Hurricane Milton has strengthened into a Category 5 storm that the National Hurricane Center is currently forecasting to make landfall in Florida near Tampa Bay with a projected path through Orlando. Walt Disney World has started to announce resort closures & adjustments as a result of the storm–here are updates on all of the changes, policies, impacts and more.
With regard to the storm system itself, Hurricane Milton was upgraded to a Category 5 storm system with 180 mph winds on Monday, and is forecast to remain a dangerous major hurricane ahead of landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast on Wednesday. The National Hurricane Center warns that Milton is a potentially catastrophic hurricane at the top of its wind scale.
All of Walt Disney World is now under a hurricane warning, as both Osceola and Orange Counties have been upgraded from watch status to fully-fledged hurricane warnings. As of the NHC’s latest update, Hurricane Milton was located 675 miles southwest of Tampa, moving east at 10 mph. The intensity forecast projects it to grow even more with sustained winds of 185 mph and gusts of 225 mph, and then weakening before it makes landfall in Florida. As of the latest update at 5 pm on October 7, 2024 from the National Hurricane Center, here are the key messages for Hurricane Milton…
Milton is expected to grow in size and remain an extremely dangerous hurricane when it approaches the west coast of Florida on Wednesday. A large area of destructive storm surge will occur along parts of the west coast of Florida on Wednesday. This is an
extremely life-threatening situation and residents in those areas should follow advice given by local officials and evacuate immediately if told to do so.
Potentially devastating hurricane-force winds are expected along portions of the west coast of Florida where a Hurricane Warning is
in effect. Milton is forecast to remain a hurricane as it crosses the Florida Peninsula and life-threatening hurricane-force winds,
especially in gusts, are expected to spread inland across a portion of the entire Florida Peninsula. Preparations to protect life and
property in the warning areas should be complete by Tuesday night since tropical storm conditions are expected to begin within this
area early Wednesday.
Areas of heavy rainfall will impact portions of Florida today well ahead of Milton, with heavy rainfall more directly related to the system expected later on Tuesday through Wednesday night. This rainfall will bring the risk of considerable flash, urban, and areal flooding, along with the potential for moderate to major river flooding.
For the most, it’s currently business as usual at Walt Disney World. As of right now, the company has not indicated that it plans on closing Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, or Disney Springs. However, there are other closures and less significant operational impacts due to Hurricane Milton.
Walt Disney World has launched its weather updates page with the following banner: “Walt Disney World Resort is currently operating under normal conditions. We are closely monitoring the path of the projected storm as we continue to prioritize the safety of our Guests and Cast Members.”
With that said, we do have a couple of material updates. The first is that Walt Disney World has extended its hurricane policy. This had been informally instituted on Saturday into early Sunday on a case-by-case basis, and was officially enacted on Sunday afternoon for all guests wanting to cancel their vacations through at least October 12, 2024. Now, that has been officially extended to through at least October 13, 2024.
Due to potential weather impacts to guest travel plans, change and cancellation fees imposed by Disney will be waived for check-in dates through Sunday, October 13, 2024.
Most room-only and vacation packages can be modified, or cancelled online, including changes to travel dates, without fees. Packages including air transportation or other services provided by third parties, or those with travel protection, cannot be modified or cancelled online. For Guests with these reservations, please call us for assistance.
Unofficially, it’s also likely that guests currently staying at Walt Disney World resort hotels whose travel plans are impacted by Hurricane Milton may receive a discounted rate to extend their stay, if needed, by visiting the front desk. Prior to this, Walt Disney World blocked new bookings over the weekend. Between that and cancellations, there should be wide open availability for those who need to extend or evacuate from the coast.
Additionally, Walt Disney World has announced that it is currently operating under normal conditions and will continue to be on Tuesday, October 8, 2024. This suggests that, at present, Disney does not plan on closing the parks early on Tuesday afternoon or evening.
Looking ahead, Walt Disney World is making adjustments based on the latest weather forecast and some areas with unique environments. The following resorts will temporarily close beginning at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, October 9, 2024:
- Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground
- Cascade Cabins at Copper Creek Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
- Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
Note that Wilderness Lodge and Saratoga Springs Resort are not closing–just the rustic cabins that are nestled in wooded areas at each resort.
Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground and the Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa are likely to remain closed until Sunday, October 13, 2024. The Copper Creek Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge will likely reopen on Friday, October 11, 2024.
The reopening timeline for these resorts remains tentative, and subject to safety conditions. Guests who need assistance in booking alternative accommodations at another Disney Resort hotel should call 407-939-2744.
It’s worth emphasizing that Walt Disney World currently intends upon operating under normal conditions on Tuesday. With past hurricanes or tropical storms, it’s become commonplace for the parks to close early, often with a same-day announcement. Walt Disney World’s intention is to operate as normal, but safety comes first in the order of the Four Keys.
We still think there’s a reasonable chance that Walt Disney World will cancel Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. It really depends upon the forecast for rain, which is currently a bit spotty. If Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party looks like it’s going to be a total rainout–with both parades, stage shows and other entertainment almost certainly cancelled–they’ll probably just cut their losses and cancel it preemptively.
In past such scenarios, we’ve seen one of two things happen: either hour-plus lines at City Hall with guests requesting refunds or Walt Disney World getting ahead of that by simply offering them automatically because they anticipated as much. That seems possible with tomorrow night’s MNSSHP, so Disney might just go ahead and cancel it. That might disappoint guests today, but it beats wasting everyone’s time and even more money to host the event only to end up disappointing them tomorrow.
That’s it in terms of official announcements or changes from Walt Disney World. At least, for now. There absolutely will be operational changes, cancellations, and closures. That will happen, without a doubt, given Milton’s strength and tracking.
The bulk of Hurricane Milton’s impact on Central Florida is forecast to be felt late on Wednesday and into Thursday, so the company likely views it as premature for any announcements about operations. While this is a bit frustrating given the consensus models on Milton, it’s also understandable given that Disney has been burned by past storms shifting at the last minute. Our expectation is that Walt Disney World will announce a closure of the parks on early Tuesday, as it becomes increasingly clear that Milton will pose an actual threat–beyond just wet weather and wind–to Walt Disney World.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Are you concerned that Hurricane Milton will impact Walt Disney World? Are you currently in Central Florida? Have you visited during past tropical storms or hurricanes? Any additional info, thoughts, or first-hand experiences to share about riding out a hurricane at Walt Disney World? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
