Florida’s Walt Disney World Resort has finally announced it’ll be closing for almost two days due to Hurricane Milton. The theme parks will shut down early afternoon on Wednesday and are expected to re-open on Friday at the earliest.
After previously announcing the temporary closure of low-lying and outdoor guest accommodations, Walt Disney World is now set to close Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park for the duration of Hurricane Milton.
Disney’s Latest Statement
We continue to closely monitor the path of Hurricane Milton. Based on the latest projection, we are making additional operational adjustments for the safety of our Guests and Cast Members beginning Wednesday, October 9.
The Walt Disney World Emergency Operations Center is connected to weather experts and community leaders. Please know these adjustments have been made in order to leave plenty of time for our Guests and Cast Members to return to their Resort hotels or homes safely hours before higher winds are expected to reach Central Florida.
Last updated on Tuesday, October 8, 2024 at 3:30 PM ET.
Operational Impacts include:
Walt Disney World Theme Parks
On Wednesday, October 9, our theme parks and Disney Springs will be closed in phases beginning at 1:00 PM.
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park will close at 1:00 PM
- Magic Kingdom park, EPCOT and Disney Springs will close at 2:00 PM.
It is likely the theme parks will remain closed on Thursday, October 10. We will consider opening Disney Springs on Thursday in the late afternoon, with limited offerings.
This includes the cancellation of Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom park on Thursday, October 10. Event tickets will be refunded.
Disney Resort Hotel Closures
Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground and the Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa will temporarily close beginning at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, October 9. They are likely to remain closed until Sunday, October 13.
Transportation
Walt Disney World Transportation will stop operating on Wednesday, October 9 after Disney Springs and the Walt Disney World theme parks close.
Limited Minnie Van and Mears taxi service will be available to Walt Disney World Resort Guests.
Recreation
Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park, Winter Summerland Miniature Golf and Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf will be closed on Wednesday, October 9. Disney’s Blizzard Beach water park remains closed for planned refurbishment.
There are no events planned for ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex until the weekend.
Reservations for Dining and Other Experiences
Effective immediately, we will not enforce cancellation policies until further notice for dining and other experiences.
Prepaid bookable experiences will be automatically refunded within 7 to 10 business days.
Important Details
All of Central Florida is now under a Hurricane Warning. Orlando-area airports are suspending operations of commercial flights tomorrow morning. Walt Disney World’s resort hotels are remaining partially-operational during the storm, protecting guests who have become stranded on-property. Walt Disney World is waiving cancellation fees and change fees for guests whose plans have been affected by the storm.
