Disney World announced previously that the parks would be closed on Wednesday and Thursday this week (September 28th and 29th) in response to Hurricane Ian, which is now Tropical Storm Ian. Some hotels and other attractions (like mini golf courses) were closed as well.

It was implied from Disney’s announcement that the parks would reopen on Friday, September 30th, although they did not explicitly name a reopening date at the time. Now, we have an update about when Disney World parks will reopen.

Disney has announced that the Disney World parks and Disney Springs will be opening “in a phased approach” starting on Friday, September 30th. This likely means that the parks will have later opening times than usual and may open on a staggered schedule.

They will announce the operating hours later today. Although Tropical Storm Ian is still a threat to Central Florida (particularly with flooding), Disney is anticipating calmer weather starting this evening.

Many Disney World hotels will also reopen on Friday, and guests can begin checking in starting at 3PM EST. However, some hotels will remain closed for all of Friday.

We’ll continue to monitor the situation with Tropical Storm Ian and bring you the latest updates. Here are some posts to check out for more information on how the storm has impacted Disney World:

• Full List of Open and Closed Restaurants at Disney World Hotels
• WHEN You Can Check Into Your Disney Hotel After Hurricane Ian
• Step-by-Step Guide to Hurricane Cancelation Policies and Refunds in Disney World
• Disney Releases Statement on Hurricane Ian in Florida
• NEWS: Hurricane Ian Downgraded to Tropical Storm in Florida

Keep following DFB for more of the latest news.

Click here to see the latest updates about Tropical Storm Ian.

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The post PHASED REOPENING Announced for Disney World Parks After Hurricane Ian first appeared on the disney food blog.

Tropical Storm Ian has torn through Florida, causing a multitude of issues statewide.

Flood warnings have been issued, special events were canceled, hotels closed, the airport closed to commercial flights, and Disney World closed its theme parks for September 28th and 29th. Now Disney World has adjusted its hurricane policy, and here’s what you need to know.

Among the uncertainty about recovery efforts necessary in Florida, Disney World has extended its hurricane policy. Previously, Disney offered to waive change and cancelation fees for check-in dates between September 26th to October 3rd, but they have since extended this period of time to October 6th, 2022.

As of now, Disney World has announced that they will reopen on Friday, September 30th, although visitors will not be allowed to check into Disney hotels until 3PM ET. No check-ins were accepted on September 29th, and dining has been very limited at hotels that remained open.

Select Disney World hotels will continue to be closed for the day on Friday, including Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, Copper Creek Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, and the Bungalows at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. If you have a reservation at one of these hotels soon, Disney has said that they will be contacting you.

Disney is not currently showing any park pass reservation availability for Friday, September 30th, but they have announced that the parks will reopen that day. We’ll be watching closely for more updates, so stay tuned to DFB.

If you’re looking for more information about Tropical Storm Ian, we recommend checking out the following links:

• Full List of Restaurants Open and Closed at Disney World’s Hotels During Tropical Storm Ian
• A Step-By-Step Guide to Hurricane Cancelation Policies and Refunds in Disney World
• NEWS: Disney Wish Sailing CANCELED Due to Hurricane Ian
• NEWS: Universal Orlando and SeaWorld CLOSING Due to Hurricane Ian

Read Disney’s statement on Hurricane Ian here.

Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!

The post Disney World To WAIVE Cancelation Fees Through Next Week first appeared on the disney food blog.

Hurricane Ian has made its way into Florida and caused some extreme flooding and damage.

The storm shut down a ton of places — everything from schools to Disney World — and continues to have major impacts. There were both Tornado Warnings and Flash Flood Warnings issued for Central Florida. Now, Ian has been downgraded to a tropical storm, but it’s still not done dumping water on the Sunshine State. And now, we know the exact amount of rain that has come down on Disney World so far.

Hurricane Ian made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane, and moved across Florida bringing down a ton of rain. The rain continues, but we do have some totals of how much has fallen by this point, thanks to WKMG.

Orlando itself has already had over 14 inches of rain…

…with Disney World getting just over 12 inches of rain so far. Hollywood Studios was measured as getting over 11 inches.

This rain brought some pretty intense flooding, with the event being called a 500-year flood and the conditions being described as life-threatening. There were many water rescues happening in Central Florida.

For more on Hurricane Ian, check out our recent posts:

• SeaWorld EXTENDS Park Closures Due to Hurricane Ian
• NEWS: Hurricane Ian Downgraded to Tropical Storm in Florida
• UPDATE from the Orlando Airport on the Impact of Hurricane Ian
• As Guests Shelter in Disney Hotels for Hurricane Ian, Mobile Order Slots Fill Up
• PHOTOS & VIDEOS: What Orlando and Disney World Look Like Ahead of Hurricane Ian
• Flash Flood Warning Issued for a Disney World County

Stay tuned to DFB for more Hurricane Ian news and updates as it affects Disney World.

Disney Releases Statement on Hurricane Ian in Florida

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Have you ever experienced a hurricane in Disney World? Tell us in the comments.

The post Over a Foot of Rain Has Already Fallen on Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog.

