Disney Announces Some Hurricane Milton DVC Closures

In a matter of 18 hours, Hurricane Milton increased in ferocity from a Category-1 to a Category-5 hurricane. At one point on Monday, Milton was gusting at a velocity of 180 miles per hour, one of the highest wind forces ever tracked.

Currently, the Hurricane Milton cone directly points toward Central Florida. While Hurricane Helene mercifully avoided Walt Disney World for the most part, that’s wildly unlikely with this weather event.

So, Disney has announced some Hurricane Milton-related DVC closures. These moves are proactive, but they probably won’t be the only closures caused by the dangerous storm. Here’s what you need to know.

Disney Announces Closures and Other Changes

For starters, Disney is no longer booking hotel reservations for multiple days this week. In addition, the company has waived all cancellation fees for hotel reservations.

The situation is so perilous that Disney has asked a favor of its customers. Unless you’re scheduled to visit Disney this week, the company requests that you not contact them right now.

Cast Members are currently overwhelmed by the number of booking updates happening right now. So, Disney implores you to wait until normalcy returns next week.

In terms of immediate changes, Disney updated its Weather Updates& Information page on Monday. These changes will directly impact many DVC members. Specifically, three different DVC properties will close at least some of their hotel rooms.

The most seriously impacted is The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground. On Wednesday, October 9^th, Disney will close these hotel rooms. And that’s not all. The entirety of Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground — including restaurants and onsite recreation – will also close then.

The official shutdown occurs at 11 A.M. on Wednesday, with Fort Wilderness remaining closed through October 13^th. Currently, Disney phrases the situation as “likely to remain closed.” So, in the event that Milton mostly sidesteps the area, the property could feasibly open sooner. That’s the best-case scenario we’re all hoping occurs.

The Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa will adopt the same approach. These standalone Villas will close at 11 A.M. Wednesday and likely remain that way until Sunday. We’ll obviously update you as soon as we get new information about reopening dates, but that’s what we know today.

Other DVC Properties Face Closures

As a reminder, Disney endeavors to keep all its hotels open during hurricanes. There’s a very generous reason for that. Many people in Florida need food and shelter during these events. Since Disney Imagineers planned Walt Disney World so meticulously, it’s historically one of the safest places in Florida.

So, Floridians often hole up at Disney World resorts during extreme weather events. That’s especially necessary this week, as many people were already suffering from the impact of Hurricane Helene.

A second, potentially more aggressive hurricane occurring within two weeks is an almost incomprehensible hand to be dealt. These people need safe harbor, and Disney is thankfully there to provide it.

However, a few of Disney’s outdoor locales are susceptible to extreme wind/rain. Therefore, management closes them for the protection of its guests.

Another example is the Copper Creek Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. These unique rooms are right by the water and, thereby, potentially susceptible to flooding in extreme circumstances.

Disney will close them on Wednesday as well. But park officials believe that these rooms could reopen on Friday, October 11^th, two days earlier than the others I’ve mentioned.

Overall, Hurricane Milton’s status is fluid, so management is making many informed decisions about best practices here. To Disney’s credit, it got everything right with Hurricane Helene. Still, some major publications have questioned why the parks remain open.

Disney released an official response to this concern. “We are closely monitoring the path of the projected storm as we continue to prioritize the safety of our Guests and Cast Members.”

Disney liaises directly with the National Hurricane Center and other government agencies. So, if/when Milton becomes an even more pronounced threat, you can expect more closures and cancellations. For now, we all wait. Stay safe, my friends.