www.themeparkinsider.com: Universal Orlando and Walt Disney World have canceled their after-hours Halloween events this evening, as Hurricane Helene approaches the state. The storm is expected to hit Florida's Big Bend late tonight, but high winds and rains are expected across the state throughout the evening.
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As a massive Harry Potter fan, I have always wanted to visit the world of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando. However, in recent years I have felt the clock ticking. With the looming threat of climate change and the damage that Florida and the southeast region will suffer due to the various natural disasters, I have become concerned that the Universal Orlando theme parks will not be around, or at least not completely open, by the time I have the ability to travel there. The immediate threat of Hurricane Helene has only made these fears worse. While it may not directly hit the Orlando area, this will not always be true for future threats mother nature throws our way. The increased severity of Helene compared to previous hurricanes is also concerning because the weather is only going to get worse. I worry about the economic fallout for all the employees at the theme parks, not just if they close, but for when tourism starts to decline due to people avoiding the weather in Florida.
It feels so early for Halloween events to already be happening, but also I guess it is almost October already. Seeing that these parks have Halloween events happening already felt kind of like when you go to Costco in July and see Halloween decorations; the feeling that it is very early and that the holiday is being monetized/commercialized hardcore. I also am sure that people pack into these events as soon as they start being held, regardless of how early it seems, so it’s a good financial decision for Disney and Universal to host the events starting so early.
As someone from Mickey's home, it's funny to see stories about the theme parks back home. I am surprised to see them cancel an event as Disney rarely ever closes or misses out on a chance to get money. School was cancelled in most of the surrounding counties this Thursday, but Disney remained open all day! Plenty of people (including my own sister) took this chance to spend the hurricane day at Disney. It's not an uncommon occurrence to find Disney still well crowded on hurricane days. Central Florida didn't get hit too hard this time, but I've seen videos and read stories of the awful damage that has happened further north, in places that never expected to be affected in this way.
Also yeah, Halloween starts on September 1st at the theme parks so they can maximize profits. I've always felt weird about that, but many people choose to go in September because it's cheaper. And then on the night of Oct.31-Nov.1st, the parks are magically transformed into a Christmastime Winter Wonderland. It is magical, but the way their seasons operate is weird.
Honestly, I had no idea these Halloween events were happening right now. It's pretty wild how early companies kick off their Halloween stuff. I mean, it’s a smart move to rake in some cash before October even rolls around. But it feels like there’s hardly any buzz about these events anymore. Back in the time of the good Disney Channel shows, I’d see ads for horror nights all over the place, especially during commercials and online. It’s a bummer they have to cancel because of a hurricane, but safety first! I would think everyone knows most outdoor rides can’t run in the rain anyway. I really hope that anyone that had bought tickets this event prior are refunded because a lot of the time people plan trips around the fact that they're gonna get to do one thing in a given space their visiting, so I hope these corporations are following safety measure as well as reimbursing those who lose out on these inconveniences.
Halloween is my absolute favorite holiday and while I am sad that some people’s Halloween plans are canceled I am ultimately happy with the decision to cancel the upcoming festivities. This will prompt people to be safer and take care of themselves before worrying about scheduled events. The events also sound really fun regardless of any storm, I hope that there is no damage to the facilities that would impede the continuing events. I have never been to a Halloween event, but I did attend a Christmas parade at Disneyland when I was younger, It felt magical and provided me with memories I will never forget, I assume that Disney’s Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, and Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights are just as amazing.
I’ve never been to Florida but it sounds not amazing from all the articles I read about it—especially for the weather. I looked up the prices of the tickets to Halloween Horror Nights and the Disney World Halloween events and yeesh those are expensive tickets. I can’t imagine having like a family of four who flew to Florida and payed for like multiple nights in a hotel then spent $130–$199 per person for ONE night and then have it canceled. But then again if you’re dropping thousands of dollars on a trip to go see Mickey and his elaborate playground I imagine the family is most likely going to be just fine financially. They get a refund but not a chance to go a different night. I feel like both park’s resolutions suck because at Disney you get a refund but never get a chance to go again, but at Universal you get to go any other night as compensation but if that event was your last day in Florida on vacation you won’t have a chance to redeem the ticket unless you have infinite money and time to go back to Florida on a second vacation the next week.
Weather is normally a preventable outlier when it comes to producing theatrical events but in case of emergencies anything can be canceled. It always confuses me why certain venues chose to let performances get canceled rather than account for the weather. Back home I live right next to red rocks, a beautiful amphitheater where you can see the stars and remarkable red rocks that encapsulate the space. But the amphitheater has no roof and although Colorado doesn't get that much rain many concerts are canceled due to weather. They have chosen to preserve the environment and pull of the venue knowing that some people will have a bad experience with a canceled event. I think this is almost a noble sacrifice because the venue is willing to take the complaints and bad press to preserve the environment and nature of the venue.
Disney is a company that consistently leaves me feeling disappointed. Their relentless pursuit and effort to make money often disregards the safety and the well being of both their staff and visitors. The theme park generates millions annually, thanks in part to its seasonal events that attract visitors throughout the year. They also did not take proper precautions during the pandemic and took way too long to close the park. Now, amidst the impending threat of a hurricane, they are again prioritizing their profits over others safety.. I understand that for their visitors trips to Disney can be a significant investment of money, time, and planning. However, in the face of such a danger, it would be wiser and more responsible for Disney to temporarily shut down operations and close their parks until the storm passes and conditions are safe for everyone involved.
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