Job search
Job Search
Latest news
More news: (showing 1 - 20 of 13981)           
UK only International

Florida attractions bunker down as Hurricane Irma passes through the state

By Tom Anstey    11 Sep 2017
Orlando's I-Drive 360 will remain closed until further notice / TNS/SIPA USA/PA Images

Major visitor attractions across Florida have been forced to close their doors as Hurricane Irma makes its way up the US state.

Irma – now downgraded from a category three to one after causing chaos in the Caribbean – still has maximum sustained winds of 75mph (120kmph).

So far more than 3.4 million homes in the state are without power, while parts of Miami are underwater. At least four deaths have been linked directly to the storm since it hit Florida, with at least 28 deaths also in the Caribbean. US President Donald Trump has already approved a major disaster declaration and emergency federal aid for the state.

While physical damages at Florida’s attractions are uncertain, the hurricane is reported to cost tens of millions of dollars in lost revenues, both in walk up attendance and cancelled bookings from visiting tourists overseas and out of state.

Disney’s four theme parks in Orlando – Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, Epcot and Magic Kingdom – all closed their doors on Saturday evening (9 September), with the parks expected to remain closed until tomorrow (12 September). The operator has also closed its Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach waterparks.

Legoland Florida is also shut, with guests staying at its beach retreat moved instead to the Legoland Hotel for the duration of the storm. The operator has however encouraged guests to seek alternative accommodation as it could not “guarantee resort amenities or access to electricity during severe weather.”

Other Merlin attractions on Orlando’s I-Drive are closed, with the Orlando Eye, Madame Tussauds and SeaLife aquarium all closed through the weekend. The entire I-Drive 360 complex closed on Saturday, with a reopening date not currently set.

For Universal, events to be held at its parks over the weekend were cancelled. It closed its attractions on Saturday evening, with a statement from the operator saying it anticipated normal operating hours from Tuesday. Universal’s hotels – all operating at full capacity – have remained open.

For SeaWorld Orlando, which also closed on Saturday, the operator said that it had a “comprehensive weather preparedness plan”, keeping security and zoological staff on-site in secure locations during the storm to take care of the park’s animals.

“We’re also providing support and temporary housing for animals from other zoological facilities in coastal areas expected to have greater impact,” said a statement from the operator.

Orlando's I-Drive 360 will remain closed until further notice / TNS/SIPA USA/PA Images
Hurricane Irma  theme parks  visitor attractions  Disney  SeaWorld  Merlin  Legoland  Miami  Orlando 
Sign up for FREE ezines
Related news
Sports jobs

Swim Teacher

Everyone Active
Salary: Competitive
Location: Scarborough

Party Leader

Everyone Active
Salary: Competitive
Location: Scarborough

Group Exercise Instructor - Aqua

Everyone Active
Salary: Competitive
Location: Aldershot

Membership Advisor

Everyone Active
Salary: Competitive salary plus commission & benefits
Location: Aldershot

Swim Teacher

Everyone Active
Salary: Competitive
Location: Bristol

Customer Service Advisor

Everyone Active
Salary: Competitive
Location: Gainsborough

Swim Teacher

Everyone Active
Salary: Competitive
Location: Stratford-upon-Avon

Activity and Wellbeing Instructor

Everyone Active
Salary: Competitive
Location: Stratford-upon-Avon

Operations Manager - Brentwood School Enterprises

Brentwood School Sports Centre
Salary: £32,000 - £34,000pa + pension + benefits
Location: Brentwood
recruiting with sports management

Fitness Manager

Everyone Active
Salary: Negiotable
Location: Crawley

Swim Teacher

Everyone Active
Salary: Competitive
Location: Fareham

GP Exercise Referral Instructor

Everyone Active
Salary: £33,000pa + benefits
Location: Harrow

Duty Manager

Everyone Active
Salary: Competitive
Location: Bedminster

Duty Manager

Everyone Active
Salary: Competitive
Location: Stratford-upon-Avon

Duty Manager

Everyone Active
Salary: Competitive
Location: Wythenshawe

Recreation Assistant (Dry Site)

Everyone Active
Salary: Competitive
Location: Market Rasen
recruiting with sports management

Community Activator Coach Apprentice

Everyone Active
Salary: 16,686
Location: Stowmarket, Suffolk
Swimming Teacher jobs  duty manager jobs  Team Leader jobs  Swim Manager jobs  general manager jobs  recreation assistant jobs 
More jobs

Company profile

Company profile: GLL
GLL
As the UK’s leading provider of both leisure centres and libraries we operate 379 locations in partnership with local authorities and other organisations.
View full profile >
More company profiles

Featured Supplier

Cornerstone Connect helps Active Blackpool tackle health inequalities
Active Blackpool is deploying Cornerstone Connect, a new digital interface allowing disparate information from multiple systems to be aggregated into one dataset, to support its focus on reducing health inequalities and improving healthy life expectancy.
View full details >
More featured suppliers

Property & Tenders

Location: Stratford, East London.
Company: Lee Valley Regional Park Authority
Location: Y Felinheli, LL56 4QN
Company: Newmark
Location: Newhaven, Sussex
Company: EiA Real Estate
Location: Tutbury Castle, Staffordshire
Company: Savills
Location: Oxford
Company: University of Oxford
More properties & tenders

Diary dates

21-24 Sep 2026
The Langham Huntington Pasadena , Pasadena, United States
06-08 Oct 2026
Messe Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
22-22 Oct 2026
QEII Conference Centre, London
26-29 Oct 2027
Koelnmesse Exhibition Centre, Cologne, Germany
More diary dates