ORLANDO, Fla. – Hurricane Milton is predicted to strike Florida’s Gulf Coast later this week, with Orlando firmly in the crosshairs of the forecast track.
Ahead of Milton’s arrival, schools, airports and other attractions have announced closures to brace for the storm’s impact.
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Walt Disney World Resort announced on Monday morning, however, that it is still operating under normal conditions — at least for now.
“We are closely monitoring the path of the projected storm as we continue to prioritize the safety of our Guests and Cast Members,” Disney officials said in a statement.
Below is the hurricane policy for Walt Disney World:
“If a hurricane warning is issued by the National Hurricane Center for the Orlando area — or for your place of residence—within 7 days of your scheduled arrival date, you may reschedule or cancel your Walt Disney Travel Company Disney Resort hotel packages and most room-only reservations (booked directly with Disney) without any cancellation or change fees imposed by Disney. Most room-only and vacation packages can be modified, or canceled online, including changes to travel dates.
If you have products and services provided by third-party suppliers included in your vacation—such as air transportation, hotels, car rental agencies or travel insurance companies—you will continue to be responsible for any non-refundable payments, as well as cancellation or change fees assessed by those suppliers. The policy does not apply to certain special events or dining experiences.
This policy also applies to Disney’s Vero Beach Resort or Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort in the event a hurricane warning is issued for those destinations.
If you have questions, are unable to modify or cancel online or need additional help rescheduling your vacation due to a hurricane warning, please call (407) 939-7675. Guests under 18 years of age must have parent or guardian permission to call.”
Walt Disney World Hurricane Policy FAQ
While it doesn’t happen often, there have been hurricanes in the past that forced Walt Disney World to shut its doors. According to WDW Magazine, the following nine storms were responsible for shuttering the Disney theme parks:
- Hurricane Floyd: September 1999
- Hurricane Charley: August 2004
- Hurricane Frances: September 2004
- Hurricane Jeanne: September 2004
- Hurricane Matthew: October 2016
- Hurricane Irma: September 2017
- Hurricane Dorian: September 2019
- Hurricane Ian: September 2022
- Hurricane Nicole: November 2022
As of Monday, Milton strengthened to a Category 5 hurricane, though it’s expected to strike the Tampa Bay area as a Category 3 storm before crossing over the Orlando area as a Category 2 hurricane.
In the meantime, WKMG-TV will provide extended coverage to help keep the Central Florida community informed and safe. Click here for the latest coverage.