NEWS: Disney World Parks Closing Due To Hurricane Milton

As Florida braces for Hurricane Milton, numerous Orlando area attractions have announced closures. Now, Disney World is also joining the list of locations adjusting its operations due to the incoming severe weather.

Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall on the west coast of Florida early Thursday morning. The storm is expected to bring heavy rain and strong winds to the Disney World area.

Disney World just announced closures on Wednesday, October 9th due to Hurricane Milton. The theme parks and Disney Springs will be closed in phases beginning at 1PM. Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom will close at 1PM, and Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and Disney Springs will close at 2PM.

Disney World announced that the theme parks will likely remain closed on Thursday, October 10th. They will continue to monitor the storm, but Disney Springs may reopen late Thursday afternoon with limited offerings.

Additionally, this includes the cancelation of Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom on October 10th. If you have tickets for that party, you will be refunded.

Walt Disney World Transportation will stop operating on October 9th after Disney Springs and the theme parks close. Limited Minnie Van and Mears taxi service will be available to Walt Disney World Resort Guests.

Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon, Winter Summerland Miniature Golf, and Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf will be closed on Wednesday, October 9th. Disney’s Blizzard Beach remains closed for planned refurbishment.

Although announced previously, Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground and the Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa will temporarily close beginning at 11AM on Wednesday, October 9th. Currently, they are anticipated to remain closed through October 13th.

Disney will not enforce cancelation policies for dining reservations and other experiences until further notice. Any pre-paid bookable experiences will be automatically refunded within 7-10 business days. Disney World has also waived change and cancelation fees for hotels for check-in dates between October 8th through October 14th. 

Disney World joins Universal Orlando Resort which also announced an early closure at 2PM on October 9th for Islands of Adventure, Universal Studios, and Universal CityWalk. These areas will be closed on October 10th. Universal Volcano Bay will be closed on both October 9th and October 10th.

SeaWorld Orlando will also be closing for the storm. SeaWorld Orlando, Aquatica Water Park, and Discovery Cove will all be closed on both October 9th and October 10th. The Orlando International Airport will also be ceasing operations beginning at 8AM on October 9th.

UPDATE: 

As of 12PM on October 9th, 2024, several Disney World restaurants announced temporary closures:

• Raglan Road: Closed “until further notice”
• The Boathouse: Closed Wednesday and Thursday
• Jellyrolls Dueling Piano Showcase: Closed Wednesday, October 9th
• Everglazed Donuts & Cold Brew: Open 9AM-2PM on Wednesday, October 9th

UPDATE:

Disney added a new statement to the Disney World website on October 9th. The resort confirmed that the theme parks and Disney Springs will remain closed on Thursday, October 10th. Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is canceled, and all event tickets will be refunded. For those with a partially-used multi-day ticket, the expiration dates will be modified to expire on October 11th, 2025.

Stay tuned to AllEars as we continue to monitor Hurricane Milton, and we will provide updates on additional closures.

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