Orlando theme parks shut as Hurricane Matthew approaches
Orlando’s big theme park operators are continuing to track Hurricane Matthew’s path but some are taking no chances and have announced closures.
SeaWorld closed early yesterday and remains shut today, while Aquatica Water Park and Discovery Cove are also both closed.
LEGOLAND Florida will not operate today.
Universal and Disney are still weighing up their options and have announced no closures or reduced hours of operation yet.
However, Disney ordered the evacuation of its Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground yesterday morning.
The CEO of Port Canaveral issued a mandatory evacuation order on Wednesday, closing down all port operations as Hurricane Matthew inched its way north towards Florida.
John Murray issued the order to evacuate by noon on Wednesday for all landside operations and the US Coastguard said no vessel traffic including cruise ships will now be allowed into the port until the storm passes.
"This is a serious storm and the protection of people and property is our primary concern. We expect high winds and storm surge throughout the port and have urged the port community to prepare their facilities so business can resume as quickly as possible after the storm," Murray said.
It is the first time Port Canaveral has been forced to shut down operations since 2004.
Thomas Cook and Thomson are monitoring flights to Florida, while British Airways and Virgin Atlantic cancelled flights to Miami out of Heathrow yesterday and have waived rebooking fees for Miami and Orlando-bound passengers.
In Jamaica, Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston and all cruise ports reopened on Wednesday.
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
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