Fact Check: Authenticity of Disney World Flood Photos During Hurricane Milton Explained

Recently, Disney World in Florida made headlines following Hurricane Milton’s impact in the second week of October. As the storm unleashed heavy rain, images began circulating online after October 9, depicting the theme park submerged in water. Many assumed Disney World was indeed underwater, given that it had closed its doors in light of the storm forecast.

However, it has since been confirmed that these images were misleading. While the theme park was temporarily closed due to fierce winds and intense rainfall associated with the storm, the images that circulated were actually AI-generated fakes.

Were the submerged Disney World images authentic?

Disney World Florida adorned with October fall decorations, rumored to be impacted by Hurricane Milton (via @waltdisneyworld / Instagram)

Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida on Wednesday, October 9, 2024. In anticipation of the storm, theme parks in Orlando—including Disney World, Universal Orlando, and SeaWorld—suspended all operations.

During this closure period, three images claiming to show flooding at the Magic Kingdom, complete with the Cinderella Castle in the backdrop, began spreading across social media. These photos rapidly gained traction on platforms like X, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Some news outlets even featured these fraudulent images in their coverage of Hurricane Milton’s impact, although the origin of these photos was never established.

Digital forensics expert Hany Farid from the University of California, Berkeley, evaluated the images and determined they were AI-generated, labeling them as hoaxes. In a statement to AFP Fact Check, Farid pointed out significant structural flaws and inconsistent water reflections as key markers of their artificial creation.

Overview of Hurricane Milton’s impact in Florida

Hurricane Milton produced substantial flooding across Florida and affected numerous structures statewide, resulting in property damage. Following its landfall in the second week of October, Milton unleashed severe rainfall, creating waterlogging issues exacerbated by 28-foot waves, fierce winds, and storm surges.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center issued warnings regarding the dangers posed by collapsed buildings, downed power lines, and flooding. Multiple alerts were broadcast to ensure public safety during the storm.

As of the time of writing, all wind and storm surge warnings related to Hurricane Milton have been lifted, following the hurricane’s exit from Florida’s east coast on Friday, October 11.

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