The Walt Disney Company refused to allow employees at its theme parks and resorts near Orlando, Fla., to go home early in the hours leading up to Hurricane Milton’s arrival, according to employees.
Four people who work in the various parks at Disney World told Business Insider that their bosses refused to cancel work even as weather conditions deteriorated on Wednesday.
Workers told the publication that they were expected to remain on hand while and after the parks were shut down in order to help batten down the hatches — a move that had employees feeling unsafe, according to Business Insider.
The employees also said that poor communication from higher-ups left them “feeling like they were flying blind,” Business Insider reported.
The Disney “cast members” complained that they were made to work on Wednesday morning even as rain came pouring down and the parks were empty, the news site reported.
Disney shut down the four parks in central Florida early on Wednesday due to the incoming storm.
Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom were closed at 1 p.m. Eastern time for guests while Magic Kingdom and Epcot closed at 2 p.m. The parks reopened on Friday.
One employee who spoke to Business Insider estimated that Magic Kingdom was at 10% capacity before Disney decided to close the park.
“I wish the park wouldn’t have opened up for the day at all,” the employee said.
One of the workers told Business Insider that by the time they left at 2:45 p.m. Eastern time, the weather in Orange County, where the parks are located, had deteriorated to the point where tornado warnings were being issued at 3:22 p.m.
A handful of tourists who showed up to Disney World on Wednesday managed to get in a few hours of fun even as the employees who greeted them were concerned about what the storm would do to their homes.
“It’s about to get interesting,” Dr. Craig Chavis, a chiropractor from Maryland, posted on Instagram, along with pictures of his rain-soaked family enjoying the Magic Kingdom.
“But the park was almost empty today.”
Surrounding restaurants, shops and gas stations also remained open — sometimes over the objections of their employees.
“They got their precious few hours of fun in,” said Amy Chavers, who waits tables at a family eatery near the theme parks.
“Safety is always our first and most important factor when making decisions that will affect our cast members and guests and throughout the storm, we provided frequent and timely updates on our changes to make sure they returned home hours before the worst of the weather reached 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 while ensuring their safety.
Internal communication viewed by Business Insider showed that Disney expected some employees to report to the parks for cleanup on Thursday.
“After the storm, we may need Cast to help with post-storm recovery efforts,” Disney managers told staffers through the Cast Life app, the internal messaging service used to communicate to employees.
“Cast scheduled to work on Oct. 10 — even in areas that will not be opening to Guests — should continue to call local area Cast Hotlines and check their schedule on Disney Cast Life Web / App for information regarding their schedule.”
A Disney employee told Business Insider that it was “crazy” that managers “not only expect me to call but potentially go out in the parks to clean up.”
“It’s sickening.”
The employee said they chose not to report to work on Thursday — regardless of the consequences.
“I don’t feel safe driving at 7 a.m. tomorrow when this is all over,” the employee told Business Insider on Wednesday evening.
“Orlando is just unique because, yes, we are inland, but we see scary rain and terrifying winds. And just because we aren’t washed away and dealing with storm surge and structural damage doesn’t mean it isn’t scary.”
Earlier this week, Goldman Sachs estimated that the hurricane could cost Disney between $150 million and $200 million in losses due to the impact on its theme parks.
Additional reporting by Steven Helling