Disney World- more than wet...

[daves87rs]

Hi-

Set up for our trip (my 1st, wife's like 5th) trip to Disney World. Was a bit worrried (money wise), but was geeked until th last few days...

I'm sure as most of you know-hurricane Dorian is on the way. Thinking we will lose Monday (stuck at resort/hotel), maybe more.
I've never ever been in or around a hurricane before. Not going to lie here, kinda scared! I have been told we will be taken care of, but this still has my stress even quite high.

For those of you who have been through this, what did you do? Wife is still gun-ho about going, but I don't know.......

 

[jhs914]

If the hurricane hits while you are there you will be physically safe as long as you are sheltered in a sturdy building. However, be prepared to be without electricity for days if the storm is a bad one. Believe me, as a life long resident of Florida who has weathered more hurricanes than I can remember, it is miserable. You will be hot and sweaty, gas stations will not be able to pump gas, ATM's won't work, restaurants will be closed. You get the idea.

My suggestion: cancel.

 

[mcrn]

Im here in Orlando....if you are staying at a Resort in Disney you should be good to go.....can you could postpone? Things around Disney could be a mess....Weather forecasts will know more tomorrow. So I would wait and see. But at Disney you should be safe

I just do not know how much of the park itself will be effected but your safety at Disney should be good.

 

[dlundblad]

Originally Posted by daves87rs
Hi-

Set up for our trip (my 1st, wife's like 5th) trip to Disney World. Was a bit worrried (money wise), but was geeked until th last few days...

I'm sure as most of you know-hurricane Dorian is on the way. Thinking we will lose Monday (stuck at resort/hotel), maybe more.
I've never ever been in or around a hurricane before. Not going to lie here, kinda scared! I have been told we will be taken care of, but this still has my stress even quite high.

For those of you who have been through this, what did you do? Wife is still gun-ho about going, but I don't know.......


If somehow it's just raining while you're there, they still run rides as long as there's no lightning. Best way to see stuff IMO. Hardly any crowds and it's cool; just bring a poncho.

What resort are you staying at?

 

[billt460]

What would be worse, actually being in a hurricane. Or being in one with thousands of complaining tourists who have never been in one?

 

[Railrust]

I would think that is you're staying actually at Disney...you'll be safer than anyone on the planet.

That place has an entire underground world they could put you in if they had to. We're talking government level stuff (and probably better than that). The place is a fortress. Having said that, yeah you certainly don't want a hurricane on your vacation.

 

[demarpaint]

Wouldn't they let you cancel w/o penalty since they know the storm is coming? That's what I'd be looking into. They'd probably allow you to book another trip within a year with no penalty, that should be the same with the airlines as well, if you were going to fly.

 

[Fawteen]

We've been sideswiped by a couple hurricanes. Around here we get very little damage, but we can lose power for a day or two. We're far enough inland so hurricanes weaken when they get here-about 80 miles north of the Gulf. Power outages are probably the most significant issue. It takes down all of the infrastructure in your daily life. No gas for miles, no restaurants, no calling a taxi, no airport services, nothing.

If you go and you're directly in the hurricane's path be prepared for a storm like you've never experienced. The wind howls nonstop, and the pressures do some bizarre things. There's a holding pond that we can see from our top story window-during Michael we watched the pond get all the water sucked out, and then fill back up again several times over. Unlike a storm up north, a hurricane just goes on and on. The rain is a constant wall of water falling nonstop for a day or two.

Florida is pretty well set up to deal with smaller storms like Dorian, unless it grows to Cat 4 or Cat 5. There's a solid chance for power outages which could last a few days in some areas. It all depends upon where the hurricane makes landfall. A Cat 4 or Cat 5 storm is an entirely different monster-I wouldn't go anywhere near one. Michael was a Cat 3 when it passed by us.

Michael hit the Florida panhandle late on a Tuesday and moved on by early Thursday morning. Thursday morning we watched at least a thousand power, Red Cross and FEMA trucks/trailers passing through on their way to the panhandle-they must have been staging just north of here. It's a safe bet that they're staging for Dorian now, and if it is a significant storm they'll be swarming all over the place.

Personally I would stay out of the area during a hurricane if I didn't live there. If there is significant damage there will be transportation issues with downed trees and debris. Airports could well be closed down for a while, and something like that has a ripple effect on air travel all over the region. You might be able to get there, but leaving might be another issue.

