Before Hurricane Milton arrives in Florida, Disney World in Orlando is still open

There’s a hurricane coming, and that undoubtedly means these questions are being asked: Where is it going and will Disney World in Florida close?

Less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene’s destructive fury hit parts of Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina, weather experts were tracking Tropical Storm Milton.

As of Sunday, October 6, the National Hurricane Center declared Milton to strengthen into a hurricane, warning that the storm was expected to become a Category 3 hurricane before making landfall in the Tampa, Florida area on Wednesday.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency in several counties on Saturday (see below), including Orange County, home to Orlando’s theme parks.

Walt Disney World Resort was open Sunday, although it would be a rainy day experience for theme park guests (see live weather radar below).

Here’s a look at what we know about potential Hurricane Milton, how to track Milton’s path, and Walt Disney World Resort’s severe weather policies.

Will a potential Hurricane Milton close Disney World in Orlando?

As of 9 a.m. on Sunday, October 6, Disney had posted a hurricane update on its Disney World Weather Updates and Information page: “To ensure you have a magical visit to Walt Disney World Resort, we We encourage you to prepare for local climate and check the weather forecast for Central Florida. Check back for important weather updates.

“In the event of a tropical storm, hurricane or other severe weather in Central Florida, please visit this page for important information and updates – and any impact it may have on Walt Disney World Resort. Some resort experiences may be delayed, postponed or canceled due to severe weather conditions.

The theme park, which includes Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot and Hollywood Studios, has created a Disney World FAQ page regarding hurricanes. Regarding cancellations and rescheduling of Disney vacations, the theme park giant says this: “If a hurricane warning is issued by the National Hurricane Center for the Orlando area – or for your location – within 7 days following your scheduled arrival date, you can reschedule or cancel your Walt Disney Travel Co. Disney Resort hotel packages and most room-only reservations (booked directly with Disney) without cancellation or change fees imposed by Disney Most room only and vacation packages can be changed or canceled online, including changes to travel dates.

Cancellations and postponements due to hurricanes apply to Disney tickets purchased through a third-party site: “If you have products and services provided by third-party suppliers included in your vacation – such as air travel, hotels, rental agencies car or travel insurance companies – you will continue to be responsible for any non-refundable payments, as well as cancellation or change fees assessed by these providers. The policy does not apply to certain special events or experiences. culinary.

The policy also applies to Disney’s Vero Beach Resort and Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort in the event a hurricane warning is issued for those destinations, the site states.

To change, cancel or get help rescheduling a Disney vacation due to a hurricane warning, guests can call 407-939-7675.

On Saturday, October 5, Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency in several Florida counties ahead of Hurricane Milton, which could bring Category 3 winds and flooding to already severely damaged Gulf Coast communities and beyond. The Florida counties included in the emergency declaration span the entire peninsula. They are:

Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, DeSoto, Flagler, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola , Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Sumter and Volusia.

Where is Milton located? Will Tropical Storm Milton impact Florida?

Yes. Expect life-threatening storm surge and hurricane-force winds along the Panhandle coast and the western Gulf Coast of Florida. Heavy rain, flash flooding and the potential for tropical tornadoes are also expected.

Don’t focus on the center of the storm. The impacts will be felt hundreds of kilometers away, particularly on the north and east sides, due to the outer bands.

➤ For more details on impacts and timeline of impacts in Florida

Weather Radar: Will we have showers, thunderstorms, rain in Florida today?

Shown is the National Weather Service radar for the southeastern United States, which displays real-time conditions. The current date and time are displayed at the bottom right of this built-in radar; otherwise, you may need to clear your cache.

Stay informed. Receive weather alerts by SMS

Contributors: John Gallas, USA TODAY Network-Florida, and Jim Rosica, Democrat of Tallahassee

Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network-Florida. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Will Disney World and Epcot close when Milton makes landfall in Florida?