As Hurricane Milton churns through the Gulf of Mexico and approaches Florida, Orlando’s theme parks are keeping a close eye on the storm’s development and making operational changes.
As of early Tuesday evening, Milton had strengthened again from a Category 4 to a Category 5 hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 165 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The National Hurricane Center noted in an advisory that “fluctuations in intensity are likely while Milton moves across the eastern Gulf of Mexico, but Milton is expected to be a dangerous major hurricane when it reaches the west-central coast of FloridaWednesday night.”
Milton comes less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene made landfall as a Category 4 storm in Florida’s Big Bend region. More than 230 people have died due to Helene, according to the Associated Press.
Check back here to see which theme parks are open, closed or impacted by this latest storm.
Is Walt Disney World closing for Hurricane Milton?
Guests at the Magic Kingdom break out ponchos at Cinderella Castle as bands of weather from Hurricane Helene move through Walt Disney World in Bay Lake, Fla., Sept. 26, 2024.
Joe Burbank/AP
Walt Disney World Resort announced Tuesday afternoon that it would close its theme parks and Disney Springs in phases starting on Wednesday, Oct. 9.
Starting at 1 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Disney will shut down Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom. Then, on Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET, Disney will close Magic Kingdom, EPCOT and nearby Disney Springs. Walt Disney World Transportation will also halt service following theme park and Disney Springs closures.
“It is likely the theme parks will remain closed on Thursday, Oct. 10. We will consider opening Disney Springs on Thursday in the late afternoon, with limited offerings,” Disney stated on its website.
The Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party event at Magic Kingdom that was originally scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 10, will also be canceled. Event tickets will be refunded, Disney said.
Disney is also temporarily closing its Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground and the Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa beginning at 11 a.m. ET on Wednesday, Oct. 9. They are likely to remain closed until Sunday, Oct. 13, according to Disney.
Additionally, Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park, Winter Summerland Miniature Golf and Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf will be closed on Wednesday, the company said.
Is Universal Orlando Resort closing for Hurricane Milton?
In this July 18, 2019, file photo, the three dimensional globe logo at Universal Studios, in Orlando, Fla.
Roberto Machado Noa/LightRocket via Getty Images, FILE
Universal Orlando announced Tuesday it will stay open until 2 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Oct. 9 and then close Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure and Universal CityWalk on Thursday, Oct. 10.
The resort also said it was canceling Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Florida and will fully close Universal Volcano Bay on both Wednesday, Oct. 9 and Thursday, Oct. 10.
“Our hotels remain operational as they focus on taking care of our guests,” Universal added on its website.
Universal Orlando said it plans to reopen by Friday, Oct. 11.
Editor’s Picks
Is SeaWorld Orlando closing for Hurricane Milton?
SeaWorld Orlando remained open on Tuesday, however its parent company, United Parks & Resorts Inc., stated that the park would close Wednesday, Oct. 9, and Thursday, Oct. 10, “to ensure the safety of our ambassadors, guests and animals.”
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include the latest park and National Hurricane Center information.
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