Universal Orlando Pretty Much Business As Usual As Hurricane Dorian Heads To Central Florida; Disney Resort To Shutter Early Monday – Update

Denise Petski and Dominic Patten

Click here to read the full article.

UPDATED, 6: 13 PM: As Hurricane Dorian decimates the Bahamas and shifts its force towards eastern Florida tonight, the Universal Orlando theme park is taking a business-as-usual approach, for now.

With the exception of the Comcast-owned company’s Volcano Bay Water Theme Park in the central Florida town, most of Universal Orlando will be operating without change Monday.

More from Deadline

We continue to closely monitor the weather,” said a spokesperson for the theme park on Monday evening, just after Disney World announced that they would curtail their hours on September 3.” At this time, Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure will open as scheduled on Tuesday, Sept. 3, however, Universal’s Volcano Bay Water Theme Park will be closed.”

In the full knowledge that an angry hurricane like Dorian can turn in a different direction on a dime, the Universal Orlando Resort recommends that visitors and others keep checking for the latest details. Dorian has been slightly downgraded to a Category 4 from its killer Category 5 status of earlier this long weekend. Also, its powerful core is anticipated – for now – to actually not hit the Orlando area directly.

PREVIOUSLY, 2:25 PM: Hurricane Dorian continues its painstakingly slow push toward the southeast U.S. coast as it continues to batter the Bahamas Monday. The massive storm has been downgraded to a category 4, and forecasters said it would move “dangerously close” to the Florida coast late Monday, as well as Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and southeastern Virginia into the week.

While not yet closing for the eighth time in its history due to a hurricane, the Walt Disney World Resort is shortening its operating hours Tuesday as the storm moves in.

The Magic Kingdom Park, Epcot, Disney Springs, Disney’s Lagoon Typhoon Water Park, Winter Summerland Miniature Golf and Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf all will be closing at 3 PM ET. Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom will be closing at 2 PM. ESPN Wide World of Sports and Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park both will be closed all day Tuesday.

Bahamian Prime Minister Hubert Minnis said Monday that five people in the Abaco Islands were confirmed dead from the storm. Dorian has been pummeling Grand Bahama Island Monday afternoon with storm surges rising 18 to 23 feet above normal tide levels. Forecasters said the hurricane was moving west at 1 mph and turning slightly north with winds at 150 mph. It was about 105 miles off the coast of Florida, as of 2 PM ET.

Outer rainbands have moved ashore in South Florida, with winds over 40 mph at Opa Locka Airport near Miami as well as other locations near the coast.

A hurricane warning is in effect along Florida’s east coast from Jupiter Inlet to Ponte Vedra Beach. A storm surge warning has also been issued from Lantana, Florida, to the Altamaha Sound in Georgia.

A hurricane warning remains in effect for Grand Bahama and the Abacos Islands in the northwestern Bahamas, including Freeport, Grand Bahama.

Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.