Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, had closed its theme parks, water parks, and Disney Springs through Thursday, October 10, due to Hurricane Milton. After closing Wednesday afternoon due to heavy weather in central Florida, the parks will reopen on Friday. Since its debut in October 1971, Disney World has briefly closed 11 times in its existence. Hurricanes and other national situations have caused closures in the past.
Hurricane Milton hits Disney World in Orlando Florida ⚠️The park to remain closed with possible closures extending into the weekend ⚠️There has been talks online about possible alleged underground tunnels connected to Disney World used for child sex trafficking is this YAHWEH… pic.twitter.com/EoxesVZMLD
— GREEN AYCE (@Green_ayceUSA) October 10, 2024
Residents of Kentucky who have fall break visits planned to Disney World would want to keep a careful eye on the hurricane's progress. According to Disney's website, guests who make direct reservations are eligible for refunds if, within seven days of their arrival, the National Hurricane Center issues warnings for Orlando or their home. Additionally, guests can change the dates of their trip.
We live in SW Orlando near Disney World. Not much damage to report.Our neighbourhood gator is enjoying the higher water level in the pond though. pic.twitter.com/C1rXTJEuFW
— David Mullings (@davidmullings) October 10, 2024
Pictures purportedly depicting significant flooding surrounding Cinderella Castle in the Magic Kingdom went viral on social media on Thursday morning. Since then, it has been shown that these photos are false, and Disney World was closed to visitors throughout the hurricane. The AI-generated photos on X, formerly known as Twitter, are now marked as deceptive by the community remarks.
#WATCH : Hurricane Milton has flooded Disney World in Orlando#flwx#hurricane#Milton#HurricaneWarning#HurricaneAlert#HurricaneMilton#DisneyWorldpic.twitter.com/IbDsBQZjro
— upuknews (@upuknews1) October 10, 2024
Disney's theme parks in Orlando are hurricane-resistant, with structures designed to survive Category 3 storms. Cinderella Castle and Epcot's Spaceship Earth were created in accordance with strict building requirements, according to Orlando Weekly. Project manager Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur mentioned that the castle underwent improved weatherproofing as part of recent upgrades made in honor of Disney World's 50th anniversary. Because Disney's electricity infrastructure is underneath, there is less chance of power outages, which has made the resort a favored storm evacuation location for Floridians.
Disney has not yet provided a statement about any damage, despite the fact that no formal reports of flooding exist.