Disney World closes for the fifth time in its history in expectation of Hurricane Matthew landfall

Disney World will shutter its doors for the fifth time in its history due to Hurricane Matthew 

Walt Disney World closed early today at 5:00 p.m. and will not open on Friday in anticipation of Hurricane Matthew making landfall Thursday night.

Hurricane Matthew is expected to rock the eastern Atlantic seaboard this week

No decision has been made about Saturday operations.

“Based on the most recent forecasts for Hurricane Matthew, Walt Disney World theme parks, water parks, Disney Springs, miniature golf courses and ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex will all be closed today by 5 p.m., and will remain closed through Friday, Oct. 7,” said a Walt Disney World spokeswoman.

Matthew, which maybe a category 4 or 5 hurricane by the time it hits land, has already left more than 269 dead in its wake across the Caribbean and is expected to hit Florida with 140 mph winds Thursday night.

Two million people across the Southeast were warned to evacuate the coast and seek shelter inland.

It is the most powerful storm to threaten the Atlantic coast in more than a decade, according to meteorologists.

"This storm's a monster," Gov. Rick Scott warned as the storm started lashing the state with rain and wind around nightfall. "I'm going to pray for everybody's safety."

Disney World was the last of the major theme parks to announce closures. Sea World and Universal Orlando had already announced that they would close early today and all day Friday.

Guests have been evacuated from several of the Disney World resorts, including Fort Wilderness Campground, the Polynesian Bungalows, and the Saratoga Springs Treehouse Villas.
   

This is only the fifth time in its history that Disney World has closed its doors since its opening in 1971. Disney World closed its gates on September 15, 1999, for Hurricane Floyd; September 4 and 5, 1999, for Hurricane Frances; and September 26, 2004, for Hurricane Jeanne.

The parks were also evacuated on September 11, 2001 during the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.

Sources:

• LA Times: Hurricane Matthew: Orlando airport, Disney World, Universal's Harry Potter World shut down (10/07/16), with video
• USA Today: Hurricane Matthew forces Disney World to close for 4th time ever (10/07/16), with video
• CNN: Disney closes theme parks as Hurricane Matthew batters Florida (10/07/16), with video
• WFTV: REMINDER: Orlando theme parks close in response to Hurricane Matthew (10/07/16), with video
• WFTV: Hurricane Matthew: Disney, Universal, Legoland, SeaWorld close for storm (10/06/16), with video
• CBS: Disney World Closing Its Doors Ahead Of Hurricane Matthew (10/06/16)
• CNBC: Walt Disney World closes for just fourth time ever as Hurricane Matthew nears (10/06/16), with video
• TMZ: Disney World Matthew Wins ... We're Closing! (10/06/16)
• USA Today: Walt Disney World closes in anticipation of Hurricane Matthew landfall (10/06/16)
• Orlando Sentinel: Disney World closing early today as Hurricane Matthew approaches (10/06/16), with video