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted by dlundblad
Originally Posted by daves87rs
Hi-

Set up for our trip (my 1st, wife's like 5th) trip to Disney World. Was a bit worrried (money wise), but was geeked until th last few days...

I'm sure as most of you know-hurricane Dorian is on the way. Thinking we will lose Monday (stuck at resort/hotel), maybe more.
I've never ever been in or around a hurricane before. Not going to lie here, kinda scared! I have been told we will be taken care of, but this still has my stress even quite high.

For those of you who have been through this, what did you do? Wife is still gun-ho about going, but I don't know.......


If somehow it's just raining while you're there, they still run rides as long as there's no lightning. Best way to see stuff IMO. Hardly any crowds and it's cool; just bring a poncho.

What resort are you staying at?


All Star Music? (I think, wife remembers it better than I do)

 

[alarmguy]

Originally Posted by daves87rs
Hi-

Set up for our trip (my 1st, wife's like 5th) trip to Disney World. Was a bit worrried (money wise), but was geeked until th last few days...

I'm sure as most of you know-hurricane Dorian is on the way. Thinking we will lose Monday (stuck at resort/hotel), maybe more.
I've never ever been in or around a hurricane before. Not going to lie here, kinda scared! I have been told we will be taken care of, but this still has my stress even quite high.

For those of you who have been through this, what did you do? Wife is still gun-ho about going, but I don't know.......



Dont worry and enjoy the TV News show, its all a show.
Makes no sense to get upset about a storm that MAY get close to where you are staying.
Your 40 MILES inland and as of right now the storm MAY hit anywhere in a number of states which is 1000 miles long.

I would be more concerned about a wasted trip to Disney which may be closed due to weather or electric issues.
ITs impossible to know where the small eye of wind will end up and no matter what, you will be safe.

Again, your worrying about a storm that may hit within 1000 miles of you with an eye of high winds less then 100 miles.

Here is a more sane source of weather, without the hype-Click

 

[PimTac]

Alarmguy is spot on. There is a lot of May and might and possible being predicted for this bit of wind. Enjoy your vacation and think of it as an adventure. You should be fine at the resort.

And before someone comes along and chastises me for not taking this thing serious, I've been through many storms including Haiyan. Look that one up.

 

[gathermewool]

We stayed in Allstar Music before the kids were born and decided, "never again". The resort was OK, but the room was nothing more than a dank, janky, low-end motel room. The next time we went with family and stayed at Port Orleans. I know not everyone can afford expensive rooms, but I wanted you to know to temper your expectations.

That was six years ago that we stayed at the All Star resort, so maybe they've updated the rooms since we were there.

//

Hurricane possible? Cancel

 

[Fawteen]

Originally Posted by alarmguy

Your 40 MILES inland


Marianna Florida is 55 MILES inland and Michael was a Cat 3 when it hit. Marianna was devastated. Parts of Georgia that are over 100 MILES inland were severely damaged when Michael hit. Photos are of Marianna.

There is also the issue with being in the way of the responders. Tourists trying to get dinner for their kids and trying to go to the park could very easily slow down the people who are trying to get the power back on and render first aid.

When hurricane Katrina made landfall at Buras-Triumph, Louisiana it was a Cat 3 storm.

 

[bubbatime]

Wait and see. The entire state is in the cone of uncertainty. Land fall is projected as strong category 3, possibly category 4 at this time. If it goes over Orlando, you wont want to be there. If it hits Jacksonville or Miami, the impact to Orlando will be minimal.

All of the resort hotels in Orlando are PLENTY strong and you would be in no danger if you stay there. That being said, if its a direct hit to Orlando, you will be without power for a week or more, no gas at any stations, it will be uncomfortable, hot, sweaty, and not much of a vacation.

Also, evacuation orders will be widespread. Millions of people living on the coast will have to evacuate when the evacuation orders come in. Where do you think they all go? Orlando and inland to hotels. ALL the hotels will be flat booked up with people with ten dogs, all their junk, people everywhere, just sitting in the lobbies, sitting in the hallways, parking lots completely utterly full and no parking spots anywhere. It is going to be a mess. All the major roads will have bumper to bumper evacuation traffic. A 1 hour car ride normally, will take 8-10 hours in the car, during the peak evacuation times. A simple ride from the airport to the hotel could take you all day, 5-10 hours in the car, if the roads are jammed up.

