Hurricane Dorian / WDW Theme Parks Discussion

[shoegal9]

Of course, my first hope is that the storm doesn't come anywhere near Orlando... but if it does and we have Savi and Droid reservations for Tuesday, do you think that Disney will let us reschedule them for some time before we leave on Sunday 9/8?

 

[Kuzco]

Raise you're hand if you're one of those people still traveling to Disney to be in the storm

We leave tomorrow (Friday 08/30) from EWR to travel to MCO - flight currently booked home for Monday Sept 2nd at 8:30pm on JetBlue.

Every. Single. Day. this week the forecast has changed. We have NOT changed our plans! At this rate, the storm may even hold off until Tuesday completely and we can fly home Monday night no problem. Who knows what will happen! JetBlue still has not issues waivers.

This being said, I'd rather be stuck at Animal Kingdom Lodge during a hurricane than at work! LOL!

🖐 I'm supposed to leave tonight and fly back on Monday night at 7:30pm on American. Leaning toward going, but going to make a last minute call this afternoon...also staying at AKL!

 

[Searc]

We arrive tomorrow and will be there for 12 days. Actually considered cancelling as a bit nervous but we are going. Just printed our boarding passes for tomorrow morning. Hoping for the best.

I think for a 12 day vacation, this is a good plan. The parks will only be closed for one or two days, so you'll be able to salvage most of your time. Someone coming in for the weekend is going to be spending 80% of their time stuck in a resort room.

We'll have a much better idea of where this thing is going by later today. For those who will be there, please use some common sense so you don't put other people in harms way.

 

[VACamm]

We fly in this Saturday morning 8/31 at 9:35am... and will be at CSR for the week until 9/7. We ordered some snacks and beer and wine from garden grocer, and plan to hunker down for a day or 2 in our room if we have to. We are bringing Uno and some books... and plan to watch Disney movies on the resort tv!

 

[Searc]

Raise you're hand if you're one of those people still traveling to Disney to be in the storm

We leave tomorrow (Friday 08/30) from EWR to travel to MCO - flight currently booked home for Monday Sept 2nd at 8:30pm on JetBlue.

Every. Single. Day. this week the forecast has changed. We have NOT changed our plans! At this rate, the storm may even hold off until Tuesday completely and we can fly home Monday night no problem. Who knows what will happen! JetBlue still has not issues waivers.

This being said, I'd rather be stuck at Animal Kingdom Lodge during a hurricane than at work! LOL!

Expect waivers to be issued today or tomorrow for the airlines that haven't posted them, yet.

 

[Searc]

We are supposed to arrive today. Late tonight. Scheduled flight home out of MCO is Monday night. Have people going to Chicago and Indianapolis. From the experienced travelers and locals there do you think the airport will be closed by Monday? Some reports have winds sunday evening off the coast around 125 miles per hour. Would they close Sunday? We just can't get stuck in Orlando! So my real question is would you risk going down this weekend? Is airport going to close? Are parks going to close due to winds/rain? Is this storm going to sit over Florida causing all kinds of rain and delays? Seems crazy right? Ugh! Just so much uncertainty and I am out of time! My gut is telling me just reschedule. What would you do?

For a short trip like that, I'd reschedule, especially when the odds are good you'll get stuck in Orlando on Monday.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

We fly in this Saturday morning 8/31 at 9:35am... and will be at CSR for the week until 9/7. We ordered some snacks and beer and wine from garden grocer, and plan to hunker down for a day or 2 in our room if we have to. We are bringing Uno and some books... and plan to watch Disney movies on the resort tv!

sounds like a good plan to me. I am trying to do similar but can't fly in until Monday so I'm not sure that is going to be much help. I am just waiting for another update or two to see if the slowing trend continues, I guess.

 

[Searc]

We fly in this Saturday morning 8/31 at 9:35am... and will be at CSR for the week until 9/7. We ordered some snacks and beer and wine from garden grocer, and plan to hunker down for a day or 2 in our room if we have to. We are bringing Uno and some books... and plan to watch Disney movies on the resort tv!

This brings up a good point...if you are ordering supplies from a local company that shops at local stores, realize they may not have products to deliver to you. Locals will have wiped out a lot of things before the storm hits. They are protecting their homes and lives. Be prepared by bringing whatever you think you'll need.

 

[sanibellife]

e_yerger and disneymagicgirl thank you so much for your responses! I think re-scheduling is the best bet. I would be a nervous wreck just worrying and tracking this crazy storm the entire time! If we were staying longer or had the option to get stuck in Disney a few extra days I would totally head down. You are so right! Disney will still be there!

Please be safe everyone!

 

[captaindavidhook]

Flying out tomorrow morning and staying till next Saturday. I had to change and move mnsshp to fri night instead. Not looking forward to this hope for the best but I know ill be angry if I have to stay inside a room for more then any amount of time. I am coming solo.

 

[VACamm]

This brings up a good point...if you are ordering supplies from a local company that shops at local stores, realize they may not have products to deliver to you. Locals will have wiped out a lot of things before the storm hits. They are protecting their homes and lives. Be prepared by bringing whatever you think you'll need.

Good point. We are packing some snacks in our suitcases also... but hopefully our grocery order will be pretty much complete. If not... that's ok too. I'm not stressing too much... I'll be at WDW !!!

