As major airports and tourist attractions in Florida reopened on Friday, rescue crews continued to pull people from floodwaters, while over 2 million homes and businesses remained without power after Hurricane Milton caused widespread devastation across the state.
Milton made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane with 120 mph winds on Wednesday night, carving a destructive path across Florida. Coastal and inland areas were drenched with heavy rain and storm surge, while powerful winds led to blackouts and hurled large sailboats into front yards.
The hurricane also triggered a deadly tornado outbreak that claimed the lives of at least six people in St. Lucie County, on Florida’s east coast. National Weather Service crews were expected to assess the damage on Friday and determine how many tornadoes had occurred. The storm was responsible for at least 17 deaths statewide.
Tampa Bay, which is vulnerable to storm surge, avoided the worst-case scenario as Milton shifted south, pulling water away from the shore. However, the winds still caused significant damage, including a crane crashing into a downtown office building and the roof of Tropicana Field, home to the Tampa Bay Rays, being torn off.
On Friday, flooding and fallen trees rendered many roads across the state impassable, while cresting rivers triggered evacuations and ongoing rescue operations.
“There’s a lot of damage, and a lot that needs to be done,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a Friday news conference. “We didn’t get the worst-case scenario, but we did get hit, and we’re going to have to work to bounce back.”
Walt Disney World officially reopened on Friday. The theme parks and resorts had temporarily closed on Wednesday afternoon, just hours before Milton made landfall near Siesta Key as a Category 3 hurricane. They remained closed through Thursday as the storm moved away from Florida and into the Atlantic Ocean.
By Friday morning, Walt Disney World theme parks and Disney Springs had resumed regular operations, according to an update on the resort’s website. Disney had initially closed its theme parks, water parks, miniature golf courses, and Disney Springs on Wednesday afternoon, along with halting transportation services and canceling Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party scheduled for Thursday.
However, Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground and the Treehouse Villas at Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa are expected to remain closed until Sunday, Oct. 13.
Like Disney, Universal Orlando also reopened on Friday, resuming operations across its theme parks, CityWalk, and the Halloween Horror Nights event. Universal had shut down Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, Volcano Bay, and CityWalk on Wednesday afternoon, remaining closed throughout Thursday. Both Halloween Horror Nights and other scheduled events for those days were canceled.
“We look forward to welcoming back our guests as we return to our normal operation across all our theme parks,” Universal said in a Friday morning statement.
Damage From Hurricane Milton at Disney World
At Disney World, minimal damage has been reported at the parks.
Of course, tree breakage was expected, but as of today, operations are back to normal.
However, there were advertisements that were ruined.
One of the best things about driving into Disney World property if you are not staying at a Disney resort is looking at all of the fun theme park billboards that line the highway. These larger-than-life advertisements have been around for decades and greet guests as they begin their Orlando vacation, getting them ready for what is to come.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure was introduced to Magic Kingdom this past summer, and has been a controversial talking point for quite some time.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure officially opened at Magic Kingdom Park on June 28.
This log flume ride, based on The Princess and the Frog (2009), features beloved characters such as Princess Tiana (voiced by Anika Noni Rose), Prince Naveen (Bruno Campos), Mama Odie (Jenifer Lewis), and Louis (Michael-Leon Wooley).
Disney’s Splash Mountain, a beloved attraction since its launch, has faced ongoing controversy due to its source material, Song of the South (1946).
After years of criticism regarding the film’s depiction of African Americans, Disney announced the closure of Splash Mountain to make way for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, inspired by The Princess and the Frog. This decision was made to address longstanding criticisms and to introduce a new narrative that celebrates diversity.
Reactions from fans regarding the closure of Splash Mountain were mixed. While some guests expressed nostalgia for the original attraction, others embraced the change, seeing it as an essential move in Disney’s journey toward more inclusive storytelling.
However, after Tiana’s Bayou Adventure began its preview period, it encountered its own set of challenges.
Reports of technical issues affected the early experiences, leading to ride evacuations and prolonged downtimes for guests. These operational setbacks resulted in unfavorable comparisons to the beloved Splash Mountain, raising concerns about Disney’s ability to execute its creative vision effectively.
Still today, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is still encountering some operational issues.
While Hurricane Milton did not cause damage to the attraction, the billboard on I-4 did not survive the storm.
DocKilowatt shared a photo of the shredded signage. It should be noted that most billboards like this one were punctured before the storm in order to not catch excessive wind that could potentially take down the entire structure.
Tiana’s bayou breakdown! Boy is this fitting!!!
Tiana’s bayou breakdown! Boy is this fitting!!! pic.twitter.com/6yBlKSk6nL
— DocKilowatt 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@DocEpcot) October 12, 2024
It is likely that this sign will be repaired in the coming days, but as the post states, there is a level of irony that comes into play when referencing the broken sign with the often broken attraction.
To see further damage at Walt Disney World Resort, you can check it out in the video below.
Have you noticed any further damage at Disney from Hurricane Milton?