Menacing cloud forms over Epcot at Disney World

An ominous cloud formation spooked and concerned visitors to Walt Disney World Florida this week after it appeared in the skies above Epcot.

Video captured by Disney World guests showed the funnel-shaped cloud over Epcot, one of four theme parks at the Florida resort on Thursday.

Some speculated that the cloud was a tornado, although this was not confirmed by the US National Weather Service (NWS) who suggested on Twitter that it was in fact a “funnel cloud”.

“Looks like it could be a funnel cloud, hard to tell if there is any rotation in the video though,” the NWS station at Tampa Bay tweeted.

Dark clouds covered most of the sky, but according to weather forecasters there were no severe weather warnings for the day above Orlando, as News6 reported.

Jonathan Kegges, a meteorologist for the Orlando news channel, said the Disney cloud could also have been a skud cloud, which is more jagged and whispy than a smoother-looking funnel cloud, storm watchers say.

“This could just be a scud cloud, which is a jagged cloud that gets sucked into the updraft of a thunderstorm,” News 6 meteorologist Jonathan Kegges said. “Often times, scud are incorrectly identified as funnel clouds or tornadoes.”

Both funnel and scud clouds can turn into tornadoes, but did do so on Thursday.

“No lines on this ride,” joked one Twitter user of the cloud.

Another wrote: “Most people see a tornado: TAKE COVER! Disney Tourists see a tornado: F*** it. I paid too much money to be here.”