Disney kept workers at theme parks as Hurricane Milton approaches: report

The Walt Disney Company refused to allow employees at its theme parks and resorts near Orlando, Florida, to return home early in the hours leading up to the arrival of Hurricane Milton, according to employees.

Four people who work at the various Disney World parks told Business Insider that their bosses refused to cancel work even as weather conditions worsened on Wednesday.

Workers told the publication that they were expected to stay on hand while the parks closed and after they closed to help reduce hatches, a move that made employees feel unsafe, according to Business Insider.

Employees also said miscommunication from higher-ups made them “feel like they were flying blind,” Business Insider reported.

Disney “cast members” complained they were made to work Wednesday morning even though it was raining and the parks were empty, the news site reported.

Disney closed all four Central Florida parks early Wednesday due to the incoming storm.

Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom closed at 1:00 PM EST for guests, while Magic Kingdom and Epcot closed at 2:00 PM. The parks reopened on Friday.

An employee who spoke to Business Insider estimated that Magic Kingdom was at 10 percent capacity before Disney decided to close the park.

“I wish the park hadn’t opened for the day at all,” the employee said.

One worker told Business Insider that by the time they left at 2:45 p.m. ET, the weather in Orange County, where the parks are located, had deteriorated to the point where tornado warnings had been issued. at 15.22.

A handful of tourists who showed up at Disney World on Wednesday managed to have a few hours of fun even as the employees who greeted them were worried about what the storm would do to their homes.

“It’s about to get interesting,” Maryland chiropractor Dr. Craig Chavis posted on Instagram, along with pictures of his rain-soaked family enjoying the Magic Kingdom.

“But today the park was almost empty.”

Nearby restaurants, shops and gas stations also remained open, sometimes over the objections of their employees.

“They had their precious hours of fun,” said Amy Chavers, who waits tables at a family restaurant near the theme parks.

“Safety is always our first and foremost factor when making decisions that will affect our members and guests and during the storm, we provided frequent and timely updates on our changes to ensure that they returned home hours before the worst of the weather hits Central Florida,” Disney said in a statement to The Post.

A family who stayed at a Disney resort hotel during the storm praised the company for keeping them informed of developments and ensuring their safety.

Internal communication seen by Business Insider showed that Disney expected some employees to report to the parks to clean on Thursday.

“After the storm, we may need Cast to help with post-storm recovery efforts,” Disney executives told employees via the Cast Life app, the internal messaging service used to communicate with employees.

“Cast scheduled to operate on October 10th, even in areas that will not be open to guests, you should continue to call Cast’s local hotlines and check their schedule on the Disney website/app Cast Life for information on its schedule.”

A Disney employee told Business Insider that it was “crazy” that managers “expect not only me to call, but potentially go out to the parks to clean.”

“It’s disgusting.”

The employee said he chose not to report to work Thursday, regardless of the consequences.

“I don’t feel safe driving tomorrow at 7 a.m. when this is all over,” the employee told Business Insider Wednesday evening.

“Orlando is unique because, yes, we’re inland, but we see scary rain and scary winds. And just because we’re not washed away and dealing with storm surge and structural damage doesn’t mean it’s not scary.”

Earlier this week, Goldman Sachs estimated that the hurricane could cost Disney $150 million to $200 million in losses due to the impact on its theme parks.

Additional reporting by Steven Helling