Disney World horticulture teams are cutting back extensive freeze-damaged landscaping across the property following the late January cold outbreak. Disney's Polynesian Village Resort was particularly hard hit, with some of the tropical foliage damaged by the historic freeze.
The cleanup work is ongoing, with dead plants being removed and damaged vegetation cut back for regrowth. Many palm trees at resorts and in the parks have been stripped to a single central spike after all brown fronds were removed.
Horticulture cast members on site told us that while a lot of the damaged plants will survive, they need to be cut back to allow for regrowth. The recovery process will take time as plants slowly regenerate from their root systems.
What the Late January Freeze Did
The extreme cold outbreak in late January brought unprecedented conditions to Central Florida. On Sunday, February 1, temperatures dropped into the mid-to-upper 20s across the Orlando area, with wind chills reaching single digits.
Freeze Conditions:
- Low temperatures: 20-27 degrees
- Wind chills: As low as 7 degrees
- Duration: Hard freeze conditions Sunday and Monday mornings
- Classification: Coldest conditions since 2010
An Extreme Cold Warning was in effect, marking an extraordinary threat to life and property. The extended duration of freezing temperatures proved particularly damaging to tropical and subtropical plants.
Horticulture Response
Disney's horticulture teams are working systematically across the property to assess damage and remove dead vegetation.
Current Work:
- Cutting back dead foliage to ground level
- Removing completely dead plants
- Pruning damaged palms
- Clearing away dead fronds and branches
- Assessing which plants will regenerate
Historic Context
The late January freeze was the coldest Central Florida has experienced since 2010. That previous freeze also caused significant plant damage across the region.
The 16-year gap between extreme freezes of this magnitude means many plants installed after 2010 had never experienced such cold. Younger, less-established plants were particularly vulnerable.
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