Florida Reopens as Hurricane Milton Recovery Efforts Intensify

Major airports and businesses across Florida announced they were reopening on Friday, just two days after Hurricane Milton made landfall on the state as a Category 3 storm. While power outages persisted for millions of homes and businesses as of Friday morning, major Florida theme parks, including Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, and SeaWorld, confirmed their parks would resume operations after assessing the impact of the hurricane.

A statement on Walt Disney World’s website expressed relief that the resort “weathered the storm” and announced it would open with regular hours. “Our hearts are with our fellow Floridians who were impacted by this storm,” the statement said.

Orlando International Airport and Tampa International Airport, two of Florida’s busiest travel hubs, also announced their reopening on Friday, signaling the state’s efforts to return to normalcy. Orlando International Airport spokeswoman Carolyn Fennell noted, “We’re eager to welcome travelers back.”

Hurricane Milton touched down late Wednesday in Siesta Key, Florida, approximately 70 miles southeast of Tampa. Although there was significant damage, residents expressed relief that the storm’s impact was milder than initially anticipated. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis acknowledged that the state had “avoided the worst-case scenario.” In a briefing held in Sarasota, he commented, “You face two hurricanes in a couple of weeks — not easy to go through — but I’ve seen a lot of resilience throughout this state,” expressing confidence in the state’s quick recovery.

This storm followed closely on the heels of Hurricane Helene, which left substantial devastation in the southeastern U.S., claiming more than 200 lives two weeks prior.

Tampa International Airport resumed operations on Friday morning. Officials closed the airport to commercial and cargo flights effective from Tuesday morning as a precaution against the hurricane’s expected impact. After evaluating and assessing damage post-storm, it was determined that there was no reported damage at the airport. Nevertheless, travelers are advised to verify flight statuses due to numerous delays and cancellations occurring that day.