The Walt Disney World Resort has announced its first closures in response to Hurricane Milton. The major storm remains on track to strike Central Florida's theme park corridor Wednesday night into Thursday morning.
At Disney, Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground - including dining and recreation locations - the Copper Creek Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, and the Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa will close at 11am Wednesday. Walt Disney World said that the Copper Creek Cabins likely will reopen Friday, October 11, while the Fort Wilderness and the Treehouse Villas likely will remain closed until Sunday, October 13.
As of late Monday, Disney has not announced any theme park closures due to Hurricane Milton, but the resort is "closely monitoring the path of the projected storm."
Milton is expected to make landfall in the Tampa Bay area around 7pm Wednesday as a Category 3 storm or higher. In anticipation of Milton's arrival, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay has announced that it will be closed Tuesday through Thursday, with Howl-O-Scream cancelled for Thursday night. Legoland Florida also has announced its closure on Wednesday and Thursday due to the storm.
Tampa's airport is closing to commercial passenger traffic on Tuesday morning. The Orlando International Airport is ceasing passenger flights starting Wednesday morning. Evacuations have been ordered for coastal areas along Florida's Gulf Coast, as a storm surge of 10-15 feet is forecast for Tampa Bay.
"This is an extremely life-threatening situation and residents in those areas should follow advice given by local officials and evacuate immediately if told to do so," the National Hurricane Center warned.
The Tampa Bay and Orlando areas remain under Hurricane Warning. For updates, see www.nhc.noaa.gov and floridadisaster.org/evacuation-orders.
@TH Creative - Oh Come on, its not as if there's been some recent very widely reported example of people dying because they weren't allowed to evacuate ahead of a natural disaster happening...
@TH Creative and @Chad H - Disney and Universal aren't alone, as SeaWorld also hasn't announced a closure yet...
Hurricane Milton Update
At this time, SeaWorld Orlando remains open as we continue to monitor conditions
For those unfamiliar with Orlando and hurricanes, the biggest problem isn't really the storm itself (usually by the time it gets to Orlando its weakened enough to the point where everyone can stay inside and there are no deaths), its the aftermath from the rain. Matthew and Irma were both way more powerful than Ian, but Ian caused way more issues. Irma was the most powerful hurricane I can remember ever hitting but once all the debris was cleared it was just kind of go on as normal (except for a few neighborhoods that got really bad flooding). Ian, on the other hand, was relatively weak but caused issues for weeks because basically the whole region was flooded.
Tampa on the other hand has a whole different set of issues and could be on the verge of annihilation. There are many areas of Tampa I would personally never live in for this reason.
My concerns are rooted in crowded roadways around Central Florida. Evacuees coming from the Gulf Coast will be flocking to Orange, Osceola and Polk counties. By telling CMs, TMs and whatever acronym applies wo SeaWorld employees to stay home we take hundreds (thousands?) of cars off the roads.
They should just close the parks on Wednesday and Thursday.
Agreed TH. Agreed. Given the wide area and the strength of the storm, they should be removing all traffic that can be removed. If you're not working in some sort of essential worker role, not getting supplies, or not getting the heck out of dodge, you probably shouldn't be on the road.
This storm stuff is not going to get any better.
Agreed TH .... It's a disgrace that at almost midday on Tuesday, none of the 3 big parks have announced what their plans are. "We are monitoring the situation " .. what a joke.
This is a serious storm, but as usual they are thinking of their bottom line, and to hell with all the employees. Very sad.
I've seen the videos of folks going to the parks in hurricanes and reactions of "what is wrong with you?"
With those there replying "do you know how much we paid for this trip? Not letting weather ruin it!"
This is definitely not a go-to-the-park, hurricane. I was in Orlando when Charley, Jeanne and Francis slammed us in 2004. Charley was a cat2 when it arrived in Orlando, and it was devastating. Milton has every chance to be the same, so it seems the big 3 have learnt nothing from past Orlando hurricanes.
Man up Disney, Universal and SeaWorld, and announce park closures for a day or 2. It's what your cast/team members deserve.
Well it's not like there is missive climate change and these storms are getting larger and more often?
And Just think of all the New Beach front property this will create in Florida....
Stay safe for those who live in Florida....
CMs reporting that the only people in the parks are hotel guests.
Universal is keeping its parks open until 2 pm Wednesday...
https://www.universalorlando.com/web/en/us/plan-your-visit/weather-updates/severe-weather.html
Chatter among CMs is that Disney is gonna announce right after today's Halloween Party launches.
You must be registered and logged in to submit a comment.
This is getting ridiculous
Comcast and Disney have no reason to operate their parks on Wednesday or Thursday. CMs and TMs need to be prepping for the storm and off the roads. Neither. Company is serving anyone's interests except (theoretically) their own.