Orlando's tourism machine began grinding to a halt with at least one major theme park and the main airport announcing closures ahead of Hurricane Milton's expected hit as a major storm in Florida.

Walt Disney World and Universal Studios, two major theme parks in Orlando, are preparing to close as Florida braces for Hurricane Milton to hit as a major storm. Disney said it would shutter its theme parks and Disney Springs entertainment complex in phases beginning at 1 p.

Disney World rarely closes, normally operating 365 days a year regardless of the weather. It last closed in Nov. 2022 due to Hurricane Nicole. The closure was a short one; the parks closed on the evening of Nov. 8 and reopened by early afternoon of the next day. Disney World has been closed by hurricanes only 10 times since it opened in 1971.