As you most likely know by now, a Tropical Storm is headed to Southern California. As of this writing, Hurricane Hilary is a category 3 storm and will weaken to a Tropical Storm by the time it makes landfall in California tomorrow morning (Sunday, August 20th). Here is a status of what parks may be open or closed, followed by my own opinions and safety tips down below.
According to statements by the parks’ social media accounts, all parks plan to stay open and will monitor the storm. Now here is my opinion of what the parks will do just based on what happens during the normal Winter rainy season.
Knott’s Berry Farm will almost CERTAINLY close on Sunday and possibly Monday as well. Six Flags closes in nearly any type of rain event no matter the intensity of the storm. Knott’s will try their best to stay open and close early in the evening, but during very intense storms they will close all day.
Legoland did not make a statement, but they too will almost certainly be closed all day.
Universal is usually open in very heavy rains and even Jurassic World remains open. I suspect Universal will be open unless the wind gets too intense or they may close early if flooding occurs as that park seems to be very flood-prone. With the recent clearing of trees for the Fast & Furious coaster, the hillside may be more prone to a mudslide so we will have to watch for that.
Disney also did not make a statement, but they usually stay open during any rain event. If the wind situation worsens they may close early as well. All outdoor attractions will likely be closed at any park that stays open due to lightning in the area. At Disney California Adventure, in particular, Radiator Springs Racers (which is under refurbishment) and the Incredicoaster tend to close in any drop of rain.
Lastly, if you are staying home during the storm be prepared for possible power outages, mudslides if you are in the mountains, and flooding anywhere else.
Stay safe out there and if you have some time to kill while riding out the storm, check out some of the other amazing stories here on the Boardwalk Times!
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Ethan Becker is a columnist for the Boardwalk Times
