September 11, 2001, was a transformative day in American History. It was one of those few moments when a distinct line separated before and after. Credit: Ed Aguila, Inside the MagicEvery American who was alive that day could tell you where they were and the exact moment when they heard about the Twin Towers in New York City being hit by the planes. Much like the assassination of John Kennedy and Pearl Harbor, this day would come to define America for generations to come. It’s easy to forget that no matter where you were on that day, there were people who happened to be on vacation in Disney World on that Tuesday morning. So, how did the “Most Magical Place on Earth” handle one of the most tragic days in American History? Credit: Inside the MagicIt’s important to remember, or learn for younger generations, that in 2001, most people had cell phones but were not connected to the internet. People still had to pay for minutes and were less likely to be connected to the world. According to a first-person account posted on YouTube by Jerry’s Takes Plus, once the planes hit the towers, guests at Disney World started receiving phone calls from home, alerting them to the tragedies in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania. As the phone calls started coming in, people began leaving the park. Disney officials held meetings with their counterparts at Universal and SeaWorld, and together they decided to close their parks and, for Disney guests, usher them back to their hotels. Disney World’s parks would close at 11 a.m. on September 11. As cast members ushered guests out of the parks, many of them did not know of the horrific events happening in the outside world. When they asked cast members what was happening, guests were told to “call their family members back home.” The cast members formed a “human wall” down Main Street, U.S.A., to ensure all guests exited the park quickly and safely. There was a great deal of confusion in the immediate moments after the initial attacks, and many Americans were uncertain if this was the beginning of more attacks on the nation. This meant that Disney World could potentially be a target for terrorists. When guests arrived at their Disney World Resort hotels, they were greeted by Disney characters in the lobbies for photos and interactions with the children. This would help to calm some of their nerves after the morning’s events. Disneyland, being three hours behind the East Coast, did not open that morning, and signs around the area alerted guests that the park would close for the day. The following day, Disney World reopened with enhanced security measures, including increased bag checks, which remain in effect at the parks to this day. Guests were asked to remove the batteries from the electronic devices to prove they were actually the devices people said they were. Orange County Sheriff’s deputies conducted the initial bag inspections much slower than Disney’s current checks. Many of the tourists who came to Central Florida were trapped there, as the airlines shut down flights in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks. This forced many guests to drive to their homes rather than fly. Credit: Becky BurkettFor many people who were alive that day, it would be a long time before they got on a flight or went to a popular tourist destination like Disney World out of fear of another attack. This crippled the tourism industry for a time. On this day, we remember the 2,977 souls who lost their lives. What’s your memory of September 11, 2001? Let us know in the comments. The post What Happened Inside Disney World on the Morning of September 11? appeared first on Inside the Magic.