When an Orlando theme park opened Wednesday morning to a handful of tourists determined to enjoy at least half a day before Hurricane Milton hit central Florida, the employees who greeted them said they were worried about the storm's impact. They were worried about what effect the onslaught would have on them. houses.
“This is going to be fun,” Maryland chiropractor Dr. Craig Chavis posted on Instagram, along with a photo of his family enjoying the Magic Kingdom in the rain.
“But the park was almost empty today.”
Spokespeople for Walt Disney World and Universal Studios told the Post that they are monitoring the weather and have decided to remain open Wednesday morning and welcome guests back.
But not everyone was happy to see the unflinching guest.
Surrounding restaurants, shops and gas stations also remained open, sometimes despite opposition from employees.
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“They enjoyed a few precious hours,” said Amy Chavers, who was waiting for a table at a family eatery near the theme park.
“It's good for them. Meanwhile, you don't know what's going on at home with the kids and the rain is getting worse and worse. But it was good for them to see Mickey.”
Disney employees expressed similar sentiments.
“I really didn't want to go to work today,” said a woman working at one of the Magic Kingdom stores.
“Everyone who worked today has a family and a life outside of work, and I don't know if that will be swept away. But we had to be upbeat anyway. It's kind of messed up. Yo.”
When the park closed at 1 p.m. Wednesday, most employees were sent home, but some essential employees remained until the evening.
Disney and Universal Studios are scheduled to close Thursday and reopen Friday after Milton passes.
