Walt Disney World, other theme parks to close ahead of Hurricane Milton

Hurricane Milton is heading toward central Florida, and several of Orlando’s theme parks are set to close before it makes landfall.

Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for much of Florida’s west coast to prepare for Milton, which is the first major hurricane to directly hit the Tampa area in more than a century.

Forecasters initially predicted the storm would be a Category 3, but it intensified quickly over the Gulf of Mexico and became a Category 5 hurricane, the strongest designation.

The Tampa and Sarasota areas are expected to see 10 to 15-foot storm surges and officials are warning that if people don’t evacuate, they could die.

Walt Disney World

Walt Disney World said in a release Tuesday evening that it was closely monitoring the incoming storm and it would be closing its theme parks in Florida beginning in phases at 1 p.m. Wednesday.

“It is likely the theme parks will remain closed on Thursday, October 10. We will consider opening Disney Springs on Thursday in the late afternoon, with limited offerings,” the company said.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom theme parks will close at 1 p.m. Wednesday and Magic Kingdom, EPCOT and Disney Springs will close at 2 p.m. Transportation will stop operating on Wednesday after the theme parks close.

The Typhoon Lagoon water park, Winter Summerland Miniature Golf and Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf will also be closed Wednesday. Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom, scheduled for Thursday, is canceled and tickets will be refunded.

Several resort hotels will also be closed beginning Wednesday at 11 a.m. and are likely to remain closed until Sunday, Oct. 13, Disney said.

The company said it will not enforce cancellation policies until further notice for dining reservations and other experiences. Refunds for prepaid experiences will be automatically refunded in 10 days.

Universal Studios

Universal Orlando Resort is also making operational changes due to the hurricane.

Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure and Universal CityWalk will be open until 2 p.m. on Wednesday and closed on Thursday, the company said in a release Tuesday afternoon.

Some experiences on Wednesday may be limited as the park prepares to close early. The company said hours of operation are subject to change based on if the forecast is altered.

The park’s Halloween Horror Night will be canceled Wednesday and Thursday. The Universal Volcano Bay will also be closed Oct. 9 and 10.

Universal said its hotels will remain operational to “focus on taking care of our guests.”

The company said it anticipates a full reopening on Friday, Oct. 11 “pending the outcome of storm impacts.”

More information is available online for guests who had booked tickets or events for the days that the park is closed.

United Parks and Resorts

United Parks and Resorts said in an alert that precautions are in place to ensure the safety of its animals and staff.

“We will continue to monitor the storm and guests are encouraged to check back here and follow our social media channels for updates,” the company said.

Busch Gardens Tampa is closed Wednesday and Thursday. The park’s Howl-O-Scream event is canceled Thursday, but tickets may be used for any remaining event nights.

Adventure island remains running on its seasonal schedule without any changes currently, the company said.

SeaWorld Orlando, Aquatica Orlando and Discovery Cove will be closed Wednesday and Thursday.