Southern California is expecting an unusual weather pattern as Hurricane Hilary moves its way up Mexico's west coast bringing with it high wind and heavy rain. Unlike Walt Disney World, hurricane weather at Disneyland is rare and unexpected which may catch many Disneyland guests off guard.
This weather impact may result in early closures for Disneyland depending on the severity but will at least bring unseasonably wet weather to the resort.
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UPDATE: Disneyland Will Close Early Sunday
Disneyland updated its website Saturday evening at 6PM PT to announce that the Disneyland theme parks would close early on Sunday, August 20th due to Hurricane Hilary (hours details below).
As of Sunday morning, the National Weather Service's Hurricane Center downgraded the storm from hurricane shortly before 8 am Pacific Time but warned of “catastrophic and life-threatening flooding” in the Southern California regions that are not equipped to handle intense flooding.
Currently, there is ongoing rain in Anaheim at the resort but the scheduled charity Disneyland CHOC Walk continued on Sunday morning as planned. This is a charity event to benefit the Children's Hospital of Orange County. A member of our team was at the walk from early in the morning on Sunday and shared that it went off smoothly and carried on pretty much like normal. The photos here are from the event this morning.
On Sunday, Disneyland will be closing at 10PM and California Adventure at 9PM. Downtown Disney will close at 11PM and all the Disneyland resort hotels will stay open.
According to Disney, they are closely monitoring Hurricane Hilary and may continue to make adjustments based on the latest information which could result in earlier closures of the parks. No updates have been shared to expand the closures into Monday or Tuesday.
Here is the notification on the Disneyland website as of 6:30 PM PT on Saturday.
Hurricane Hilary Moving Towards Disneyland
Hurricane Hilary is currently moving up the west coast of Mexico and heading toward Southern California. According to weather experts, it is likely that the area will see abnormally strong winds, waves, and rain Sunday and Monday. The Disneyland Resort is situated right in Southern California in Anaheim and is about 19 miles away from the closest beach.
The National Hurricane Center put out a public advisory that warns that the storm heading towards Southern California has strengthened into a Category 2 hurricane. The storm is not expected to be a hurricane by the time it hits Southern California and will likely tamper out to a tropical storm.
However, it is expected to bring heavy rainfall to Southern California after it hits Mexico. Flooding rain and strong winds are expected in areas of California including the Los Angeles Basin. The storm is expected to cause large swells along the California coast in the next few days.
When Will Hurricane Hilary Impact Disneyland?
Hurricane Hilary was located about 475 miles south of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico this afternoon. It is expected to continue moving in a west-northwest direction until it makes a turn northwest Friday morning which is when we'll start to see the weather impacts to Southern California.
Based on the hurricane's current location and predicted trajectory, the timeline is said to begin with heavy rainfall starting Friday and peaking on Sunday and Monday, according to the hurricane center.
The storm is expected to produce 3 to 6 inches of rainfall with a possible maximum of 10 inches in the area which could bring flash flooding along with damaging wind gusts.
Can You Get A Refund At Disneyland If It Rains?
No, Disneyland's tickets are non-refundable, and getting a refund due to rain is unlikely. If you've purchased your Disneyland tickets through our travel partner Get Away Today then you may have the option of moving your trip dates around. You won't pay any fees for this if you opted for the Peace of Mind plan which allows for trip flexibility without additional fees.
Does Disneyland Get Hurricane Weather?
No, it is extremely rare for Disneyland to see the impacts of hurricane weather! Weather forecasters are already calling this unprecedented event to see a tropical storm move through Southern California. Weather patterns have been changing in recent years which has led to some unusual behavior for tropical storms. This is likely why we're seeing such strange weather behavior with storms like Hurricane Hilary.
It is more likely to see the impacts of hurricanes at Walt Disney World as this is common for Florida. You typically do not hear ‘hurricane' and ‘Disneyland' in the same sentence!
