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Disney Characters Bring Magic to Stranded Hotel Guests

Disney characters Hurricane Ian
Credit: Theme Park Professor Instagram / Devin Graham Twitter

On September 28, Hurricane Ian hit Central Florida as a Category 1 hurricane. There were strong winds, flash flooding, and power outages across the area — including at the Walt Disney World Resort. While some Guests had managed to get out of town before the storm hit, other Guests decided to stay and ride out the storm, while others found themselves stranded at the Most Magical Place on Earth because all Orlando airports were closed.

Hurricane Ian

Credit: Orlando Sentinel

Because of Hurricane Ian, Disney shut down its theme parks on September 28 and September 29 — and may extend it to September 30 — so Guests staying on property were stuck in their hotels. However, Disney still wanted to make sure they had the most magical time possible.

Enter some classic Disney characters.

Multiple Guests took to social media to share pictures and videos of the characters that came out to interact with Guests in the lobby area of various Disney World hotels.

A fun dance party with the Country Bears during the resort lockdown for hurricane Ian at Wilderness Lodge. #WaltDisneyWorld #disneyworld #disney #disneyparks #hurricaneian

Wilderness Lodge was not the only place Disney characters were spotted. Disney’s All-Star Sports saw Goofy, Max, Chip, and Dale sitting down with Guests to enjoy a movie.

Some magic at Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort during #HurricaneIan.

Stuck at #DisneyWorld during #HurricaneIan but wife and son found some friends to watch Mickey Mouse cartoons with ?

Minnie Mouse and Donald Duck were seen hosting another dance party at Disney’s Beach Club Resort, much to the delight of Guests.

What happens at a Disney Resort when a hurricane hits and the parks close? Well… at Beach Club Resort they had a character dance party tonight!

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Theme Park Professor (@themeparkprofessor)

In addition to closing the Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom, Disney also closed Typhoon Lagoon Water Park and Disney Springs. Disney Springs was originally scheduled to reopen on September 29, but Disney chose to keep it closed. 

Disney Dining will keep readers updated as Disney announces when they plan to reopen the theme parks and Disney Springs, or if they choose to extend the closures. 

About Krysten Swensen

A born and bred New England girl living the Disney life in Southern California. I love to read, to watch The Golden Girls, and love everything to do with Disney and Universal. I also love to share daily doses of Disney on my Disney Instagram @BrazzleDazzleDisney!