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- Multiple Disney World employees told BI about their disappointment with how the company handled Milton.
- Cash-strapped employees felt pressured to work well into the afternoon as weather forecasts looked increasingly dire.
- A Disney spokesperson said, in part, “Safety is always our first and most important factor when making decisions.”
Rain began falling over Orlando early Wednesday morning as Hurricane Milton barreled toward the Sunshine State. Forecasts predicted violent winds, flash flooding, and tornadoes to reach the region by late afternoon.
The Walt Disney World Resort was still open for business.
“Everyone was in a rush to get out of there, and it was scary not knowing how the weather was going to be on the ride home,” a parks worker told Business Insider.
BI spoke to four employees who work in the various parks at Disney World. They expressed their disappointment with how the company managed scheduling, logistics, and safety precautions in the hours leading up to Hurricane Milton’s arrival, from refusing to cancel work as weather conditions worsened to engaging in what sources described as infrequent communication that left employees feeling like they were flying blind.