Fun seeking vacationers were stranded at the Walt Disney Holiday Resort in Florida after category 3 Hurricane Milton swept through some parts of the state on October 9. Footage from Disney World showed wind moving at over 100mph as tornadoes accompanied the already terrifying weather.
Some of those present at the resort took to social media to share their experience, including one TikTok user who claimed to be safe in their room at Art of Animation. They made videos showing swaying trees and battered windows and showed off the lunch boxes provided by Disney hotel staff.
Disney parks had to close
@justthemeparks Hurricane Milton is here at Walt Disney World! We’re staying safe in our room at the Art of Animation & hope everyone else in Florida is safe too! We’d also like to say a huge thank you to all the cast members who are working through the hurricane and those who kept the Magic Kingdom open this morning! The small queue’s definitely helped distract us! ❤️😂 Trust us to time our vacation during a hurricane! 🌀 #hurricanemilton #wdw #waltdisneyworld #artofanimation #disneyparks #themeparks ♬ original sound – justthemeparks
Disney World made the rare decision to close the park due to weather, instructing guests to stay safe indoors or within the building from 8:30 pm. They also shut down the water parks and Disney Springs, promising to reopen the following day.
Goldman Sachs projected on Tuesday that Disney might lose between $150 million and $200 million this quarter from their park closure due to the ensuing hurricanes. The location is known to host over 50 million tourists every year, making billions every quarter.
The public reacts to videos from the resort
Videos from Orlando, Florida sparked reactions online from Disney World lovers as they expressed their concern for those who did not have hotel rooms. “My question is what did they do for the people in the fort wilderness campground resort who had campers and tents????” someone protested.
Another accused the company of caring only about money, noting that an immediate reopening after such a disaster was wrong. “Let me know how it is in the morning, we are supposed to be there Friday,” a concerned person asked ahead of their upcoming trip to the park.