A rare September nor’easter has canceled hundreds of U.S. flights, mostly in the Northeast. Orlando is sunny, but getting to Disney World is the hard part. Here’s what to know about waivers and refunds.
The weather at Disney World this weekend is fine. It’s getting there that’s the problem.
A rare September nor’easter is hammering the East Coast from Washington, D.C., to Maine, and it’s wrecking travel plans at the airports where a lot of Disney trips start. By 2:51 p.m. Eastern on Saturday, Sept. 26, FlightAware counted 426 canceled flights and 1,708 delays within, into or out of the U.S.
“Anyone with travel plans from or into the East Coast needs to ask themselves what their tolerance for delays and potential cancellations is,” Katy Nastro, aviation correspondent for the flight-tracking app Flighty, told Forbes.
Is Disney World affected by the nor’easter?
In Orlando, barely. Forecasts call for sunny skies and highs in the low 80s this weekend, with little chance of rain.
Orlando International Airport is mostly running normally. FlightAware showed just six canceled flights there in the 24 hours before 2:47 p.m. Saturday.
The trouble is on the other end of the trip. If your flight to Orlando starts in Boston, New York, Newark or Philadelphia, that’s where the storm can get you.
How many flights has the nor’easter canceled?
Hundreds so far, and the number keeps moving.
Boston Logan had 253 cancellations by Saturday, per Boston 25 News. Massport’s Sharon Williams said operations “may not return to normal until early next week.” The station advised anyone with flights through Tuesday to keep checking their schedules.
The storm is expected to hang around through Monday, bringing rain, strong wind, coastal flooding and rip currents, according to the National Weather Service via Reuters. New York and New Jersey have both declared states of emergency.
More than 88,000 homes and businesses were still without power across New Jersey, Connecticut, New York and Pennsylvania as of early Saturday afternoon, Reuters reported.
Which airlines are waiving change fees for the nor’easter?
Five big airlines have travel waivers for this weekend, covering flights on Friday through Sunday, per Forbes:
American Airlines: 16 airports from Virginia to Maine
JetBlue: 11 airports in the Mid-Atlantic and New England
United: 10 airports in the Northeast
Delta: 7 airports from New York to Maine
Southwest: 7 airports from New York to Maine
JetBlue matters a lot for Disney fans, since it flies a big chunk of Northeast-to-Orlando trips. Its waiver covers Boston, JFK, LaGuardia, Newark, Providence, Westchester, Long Island’s Islip, Worcester, Hyannis, Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard.
JetBlue customers can rebook and travel by Wednesday, Sept. 30, with change fees, cancel fees and fare differences waived, per Travel Tourister. The booking had to be made on or before Sept. 24. If JetBlue cancels your flight, you can ask for a full refund.
Each airline’s rules are a little different. Check your airline’s travel alerts page before you change anything.
Does Disney World’s hurricane policy cover the nor’easter?
Only a hurricane warning turns that policy on.
Disney World lets guests reschedule or cancel Disney Resort hotel packages and most room-only reservations without fees when the National Hurricane Center issues a hurricane warning for the Orlando area, or for your home, within seven days of arrival. That’s per the Disney Food Blog’s guide to the policy.
A nor’easter isn’t a hurricane, so it doesn’t count. Disney also hasn’t announced any special storm policy for this weekend.
What happens to your Disney World tickets and hotel if your flight is canceled?
Regular rules apply. Disney World theme park tickets are nonrefundable, but you may be able to move unused tickets to new dates.
For hotel stays, what you can change depends on how and when you booked. If you booked through Disney, call or check your reservation online as soon as your new flight is set. If you booked through a third party, their rules apply.
Nastro’s advice to Forbes on Friday, for flyers who could still move their plans: “If you can, take advantage of the weather waiver to leave today or tomorrow morning, well before late afternoon when disruptions pile up.”
Are Disney cruises affected by the nor’easter?
So far, the reported changes are on other lines. Cruise Fever‘s roundup of ships hit by the storm listed changes for Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian, but no Disney Cruise Line ships.
Royal Caribbean even swapped one Canada and New England trip for a Caribbean itinerary that stops at Port Canaveral, a short drive from Disney World.
When will flights get back to normal?
Probably early next week, if the storm moves out on schedule.
Nastro suggests looking at backup flights for the day after your original departure, and even the day after that, “in case the rebooking gets super messy.”
So pack patience with the sunscreen. Orlando is ready for you. The airport in Boston might need a minute.
Article compiled with the help of the Pirates & Princesses newsroom.
Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
Hat Tips:
FlightAware (Sept. 26, 2026, 2:47 and 2:51 p.m. ET), U.S. and Orlando cancellation and delay counts
Forbes (Sept. 25, 2026), the airline waivers and Katy Nastro’s quotes
Boston 25 News (Sept. 26, 2026), Logan cancellations and Massport’s Sharon Williams
Reuters, via KFGO (Sept. 26, 2026), the storm’s path, duration, power outages and states of emergency
Travel Tourister (Sept. 25, 2026), JetBlue’s waiver airports and dates
Disney Food Blog (May 20, 2026), Disney World’s hurricane policy and ticket rules
Cruise Fever (Sept. 24-25, 2026), cruise itinerary changes
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