Disney, Universal to Close Orlando Theme Parks as Irma Nears
September 08 2017 - 4:21PM
Dow Jones News
By Ben Fritz
Walt Disney Co. and Comcast Corp. are closing their Florida
theme parks for at least two days in anticipation of Hurricane
Irma, the companies said Friday.
Walt Disney World and Comcast's Universal Orlando Resort are
closing most of their Orlando, Fla., theme parks starting at 5 p.m.
Saturday. Disney's Blizzard Beach water park was closed on
Friday.
Both companies said they anticipate reopening their theme parks
on Tuesday when the Category 4 storm is expected to have
passed.
The closures will likely cost Disney and Comcast tens of
millions of dollars or more in lost revenue from ticket sales, food
and concession sales, and hotel stays.
Orange County, where Orlando is located, hasn't issued
evacuation orders, but the central Florida county is expected to
encounter severe weather as the hurricane passes through this
weekend.
This will be only the fifth time Disney World has shut down for
a full day or more in its 46 years, according to a spokeswoman. The
most recent closing was in October 2016, for a day-and-a-half due
to Hurricane Matthew.
Disney Chief Executive Robert Iger said at a conference Thursday
that would-be park visitors were already canceling planned trips to
Orlando due to the incoming hurricane. Disney also has canceled
three itineraries for its cruise ships and shortened others.
Write to Ben Fritz at ben.fritz@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
September 08, 2017 16:06 ET (20:06 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2017 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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