As Hurricane Milton strengthens in the Gulf of Mexico and approaches Florida, Orlando theme parks are closely monitoring its progress.
Late Monday morning, Milton became a Category 5 storm, with maximum sustained winds reaching 180 mph by evening, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Milton comes just 11 days after Hurricane Helen made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend area as a Category 4 storm. According to the Associated Press, more than 230 people died because of Helen.
Check back here to see which theme parks are open, closed, or affected by the recent storms.
Is Walt Disney World closed due to Hurricane Milton?
Magic Kingdom guests take off their ponchos at Cinderella Castle as Hurricane Helen moves into Walt Disney World on September 26, 2024 in Bay Lake, Florida.
Joe Burbank/Associated Press
The Walt Disney World Resort is currently operating as usual, but as of 6 p.m. ET on Monday, its website says that staff are “based on the latest weather forecasts and some areas with unique circumstances. “We are making adjustments,” he said.
Changes include changes to Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground (including dining and recreation locations), Copper Creek Cabin at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, and Tree at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa. That includes temporarily closing House Villas starting at 11 a.m. ET on Wednesday. , October 9th.
The resort announced that the treehouse villas at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground and Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa will likely remain closed until Sunday, October 13. Meanwhile, Copper Creek Cabin at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge has announced that it will likely reopen on Friday, October 13th. 11.
“We are closely monitoring the expected path of the storm, and the safety of our guests and Cast Members remains our top priority,” the resort added.
Is Universal Orlando Resort closed due to Hurricane Milton?
Like Disney, Universal Orlando is currently operating with normal operating procedures.
“At this time, park operations and hours continue as normal. We are closely monitoring the weather,” Universal said on its website.
Will SeaWorld Orlando be closed due to Hurricane Milton?
SeaWorld in Orlando also opened to park patrons starting early Monday afternoon.
“At this time, SeaWorld Orlando remains open as we continue to monitor the situation,” SeaWorld said in an update to its website.
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