Hurricane Ian - WDW Resorts Related Updates, Planning & Discussion

[Princess Merida]

My daughter's friend who works there said she has gotten the call to come in to work tomorrow. Take it for what it's worth.

Do you know where she works? Parks or dining, etc?

 

[RoseGold]

So you think I'm lying? She slept on the floor as a ride out cast member during a previous hurricane. Disney does a lot of things that aren't policy. That's why there are unions. I love Disney but it's not always as sweet and pretty as they want you to believe.

We get it. You don't have to keep repeating yourself. At some unknown point in the past, someone slept on a concrete floor. Point made. I don't see what that has to do with the current situation in this hurricane.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Was this different from prior hurricanes that Disney didn't take new reservations (and has even extended it)? I thought a lot of people used Disney hotels as a way of escaping higher risk areas of the state.

I don’t personally recall it being a thing, but of course each storm is different and the way things get reported/discussed (or not) is subject to various variables/inefficiencies. Although to me it seems those reports came from bloggers and such who search online, nothing shows, and they run a story about Disney not taking reservations. I’d like to know if the same is true if you call or what’s been communicated to TAs? Someone please correct me if you have better info.

Personally I have suspected occupancy was probably already on the high side - we’re in a Jewish holiday time period and coming up on a fall break for many, a time which tends to have sneaky high crowds/occupancy. Plus add in IF Disney is actually running at reduced capacity anywhere due to staffing, etc. But that’s just me speculating.

 

[OppR2nist]

I'm worried about a different concern: sinkholes. If there isn't significant flooding in some areas, then there's a shot the water has soaked in and loosened the underlying ground. That would inspire me to hang where I was until given the all-clear.

 

[Shellyred8]

You know it's not going to be an easy hurricane when the Waffle Houses close. At least that's the old wives predictor I've heard from people that are in Florida.

We left the Panama City Beach area on Tuesday, and there were two "entertaining" Hurricane prediction comments that I heard: 1. If the Waffle House is open, it's not going to get that bad. 2. If Jim Cantore shows up in your area, it's gonna get bad.

 

[rdaky]

nm

 

[mrsap]

We left the Panama City Beach area on Tuesday, and there were two "entertaining" Hurricane prediction comments that I heard: 1. If the Waffle House is open, it's not going to get that bad. 2. If Jim Cantore shows up in your area, it's gonna get bad.

We ALWAYS look to see where Jim will be!!! You know it’s the real deal when Jim’s in your area!!

 

[zillayen]

We left the Panama City Beach area on Tuesday, and there were two "entertaining" Hurricane prediction comments that I heard: 1. If the Waffle House is open, it's not going to get that bad. 2. If Jim Cantore shows up in your area, it's gonna get bad.

The "Waffle House Index" is a real thing! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waffle_House_Index

 

[TheDisneyNurse]

Will be heading up from Ft. Lauderdale area tomorrow with my brother. We’re staying offsite. We have EPCOT reserved for Saturday and MK for Sunday. Friday we’re just chilling, if DS opens we’ll go there. We have a beaches and creams ADR for Friday dinner as well.

Even if the parks stay closed (highly doubt) it beats just sitting around at home. Will just hang around. Tomorrow’s my birthday lol. South Florida got very lucky and I feel thankful.

 

[mrsap]

Any word on Saratoga Springs? I had read on facebook that they received flooding, but I am not sure if that is true.

A Look at Saratoga Springs Resort After Hurricane Ian​

Some pictures posted here.

 

[zillayen]

Sea World just announced they'll be closed tomorrow, hoping to reopen Saturday.

 

[ctl]

Anyone know if real food will be served when the parks reopen? Or will it still be Hurricane pre-made ration meals?

 

[Toad_Passenger]

Anyone know if real food will be served when the parks reopen? Or will it still be Hurricane pre-made ration meals?

I would think real food, since a lot of the hotels (we've heard) have pulled the Hurricane meals and are opening up their normal menus already.

 

[homeboycartel]

The "Waffle House Index" is a real thing! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waffle_House_Index

Anyone know if the Waffle Houses around WDW reopened yet?

 

[cattywampus]

In larger cities, it is typically like this. It floods frequently in all of the places I have lived in Texas. Sometimes you won’t even see standing water outside your house in the street. However, 2 miles away, houses can be under 6ft+ of water and utterly destroyed. It’s worse in places with low water tables and swamps. Development makes it worse too, because it often increases the amount of impervious cover, preventing water from absorbing into the ground.



I think the park and hotels don’t have as much flooding, at least from what resort guests are posting. However, the roads around it are supposedly flooding. With the ponds at UO being so large and close to the resorts/City Walk, I wouldn’t be surprised if that has risen a decent amount. You can see the flood plain they allow around Hard Rock Hotel. Even when it rains, anything off pavement at Hard Rock gets pretty muddy.

The other variable is drainage systems (natural or built). Some areas will have better storm drain systems than others that may be undersized or non-existent. Moreover, even well design systems can get blocked by debris, causing significant localized flooding.

Your point of developed areas having more impervious surfaces is well taken, but if they are remotely modern, they should also have storm drain systems designed to carry the water.

 

[flipper32]

DBM

 

[sndral]

It’s not just Disney. We had two rooms at the Embassy suites in Saint Augustine on Tuesday. They did not tell us there was mandatory evacuation even though we kept asking. It was the bartender that told us at 5pm. We packed up told them front desk we were leaving. Even though Hilton announced a cancellation policy the manager charged us for the two rooms $1000. Had they said in the am the hotel was closing Wednesday we would have left. We came to Orlando and I am grateful to be here. We had to pay another $700 for Tuesday night to stay here. So $1700 for hotels for Tuesday night.
We had to change our flights to leave from MCO and not JAX no problem there. But our car went from $450 to $890. It’s hard times in a hurricane. Prayers everyone in Florida is safe and this passes.

If you were charged for a room you did not use during a declared emergency/evacuation order, you should try disputing those Embassy charges with your CC company. Seems like an open and shut case to me.

Evacuation orders in St. Augustine were issued sometime Tuesday effective 6 a.m. Wednesday, so depending on the time they asked at Embassy Suites the orders might not have been issued yet & even after issued they didn’t need to go until Wednesday morning. Since they didn’t check out until after 5 p.m. Tuesday they did use the rooms several hours beyond checkout time & could have stayed the night & evacuated as per the order on Wednesday morning. I guess they left early because they wanted to get to Orlando before the storm hit there? But if so, why were they flying out of JAX rather than MCO?
I think OP’s experience offers a lesson for those in the path of a hurricane - you need to monitor local authorities yourself. What was true an hour ago may change as authorities issue new guidance.

 

[DisneyBB]

Curious to see how you fared.
We were at OKW just last weekend, checked in on Friday, left early Monday, just in time to miss the storm.

It was fine felt safe and actually managed to sleep ok. The food offerings were not as good as other hotels but the CMs were doing their best. We got some meal kits. There are lots of beaches and leaves around but nothing major happened. It was lovely this morning Pluto, Minnine and Chip were in the lobby area dancing with everyone. Think it is easier in a resort with internal lobby but love OKW for its openness so can’t have it both ways.

 

[FeliciaB23]

Does anyone know how the Poly fared? Haven’t seen any reports from people staying there.

 

[Mikey15]

Anyone know if the Waffle Houses around WDW reopened yet?

Not sure where the nearest Waffle House actually is but the IHOPs on 192 and Apopka-Vineland both appear closed still