Hurricane Dorian / WDW Theme Parks Discussion

[Bran Fox]

Scheduled to arrive today, departing Tuesday. Considered making the trip to see if we could salvage the weekend and come home on Monday instead. Like many of you, I'm conflicted. Hard to reschedule, especially for my daughter - so our only option of course is to cancel. My only real concern is getting down there, and then finding a gas shortage in Orlando, and then not being able to leave on Monday, or even Tuesday. Given that uncertainty, I will probably cancel............just not looking forward to being on the phone for hours to reach Disney!

There is very little chance you will be able to leave safely on Tuesday. Cancel your trip. I’m so sorry. Gas shortages will be a real thing and while I am usually not on the side of “save it for people who need it”, you absolutely should not be adding to issues for people ordered to evacuate.

 

[mousefan73]

Posting live from Castaway Cay. Beautiful weather now. We get in Sat. Have a rental then to CSR. Grabbing supplies ( if anything is left ). Any advice ?? We fly back wens. Hope flights are ok.

 

[KStash]

I'm flying down to Orlando next Thursday afternoon and am watching all of this closely. I realize the brunt of the storm will probably be through by Thursday but I'm still worried about a: flooding/damage and b: flight delays/issues. I was scoping out Disneyland and found a pretty cheap flight to LA, but the main issue is I booked my Disney World trip with rented DVC points and will not be refunded. I can't get too mad over this, because I know the risk of going there during hurricane season.

 

[firsttimemom]

Posting live from Castaway Cay. Beautiful weather now. We get in Sat. Have a rental then to CSR. Grabbing supplies ( if anything is left ). Any advice ?? We fly back wens. Hope flights are ok.

Order now from amazon prime for next day delivery to CSR. Good luck!

 

[SaintsManiac]

Looks like the storm is now tracking further south, coming on shore closer to palm beach area. Again it’s early, but this is better news for the Disney area.

How do you figure? It will turn north at some point. The concern is that it will slowly move north up the entire FL peninsula.

As the track tightens things will become clearer.

 

[fla4fun]

How do you figure? It will turn north at some point. The concern is that it will slowly move north up the entire FL peninsula.

As the track tightens things will become clearer.

Because the more land it has to travel over to get to Orlando, the weaker it will be when it gets there, especially since it’s moving slowly. A fast moving storm would be more powerful in Orlando, as would one that came ashore farther north than the current projected path.

 

[Jonathan Friedman]

Because the more land it has to travel over to get to Orlando, the weaker it will be when it gets there, especially since it’s moving slowly. A fast moving storm would be more powerful in Orlando, as would one that came ashore farther north than the current projected path.

Precisely. It’ll hit Orlando as a Cat 1 or weaker vs coming on and still being a strong Cat 2 or weak 3.

 

[SaintsManiac]

Because the more land it has to travel over to get to Orlando, the weaker it will be when it gets there, especially since it’s moving slowly. A fast moving storm would be more powerful in Orlando, as would one that came ashore farther north than the current projected path.

I'm not going to get into hurricane strength arguments. On my local news they showed a cat 1 over Orlando just now. That can and probably will change, but a cat 1 is nothing to joke about. People get hung up on the cat numbers too much.

 

[TLinden16]

Which hurricane or approximate date were you at WDW?

I got stuck in Florida during Hurricane Irma. We were supposed to go on a short Royal Caribbean Cruise that got cancelled. Couldn't get a flight home early by the time our airline allowed changes. My brother found us a flight the day before the hurricane was scheduled to hit, but I decided it was too close to the time of the hurricane and could get cancelled, so we opted not to take it. It wound up being a good decision because the airport closed earlier, and the flight was cancelled. We would have had to scramble to find a place to stay.

Which resort did you stay at?

A cast member friend helped us get a room at the POR, but I wound up finding availability at the Boardwalk for the timeframe of the hurricane, so we stayed at POR one night, and then moved to the Boardwalk for four nights.

Did the parks close while you were there?

The parks closed for two days.

Were your resort restaurants or food courts still open or were they closed?

All of the restaurants and bars on the Boardwalk closed for the two days, though some did start opening in the evening on day 2. The lounge was open inside the resort, and there were three buffet meals a day available in the convention center (which we could access by going to the inn side, and walking through a service area. We stocked up on food and water with a trip to Publix about four or five days before the hurricane was scheduled to hit (as soon as we knew we wouldn't be able to go on our cruise, we started to prepare for being their through the hurricane).

Ray, since you have a room at Pop Century, be prepared for the fact that you may be confined for your room for a while. Bring food and water with you (you might want to consider picking stuff up on your way over to Daytona so you can get what you want instead of the limited selections that may be at the resort). We actually went to France the day before the parks were going to close and got some quiche, sandwiches, and pastries for the room (at the time we didn't know we would have access to a buffet at the Boardwalk).

I recommend packing a "go bag" in the unlikely event you are forced to evacuate unexpectedly. I packed a couple of days worth of clothes, water, snack, medications, cash, credit card, and ID. I left my sneakers by the door, and attached a magic band to the bag. It was good to know that I had some thing ready to go in the event that I had to leave fast. I'd rather have something and not need it than need it not have it.

Make sure you charge your devices, and if you have an extra power bank or two, bring them along with you.

Stay safe, my friend.

