Vero and Dorian

[alltwelve]

We are currently booked for a trip to Vero Beach for Labor Day weekend. Dorian doesn't appear to be a big storm (yet!), but predictions have it heading towards DVBR.

I booked the flights through Southwest, so there's no cancellation or change fees (yay!), and I'm leaning towards canceling the trip altogether and having the DVC points put into a holding account, but I'm not sure if I should just wait and see, as we can cancel until the day before (Friday).

Is anyone else out there in the same situation? Are you also thinking of canceling or will you holding out to see if Disney closes down the resort?

 

[Deb & Bill]

If it is just a tropical storm, they probably won't close the resort. That's just a big rain event.

 

[floridafam]

It’s now a hurricane. We live in Sebastian and I’m a little worried. Latest info shows it hitting north of here as a cat 3.

 

[Marionnette]

It’s now a hurricane. We live in Sebastian and I’m a little worried. Latest info shows it hitting north of here as a cat 3.

Be safe. Please post on this thread later and let us know how you make out after the storm, if you can.

 

[floridafam]

I’m just so sick of these storms. Losing power for days at a time is no fun. This time, I don’t know if we should stay or go. Lots of friends were trapped on clogged highways last time they tried to evacuate.

 

[Deb & Bill]

It looks like it may be a Category 3 hurricane when it makes landfall near Titusville or Vero and then go across the state to the Gulf as a 1 or 2. WDW could be closed for two or three days. Just have to keep watching that front up in Canada.

We just bought battery operated fans and lanterns and many, many packages of batteries. We have at least 25 gallons of water on hand for drinking. Plus a solar power/battery/hand crank radio with charging ability for a cell phone and a flashlight. We're on the Gulf Coast south of where it should cross so we'll probably be okay.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I’m just so sick of these storms. Losing power for days at a time is no fun. This time, I don’t know if we should stay or go. Lots of friends were trapped on clogged highways last time they tried to evacuate.

 

[Oozma_Kappa]

We are arriving Saturday and staying at Copper Creek. Do we need to stock up on food and water when we place our grocery order?

 

[floridafam]

Our Publix stores are already running low on water so you may have trouble including it in your grocery order. My daughter’s boyfriend did a Walmart grocery pickup earlier today and they couldn’t fulfill the bottled water that he ordered.

 

[floridafam]

Honestly, I would cancel. It’s going to be a significant rain event, minimum. Vero doesn’t seem like it would be much fun this weekend.

 

[alltwelve]

Honestly, I would cancel. It’s going to be a significant rain event, minimum. Vero doesn’t seem like it would be much fun this weekend.

I took your advice and went ahead and cancelled on the DVC website just now. I read the rules regarding hurricane warnings and canceling a reservation with DVC points and getting the points back as normal and it appears you can cancel if a hurricane warning has been issued for the area within 7 days of check-in. Based on the current projections, it appears as though hurricane warnings wouldn't go in place until Saturday or Sunday, and since our check-in at Vero is Saturday, I went ahead and cancelled with the points going into a holding account. I'm not too crazy about the whole holding account thing, but, to your point, I don't believe Vero is going to be a fun place to visit this weekend.

Please be safe in Sebastian!

 

[floridafam]

Would you have been able to get your points back without being in holding if you had called member services?

I wonder if they are going to close the resort. It’s now forecast to be a cat 4.

 

[alltwelve]

Would you have been able to get your points back without being in holding if you had called member services?

I wonder if they are going to close the resort. It’s now forecast to be a cat 4.

Possibly- I know there was a time when I did an online chat with member services and was able to not get the points into holding. I may do an online chat to see if they would make an exception.
Our reservation was checking in on Saturday and checking out on Monday, so if they were to close the resort, it looks like it would possibly be on Monday- based on the current projection, but maybe even Sunday just to get everyone out.

 

[floridafam]

i always prefer when places close early enough for employees to evacuate. It’s frustrating to not know where this thing is going to lend.

My daughter’s school, FIT in Melbourne, hasn’t closed yet. My husband is scheduled for jury duty on Tuesday and he has to work at least through tomorrow.

We got our son out of Miami just in time before Irma hit two years ago.

I’m usually so prepared and confident. This time is different. I’m frustrated.

 

[Sandisw]

I took your advice and went ahead and cancelled on the DVC website just now. I read the rules regarding hurricane warnings and canceling a reservation with DVC points and getting the points back as normal and it appears you can cancel if a hurricane warning has been issued for the area within 7 days of check-in. Based on the current projections, it appears as though hurricane warnings wouldn't go in place until Saturday or Sunday, and since our check-in at Vero is Saturday, I went ahead and cancelled with the points going into a holding account. I'm not too crazy about the whole holding account thing, but, to your point, I don't believe Vero is going to be a fun place to visit this weekend.

Please be safe in Sebastian!

Give MS a call and let them know you canceled for that reason. They should be able to help restore those points from holding if that warning holds true. At the very least, they will let you know if they won't be able to. A few years back, we canceled because of a hurricane and they were able to do that. The points went into holding at first, but they told us they would be changed within a few days to a week once they could adjust everyone's account. It took about 3 to 4 days.

Stay safe!

 

[floridafam]

Our local Cumberland Farms gas station already ran out of gas once. My husband had to wait for the tanker to refill them.

Wawa in Vero has 40 people in line for gas.

 

[Jonell]

We are in the same situation. We’re suppose to be checking into Vero Sept 4th. I don’t know if I should cancel now or wait until the weekend to see what happens. This is so frustrating!

 

[floridafam]

I’m still hoping that it will keep to the north. It’s so hard to know what is going to happen.

 

[jerseyduke]

Lessons from Irma

I had to bail out a day early as Irma approached (could not miss work, or else I would have stayed - and was worried about getting out of Florida after)

I-75 North was bumper to bumper Thursday and Friday. Places were out of gas. I did the keys to the kingdom tour Saturday then left. On Friday night, the car care center had gas and no line. I made it back to Atlanta Saturday in near record time as the roads were empty and all toll booths closed.

Disney did give me my points back for 1 night, but I did have to call 2 or 3 times to get them and it took a while (maybe a month?)

If you are at Disney, they will have water up the wazoo for purchase (of course it isn't cheap, but it never is)

People were actually coming from south Florida to stay at Disney for safety.

Everything at Disney is underground.

Sorry its no help for Vero, but the two are not far apart

 

[alltwelve]

Thanks guys for your suggestion- I chatted online with at DVC representative and they agreed to make the exception and take the points out of the holding account!