Hurricane Dorian / WDW Theme Parks Discussion

[FutureDisneyEventPlanner]

I'm supposed to be flying in on September 4th (Wednesday) and leaving that Sunday. I was looking to change it to Setpember 11-15 but the Grand Floridian is showing almost no availability!! I am going to assume a lot of people are bumping up their trip by a week? I guess I'll decide what to do by Monday... anyone offer any insight into what most people are probably doing?

I was supposed to come in Wednesday as well, just moved it to next Saturday instead. Availability seems to be extremely limited.

 

[Nohal]

We had to cancel 2 years ago because of the hurricane. Rebooked for January and lost our free dining. Last year had to cancel due to a medical emergency. We are due to arrive Thursday and hoping we don’t have to cancel for a 3rd year in a row.

 

[Dawn&Vernard]

Am at work and we just got told Monday and Tuesday we'll be closed. I work in Daytona beach. For those asking about your flights at the end of next week getting in. You'll have to wait and see on late Tuesday after the hurricane has passed by.

 

[foodiddiedoo]

I was supposed to come in Wednesday as well, just moved it to next Saturday instead. Availability seems to be extremely limited.

Seems surprising as they were basically begging us to come with discounts in January/Feb and again earlier this summer. Unless you were looking at exactly the same resort.

On that note, how hard is it to get Disney to take off the first day of a trip and add one on at the end? I think if worst comes to worst we could push to Sunday-Sunday instead of Saturday-Saturday for this.

 

[pmaria80]

I don't know if this has been mentioned yet, but during Hurricane Michael last year (or as we locals call it, the Forgotten Hurricane since the media still doesn't seem to recall we were hit with a Cat 5), because schools were closed so long and we had to just wait on insurance and water mitigation, there was nothing left to do but visit Disney. Honestly, it's in Disney's favor to let current travelers reschedule because they will definitely have bookings from families whose kids aren't back at school/parents aren't at work and no power or water in their homes. Schools shut down here for 5 weeks and my husbands job was shut down for 3 weeks. So, it just made sense to try and cheer up our traumatized kids (we rode the storm out locally and will never forget the screaming sound of the wind and crashing of trees into our home). Because Disney is even closer to the potential impact areas, and assuming it is quickly reopened, it might have higher than normal crowds due to this.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Ok then, REAL FLORIDIANS do not evacuate for hurricanes.

No one who lives on Marco Island is a REAL Floridian. You must be one of them northern transplants.

(my attempt at humor may be eluding you. This is all in good humor so don't get upset.)

Nope, not a Northern transplant. Moved from Katrina territory in Louisiana. Once in a while hurricane wasn't enough.

 

[Bran Fox]

I don't know if this has been mentioned yet, but during Hurricane Michael last year (or as we locals call it, the Forgotten Hurricane since the media still doesn't seem to recall we were hit with a Cat 5), because schools were closed so long and we had to just wait on insurance and water mitigation, there was nothing left to do but visit Disney. Honestly, it's in Disney's favor to let current travelers reschedule because they will definitely have bookings from families whose kids aren't back at school/parents aren't at work and no power or water in their homes. Schools shut down here for 5 weeks and my husbands job was shut down for 3 weeks. So, it just made sense to try and cheer up our traumatized kids (we rode the storm out locally and will never forget the screaming sound of the wind and crashing of trees into our home). Because Disney is even closer to the potential impact areas, and assuming it is quickly reopened, it might have higher than normal crowds due to this.

Native Floridian and have ridden out some nasty ones. It’s so incomprehensible to me that anyone would be purposely heading into this just to “hunker down” at Disney. They are terrible storms. And this one is going to linger.

 

[piglet1979]

I don't know if this has been mentioned yet, but during Hurricane Michael last year (or as we locals call it, the Forgotten Hurricane since the media still doesn't seem to recall we were hit with a Cat 5),

Ok I wasn't crazy. I thought there was one last year too but no one has mentioned it.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I don't know if this has been mentioned yet, but during Hurricane Michael last year (or as we locals call it, the Forgotten Hurricane since the media still doesn't seem to recall we were hit with a Cat 5), because schools were closed so long and we had to just wait on insurance and water mitigation, there was nothing left to do but visit Disney. Honestly, it's in Disney's favor to let current travelers reschedule because they will definitely have bookings from families whose kids aren't back at school/parents aren't at work and no power or water in their homes. Schools shut down here for 5 weeks and my husbands job was shut down for 3 weeks. So, it just made sense to try and cheer up our traumatized kids (we rode the storm out locally and will never forget the screaming sound of the wind and crashing of trees into our home). Because Disney is even closer to the potential impact areas, and assuming it is quickly reopened, it might have higher than normal crowds due to this.

Driving through damaged areas last month was very eye opening.

 

[rteetz]

https://blogmickey.com/2019/08/magic-kingdom-prepares-for-hurricane-dorian/
https://blogmickey.com/2019/08/disney-skyliner-crews-secure-lines-for-hurricane-dorian/

 

[joviroxx]

Native Floridian and have ridden out some nasty ones. It’s so incomprehensible to me that anyone would be purposely heading into this just to “hunker down” at Disney. They are terrible storms. And this one is going to linger.

