Just days after Hurricane Helene skirted the Florida coast, another named storm is forming in the Gulf of Mexico and has a projected path that is currently heading right for the state, and has Central Florida directly in its path.
STATUS
- Hurricane Milton: Category 5 Major Hurricane
- Orange County: Hurricane Warning
- Osceola County: Hurricane Warning
Theme Park Operations:
- Busch Gardens Tampa Bay: Closed Tuesday 10/8 – Thursday 10/10
- LEGOLAND Florida Resort: LEGOLAND Florida Closed 10/9 – 10/10, Peppa Pig Theme Park Closed 10/8 – 10/10, LEGOLAND Hotels operating at limited capacity.
- SeaWorld Orlando: OPEN, No Changes at this time
- Walt Disney World Resort: OPEN, Some hotel closures (details below) – WDW states they will be open on Tuesday, October 8th
- Universal Orlando Resort: OPEN, No Changes at this time
Airport Information:
- Tampa International Airport: Closing at 9:00 a.m. ET on Tuesday, 10/8
- Orlando International Airport: Ceasing commercial operations at 8:00 a.m. ET on Wednesday, 10/9
Milton Updates:
Monday 10/7/2024 at 6:15 PM ET
- Walt Disney World has stated that they are currently operating under normal conditions and will remain open on Tuesday, October 8th.
- However, the following resorts with “unique environments” will be temporarily closed beginning at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 9th:
- Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground (likely to remain closed until Sunday, Oct. 13th)
- Copper Creek Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge (will likely reopen on Friday, Oct. 11th)
- Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa (likely to remain closed until Sunday, Oct. 13th)
Monday 10/7/2024 at 5:00 PM ET
- The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has updated their forecast map for Hurricane Milton, still a major category 5 hurricane on track to make landfall on Florida’s west coast before making its way across the state, likely barreling right through Central Florida and Orlando.
- Most of the phones in Orange and Osceola county have alerted those in the area that we are now in an official Hurricane Warning.
- The times have been slightly adjusted as of this update, with the storm making landfall late in the evening, still forecasted to weaken to a Category 3 thanks to windshear north of the storm. The center of the storm will now pass through the Orlando area around late morning/early afternoon on Thursday. However, that is the center of the storm, outer bands of the storm will arrive in the region late Wednesday afternoon.
- Governor Ron DeSantis has also announced that tolls on roads in the Central Florida area have been lifted so that people can make plans and evacuate if needed.
- You can look at our list at the top of the page for the parks that have announced operational changes. Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando are still operating as scheduled at this time, though with Orange and Osceola counties now under a Hurricane Warning, we anticipate that will change in the near future.
Monday 10/7/2024 at 4:30 PM ET
- Busch Gardens Tampa Bay has announced that they will be closed on Tuesday, October 8th through Thursday, October 10th.
- The park advises that those planning to visit stay tuned to their social media for updates regarding park opening on Friday, October 11th.
- With the closure on Thursday 10th, the park is also canceling their popular Howl-O-Scream event for that night.
- Sister park, SeaWorld Orlando has not made any operational announcements at this time. Busch Garden’s adjacent water park Adventure Island had previously been and will remain closed as part of their seasonal operation calendar.
- Orange County mayor Jerry Demings has restated that the Orlando International Airport will cease commercial operations at some point on Wednesday morning, emphasizing that a specific time has yet to be determined. He has also stated that they do not know at this time when the airport will resume commercial operations.
Monday 10/7/2024 at 3:30 PM ET
- LEGOLAND Florida Resort, which includes Peppa Pig Theme Park and the LEGOLAND Hotel, has announced that they will be adjusting their operation as Milton draws near.
- Peppa Pig Theme Park will be closed starting tomorrow, Tuesday 10/8 through Thursday 10/10.
- LEGOLAND Florida will be closed on Wednesday 10/9 through Thursday 10/10.
- The LEGOLAND Hotel will remain open and operating at a limited capacity.
Monday 10/7/2024 at 130 PM ET:
- The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has upgraded the storm to a Category 5 major hurricane, following the projected path that takes it across the state and the Central Florida tourist area.
- While the forecasts do have the strength weakening as Milton approaches Florida, it is projected to be at a Category 2 or Category 1 strength still upon arriving in the Orlando area, effects of which will be seen well before based on the size of the storm, in the late afternoon and early evening on Wednesday, 10/9.
- At this time Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort still have not announced any changes in their operation, nor has LEGOLAND Florida, outside of announcements that they are monitoring the situation.
- Busch Gardens in Tampa Bay and SeaWorld Orlando have not made any statements regarding the storm.
- Orlando International Airport has announced that they will be ceasing commercial operations on Wednesday morning. If you are traveling in or out of the airport at that time, be sure to reach out to your airline.
Monday 10/7/2024 at 1140 AM ET:
- An Update from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) shows that Hurricane Milton is still a major category 4 storm moving towards the West Coast of Florida and projected to run through the central part of the state.
- With wind speeds constantly increasing as the storm grows intensity over the warm waters of the gulf, the NHC is predicting that the storm will reach a category 5 intensity.
- All the models seem to be in agreement that the storm will likely make landfall near the Tampa Bay area, in the evening of Wednesday, having weakened somewhat thanks to windshear to the north.
- Those further inland in Orlando should also be prepared for the storm, as the first portions of it will begin to arrive in the area in the late afternoon/early evening on Wednesday.
