A viral social media post falsely claimed that Hurricane Milton destroyed Walt Disney World. This assertion has been identified as misleading, as the park only suffered minimal damage and reopened the day following the storm. The video, which contributed to the confusion, included unrelated and satirical content. Established fact-checking organizations have confirmed the park’s swift recovery following minimal impact from the hurricane.
Recent claims circulating on social media asserted that Hurricane Milton had “destroyed” Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. A post, which garnered over 12,000 shares in just thirteen days, featured a video purporting to show the devastation of the theme park. However, this assertion has been categorically disproven. In reality, Walt Disney World experienced only minimal damage and promptly reopened the following day after the storm’s passing. On October 9, prior to Hurricane Milton making landfall as a Category 3 hurricane, Disney World closed its parks at 2 p.m. Historically, the theme park has closed only a handful of times for hurricane-related reasons, including a brief closure on September 11, 2001, and a much longer shutdown during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The closure due to Hurricane Milton was brief, with the parks resuming operations on October 11. The video in question included a mix of unrelated footage and images sourced from a satirical website, falsely suggesting severe storm damage. Reports from Florida Today confirmed that none of the major theme parks, including Disney World and Universal Studios, faced significant damage as a result of the hurricane. Social media footage from attendees and local media depicted only minor impacts on the park. Additionally, an Instagram version of the video, credited to a different user, clarified that the images were not authentic. The images that contributed to the misleading video were originally published by Mouse Trap News, a humor-based news site about Disney-related topics. Furthermore, attempts to verify the authenticity of these claims were echoed by established fact-checking organizations including Reuters, PolitiFact, and AFP, all advocating that the assertion of extensive destruction at Disney World is false.
Hurricane Milton, which struck Florida on October 10, 2023, initially elicited widespread concerns regarding the potential impact on Disney World, one of the state’s most iconic attractions. The theme park has a long history of closures due to severe weather, particularly hurricanes. Prompt communication from official sources, including Disney’s social media accounts, provided timely updates narrowing concerns over safety and infrastructural damage. The overwhelming response on social media regarding the damage necessitated thorough fact-checking to clarify misinformation and misrepresentation of the event’s actual impacts.
In conclusion, claims surrounding the destruction of Walt Disney World by Hurricane Milton are unfounded and misleading. Despite concerning reports circulating on social media, the park sustained minor damage and promptly resumed operations. Verified information from reputable sources emphasized the park’s resilience and ability to recover swiftly from the hurricane’s effects. The persistence of misinformation regarding this event underscores the importance of corroborated facts when assessing claims related to natural disasters.
Original Source: www.usatoday.com
