Hurricane Irma?

[Honeybee0317]

Looks like the Carolina's are going to get the worst of it, if the storm stays like the above picture.

It does continue North into SC. Gone from Florida by about 6 or 7pm Monday.

 

[BigMac3001]

People are making a huge assumption that an MCO closure guarantees a park closure. Remember that there are thousands of guests on property even without the airport. Disney will not risk that revenue stream unless they have to. I'm not saying they won't close. I'm just saying the two are not connected as strongly as you may think.

My guess is a closure Sunday night and all of Monday, but it's just a guess.

 

[dbecker]

those of you who canceled your vacation, how long till you couldn't see it on "My Disney Experience"?

 

[tmcd1126]

Welp. And just got the email from JetBlue and our flight is officially cancelled. Looks like I'm calling Disney tomorrow. Ugh. So disappointing however better to be safe than sorry and wishing everyone in Florida safety and hopefully no severe impact!

 

[Amy___M]

What is the history of damage to structures in Disney parks with certain levels of wind? I'm getting a little nervous about it with the potential sustained wind projections of 90 mph+

 

[CAS239]

So does the airport closing all but confirm the parks will close as well?

No. I wouldn't count on parks being closed just because the airport is halting flights.

 

[Tonyz]

If someone is traveling into MCO and their flight is supposed to land at 4pm Saturday but the flight gets delayed 90 minutes, will MCO advise the carrier to cancel the flight? Our flights from here in the NYC are always delayed when leaving in the afternoon. That would stink for people who were planning on going and didn't cancel their hotel/tickets etc.

That's really a tough one. If it was the opposite (going out and delayed like that) you would probably be okay because, like someone else on this thread said, they want to get planes OUT. Bringing a plane IN is a little difference.

A completely uneducated guess would be you would be okay. That 5:00 is probably not a hard and fast rule, it probably gives them some extra time.

 

[CAS239]

What is the history of damage to structures in Disney parks with certain levels of wind? I'm getting a little nervous about it with the potential sustained wind projections of 90 mph+

Disney, along with majority of buildings in Florida can withstand very high winds.

It's not wind you worry about, it's the flooding

 

[Tonyz]

What is the history of damage to structures in Disney parks with certain levels of wind? I'm getting a little nervous about it with the potential sustained wind projections of 90 mph+

The people who built Disney World were and are geniuses. They knew what they were doing. It'll be fine.

 

[TinkerBelle_325]

What is the history of damage to structures in Disney parks with certain levels of wind? I'm getting a little nervous about it with the potential sustained wind projections of 90 mph+

Hurricane Charley in 2004 swept through with winds in excess of 100mph. There was no structural damage at Walt Disney World. There was some at Orlando International, however it was directly in the path of the eye where the most concentrated winds are. And if I recall correctly from reports I read, MCO reopened 36-48 hours after it closed for Charley.

Many Engineers that work for Disney have explained that all permanent structures are designed to withstand Category 5 winds.

 

[tmcd1126]

Does anyone have any info about how refunds for my flight works if i booked it all through Disney? Do I have to contact JetBlue separately or can Disney just refund the total cost of my trip package including the flight since it was booked through them?

 

[CounselorX]

Looks like the Carolina's are going to get the worst of it, if the storm stays like the above picture.

They'll get a direct hit but it won't be that bad. This shows "H" as opposed to "M", which means cat 2 or lower hurricane, which also means that when it's on the coast, east of Orlando, it should be approaching the lower limits of a category 3.

 

[DLM1980]

Hurricane Charley in 2004 swept through with winds in excess of 100mph. There was no structural damage at Walt Disney World. There was some at Orlando International, however it was directly in the path of the eye where the most concentrated winds are. And if I recall correctly from reports I read, MCO reopened 36-48 hours after it closed for Charley.

Many Engineers that work for Disney have explained that all permanent structures are designed to withstand Category 5 winds.

Not that I ever want to see it go or damaged but while reading this I imagined spaceship earth being lifted off her feet and being spun threw the air like an actual golf ball. Then it landing and rolling around town like the scene in the simpsons with the big donut

And with that I think I need to go to bed

 

[Mrs. Magic]

We cancelled today. We were scheduled for a quick FW weekend driving in Friday night and leaving Monday. We're from SC and thought about what a nightmare it would be driving home on Monday. I was holding out hope that the storm would turn, but my husband pointed out that we would literally be driving home in the hurricane on its track.

 

[TinkerBelle_325]

They'll get a direct hit but it won't be that bad. This shows "H" as opposed to "M", which means cat 2 or lower hurricane, which also means that when it's on the coast, east of Orlando, it should be approaching the lower limits of a category 3.

View attachment 267679

I noticed this as well in the 11pm update!

 

[Mrs. Magic]

That's really a tough one. If it was the opposite (going out and delayed like that) you would probably be okay because, like someone else on this thread said, they want to get planes OUT. Bringing a plane IN is a little difference.

A completely uneducated guess would be you would be okay. That 5:00 is probably not a hard and fast rule, it probably gives them some extra time.

It would probably be ok, or they may try to divert the flight to a nearby airport, similar to what they do in NYC when planes are delayed and have to deal with the LaGuardia curfew...

 

[minniegirl19]

With the latest timing of where the hurricane will be and when orlando is going to start to feel the effects, I'd expect the parks Sunday and Monday to be closed with Saturday/ Tuesday potentially being half days. Disney might push it Saturday and scurry for a Tuesday opening but that's my guess

 

[BigMac3001]

I noticed this as well in the 11pm update!

With any luck, the move north will zap it.

 

[bwifan]

I'm here right now at the yacht club. Got here on the third and scheduled to leave on the 10th. Am I completely screwed? I know MCO is closed on Saturday, but have received no information from my airline, Frontier. I have been buying extra water and kind bars every time I purchase something, been keeping an eye on everything basically. I'm from ohio, man! No experience with this stuff. I'm a babe in the woods. I'm trying to keep positive. Who do I call? Where do I start?

(All that said, have had a great time thus far!)

 

[tmcd1126]

I'm here right now at the yacht club. Got here on the third and scheduled to leave on the 10th. Am I completely screwed? I know MCO is closed on Saturday, but have received no information from my airline, Frontier. I have been buying extra water and kind bars every time I purchase something, been keeping an eye on everything basically. I'm from ohio, man! No experience with this stuff. I'm a babe in the woods. I'm trying to keep positive. Who do I call? Where do I start?

(All that said, have had a great time thus far!)

I just received cancellation notice from JetBlue so I'm assuming your email isn't far behind.