Hurricane Matthew: Orlando airport, Disney World, Universal’s Harry Potter World shut down

Anyone who had planned a theme park vacation in Florida this week has been thrown a curve ball by Hurricane Matthew.

The Category 3 hurricane blasting the state’s coast since Thursday night prompted evacuation orders for 2 million people in Florida.

If the hurricane is affecting your travel plans, contact your airline to either reschedule a flight or request a refund. More than 4,500 flights nationwide have been canceled through Saturday because of the storm.

Here’s what’s closed in and around Orlando, one of the world’s biggest theme-park tourist spots.

Airports

Orlando International Airport (MCO) suspended flights at 8 p.m. local time Thursday. Travelers were advised not to go to the airport to wait out the storm.

Flights are expected to gradually resume Saturday after a damage assessment has been made, according to the airport’s Twitter account.

Miami and Fort Lauderdale airports suspended flights Thursday. Miami International Airport resumed flights Friday morning but operations were slow and more than 300 flights were canceled, according to its Twitter post.

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport also reopened.

Ground transportation

Amtrak suspended rail service in the Southeast through Saturday. Greyhound buses stopped services to Florida and South Carolina until the storm passes.

Theme parks

--Walt Disney World theme parks as well as water parks (Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon), Disney Springs, mini-golf courses and ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex are closed Friday. Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party closed Friday.

The Disney World theme parks closed for hurricanes in 1999 and 2004.

--Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios and Sea World Orlando also are closed Friday.

--Legoland Florida Resort will be closed Friday but the Legoland Hotel will remain open for guests, the resort’s website says.

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