Universal has just taken its next step to protect guests from Hurricane Milton.
Hurricane Milton intensified into a major hurricane early Monday, with sustained winds reaching 155 mph as it moved across the Gulf of Mexico, threatening to make a devastating landfall along Florida’s already storm-damaged western coast on Wednesday.
The storm rapidly escalated from Category 2 to Category 4 in just a few hours and is expected to reach Category 5 status later on Monday. The National Hurricane Center has issued hurricane watches for parts of Florida, warning that the state could face life-threatening storm surges, flooding rain, and destructive winds.
As of the publication of this article, and as someone who lives in Orlando, I can also state that Floridians have all just received a notice on their phones that Milton has just intensified again, and is now a Category 5 storm.
Milton is projected to remain an “extremely dangerous” hurricane for the next few days. A Category 5 hurricane is defined by sustained winds exceeding 155 mph. While some weakening is anticipated before the storm reaches the coast, hurricane center specialist Jack Beven stated in an advisory that Milton “is still likely to be a large and powerful hurricane at landfall in Florida.”
Rainfall totals are expected to reach 5-10 inches in certain areas of the state, which are still recovering from the saturation caused by Hurricane Helene just weeks earlier. Some isolated communities may experience as much as 15 inches of rain, according to the hurricane center. Heavy rainfall is likely to begin well ahead of Milton’s arrival, anticipated later on Tuesday and continuing through Wednesday night.
Credit: National Hurricane Center
A potentially lethal storm surge of 8-12 feet is also possible for Tampa and other coastal communities.
In response to Hurricane Helene, Walt Disney World implemented operational changes to ensure guest safety. Typhoon Lagoon, the water park, was closed due to the storm, a common practice even during cold weather. Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party was also canceled proactively.
Guests with affected reservations were offered the option to change their dates without additional fees, avoiding the inconvenience of rescheduling at City Hall.
As Hurricane Milton approaches, Disney World is taking precautionary measures. The company has temporarily blocked new hotel bookings and halted theme park reservations for October 9th and 10th.
Credit: ABC
Disney has waived cancellation fees for hotel reservations during this period, allowing guests to modify or cancel their bookings without penalties.
These measures aim to ensure that Disney has sufficient room inventory available for guests who may need to extend their stay and for Cast Members who are part of the ride-out crew. The ride-out crew stays at the resorts to assist with operations and recovery efforts following the storm.
“As of now our park operations and hours are continuing as normal,” Universal Orlando Resort’s statement reads. “We are closely monitoring the weather. Please follow us on social channels or check our website for updates.”
Now, it seems they have followed Disney’s lead, blocking hotel reservations on October 9 and 10.
Of course, this is to ensure that their team members have space to stay if necessary so that the guests who are at the hotel will have staff that can take care of them.
“In the event that a hurricane or tropical storm warning is issued by the National Hurricane Center or a state of emergency is declared for the Orlando area or in your place of residence, within seven days of your arrival, you can contact our team in advance to reschedule or cancel your Universal Parks & Resorts Vacations Package, hotel room only accommodations and Universal Orlando theme park tickets booked directly with Universal Orlando, without any cancellation or change fees imposed. If you have purchased airline tickets as part of your Universal Parks and Resorts Vacations package, you may still be subject to cancellation and change fees assessed by those airlines.
If you have purchased Universal Orlando products and services through third-party suppliers, travel agents or tour operators please contact them directly for information regarding their cancellation or change policies and procedures. The policy does not apply to certain special events, dining experiences or group related bookings.”
Credit: Aditya Vyas on Unsplash
For any inquiries regarding your reservations, please reach out to Universal Orlando Resort’s Guest Services department at (407) 224-4233. Their representatives are available to assist you from 7:30 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. EST on Monday through Friday, and from 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. EST on Saturday and Sunday.
If you are visiting Universal Orlando Resort, rest assured that the hotels are all built to withstand a hurricane, and you will be in a very safe location to ride out the storm.
Do you think a Universal Orlando Resort vacation is worth it at this point?
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