ORLANDO, Fla. — You might think of Disney World as a vacation destination for families, but some Florida residents think of it as the safest place to be in a storm. That’s thanks in part to the site’s impressive infrastructure.
Disney World rarely loses power. It has no fragile power lines to get knocked down in the winds and produces a massive amount of its own electricity thanks to solar facilities and backup sources on site.
While some resorts at Disney World, like the Fort Wilderness Campground, are forced to close because of hurricanes, many stay open. The company stops accepting new reservations from vacationers but often opens its doors to locals.
In previous hurricanes, Disney has offered deep discounts to residents looking for a safe spot to hunker down.
So why would residents stay at Disney instead of a shelter? When it comes to riding out storms the house of mouse is a well-oiled machine.
Employees, known as cast members, volunteer to work on what is called a “ride-out crew.” They pass out box lunches to visitors, make sure everyone is safe and some even dress up as characters to keep scared kids entertained.
As soon as the storm is over those same crews fan out, cleaning up any damage and getting the parks up and running as soon as possible, turning the site back into the most magical place on Earth.