World
Disney World Says Theme Parks Will Reopen Friday After Hurricane Milton
Topline
Walt Disney World’s theme parks will reopen Friday, it announced on its website, after the popular theme parks closed Wednesday afternoon and Thursday as central Florida was hit by Hurricane Milton.
Walt Disney World guests walk along Main Street U.S.A. at Magic Kingdom Park on May 31 in Orlando, … [+]
Key Facts
All of Walt Disney World’s four theme parks and the Disney Springs shopping area will reopen Friday, Disney said on the resort’s website, along with “possibly other areas.”
Disney announced Tuesday its theme parks and Disney Springs would close Wednesday afternoon ahead of Milton making landfall, with the parks remaining closed Thursday after the storm passed through the area Wednesday night and early Thursday morning.
The resort also closed its water park Typhoon Lagoon and miniature golf courses, and has not announced yet when those will reopen.
While Disney kept its hotels largely open to guests during the storm, it did close its Fort Wilderness campground and villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Saratoga Springs resorts, with Disney saying on its website Thursday those areas are likely to remain closed until Sunday.
Disney has not yet responded to a request for comment on whether the resort suffered any damage during Hurricane Milton.
Big Number
$150 million to $200 million. That’s how much Hurricane Milton and the resulting closures could cost Disney’s parks division this quarter, Goldman Sachs projected Tuesday before the storm made landfall. That would surpass the $100 million toll Disney reported Hurricane Irma took on the company in 2017, when the parks were closed for two days.
Did Walt Disney World Flood During Hurricane Milton?
Images purporting to show severe flooding at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom Park went viral on social media Thursday morning. While Disney has not yet commented on the extent of any flooding or damage it suffered during the storm, no flooding has been reported and those images are fake: the view it depicts of the park’s Cinderella Castle is false, and the theme park was closed to guests when the hurricane was underway, so no photos could have been taken. Community notes have been added to posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, sharing the images to note they’re AI-generated.
Surprising Fact
Walt Disney World’s theme parks are at low risk of suffering severe damage during hurricanes, with Orlando Weekly reporting in 2019 that the theme parks’ buildings are subject to special building codes that are more stringent than for traditional structures. Major Disney structures like the castle and Epcot’s Spaceship Earth are designed to withstand at least a Category 3 storm with no preparation, according to Orlando Weekly, and project manager Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur told the Orlando Sentinel that new additions to the castle made for Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary were designed to “handle any hurricane.” Disney’s power lines are also located underground, decreasing the likelihood of power outages. The resort and its hotels have become a well-known place for Floridians to evacuate to during hurricanes given the property’s ability to withstand severe weather.
News Peg
Hurricane Milton made landfall Wednesday night as a Category 3 storm, passing through central Florida—where Walt Disney World is located—before leaving the state and going back out to sea Thursday morning through the state’s eastern coast. Millions are still without power Thursday in the state and at least 10 people have died from the storm and tornadoes that preceded landfall. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday the state avoided the “worst case scenario” of the storm’s impacts, but the full scope of the storm’s impact is still being assessed.
Further Reading
Georgia Senate study panel considers restrictions on trans women’s college sports participation • Georgia Recorder
.jpg "Erdem’s CEO on how to thrive as an independent fashion brand")
Erdem’s CEO on how to thrive as an independent fashion brand
Athletes see climate change as threatening their sports and their health. Some are speaking up
Athletes see climate change as threatening their sports and their health. Some are speaking up – WTOP News
Avoid doing these gym exercises now! Orthopaedic doctor reveals exercises that do more harm; the answers may shock you
2026 World Cup: When can tickets be bought and how much will they cost?
With ‘Wicked,’ Fashion Tests the Limits of the ‘Barbie’ Model
Downtown Lincoln businesses hold holiday season shopping events
Your guide to Hong Kong shopping this weekend, November 22-24
