Milton shuts down Orlando’s first big theme park: SeaWorld closing through Thursday

SeaWorld Orlando's Pipeline coaster.

SeaWorld Orlando and its two Orlando water parks are shutting down Wednesday and Thursday. Those are the first of Orlando’s major theme parks to close as the region faces the threat of potentially 110 mph winds from Hurricane Milton.

SeaWorld employees are bunkering down to keep the park’s orcas, manatees, birds and other animals safe.

“Our weather preparedness plan is in place and extra precautions have been taken to ensure the safety of our animals during this time,” SeaWorld said Tuesday in a prepared statement.

“In preparation for the upcoming storm, the parks have implemented comprehensive animal safety protocols. A dedicated team of animal care experts, including veterinarians, will remain onsite 24/7 to monitor the animals, safely housed in buildings designed to withstand Category 5 hurricanes. Once weather conditions improve, our recovery team will ensure the habitats are safe for the animals to return.”

Meanwhile, Disney World and Universal have not announced any theme park closures yet. But Disney is suspending some operations, like closing Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground and the Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa at 11 a.m. Wednesday.

Orlando’s theme parks are major employers in Central Florida. Walt Disney World Resort, in fact, is the largest single-site employer in the country, with 75,000 employees.

SeaWorld urged visitors to check its website and social media to see Friday’s reopening plans for SeaWorld Orlando, Aquatica Orlando and Discovery Cove.

Government officials are urging residents to prepare and take the hurricane seriously.

Lines have been long to get free sandbags. Cars are packing into gas stations to fuel up. Even on early Sunday, a Publix grocery store was already busy with shelves looking bare at the bottled water aisle.

The city of Orlando is waiving fees for residents to use four parking garages downtown during the storm.

“Let’s do what we do best and showcase our city’s compassion by checking in on your neighbors, especially seniors and those with special needs, to see if they need assistance,” Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said at a press conference Monday. “I know that after the storm, we will do what we do best: We’ll come together and move forward.”