Disney Dining Serving up the latest Disney Eats, Treats, News, and More!
Fans visiting the Walt Disney World Resort today were met with an unpleasant surprise. During the day, a smokey haze filled the Parks, with Guests even reporting ashes falling in Magic Kingdom and EPCOT.
Credit: Sumpter Sun Times
Smokey Haze Fills Walt Disney World
Usually when Guests are heading to the Disney Theme Parks, they are hoping for no rain. Today, Guests were surprised to see that instead of rain, smoke was on the forecast for today. Guests who planned to soak up the Magic of Walt Disney World were instead sucking in the thick smokey haze that filled the parks.
Firsts thing first, there is no need to be concerned for the safety of the Parks and the surrounding area. The smoke is coming from Southern Sumter County. There, the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve is undergoing a massive controlled burn. The ecological burn covers 1800 acre’s and is sending smoke over 40 miles away to Orlando.
Credit: Scott Gustin on Twitter
The smoke has clearly made quite an effect on the Parks. A visible layer of smoke was seen throughout all of the Parks today. Many Guests reported ashes falling in Magic Kingdom and EPCOT. Visitors over at Universal Studios Orlando also reported ashes snowing down.
Guests Feel Sick From Smoke Inhilation
Twitter user Scott Gustin took to the platform to explain the current situation. Fans retweeted his message sharing their personal experiences. One Guest expressed her experience in the Park today.
This is messing with my head so much. We are all wearing a disposable mask because it’s so bad at Epcot https://t.co/wg6YkBj94Z
— Ian Wells (@Ian_n_wells) February 21, 2023
The Southwest Florida Water Management District has prescribed the fire. The goal of the controlled burn is to prevent a larger, more dangerous fire from happening in the future. Unfortunally, the precribed fire is set to continue until March. Guests of Disney hope that the smoke will clear soon, but there is no guarantee that that will happen. The Walt Disney Company has made no statement on the smoke or ashes from the controlled burns.
