.
Once more, the large factor to remember with Yacht Membership is the out of doors walkways round Stormalong Bay. It might appear like all of that’s indoors, however it’s not in the case of hurricane security. That is additionally why solely Yacht Membership, and never Seashore Membership, makes this record.
We additionally like the concept of staying at Crescent Lake for as soon as the storm passes, however we wouldn’t wish to do BoardWalk once more because of virtually all eating being outdoor. That makes Yacht Membership our high decide.
Wilderness Lodge
This could be our best choice after Up to date Resort and, fairly truthfully, if I one way or the other acquired caught at Walt Disney World on my own throughout a solo journey, I’d most likely wish to be at Wilderness Lodge. (I wouldn’t let that occur, Sarah, so don’t fear!)
Upsides of Wilderness Lodge are a number of indoor eating places providing all kinds of choices, in addition to a big foyer with loads of area to maneuver round. One other benefit is the Copper Creek Villas, that are inside the primary constructing however provide DVC-style lodging.
The wildcard for me supplied by Wilderness Lodge is its calming high quality. The design, background music, quiet corners to decompress–the entire vibe is conducive to calm and luxury throughout a excessive stress scenario. On steadiness, that subjective or emotional ingredient outweighs the target benefits of the Up to date, at the very least for me.
Animal Kingdom Lodge
That is principally an similar entry to Wilderness Lodge, which must be unsurprising because the resorts are so related.
One factor price emphasizing right here, as it might matter to some planners, is that Kidani Village has lined parking. In the event you’re driving and wish to guarantee your automobile is extra more likely to be secure, that makes it a sensible decide. In any other case, I’d most likely select Jambo Home.
Swan & Dolphin
Numerous locations to eat, all beneath one roof. Effectively technically, there are three separate resorts right here–however every one among them has eating beneath its personal roof. Past that, I’m considerably reluctant to enthusiastically endorse the Swolphin as a result of I’m undecided of their particular insurance policies or protocol for hurricane ride-out. It’s however a good suggestion in idea if the opposite choices are totally booked.
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Find out about resorts on our Walt Disney World Accommodations Evaluations web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Evaluations. To economize on tickets or decide which kind to purchase, learn our Ideas for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets put up. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys put up takes a singular have a look at intelligent objects to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Experience Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the perfect place to begin is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for all the pieces you’ll want to know!
Your Ideas
Have you ever ever stayed at Walt Disney World throughout a hurricane? In the event you reside in Florida, have you ever ever booked an on-site resort keep only for the peace of thoughts and certainty of not dropping energy, working water, or meals? Or for the upper constructing requirements? Have you ever visited throughout previous hurricanes? Any more information, ideas, or first-hand experiences to share about driving out a hurricane at Walt Disney World? Do you agree or disagree with our recommendation? Any questions we will help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even while you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
