Disney under fire for keeping Orlando park open despite Hurricane Milton warnings

Walt Disney World in Florida has remained open to the public as of Monday, prompting some online to criticize the theme park giant since Hurricane Milton is on a collision course with Orlando.

Disney World has taken some steps to prepare for the hurricane though, including barring people from making park reservations for Tuesday and Wednesday this week. 

Milton strengthened into a Category 4 storm Monday morning and is expected to slam into the western Florida coast on Wednesday morning, impacting many of the same communities that were devastated by Hurricane Helene just two weeks ago.

Governor Ron DeSantis has already issued a state of emergency in dozens of Florida counties, including Orange and Osceola counties - where Disney World is located.

Disney World has a track record of rarely closing, and so far, the company hasn't indicated that the Magic Kingdom's doors will shutter for Milton's arrival.

'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,' according to a Sunday statement from Disney World.

The fact that Disney World isn't already closed is irking some on social media, one of whom accused Disney of prioritizing profits over people.

'Will the Disney corporation choose "magic" over margins of hurricane Milton?' one person wrote on X. 'Will the most "magical" place on earth bow to the fury of nature?'

Another wrote: 'Cat 3 when it hits Tampa and they're still talking about opening. Smh..Disney don't give a damn.'

The park is expected to get hit with the worst weather from Milton on Wednesday evening through Thursday. Winds could be as high as 65 miles per hour and 5 to 8 inches of rain is expected, according to a WESH 2 forecast. 

Customers who are already at the sprawling resort have been warned that severe weather could cause certain experiences to be delayed, rescheduled or cancelled.

Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party was canceled during Hurricane Helene for example.

People who have reservations to go to Disney World this week and want to avoid the high winds and likely travel delays do have the opportunity to cancel or reschedule their trip.

'If a hurricane warning is issued by the National Hurricane Center for the Orlando area - or for your place of residence - within 7 days of your scheduled arrival date, you may reschedule or cancel your Walt Disney Travel Company Disney Resort hotel packages and most room only reservations (booked directly with Disney) without any cancellation or change fees imposed by Disney,' according to an FAQ on Disney's website.

Disney World has closed less than a dozen times for hurricanes and national emergencies since it opened in 1971, Florida Today reported.

The last time it closed was in September 2022 for Hurricane Ian, which cut through the northern tip of Cuba then slammed into Tampa and Orlando before coming to rest in North Carolina.

Disney World also closed during the Covid-19 pandemic from May 15, 2020, to July 11, 2020.