 

[0FF TO NEVERLAND]

I'm flying down to Orlando next Thursday afternoon and am watching all of this closely. I realize the brunt of the storm will probably be through by Thursday but I'm still worried about a: flooding/damage and b: flight delays/issues. I was scoping out Disneyland and found a pretty cheap flight to LA, but the main issue is I booked my Disney World trip with rented DVC points and will not be refunded. I can't get too mad over this, because I know the risk of going there during hurricane season.

Where you flying from? Yeah that’s a tough decision.

 

[fla4fun]

I'm not going to get into hurricane strength arguments. On my local news they showed a cat 1 over Orlando just now. That can and probably will change, but a cat 1 is nothing to joke about. People get hung up on the cat numbers too much.

No, a hurricane of any category should be taken seriously and is nothing to joke about. But if there is a cat 4 coming ashore and It could come ashore 60 miles away or 360 miles away, I will take 360 every time. The current scenario is very much like two of the 2004 hurricanes, particularly Jeanne, and I was here for those as well. Not looking forward to next week . . .

 

[0FF TO NEVERLAND]

I'm not going to get into hurricane strength arguments. On my local news they showed a cat 1 over Orlando just now. That can and probably will change, but a cat 1 is nothing to joke about. People get hung up on the cat numbers too much.

And people only harp on the wind. A foot of rain over a 24 hour period in Orlando ( Disney ) would basically flood it, esp with all those lakes surrounding it.

Let’s hope that doesn’t happen.

 

[SaintsManiac]

And people only harp on the wind. A foot of rain over a 24 hour period in Orlando ( Disney ) would basically flood it, esp with all those lakes surrounding it.

Let’s hope that doesn’t happen.

I sat and watched the walkway between Cosmic Ray's and Cheshire Cafe flood during an afternoon rain storm. I couldn't believe how many people just slogged through. I just hope Disney doesn't take too long in making decisions once we know more.

 

[KStash]

Where you flying from? Yeah that’s a tough decision.

Philadelphia

 

[foodiddiedoo]

What's Disney's policy on AFTER the hurricane cancellations? Like if MCO is closed so your flight down gets canceled? Any clue what they will do for you, or are you just out the money for whatever days you don't make it?

 

[0FF TO NEVERLAND]

Philadelphia

Well you have to also take into account the fact that the hurricane can be along the east coast at that point. While maybe not a hurricane or tropical storm, it still might cause delays because planes can’t get around it. The good thing is you will know everything before you even leave, and can plan accordingly. Maybe even leave a day if ness

By Thursday it should be around south North Carolina I believe ( as of now )

 

[gap2368]

Scheduled to arrive today, departing Tuesday. Considered making the trip to see if we could salvage the weekend and come home on Monday instead. Like many of you, I'm conflicted. Hard to reschedule, especially for my daughter - so our only option of course is to cancel. My only real concern is getting down there, and then finding a gas shortage in Orlando, and then not being able to leave on Monday, or even Tuesday. Given that uncertainty, I will probably cancel............just not looking forward to being on the phone for hours to reach Disney!

I
Would cancel it took me a good 20 minutes to get gas this morning around 6am. I would hate to see what they are like closer to when the storm hit. Also I was here before a storm hit I think 2 years ago it morning take me 3.45 - 4 hours to get home but traffic was so bad it took 15+ hours most of witch we went 5-10 MPH please stay home so the people that have to leave can

 

[grannyminnie]

Better news yes wind wise but if it continues that up the coast or middle of florida track, they could get like a foot of rain over a 24 hour period.

We all know how horrible Disney drainage is. Could make it worse

But doesn't a farther southern track mean that Orlando could actually get more of the impact, since the worst of a hurricane is in the right front quadrant? Of course, this implies that there is still enough strength after it makes landfall to have damaging sustained winds and heavy rain as it reaches the Orlando area. As other wise posters have said, it's just not easy to know because of the unpredictability of the storms.

 

[0FF TO NEVERLAND]

But doesn't a farther southern track mean that Orlando could actually get more of the impact, since the worst of a hurricane is in the right front quadrant? Of course, this implies that there is still enough strength after it makes landfall to have damaging sustained winds and heavy rain as it reaches the Orlando area. As other wise posters have said, it's just not easy to know because of the unpredictability of the storms.

Well wind wise because the strongest part hits further down so it won’t be a 4 when it gets to Orlando. Few days ago it was coming ashore closer to Orlando which would have given it much higher winds. Now if it goes the path it shows, it will hit at its worst above the ft laud area and makes it way up the middle of florida which would still give wind, but the major flooding becomes a huge issue.

In the end it’s a bad scenario either way. I’m hoping that if it continues being slow, maybe that high pressure ridge will get weaker and take this thing up north before even hitting florida.

Who knows with these things. I highly recommend you download the the action news Tampa bay app. They stream there news all day and have one of the best weather guys in the business. ESP 5pm and 11pm.

Google the FB for Denis Phillips action news Tampa.

That will gladly help with figuring things out.

 

[Melindarella]

I
Would cancel it took me a good 20 minutes to get gas this morning around 6am. I would hate to see what they are like closer to when the storm hit. Also I was here before a storm hit I think 2 years ago it morning take me 3.45 - 4 hours to get home but traffic was so bad it took 15+ hours most of witch we went 5-10 MPH please stay home so the people that have to leave can

Thanks!! On the phone with Disney reservations now. Been on hold for 45+min now, so hopefully I'm getting close to speaking with an agent!