Hurricane Matthew forces theme parks to close

Disney, Universal, SeaWorld to close

ORLANDO, Fla. – Hurricane Matthew has prompted several Central Florida theme parks and attractions to close.

Walt Disney World theme parks, water parks, Disney Springs, miniature golf and ESPN Wide World of Sports will close on Thursday by 5 p.m. and will remain closed through Friday. Disney's Blizzard Beach will be closed Thursday. Mickey's No-So-Scary Halloween Party at Disney has been canceled on Thursday.

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Universal Studios, Universal's Islands of Adventure and Universal CityWalk will close Thursday at 5 p.m. and remain closed Friday.

Halloween Horror Nights is canceled Thursday and Friday night, park officials said. Wet 'n Wild will close on Thursday at 2 p.m. and remain closed Friday.

SeaWorld Orlando said it plans to close at 2 p.m. Thursday and will remain closed on Friday. SeaWorld's water park, Aquatica, will also be closed Thursday and Friday.

Disney's Fort Wilderness campground will close at 11 a.m. Thursday until Sunday.

The Orlando Eye will be closed Thursday until it's safe to resume operations. The Eye's sister attractions at I-Drive 360 remain open, however.

This is the first time since Hurricane Charley in 2004 that all Orlando-area theme parks have closed due to a major storm, according to the Orlando Sentinel.