Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando are set to shut down operations this week as Hurricane Milton approaches Florida. The storm, now back at Category 5 storm, is expected to make landfall late Wednesday, prompting the closure of two of the state’s most iconic theme parks.
Disney announced it will close its parks in phases, starting with Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom at 1 p.m. on Wednesday. Shortly after, Magic Kingdom and Epcot will follow suit, shutting their gates at 2 p.m.
“There is a high chance that the parks will remain closed on Thursday, October 10,” Disney shared in an official statement. “We are evaluating the possibility of opening Disney Springs in the late afternoon, but with limited offerings.”
Disney’s water parks are also shutting down ahead of the storm, and the beloved Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party scheduled for Thursday at Magic Kingdom has been canceled. While the theme park’s resorts will remain open to guests, some accommodations, including Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground and the Treehouse Villas at Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, will temporarily close for safety.
Over at Universal, a similar shutdown is in place. Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, and Universal CityWalk will close at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, with plans to remain closed throughout Thursday. The park’s popular Halloween Horror Nights will be canceled on both Wednesday and Thursday. Despite the closures, Universal’s resort hotels are set to stay open, and both parks hope to resume operations by Friday.
These closures are rare occurrences, as Disney World has only shut down a handful of times over its 50-year history, almost exclusively due to hurricanes. The only other major closures happened during the COVID-19 pandemic and after the tragic events of 9/11.
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