Orlando-area theme parks Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort and SeaWorld will close as Hurricane Milton continues to advance towards the Florida coast.
Phased closures Wednesday at Disney
Walt Disney World said theme parks and Disney Springs will close in phases beginning Wednesday, Oct. 9: Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom will close at 1 p.m. and the Magic Kingdom, Epcot and Disney Springs will close at 2 p.m. It said it was "likely" the parks would remain closed on Thursday, Oct. 10, though it said it may reopen Disney Springs late Thursday with limited offerings.
The Typhoon Lagoon water park and mini-golf courses will be closed Wednesday. Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party was canceled for Thursday.
Disney also said park transportation would cease operations Wednesday after the theme parks close, though limited Minnie Van and Mears taxi service will be available to resort guests.
Universal Orlando closures
At Universal Orlando Resort, Universal Studios Florida, Islands and Adventure and Universal CityWalk will close Wednesday at 2 p.m. and remain closed on Thursday. Volcano Bay will be closed all-day Wednesday and Thursday; Halloween Horror Nights was canceled for Wednesday and Thursday.
Universal said hotels remained operational.
SeaWorld and Busch Gardens closures
SeaWorld Orlando, meanwhile, said it would close Wednesday and Thursday. United Parks & Resorts has announced closures
its other attractions; Discovery Cove and Aquatica Orlando will also be closed Wednesday and Thursday. In Tampa, Busch Gardens was closed Tuesday through Wednesday.
Legoland, too, will be closed Wednesday and Thursday, and it said hotel operations would continue with limited capacity.
The closures come as Orlando International Airport planned to cease commercial operations on Wednesday morning, ahead of the hurricane's expected arrival.
On Monday night, Disney said that its Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, including dining and recreation areas; the Copper Creek Cabins at Disney's Wilderness Lodge; and the Treehouse Villas at Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa will close at 11 a.m. Wednesday. It said Fort Wilderness and the Treehouse Villas were likely to remain closed until Sunday; the Copper Creek Cabins could reopen Friday.
This report was updated to include closure information at major Orlando theme parks.