Keep in mind that forecasters are not predicting for a hurricane to hit Disneyland and the storm will likely have tapered off into a large tropical storm by the time it's close to Southern California. Tropical storms bring high winds, heavy rain, and large waves which are unusual for the region. In fact, August is one of the driest months of the year at Disneyland! Typically Disneyland only sees rain in January, February, and early March but even then the rain does not typically mirror the torrential downpours you see in tropical storms.
Will Disneyland Close If It Rains?
- Alice in Wonderland
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant
- Mad Tea Party
- Storybook Land Canal Boats
- Pirates Lair on Tom Sawyer's Island
- Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoes
- The Main Street Vehicles
- Chip ‘n' Dale's GADGETcoaster
California Adventure Rides That May Close for Rain
- Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters
- Redwood Creek Challenge Trail
- Golden Zephyr
- Silly Symphony Swings
These are the rides that often close first for rain and/or heavy winds. But if the rain is heavy or lightning has been spotted in the area, then you will see all outdoor attractions close as a safety precaution. You will see any closures updated in the Disneyland app.
Parades and fireworks may also be canceled depending on how severe the storm is. Fireworks especially will not be shown if it is windy so it's a good chance to expect this storm to impact the weekend fireworks.
How to Enjoy Disneyland in the Rain
The good news is that Disneyland can be enjoyable in the rain as many locals will steer clear of the theme parks and you can end up with extremely low lines! There are many indoor attractions to take advantage of even if the outdoor rides are closed due to the weather. In fact, some of the most popular attractions are indoors with long indoor queues which include Indiana Jones, Space Mountain, and Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway. This can be a great way to stay dry, just make your way around the park to the indoor attractions.
The best way to still enjoy Disneyland in the rain is to arrive prepared! Pack ponchos and wear shoes that can handle rain. This is one reason why Crocs are a favorite at Walt Disney World, they are perfect for rainy weather. Bring an extra pair of dry socks to change out if you need to and wear layers. Instead of carrying a large backpack, carry a small belt bag/fanny pack that you can easily store underneath your poncho to keep dry. Comfort is key, the dryer you are, the more fun you will have.
Disneyland will also have ponchos and umbrellas for sale when it rains. Disneyland rain ponchos are $10 for adult ponchos and $9 for child ponchos. You can also purchase umbrellas for $15. Unless the parks are deserted, there is no point to an umbrella which can be tricky to navigate in crowds. Instead, opt for a poncho which often comes with a hood. If you pair this with a baseball hat or any hat with a visor, you can keep the rain off your face pretty easily. The Disney official ponchos are actually pretty good quality with button snaps and are thicker than the cheap disposable ones you can buy at the store. We often opt for these over the disposable ones you find for camping or hiking.
If you are visiting Disneyland this weekend, make a dining reservation! If you're dealing with a rainy day at the theme park, the best way to keep everyone's mood up is to enjoy a nice break indoors. Use our tips for dining reservations at Disneyland to help you get the reservation you want. It's likely you will see a lot of cancellations with the weather reports and you may be able to snag some popular options last minute like Oga's Cantina, Blue Bayou, or even Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar!
This might also be a good weekend to catch Rogers The Musical before it has its final showing on August 31st! And yes, the show IS going to end August 31st so the clock is ticking to see it before it is gone!
There are also some nice hidden indoor spots around both Disneyland and California Adventure that you can use to take a break from the weather if you need to. Read our full guide to rain at Disneyland to see our recommendations on how to get a break from the rain and how to have a great day despite it!
We will keep you updated with news on Hurricane Hilary and how it will impact Disneyland, make sure to subscribe to our Mickey Visit newsletter to stay up to date on all recent news, get access to exclusive printables, and more.
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Being that this Hilary Tropical Storm is unprecedented in Modern Weather Models for Southern California, closure of the park should be seriously considered. 1939 was a lifetime ago.
I’m just being practical and using foresight.