- Orange and Osceola Counties are currently under a Hurricane Watch
- As of this writing, Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, and LEGOLAND Florida Resort have all shared that they are monitoring the weather, but have made no operational changes at this time.
- The Orlando International Airport (MCO) has also stated that they too are monitoring the weather, sharing that meetings are being held today and tomorrow with airport leadership and partnering agencies.
- Tampa International Airport has announced that they will be suspending their flight operations tomorrow, Tuesday 10/8, at 9:00 AM.
Monday 10/7/2024 at 945 AM ET:
- Hurricane Milton is currently measured at a Major category 4 hurricane on approach to the West Coast of Florida.
- As the storm gets closer, areas on the coastline are entering into a “Hurricane Watch” status which will likely soon carry into the inland areas, including Central Florida and Orlando.
- Projections still show that the storm is likely going to make landfall near the Tampa Bay area and progress further across the state, going directly over Orlando before heading out into the Atlantic off the coast.
- Projections also indicate that the storm will likely make landfall as a Major Category 3 hurricane, weakening thanks to windshear to the north, with the forecast also weakening the storm to a category 1 as it moves across the state.
- Orlando is also expected to see the weather start to arrive in the area in the early evening of Wednesday, October 10th.
- At this time, Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort, and LEGOLAND Florida Resort have issued statements that they are monitoring the weather closely.
- Walt Disney World has also waived cancellation fees for those wishing to adjust travel during this time, with the official site saying “Due to potential weather impacts to guest travel plans, change and cancellation fees imposed by Disney will be waived for check-in dates of Sunday, 10/6 – Saturday, 10/12.”
- Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, SeaWorld Orlando, and the Orlando International Airport have not made any statements regarding their operation at this time.
Sunday 10/6/2024 at 505 PM ET:
- Hurricane Milton is strengthening rapidly, with the National Weather Service forecasting that at its peak intensity, Milton could be a Category 4 hurricane.
- However, current models show it weakening to a Category 3 when it makes landfall on the West Coast of Florida.
- Models still show the storm on a track that would take it on the path it has been on, barreling right across the state and through Central Florida, shifting slightly to the south with each new update, though that doesn’t mean the storm is guaranteed to stay on that track.
- Local news sources suggest that those in what is called the I-4 corridor from Tampa to Daytona (including the major Orlando tourist district that includes Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando, and a number of smaller attractions) should be taking preparations now.
- At this time, both Universal Orlando and Walt Disney World have shared that they are actively monitoring the situation, but have not made any operational changes at this time. Walt Disney World park reservations are still unavailable on 10/9
- Busch Gardens and SeaWorld Orlando have made no announcements regarding their operations.
Sunday 10/6/2024 at 345 PM ET:
- Tropical Storm Milton has been upgraded and is now Hurricane Milton as the storm continues to rapidly intensify in the Gulf Of Mexico.
- The storm is still projected to make landfall on Florida’s West Coast, engulfing most of the state, though its projected path did shift slightly to the south once again. Orlando and Central Florida are still centralized in the projected path of the storm, as the forecasted cone begins to narrow.
- Shortly after our last update, Walt Disney World issued an official statement, saying that they are monitoring the storm but park operations are continuing as scheduled at this time. They didn’t officially state this, but Park Reservations for 10/9 are still turned off and unavailable at this time.
Sunday 10/6/2024 at 12:30 PM ET:
- The latest update on Tropical Storm Milton has the storm projected to continue towards the West Coast of Florida through the Gulf of Mexico, making landfall anywhere from Crystal River to Naples at a high Category 2 or low Category 3 level hurricane in the evening on Wednesday, 10/9.
- Central Florida will still be impacted by the storm, despite the projected path shifting south.
- As of this update, Walt Disney World has made no official statements regarding park operations, however the ability to make park reservations for 10/9 has been turned off on the official Walt Disney World Website.
- Universal Orlando has shared that they are continuing to monitor the situation, but are still operating as normally scheduled at this time.
Saturday 10/5/2024 at 545 PM ET:
- The National Weather Service is reporting that a new storm forming in the Gulf of Mexico is potentially bee-lining right for Florida, with Central Florida squarely in the current projected path of the storm.
- They report: “Tropical Storm Milton is forecast to strengthen into a major hurricane as it moves toward Florida into midweek next week. Periods of locally heavy rainfall & a risk of flooding exists Sunday thru the middle of next week. Ready your hurricane preparedness kit and plan.”
- Current spaghetti models show multiple paths the storm could take, but all generally agree that Florida will be engulfed in the storm, with the storm potentially making landfall on Wednesday (10/9) on the West Coast of Florida, with models pointing out areas near Tampa and further south.
- A front north of the Gulf of Mexico is what is keeping this storm on this track, and reports suggest that while models show the storm could move in a southern direction, a northern shift is unlikely.
- It’s also always important to remember that the projections all focus on the center or “eye” of the storm, and don’t show how far the storm extends.
- Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has issued a State of Emergency for numerous counties in the state, including Orange and Osceola Counties.
- Currently, Orange and Osceola counties are in the path of the storm, and flood advisories have been issued for the area. These counties are home to the Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Orlando Resort, and SeaWorld Orlando. Other area parks, like LEGOLAND Florida and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay are also in the current projected path of the storm.
- No parks or destinations have made comments yet on their operations, but this is a developing story so stay tuned for further updates.