Hurricane Milton: Disney World is CLOSING on October 9, Universal Orlando, Too!

Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort are both announcing closures due to Hurricane Milton.

If you were planning on a fun-filled day at Walt Disney World or Universal Orlando this week, Hurricane Milton might have other plans. Thanks to the incoming menace, Hurricane Milton—currently a Category 5 (yeah, yikes)—both parks are making some serious adjustments to keep everyone safe.

Here is a complete updated list of known Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort closures as of 4:16 p.m. …

Walt Disney World:

• Theme Parks and Disney Springs: Closing in phases on Wednesday, October 9.
  • Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Closing at 1 p.m.
  • Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and Disney Springs: Closing at 2 p.m.
  • Likely to remain closed on Thursday, October 10, with Disney Springs potentially reopening in the late afternoon with limited offerings.
  • Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party on October 10 is canceled, and tickets will be refunded.
• Transportation: Walt Disney World transportation services will stop once the parks and Disney Springs close on October 9.
  • Limited Minnie Van and Mears taxi services will still be available.
• Water Parks and Mini-Golf:
  • Typhoon Lagoon, Winter Summerland Miniature Golf, and Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf will be closed on October 9.
  • Blizzard Beach remains closed for planned refurbishment.
• Hotel Closures: Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, Copper Creek Cabins, and Treehouse Villas will close at 11 a.m. on October 9.
• Dining and Bookable Experiences: Cancellation policies have been paused, and pre-paid experiences will be automatically refunded within 7-10 business days.
• Hotel Reservations: Paused for October 9-10, with park reservations blocked.

New Announcement: Disney has confirmed that all theme park closures and event cancellations, including Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, will be honored, with refunds being issued.

Universal Orlando Resort:

• Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, and CityWalk: Open until 2 p.m. on Wednesday, October 9, and closed all day on Thursday, October 10.
  • Note: Operational hours for Wednesday are subject to change based on weather conditions, and some attractions may have limited availability as they prepare for early closures.
• Volcano Bay: Closed all day on October 9 and October 10.
• Halloween Horror Nights: Canceled for October 9-10.
• Hotels: Remain operational, focusing on guest care throughout the storm.
• Reopening: Universal Orlando plans to fully reopen on Friday, October 11, including Halloween Horror Nights, pending storm impacts.

So if you’re still thinking about braving the parks (bless your adventurous soul), keep an eye on updates because things can change fast. In the meantime, maybe swap those park plans for a cozy hurricane movie marathon, preferably something less apocalyptic than what the weather is throwing at Florida right now.

Stay safe out there!