Goofy has had it up to here with Disney being caught in another controversy. This time it is due to the Walt Disney World Resort not closing amidst Hurricane Milton. Florida was aware of the storm approaching on Oct. 5. It took the famous theme park and resort four days to officially close down. The cast members continued to work despite reports signaling emergency warnings. This is ridiculous, unfair and not listed in the Magic Kingdom experience. Why does Disney not take hurricane shutdowns seriously? The reason is because of corporate greed.
This would be the 11th time Walt Disney World has closed down since it opened on Oct. 1, 1971, despite 27 hurricanes that have hit the state since then. So this is not Mickey Mouse’s first rodeo with a hurricane. The last time Disney closed the park was for Hurricane Nicole in 2022. They closed early when the hurricane made landfall and reopened immediately the very next day.
Not closing down the park longer to protect the safety of the guests and the crew members suggests Disney has their priorities elsewhere. It is not out of character for a billion-dollar company, like Disney, to make decisions that prioritize their profit margins over the safety of its employees. The urgency to reopen the park after being shut down for less than two days due to a natural disaster says it all.
The Disney company is worth $169 billion, and due to Hurricane Milto, they are estimated to lose $150 million in revenue. This hurricane is a Category 3 storm, so closing down the amusement park and resort should have been a top priority. As soon as Disney World became aware of the storm, they needed to understand the gravity of the situation as well as the serious dangers they were going to put their cast members and guests in.
Imagine trying to stay present at a job where positivity and whimsy is a mandatory attitude during times of crisis like an approaching hurricane. It is a difficult position to be in, and the crew members at Disney World deserved to be protected and sent home. It is selfish and inconsiderate to keep the park open as long as they did during this past week. The crew members who operate the beloved park should have been allowed to leave before the hurricane hit on Oct. 9.
People’s safety was at risk staying in Florida, especially around the exact area Hurricane Milton was approaching. Closing the park down to lose a small fraction of money should have been a matter of great importance. It should be apparent that the Disney corporation does not solely rely on the Disney World Amusement Park for its source of income. Taking precautions to close down the park during times of natural disaster should happen more often. Therefore, it should be reassuring to know that Disney did at least shut down the park before the storm severely affected the West Coast, but remember that actions speak louder than words.