 

[e_yerger]

For anyone planning on going this weekend and looking for positive vibes & tips for wet weather - check out this thread: https://www.disboards.com/threads/determined-to-make-the-most-of-this-weekend.3767166

 

[sanibellife]

For those of you heading down and worried about supplies. Another poster had an excellent idea of checking an extra bag full of supplies/food/extra clothes. Some airlines allow multiple bags or might be an extra $25 or $50 well spent!

Be safe everyone!

 

[joviroxx]

We are supposed to arrive today. Late tonight. Scheduled flight home out of MCO is Monday night. Have people going to Chicago and Indianapolis. From the experienced travelers and locals there do you think the airport will be closed by Monday? Some reports have winds sunday evening off the coast around 125 miles per hour. Would they close Sunday? We just can't get stuck in Orlando! So my real question is would you risk going down this weekend? Is airport going to close? Are parks going to close due to winds/rain? Is this storm going to sit over Florida causing all kinds of rain and delays? Seems crazy right? Ugh! Just so much uncertainty and I am out of time! My gut is telling me just reschedule. What would you do?

Experienced hurricane folk will tell you there I no way to know. Uncertainty is a hurricanes middle name. All I can advise is that if you want 100% certainty that you will not get stuck in Orlando , might want to reschedule.

 

[joviroxx]

For those of you heading down and worried about supplies. Another poster had an excellent idea of checking an extra bag full of supplies/food/extra clothes. Some airlines allow multiple bags or might be an extra $25 or $50 well spent!

Be safe everyone!

Just make sure you have cash. After a hurricane, you never know how power issues can affect atms and cc machines,

 

[katytrott]

Very helpful thread - thanks

We are due to fly home to the UK on mon at 6pm. All the talk on here is about MCO and it’s closure, however we are flying out from Tampa. Any idea if what will happen with that? Do we assume the airports will mirror each other? What I have seen is it looks like it hits the east coast and obviously tampa is the West.

 

[poohbear999]

Currently on hold to cancel my weekend trip (not worried about getting in on Friday, just getting out on Monday). The phone recording noted that the average wait time to speak with an agent is 2 hours! Anyone have a lesser-known phone number (instead of the main reservation line) to cancel a resort reservation?

 

[Searc]

Currently on hold to cancel my weekend trip (not worried about getting in on Friday, just getting out on Monday). The phone recording noted that the average wait time to speak with an agent is 2 hours! Anyone have a lesser-known phone number (instead of the main reservation line) to cancel a resort reservation?

Sometimes, you can cancel them online through MDE, but I don't know if that would work in a situation like this. You may be stuck on hold. Sorry.

 

[bobbie68]

I think people need to remember that every storm is different. Just because it wasn't bad being in the area during one hurricane doesn't mean the next will be the same.

I have been looking at local Orlando news/weather and the meteorologists say this could be the biggest storm that has hit central Florida in 30 years. Now maybe they are wrong but what if they are right. With even that possibility the damage of the storm could be bad. There is a possibility of this storm going stronger than a CAT 3 and hitting Florida coast and the inland harder than originally thought. Not only would parks be closed during the storm, which right now could be over 24 hours, but there could also be damage to the area. There is no telling how long anything will be closed. You have to be ready and be able to possibly be stuck in Florida and probably a hotel room for several days or even more. There could also be power outages.

I know I would not want to try and get into Florida during a storm like this. It can be very dangerous. There is always another time like pp said Disney will always be there.

This is just my opinion but unless I had a lot of time and money to be there I would not want to spend my vacation in a situation like could possibly happen. Yes, Disney has been seen as being safe but anything can change.

I know everyone knows what is best for their family. I wish everyone who is going to be there good luck and stay safe.

 

[TinkerBelle_325]

I think people need to remember that every storm is different. Just because it wasn't bad being in the area during one hurricane doesn't mean the next will be the same.

I have been looking at local Orlando news/weather and the meteorologists say this could be the biggest storm that has hit central Florida in 30 years. Now maybe they are wrong but what if they are right. With even that possibility the damage of the storm could be bad. There is a possibility of this storm going stronger than a CAT 3 and hitting Florida coast and the inland harder than originally thought. Not only would parks be closed during the storm, which right now could be over 24 hours, but there could also be damage to the area. There is no telling how long anything will be closed. You have to be ready and be able to possibly be stuck in Florida and probably a hotel room for several days or even more. There could also be power outages.

I know I would not want to try and get into Florida during a storm like this. It can be very dangerous. There is always another time like pp said Disney will always be there.

This is just my opinion but unless I had a lot of time and money to be there I would not want to spend my vacation in a situation like could possibly happen. Yes, Disney has been seen as being safe but anything can change.

I know everyone knows what is best for their family. I wish everyone who is going to be there good luck and stay safe.

It's far too early to say that kind of thing (bolded quoted text). Each storm is indeed different. Irma was gigantic with hurricane force winds stretching 70 miles from the eye. Dorian is very compact and small, with hurricane force winds only stretching 15 miles. It has been a difficult storm to forecast because it is so small. We don't know if the parks or airports will close, we don't know what damage will be done. What we DO know is that the margin for error 4-5 days out from landfall is 200 miles. That means that everywhere from the Florida Keys to Georgia & the Carolinas are still in play. Florida is the most likely at the moment but that could change 5x before the storm makes landfall. And while it's a very outside chance, it could still curve out to sea.