Walt Disney World Early Closures October 9th due to Hurricane Milton. Disney World Theme Parks and Disney Springs will be closing early on Wednesday, October 9th, 2024. Universal Orlando and Seaworld Orlando have already announced the parks will be closed on Oct 9th and 10th, and we have been waiting to see if Disney World would follow. So far we only know of early closures for October 9th, 2024.
As of right now, it looks like the timeline is as follows: Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom will close at 1 p.m. Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and Disney Springs will close at 2 p.m.
Monitoring Hurricane Milton
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.
Robert Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company, has also posted well wished to the cast members and people of Florida.
‘To everyone in Florida in Hurricane Milton’s
path, including our Disney colleagues and
their families, please stay safe!
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.
From the Walt Disney World Weather Website:
“We are closely monitoring the path of the projected storm, and the safety of our Guests and Cast Members remains our top priority. Walt Disney World Resort is currently operating under normal conditions and will continue to be on Tuesday, Oct. 8. Looking ahead, we are making adjustments based on the latest weather forecast and some areas with unique environments.
The Copper Creek Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge will likely reopen on Friday, Oct. 11.
Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground (including dining and recreation locations), the Copper Creek Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, and the Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa will temporarily close beginning at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, Oct. 9.
Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground and the Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa are likely to remain closed until Sunday, Oct. 13.”
Please understand we are NOT an official source of weather. Please go to your trusted source of weather information, the Flordia Gov Website, or the National Weather Service. If you are not a local to Florida and are visiting on vacation, here is a direct link to the Orange County, Florida Weather and Forecast from the National Weather Service. We also follow Mike’s Weather Page on Instagram. We are here to bring the information to people who are either here at Disney World and reading Disney-related news and information, or those who may be headed here.
MCO Orlando Airport has announced it will be closing on 10/9/2024 Here is the official statement: Together with our partners, a decision has been made to cease commercial operations on Wednesday morning, 10/09, until circumstances permit safe operations to resume. We will continue to monitor Hurricane Milton to determine the potential impact at MCO. We ask you to please continue to work with your airline directly in regard to your specific flight and follow our Facebook or X accounts for detailed operational updates. Click the link in today’s story for more information.
Tampa International is closing on Tuesday according to there site. Tampa International Airport will suspend operations early Tuesday ahead of Hurricane Milton. TPA plans to resume services as soon as it is safe to do so later this week, but passengers should check with their airlines regarding flight schedules
Legoland Florida has officially closed ahead of Hurricane Milton on October 9th and 10th, 2024.
Walt Disney World is under an official Hurricane Warning:
Hurricane Warning
Milton Local Watch/Warning Statement/Advisory Number 14
National Weather Service Melbourne FL AL142024
1100 AM EDT Tue Oct 8 2024
FLZ045-082300-
/O.CON.KMLB.HU.W.1014.000000T0000Z-000000T0000Z/
Orange-
1100 AM EDT Tue Oct 8 2024
...HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT...
* WIND
- LATEST LOCAL FORECAST: Equivalent Cat 1 Hurricane force wind
- Peak Wind Forecast: 55-75 mph with gusts to 95 mph
- Window for Tropical Storm force winds: early Thursday
morning until Thursday afternoon
- Window for Hurricane force winds: early Thursday morning
until Thursday morning
- THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY THAT INCLUDES TYPICAL FORECAST
UNCERTAINTY IN TRACK, SIZE AND INTENSITY: Potential for wind 74
to 110 mph
- The wind threat has remained nearly steady from the
previous assessment.
- PLAN: Plan for life-threatening wind of equivalent CAT 1 or
2 hurricane force.
- PREPARE: Remaining efforts to protect life and property
should be urgently completed. Prepare for considerable wind
damage.
- ACT: Move to safe shelter before the wind becomes hazardous.
- POTENTIAL IMPACTS: Extensive
- Considerable roof damage to sturdy buildings, with some
having window, door, and garage door failures leading to
structural damage. Mobile homes severely damaged, with some
destroyed. Damage accentuated by airborne projectiles.
Locations may be uninhabitable for weeks.
- Many large trees snapped or uprooted along with fences and
roadway signs blown over.
- Some roads impassable from large debris, and more within
urban or heavily wooded places. Several bridges, causeways,
and access routes impassable.
- Large areas with power and communications outages.
* FLOODING RAIN
- LATEST LOCAL FORECAST: Flood Watch is in effect
- Peak Rainfall Amounts: Additional 6-10 inches, with locally
higher amounts
- THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY THAT INCLUDES TYPICAL FORECAST
UNCERTAINTY IN TRACK, SIZE AND INTENSITY: Potential for extreme
flooding rain
- The flooding rain threat has remained nearly steady from
the previous assessment.
- PLAN: Emergency plans should include the potential for
extreme flooding from heavy rain. Evacuations and rescues
are likely.
- PREPARE: Urgently consider protective actions from extreme
and widespread rainfall flooding.
- ACT: Heed any flood watches and warnings. Failure to take
action will likely result in serious injury or loss of life.
- POTENTIAL IMPACTS: Devastating to Catastrophic
- Extreme rainfall flooding may prompt numerous evacuations
and rescues.
- Rivers and tributaries may overwhelmingly overflow their
banks in many places with deep moving water. Small streams,
creeks, canals, and ditches may become raging rivers. In
mountain areas, deadly runoff may rage down valleys while
increasing susceptibility to rockslides and mudslides.
Flood control systems and barriers may become stressed.
- Flood waters can enter numerous structures within multiple
communities, some structures becoming uninhabitable or
washed away. Numerous places where flood waters may cover
escape routes. Streets and parking lots become rivers of
raging water with underpasses submerged. Driving conditions
become very dangerous. Numerous road and bridge closures
with some weakened or washed out.
* TORNADO
- LATEST LOCAL FORECAST:
- Situation is favorable for tornadoes
- THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY THAT INCLUDES TYPICAL FORECAST
UNCERTAINTY IN TRACK, SIZE AND INTENSITY: Potential for several
tornadoes
- The tornado threat has remained nearly steady from the
previous assessment.
- PLAN: Emergency plans should include the potential for
several tornadoes with a few possibly intense having larger
damage paths.
- PREPARE: Those living in manufactured homes or on boats are
urged to relocate to safe shelter before hazardous weather
arrives.
- ACT: Listen for tornado watches and warnings. If a tornado
warning is issued, be ready to shelter quickly.
- POTENTIAL IMPACTS: Significant
- The occurrence of scattered tornadoes can hinder the
execution of emergency plans during tropical events.
- Several places may experience tornado damage with a few
spots of considerable damage, power loss, and
communications failures.
- Locations could realize roofs torn off frame houses, mobile
homes demolished, boxcars overturned, large trees snapped
or uprooted, vehicles tumbled, and small boats tossed
about. Dangerous projectiles can add to the toll.
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