Photo credit: Universal Studios Japan
Several major theme parks may be forced to close later this week.
The weather can make or break a day at a theme park. For those caught in inclement weather, it can result in not only the closure of rides and roller coasters, but potentially the closure of the entire park.
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Walt Disney World Resort is no stranger to the power of tropical storms. Every hurricane season brings looming danger to Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom. It’s rare that these iconic parks aren’t on high alert – although, remarkably, it took nearly 14 years for the Central Florida resort to close its doors due to a hurricane. Hurricane Elena prompted its first weather-related closure.
Over the years, hurricanes like Dorian, Ian, Matthew and Irma have brought Disney to a standstill and forced closures across the resort. And it’s not just Disney that’s affected – other Central Florida theme parks, including Universal Orlando Resort, LEGOLAND Florida and SeaWorld Orlando, are usually in the path of the storm, often causing disruptions and closures.
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This year’s hurricane season has been “very active,” but Disney World has so far been largely spared the worst. Earlier this month, Hurricane Debby swept through the area, bringing heavy rains and strong winds. The storm forced the temporary closure of Typhoon Lagoon and the Walt Disney World Monorail.
While Florida is extremely prone to hurricanes, it is not the only resort that has closed over the years. Last August, the Disneyland Resort was forced to close for the first time due to a hurricane, as Hurricane Hilary forced Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure Park and Downtown Disney to close earlier than planned and also brought heavy rains. Universal Studios Hollywood, Six Flags Magic Mountain, SeaWorld San Diego and Knott’s Berry Farm were also affected by the storm.
Typhoons are also common in the Philippines, Vietnam, China, South Korea and Japan. This means that in the past, Hong Kong Disneyland, Shanghai Disneyland and Tokyo Disney Resort have also had to close due to typhoons.
Now another typhoon is brewing – this time in Japan, where it is currently hitting several theme parks. These include Universal Studios Japan and LEGOLAND Japan. The latter has posted a warning on its website: “The resort may remain closed or change its operating hours from August 30 to 31 due to an approaching typhoon. Updates will be posted on our website.”
Meanwhile, Osaka’s Kansai International Airport is expected to experience significant delays throughout the week, with many flights — mostly domestic ones for now — already canceled. So far, the storm has reached wind gusts of up to 120 miles per hour, the equivalent of a Category 3 hurricane. It is expected to reach Shikoku before crossing southern Honshu.
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Universal Studios Japan has experienced several storms in the past. Home to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, the OG SUPER NINTENDO WORLD and a land of its own, inspired by the Jurassic Park Franchise, it it was previously closed for one day due to Typhoon Lan in August 2023. At the time of writing, the park is not in the path of the forecasted “hurricane-force winds,” but is at risk of “tropical storm-force winds” (via the New York Times).
The park — Universal’s most visited park outside the U.S. — is currently preparing to launch a SUPER NINTENDO WORLD expansion inspired by the “Donkey Kong” video games. It includes an attraction where guests appear to jump over the tracks that will also be featured in Universal Orlando Resort’s Epic Universe. It was scheduled to open in the spring, but has been pushed back to late 2024. That date is rumored to come in November, after Halloween Horror Nights ends.
Have you ever been to an amusement park in extremely bad weather?
