No matter the situation, visitors’ safety comes first to Orlando as a destination, including our accommodations, transportation, theme parks and attractions. The industry monitors the information provided by the Office of Emergency Management and ensures that guests are kept informed of the situation and all necessary precautions are taken to ensure the safety of our visitors and employees.

Orlando’s location, approximately 45 miles from Florida’s Atlantic coast and 85 miles from the Gulf of Mexico, means that it is rare that a hurricane would directly impact our area. In fact, prior to the 2004 season, the last hurricane to directly impact Orlando occurred in 1960. We can’t guarantee another storm won’t hit us just as our friends in colder climates can’t predict the next big blizzard in January or February. But we can say that we are prepared. Our destination partners put a tremendous amount of resources into the planning and preparation for guest safety in the event of any emergency situation, including hurricanes.

Orlando’s inland location makes it the primary evacuation site for residents and visitors who are seeking shelter from an approaching storm.

Orlando has built its reputation on hospitality and providing a quality guest experience. As a result of their preparedness, our hotels and attractions experience only minimal disruptions in service during a storm and quickly resume normal operations.

Orlando’s commercial structures, such as hotels, attractions, malls and convention centers are built to withstand high winds and heavy rains. During the busy 2004 hurricane season, the Orange County Convention Center suffered no damage and area theme parks reopened immediately after the storm had passed, with only minor, mostly landscaping damage.

Visitors should not be concerned about making their travel plans in advance for fear of being impacted by bad weather and incurring cancellation penalties. Also it is not uncommon for airlines to relax their change fees for travel to and from a destination being impacted by severe weather such as hurricanes. Visitors should contact their airline directly for details.