August 12, 2025, 7:36 PM ·
We have our first big tropical storm of the year out in the Atlantic right now, so it’s time to revisit what happens if a hurricane threatens your Orlando theme park vacation.Tropical Storm Erin is expected to strength into a major hurricane by this weekend. Erin is positioned too far east for its five-day forecast cone to fall anywhere near the United States, but advanced models suggest that it might turn north and miss Florida.That said, it’s too early to either (a) rest easy or (b) panic. It’s August and in Florida, that means being prepared for tropical weather all month long… and into September, as well.If a Hurricane Warning is issued for Central Florida, both Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando will allow you to reschedule or cancel your vacation without penalty. That said, the Orlando-area theme parks stand about an hour’s drive – without traffic – from the Atlantic coast. If a hurricane threatens the state, many Floridians on the coasts will drive to Orlando to escape the worst of the storm.Both Disney and Universal will close their parks if a hurricane is forecast to hit them. But in past storms, many fans have stuck around to the last minute to enjoy low crowds as the storm keeps people away. Heck, if you are in the area already and staying on site, it might be best to hang out in the parks while they are open and then ride out the storm in your hotel room, rather than add to the traffic on the roads and in the airports from all the people who do not have as safe a place to stay.But if you have not made your way to Florida yet, consider postponing your trip so that your now-empty hotel room can provide another safe place for an evacuating family to stay.To see the latest news on hurricanes and tropical storms, visit the National Hurricane Center website daily during storm season. Click on the storm names to see the latest tracking data and forecast.Remember that storm strength varies wildly. Not just for storm to storm, but also based on where you might be within it. So one person’s “eh, it wasn’t that bad” may be matched by another’s mourning of a life-altering tragedy. Keep watching the weather in your destination whenever you are preparing to travel, and if a hurricane is in the forecast, consider your options.Finally, for assistance in planning and managing an Orlando vacation, please contact our travel agent for a free, no-obligation vacation quote. Remember that whenever you book vacations through our partners, a small portion of that goes to support Theme Park Insider. So you can support independent media while getting a great deal at the same time.
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