When Orlando theme parks opened Wednesday morning, a handful of tourists arrived — determined to enjoy even half a day of fun Before Hurricane Milton hits Central Florida – while the staff who welcomed them were worried about what the storm’s wrath would do to their homes.
“This is going to be interesting,” Dr. Craig Chavis, a chiropractor from Maryland, posted on Instagram along with rain-soaked photos of his family enjoying the Magic Kingdom.
“But today the park was almost empty.”
Spokespeople for Walt Disney World and Universal Studios told The Post that they monitored the weather and decided to remain open Wednesday morning and that guests are welcome to visit with them.
But not everyone was happy to see the carefree guests.
Nearby restaurants, shops and gas stations also remained open – sometimes over the objections of their employees.
Follow the latest from The Post on Hurricane Milton:
“They got their precious few hours of fun,” said Amy Chivers, who was waiting tables at a family restaurant near the theme park.
“Good for them. Meanwhile, I don’t know what’s happening with my kids at home, and the rain is getting worse. But it was good for him that he got a chance to see Mickey.
A Disney employee echoed the same sentiment.
“I really didn’t want to go to work today,” said a woman who works at a shop in the Magic Kingdom.
“Every person working today has a home and a life outside of work, and we don’t know if it will be ruined. But still we had to remain happy and excited. It’s kind of messed up.”
When the parks closed at 1 pm on Wednesday, most workers were sent home, although some essential workers stayed until the evening.
Both Disney and Universal Studios will be closed Thursday and are expected to reopen Friday after Milton’s passing.
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