Walt Disney World announces closures for Hurricane Milton

Walt Disney World announces closures for Hurricane Milton

As a gamer who’s weathered countless virtual storms and apocalyptic events, I can tell you that Hurricane Milton feels like no ordinary challenge. Having lived through the real-life chaos of Hurricanes Sandy and Katrina, I can attest to the power and unpredictability of these natural disasters.


As Hurricane Milton gathers strength off the western coast of Florida, Disney has unveiled its strategy for closing its parks. Previously criticized for delaying announcements, Disney shared the following statement in response:

The Walt Disney World Emergency Operations Center is connected to weather experts and community leaders. Please know these adjustments have been made in order to leave plenty of time for our Guests and Cast Members to return to their Resort hotels or homes safely hours before higher winds are expected to reach Central Florida.

Given the circumstances, Disney World theme parks are modifying their operating hours because of the approaching storm. Starting at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 9, the parks will gradually shut down.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom are scheduled to shut down at 1:00 PM, whereas Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and Disney Springs are set to end operations at 2:00 PM.

It’s highly probable that all amusement parks will stay shut on October 10th. However, there’s a possibility that Disney Springs might open in the later part of the day on that same date, offering only select services.

Beyond modifying the theme park schedules, Disney is also brainstorming strategies for their resort hotels, transportation network, and overall guest experiences. Here’s the recent news on these developments:

Starting at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 9, Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground and the Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa will be temporarily shut down. It is expected that they will stay closed until Sunday, October 13.

On Wednesday, October 9, transportation services at Walt Disney World will cease operation once Disney Springs and the Walt Disney theme parks have closed for the day. Furthermore, Disney has temporarily suspended their cancellation policies for dining and other experiences, with more information to come in the future.

It’s uncommon for Walt Disney World to shut down its parks, but given the severe circumstances Central Florida is dealing with right now, it’s not surprising. According to recent updates, Hurricane Milton has intensified into a Category 5 hurricane, boasting winds of 165 mph. Forecasters predict that it will strike the Tampa Bay region as a powerful Category 3 storm on Wednesday night, although we might experience its impact earlier. Currently, evacuation orders are mandatory in 11 Florida counties.

Despite Central Florida not being a direct target for Hurricane Milton, it’s predicted that the storm may bring up to 18 inches of rain, potentially leading to severe flooding in the region.

For individuals unfamiliar with major hurricanes, they should not underestimate their power. On a brighter note, for those whose vacation plans are affected by the storm, Disney is often praised as an exceptional location to weather the storm thanks to their robust preparation efforts.

Read More

2024-10-09 03:57

Previous post Amanda Abbington unmasked: The foul names she called Giovanni and the highly offensive word she used… despite her accusations of being verbally abused, reveals KATIE HIND