Disney World closed several of its theme parks and Disney Springs this week as Hurricane Milton hurtled toward Florida’s coast.
In an update posted to its website Thursday morning, Disney World announced adjustments to its operations, including temporary closures of attractions and entire parks. The update confirmed that the Walt Disney World theme parks, water parks, recreation offerings, and Disney Springs are now closed through Thursday, October 10.
After Milton made landfall on Wednesday evening, photos spread online that appeared to show that the park had been flooded, with Cinderella’s Castle underwater.
U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels, streak across the skies above Cinderella Castle, on March 19, 2015, at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Photos shared online this week were meant to show the Castle had been flooded.
Mariah Wild/Disney Parks via Getty Images
The Claim
Multiple posts on X, formerly Twitter, posted on October 10, 2024, included photos that looked like Disney World Resort in Florida, including Cinderella’s Castle, had been flooded.
User @goLoko77 posted the videos, with the caption “Hurricane Milton has flooded Disney World in Orlando #flwx #hurricane #Milton #HurricaneWarning #HurricaneAlert #HurricaneMilton #DisneyWorld #GolpeDeEstado #KimPau”
One post by user @upuknews, viewed 359,000 times, said: “#WATCH : Hurricane Milton has flooded Disney World in Orlando #flwx #hurricane #Milton #HurricaneWarning #HurricaneAlert #HurricaneMilton #DisneyWorld.”
The Facts
While Disney World closed attractions because of the storm, the images shared online are AI fakes.
Even by quick comparison, Cinderella’s Castle, a key feature of the park, looks nothing like the AI photos shared on X.
The photos on social media omit several towers on and next to the castle. Several of the towers are misshapen, or the wrong shape entirely. One tower on its left side appears to be slanted.
The area outside the castle is inaccurate too, most notably missing the statue of Mickey Mouse with Walt Disney directly outside the castle.
It’s unclear what part of the park the other AI images shared online were meant to be, although these are also fakes. A guard rail in one of the images has a reflective mirror-like surface that does not match the others next to it, while a building in the same image appears misshapen.
Reports on Russian news sites say the images were shared on Russian Telegram channels earlier today.
In a statement posted at 12:00 PM ET, a park spokesperson said: “We’re grateful Walt Disney World Resort weathered the storm, and we are currently assessing the impacts to our property to prepare for reopening the theme parks, Disney Springs and possibly other areas on Friday, October 11.
“Our hearts are with our fellow Floridians who were impacted by this storm.”
Newsweek has contacted a Disney Parks media representative via email for comment.
All theme parks and Disney Springs—including the parking garages—are currently closed and will remain closed on Thursday, October 10. This includes the cancellation of Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party (event tickets will be refunded).
For partially used multiday tickets, ticket expiration dates will be adjusted to expire on October 11, 2025.
Disney has advised that prepaid bookable experiences will be automatically refunded within 7 to 10 business days.
The Ruling
False.
Although Disney World closed many of its attractions ahead of Hurricane Milton, the photos shared online are not of the resort.
They are AI fakes with a poor likeness to one of the park’s most notable attractions, Cinderella’s Castle.
FACT CHECK BY Newsweek’s Fact Check team
