Florida is preparing to face what is shaping up to be the fiercest storm to hit the state since 2018, and as of Tuesday morning the tourism hotbed of central Florida is in Hurricane Ian's crosshairs. Tracking models have it entering the state from the Gulf Coast as early as Wednesday night, and some projected paths have it going through Disney's (DIS -0.93%) iconic Florida resort on Thursday.
Disney has already announced that its Typhoon Lagoon water park and its miniature golf attractions will close on Wednesday and Thursday. It's also preparing to move resort guests from its campsites and bungalows. A decision on its four more lucrative theme parks should come soon. Nearby rivals SeaWorld Entertainment (SEAS -0.76%) and Comcast's (CMCSA 0.15%) Universal will likely follow Disney's lead with their gated attractions, with SeaWorld already having announced that its Busch Gardens theme park in Tampa will be shuttered on Wednesday and Thursday.
Image source: Disney.
Rock you like a hurricane
Windstorms are brutal beasts, and naturally there are bigger things at stake in Florida than just the fate of a handful of gated attractions in the middle of the state. There will be casualties and substantial property damage across the Sunshine State. There are evacuations and shortages of gasoline and bottled water to navigate. However, I'm not a meteorologist. I cover theme parks, and in terms of Hurricane Ian, there's a lot going on right now in Florida.
Late September used to be the shoulder season between the busy summer travel months and the sleepy early weeks of November ahead of the peak holiday travel period. The landscape has changed in Orlando. Disney World's Epcot launched the International Food and Wine Festival to woo foodies and revelers, and others have followed suit. All three park operators have popular Halloween-themed events starting as early as mid-August; the parks close early for these separately ticketed nighttime festivities.
The inland nature of Orlando has helped take some of the sting out of hurricanes in the past, as the storms tend to wear down as they travel over land instead of the ocean. It's also possible that the storm's trajectory will shift. However, Florida's leading theme park operators need to be ready.
The storm will be disruptive. Disney announced on Monday that it's waiving all change and cancellation fees it generally charges onsite resort guests or those with dining reservations. Naturally, uncertainty about the storm's path and intensity will nix some travel plans this week. Even if the parks close, they should unlock their turnstiles later this week. With Epcot turning 40 on Saturday and making some unique offerings, it shouldn't take long for visitors to come back. However, potential cancelations of flights in and out could trip up the best-laid vacation plans.
There is more to worry about when it comes to Florida than its gated havens of escapism, but travel and tourism stocks are a major driver of the state's economy. With near-term concerns already looming about how inflation, rising interest rates, and a recession will thin out consumer demand, Hurricane Ian is one more storm for Disney and its peers to handle.