We’ve been following along closely with the Central Florida theme parks during Hurricane Ian.

Disney World, Universal Orlando, and SeaWorld all ceased operations temporarily due to the storm, with closures on Wednesday and Thursday. Now, the first resort from that group has extended its closure.

SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment has announced that SeaWorld Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Adventure Island, Aquatica Orlando, and Discovery Cove will all remain closed on Friday, September 30th. Currently, the plan is for the parks to reopen on Saturday, October 1st.

For Discovery Cove, reservations can be rescheduled or refunded if they were booked online or through the call center. If your reservation has been booked through a third party, it may be rescheduled, but you’ll need to contact that reseller to begin the process.

Busch Gardens and SeaWorld Howl-O-Scream tickets for September 30th have been extended through October 31st, and all date-based tickets for the days that the parks were closed have been extended through December 31st.

We’ll continue to monitor the situation and update you if SeaWorld announces any more details. Stay tuned for any follow-up updates from other theme parks in the Orlando area as well. At this time, Disney World has announced that they will reopen on Friday, September 29th.

Universal Orlando have not made any operational changes for Friday at this time.

Keep following DFB for more Hurricane Ian news! We’ve got the latest for all of you who are traveling to Central Florida, as well as those who are currently weathering the storm in that area.

Click Here to See Disney World’s Most Recent Hurricane Ian Statement!

Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!

Did you have plans to visit these theme parks this week? Tell us in the comments.

The post SeaWorld EXTENDS Park Closures Due to Hurricane Ian first appeared on the disney food blog.

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If you’ve ever been to the Disney parks, you’ve probably noticed the SEA of Loungefly backpacks.

They’re seemingly everywhere — from guests’ backs to the shelves of all the popular stores. You’ll probably see at least six different designs that you love. But if you’re the person that takes a look at the price tags and second guesses everything, then we have a solution for you!

Walmart has a collection of mini backpacks online now, the perfect Loungefly dupes! And for those ballin’ on a budget, they’re significantly cheaper than the $80+ Loungefly bags. Let’s start with this Disney Princess Floral Print Mini Backpack.

It’s covered in some of our favorite leading ladies, and it’s only $24.98. That’s a STEAL!

Shop the Princess Backpack Here!

For a classic look, there’s a Minnie Mouse Quilted Mini Backpack option. It has Minnie’s signature on the bottom left and a gloved hand zipper.

And, of course, it’s topped with a pair of black ears and a sparkly red bow. You can get it for $24.98.

Order the Minnie Mouse Backpack Here!

Calling all Lilo & Stitch fans — we’ve got something for you too! This lavender bag has a fuzzy front pocket and a Stitch patch just below the zipper.

It also comes with adjustable straps to fit to your needs. Get it online now for $24.98.

Click Here to Shop the Backpack!

For those who like a little glitz and glamour, check out the Mickey Mouse Gold Mini Backpack. This shiny accessory is sure to turn heads!

It has two zip pockets and adjustable straps, and like the others, it’s available for $24.98.

Order the Gold Backpack Online Here!

Just in time for Halloween (or Christmas, depending on which side of the debate you stand on), this Jack Skellington Mini Backpack is the perfect addition to any collection.

It’s all white and black with Jack’s face printed on the front, and it’s also priced at $24.98.

Buy the Jack Skellington Bag Here!

Finally, we’ve got this Minnie Mouse Denim Mini Backpack. It reminds us of a retro jean jacket, and like a jean jacket, it’ll go with almost anything!

The pattern is simple and so are the details, but it’s just right if you’re looking for something a little understated. Get it online now for $24.99.

Buy the Minnie Mouse Backpack Here!

Those are all the backpacks we have for now, but take a look by clicking the links if any of these catch your eye — you could get THREE of these bags for the cost of one Loungefly backpack. Keep in mind that they’re all mini-sized, so they’re a bit smaller than a regular backpack and you might have to pack creatively if you’re used to bringing a lot of stuff.

While you’re in the shopping mood…have you checked our DFB exclusive graphic tees and merch?

It’s super fun stuff to wear to the parks, or repping your happy place at the grocery store! Click here to visit the DFB Merch Store!

Click Here to See All the Amazon-Exclusive Loungefly Backpacks!

Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!

Which of these bags would you buy online? Tell us in the comments!

The post 6 Walmart Backpacks That Are Loungefly DUPES first appeared on the disney food blog.

I know we have all been waiting at the edge of our seats to see if Walt Disney World would be reopening on September 30th after Hurricane Ian left the state of Florida. Disney just gave us an update.

Disney will be taking a phased approach to reopening the parks and Disney Springs due to the impacts of Hurricane Ian.

For guests that had their vacations impacted by the storm, Disney also made an update. This update is for those that purchased multi-day tickets.

Partially used multi-day theme park tickets with a validity window impacted by closure due to Hurricane Ian will be automatically extended to allow use of the remaining unused ticket days through Sept. 30, 2023. In order to enter a park, both a park reservation and valid ticket for the same park on the same date are required.

Disney Weather Updates

Stay safe everyone!