People seem to think of these storms as a few hours of torment. They are not. So many things can go wrong, the after the storm is seriously overlooked. And for those that are thinking of driving down to Orlando, PLEASE reconsider.

 

[bobbie68]

Native Floridian and have ridden out some nasty ones. It’s so incomprehensible to me that anyone would be purposely heading into this just to “hunker down” at Disney. They are terrible storms. And this one is going to linger.

People seem to think of these storms as a few hours of torment. They are not. So many things can go wrong, the after the storm is seriously overlooked. And for those that are thinking of driving down to Orlando, PLEASE reconsider.

Exactly!!!

 

[RBZ]

People seem to think of these storms as a few hours of torment. They are not. So many things can go wrong, the after the storm is seriously overlooked. And for those that are thinking of driving down to Orlando, PLEASE reconsider.

A few years ago a remnant -- just a remnant -- of a hurricane dropped about 9 inches of rain in an hour causing massive flooding and damages. I live in eastern Ohio. While the winds and initial storms are the most dramatic things we see on TV, it's the aftermath that kills and creates the biggest issues.

 

[pmaria80]

Native Floridian and have ridden out some nasty ones. It’s so incomprehensible to me that anyone would be purposely heading into this just to “hunker down” at Disney. They are terrible storms. And this one is going to linger.

You misunderstand. I'm referring to the week (or weeks) after a storm when there is nothing to do but wait. East coast Floridians will see MUCH greater intensity than inland. No one local would advise tourists to visit during a storm. I wouldn't advise visiting heavily damaged coastal areas for months after a storm. However, if Orlando and Disney, in particular, are not heavily damaged, it's a fantastic break to give to children who are out of school and most likely upset from the storm damage. Believe me, many families from the Panhandle went to Disney after Michael. East Coast Floridians will as well. I think, assuming current trends of it skirting up the coast, the first few days after will be quiet at Disney, and then they will see an influx of guests.

 

[madge]

13. WDW will cancel all your dining reservations; MNSSHP etc. for the time the parks/restaurants are closed. You will not be charged no-show fees. CRT and MNSSHP were automatically credited back to my card. You can call and change your MNSSHP if you will be there long enough to catch another party. I did call a week after we got back (when the phone lines were shorter) just to make sure MNSSHP and CRT ere being refunded and it had already been taken care of- just told it might take a couple of weeks to show up because there were so many refunds being processed. We heard from others that if you were going to MNSSHP within a week either way of the storm and had to cancel your trip that you could call and get a refund.


Hope this helps give you an idea of what it was like and what you might be able to expect from WDW. They did their best for their guests and I'm sure they are well into preparations now since they have a lot of notice the storm is on its way. Everyone stay safe!!!!!

We opted to leave before Matthew hit - for us, it was only a day earlier than scheduled ... so we rescheduled our flight home (they were literally closing the stores/gates around us, as we were the last plane to leave our area of MCO) for Wednesday. One thing we decided was to keep our hotel reservation, just in case we got to the airport and the flight didn't take off as planned.

Because we left early, we had a water park day left on our passes that we were able to get restored. We also were able to take advantage of the bounceback offer for a future trip since I didn't have the chance to book it before we left. Friends of ours that were there the same week (it was our fall break) had tickets to MNSSHP were refunded or rescheduled.

I did not enjoy agonizing over what the right choices for our family would be ... staying vs going, etc. At the time we left, the forecast for central FL was pretty dire.

 

[Princess2R]

I am pretty prepared with rain ponchos, plastic stoller cover, a good attitude about getting soaked but am curious what weather is usually like days after a hurricane?

 

[dburg30]

Well, looking at next Friday and Saturday, right now HOT..

 

[Runner225]

I'm supposed to be flying in on September 4th (Wednesday) and leaving that Sunday. I was looking to change it to Setpember 11-15 but the Grand Floridian is showing almost no availability!! I am going to assume a lot of people are bumping up their trip by a week? I guess I'll decide what to do by Monday... anyone offer any insight into what most people are probably doing?

I had my flight coming in Tuesday at 7:15am (orignal booking 9/3-9/7, obv not happening now). We switched the reservation & flights to 9/4-9/8...but after seeing the forecasts, I think we are going to have to reschedule into late September. It just looks like this whole week is going to be a mess and who knows what the aftermath will be. This storm is moving SO SLOW. It was supposed to hit Sunday as a TS, how it grew to this and with landfall on Tues/Wed is nuts. I am ready to reschedule so I don't have to worry about it anymore lol although I feel after this I'll have some PTSD until we are physically on DME.

 

[MinnieMom85]

I am pretty prepared with rain ponchos, plastic stoller cover, a good attitude about getting soaked but am curious what weather is usually like days after a hurricane?

It can really just depend. This is a big slow moving storm. From the start of the rain to the end of the bands, it could be several days of wet rainy weather.

 

[MinnieMom85]

Sorry I haven't read all of this thread, but has any one been able to cancel a room only reservation for this weekend? I dont want to reschedule because its the end of our AP. We were planning on driving down so we can be flexible but when I called yesterday they said they weren't doing cancellations yet because there were no watches/warnings for Orlando.