Consider canceling and coming on another date. The best time to come to Orlando is December to March. It is SO FREAKING HOT and the daily 2 hours of rain showers are a bummer, in the summer.

Life time Florida resident, been through more storms than I can count. During Hurricane Charley, I was outside, in the storm, in a perimeter gun truck during the storm at a state prison. It was fun, 125 mph winds, in a truck, outside during a hurricane. Truck didn't blow away. Had the inmates load 1000 pounds of sand into the back to make sure. We were expecting the fences to be blown down, and I had orders to shoot any escaping inmates. Fences held, thankfully.

The Euro model is trending south down towards West Palm Beach, the American model is trending north towards Jacksonville. The hurricane center forecasters are splitting the difference at this time, and their official track is in the middle of the two.

 

[jhs914]

Let us know what you decide and how it goes if you ride out the hurricane in Disney World. Can it be done? Yes, but not my idea of a fun vacation.

 

[Andrew1972]

The issue with hurricane is the rain that will drive hard drown while in park.

If you go buy the decent poncho's/rain gear and have footwear can handle water. The park is a river with a lot of rain. Not sure if typical but we had one storm day the parking lot people hid while everything got thrown all over including barriers. The upside I got a premium parking space

as no one was there to enforce it. We sat in car and ate. I felt like it was microburst type storm for the Northeast given the water falling but maybe normal for Florida.

I was lucky and only one afternoon of rain. Rides do close with weather too mainly lightning.

Good luck either way.

 

[Schmoe]

I'd think Disney land would honor a cancellation in this situation. They know they may be shutting stuff down and then on top of that, have guest to contain with, would seem logical to let you postpone. I'd start there. Hurricanes are unpredictable, as you've probably noticed watching umpteen weather reports. Regardless, you're going to get hit with rain and wind. From living through a bunch of typhoons in Guam, if you got the chance to avoid it, then do so. You don't want to have to mess with that and then all the problems that go with that type of situation. Trust me, you'll wife will be happy you avoided all that. Just not worth it. There will be other times and opportunities.

 

[LoneRanger]

Originally Posted by Railrust
I would think that is you're staying actually at Disney...you'll be safer than anyone on the planet.

That place has an entire underground world they could put you in if they had to. We're talking government level stuff (and probably better than that). The place is a fortress. Having said that, yeah you certainly don't want a hurricane on your vacation.


Underground in Florida? I thought the substrate wasn't ideal for subterranean infrastructure. Sink holes are a problem there, yes?

 

[Andrew1972]

Originally Posted by LoneRanger
Originally Posted by Railrust
I would think that is you're staying actually at Disney...you'll be safer than anyone on the planet.

That place has an entire underground world they could put you in if they had to. We're talking government level stuff (and probably better than that). The place is a fortress. Having said that, yeah you certainly don't want a hurricane on your vacation.


Underground in Florida? I thought the substrate wasn't ideal for subterranean infrastructure. Sink holes are a problem there, yes?


They built the "underground" at ground level and the park on top. It was required because Florida is generally wet below the ground surface.

 

[Jimmy9190]

Disney has its own electric, water and wastewater treatment plants, but the electric plant is still run by gas which comes from the Florida Gas pipelines. In an ordinary rain storm you can still have a good time at Disney. The crowds do thin out and a lot of attractions remain open, and sooner or later the rain will let up but Disney will shut rides and swimming pools down in a thunderstorm with lightning. Bring a good poncho and umbrella with you, the ones they sell in the parks and hotels are not very good quality and are way overpriced.

Disney will shut down on the day of landfall if the hurricane makes a direct hit on the Orlando/St. Cloud/Lake Buena Vista area. They will reopen as soon as the storm has moved far enough away. I would not want to stay at the hotel during a hurricane myself. All Stars is no better than your average Motel 6 and will be so crowded and chaotic that it will be impossible to have any fun there.

No matter where the hurricane hits, it is going to be a real mess for a while. All the prior comments about problems with traffic, no gas, no power, no a/c, no phone service, no restaurants, no food/water available, all of that is 110% true. If Disney lets you cancel/reschedule or if you have trip insurance it would be best to cancel the trip, come back between January and March, those are the best times to be here weather and crowd wise.

The hurricane can change its path at any time, and it is way too soon to tell what it is really going to do. Bottom line is you don't want to be here in a hurricane, whether it is a direct hit on Disney or elsewhere.