Disney is preparing for Hurricane Milton by raising its drawbridges at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, as the storm is expected to impact the state.
Hurricane Milton is forecast to make landfall in Florida late Wednesday night or early Thursday morning as either a Category 3 or Category 4 storm, according to Florida Today.
A Disney representative told People that the company is “closely monitoring the path of the projected storm as we continue to prioritize the safety of our Guests and Cast Members.”
In a statement, the theme park announced that “on Wednesday, Oct. 9, our theme parks and Disney Springs will be closed in phases beginning at 1 p.m.”
The statement added that the parks would likely remain closed Thursday but may reopen in the afternoon depending on weather conditions.
Other theme parks in the area have also been affected. Universal Orlando, SeaWorld Orlando and Legoland Florida are all closing their doors, with most planning to stay closed Wednesday and Thursday.
October is one of the busiest times of the year for theme parks, with Halloween-themed festivities like Disney’s “Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party” and Universal’s “Halloween Horror Nights” drawing large crowds, according to The Associated Press.
Due to the hurricane, Disney is allowing guests to cancel or reschedule reservations if they were made through the company’s website.
Some visitors at Disney World are already finding their stays unexpectedly extended due to airport closures, while others are choosing to leave early to avoid the storm.
“We are disappointed but it’s kind of out of our hands at this point,” Zeb Downs told The Associated Press, contemplating leaving early with his family and driving the 21 hours back to their Arkansas residence.
Disney has closed its parks only 12 times in its 53-year history, according to People. This will mark the 10th time the parks have closed due to a hurricane, with the other two closures resulting from the 9/11 attacks and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The park typically recovers quickly after hurricanes pass.