The major Orlando-area theme parks have announced that they will reopen tomorrow, October 11, after Hurricane Milton cut across Florida overnight. All parks are closed today as crews assess and repair damage.
Walt Disney World issued a statement this afternoon that it is "currently assessing the impacts to our property to prepare for reopening the theme parks, Disney Springs and possibly other areas on Friday, October 11."
Universal Orlando said it will resume normal operations tomorrow, including Early Park Admission in the morning and Halloween Horror Nights in the evening.
SeaWorld Orlando also will open on Friday, however the park will not hold its Spooktacular or Howl-O-Scream events tomorrow.
Legoland Florida also will reopen on Friday, with normal operating hours.
The Orlando International Airport remains closed for passenger departures today, but flights out will resume tomorrow, with a few inbound flights happening tonight, as airlines reposition their planes.
However, closer to the Gulf coast, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay will remain closed Friday and Saturday, as team members evaluate the park. Howl-O-Scream also is canceled for those nights, October 11 and 12. [Update October 12: Busch Gardens announced that it will reopen Sunday, October 13, at 10am.]
"We are grateful for our dedicated team of animal care experts, including veterinarians, who remained onsite during the storm to monitor the animals, and we appreciate our ambassadors who are onsite to help ensure our park is ready to welcome you," United Parks said on its website.
So far, the most prominent damage from Hurricane Milton appears to be the destroyed roof of St. Petersburg's Tropicana Field, the home of Major League Baseball's Tampa Bay Rays. Many fans are noting the weird coincidence that the unrelated Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas was imploded earlier yesterday to make way for a new MLB stadium for the former Oakland A's.
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The announcement that Florida's theme parks will reopen following Hurricane Milton is fantastic news since it indicates that the state is rapidly recovering from the catastrophe and that business as usual is gradually picking up again in Florida. https://suikagame.io