Hurricane Irma?

[Tonyz]

Sorry Tony.

Thanks. But if I have to ride out a hurricane at Animal Kingdom Lodge, there's much worse things in life.

 

[Grumpy92]

I am really scared about staying this weekend. What is the chance of loss of life?

Certainly understandable to be fearful, this is a dangerous storm. If you are any where in the state the best any of us can do is hunker down with supplies. Make sure you have flashlights, ability to recharge your cell and food. If you are at a hotel do what the staff tell you. Do not go outside! If you are able to get to a shelter go there. Planning and prep are the key to surviving any hurricane.

 

[eastendlights]

At this point, Disney should be telling people not to come or at least close the park Sunday and Monday with an announcement by now.

That's my opinion

From someone who is stuck here in a club level room at Beach Club (one the the places you might want to be stuck) I highly agree. If not for the fact that I was here getting our daughter settled for the college program and would have had to leave her to deal with this, I would have changed my Sunday night flight to leave by today or yesterday.

 

[Lehuaann]

.

 

[msanchez1536]

Anytime my husband doesn't get customer service help he goes to twitter. Works every time.

It's mind blowing how quickly and efficiently you receive the help you needed from a company once you call them out on social media.

On another note, my reservations were immediately removed from MDE once the cancellation went through. Just finished canceling all ADR's and FP+'s everything got removed as expected.

 

[mowork48]

I've been following this thread since about page 13. Signed up to reply and wanted to thank everyone for all the posts. We've been "planning" our trip for about 4 years now to coordinate with our 10 year wedding anniversary (we did DW for our honeymoon) as well as our daughters 5th birthday. We arrive Saturday the 16th in the AM and leave Saturday the 23rd. We were absolutely devastated as the hurricane news kept creeping out but are feeling more and more confident our trip will stay intact and we won't run into any major issues. A day lost here or there isn't a huge issue for us so we're very much looking forward to the trip.

We also have been planning this trip for several years in celebration of our 50th wedding anniversary. We are also scheduled for Sept 16 to Sept 23. We are meeting our children and grandchildren to celebrate our 50th. Our 2 grand daughters will be the same age, 6 and 8, that we first took our children to Disney World about 30 years ago. As everyone else, we planned forever, sweated bullets to get free dining, got great character ADR's for 7, biddidty boddidty bootique ressies and fastpasses. I have planned, thought, dreamed and talked about nothing but Disney for the past 6 months. Special order Etsy-made family 2017 Disney t-shirts were delivered today. So yes, we will be very disappointed if we have to cancel our trip, probably me and my grand daughters the most, but we are trying to keep it in perspective. People in Florida stand to lose their lives, homes, livelihood, and their beautiful state. I am from Texas, and my great state just suffered horrible destruction and loss of life from Hurricane Harvey. I am hoping and praying for a miracle that at the last minute Irma will change paths or lose intensity, and the destruction to Florida is not as bad as is predicted and, of course, all of the people on this site can make their Disney vacations!

 

[sky13]

To those of you thinking of taking shelter at a Disney Resort, when we got stuck in Disney World during Hurricane Sandy, Pop offered us a Hurricane Rate. It was around $80 a night. Not sure what they offer now, if anything at all.

Pop has told me that if I needed to extend my current stay there they are offering 40% off the rack rate for extensions.

There is absolutely no one in the parks right now lol just checked mde and all the wait times are basically nothing and watching the snap stories down there parking lots are empty and so many rides are walk on. Hope everyone who is there enjoys today!

Still plenty of people at MK right now for the parade though! But definitely less than normally...

 

[WDW1979]

Read this earlier for what it's worth "Disney imagineers built the castle to withstand winds of at least 110 mph. They used a 600-ton steel frame and 10-inch concrete walls. Other sources say it can withstand winds of up to 125 mph."
http://heavy.com/news/2017/09/irma-...nderella-castle-withstand-wind-magic-kingdom/

Wow, a 600-ton steel frame and 10-inch concrete walls? Sounds like Cinderella Castle could actually function as a real defensive castle should the medieval era ever return.

 

[Honeybee0317]

Thanks for all the support guys. I got it canceled. Best wishes to anyone still going, be safe.

 

[FastPasser.]

What is Disney doing to protect all the windows at the resorts? Are they boarded?

Not necessary. I'm less than 15 minutes from WDW and I went through four hurricanes in 2004 and sustained no damage in any of them. Not even from Charley who's eye went directly over my house. WDW resorts are fine.

 

[AngiTN]

still trying to make a decision to cancel or not. Let's just say that MCO is open Tuesday 9/12/17 (my scheduled arrival date) and Disney is open Wednesday 9/13/17. What is the Disney experience going to be like? I mean, will they be fully operational with all the rides and shows open? We don't know. This is what makes me want to cancel and reschedule. I haven't been in 15 years and this will be my 3 nephews 1st trip. I want them to experience the "full" Disney experience. Arghh. So heartbreaking, but I am really trying to hold out until Monday to make this decision, but it is getting harder and harder to wait till then.

With few exceptions due to extenuating circumstances (like a broken levee following Katrina, which was not the hurricane directly and a stalled Harvey) once the Hurricane passes the weather is beautiful and clear. It's been determined for sure that Irma will pass, not stall. What Irma will leave in her wake is unknown. Odds are looking like it will not leave massive or extensive damage in Orlando, and WDW, proper. But no, at this moment no one can say anything for certain. Outside of the part that it won't have anything like a broken levee from Katrina or a stalled rain maker like Harvey.

 

[vallygirl0221]

Wow, a 600-ton steel frame and 10-inch concrete walls? Sounds like Cinderella Castle could actually function as a real defensive castle should the medieval era ever return.

I stand firm if we find ourselves in a zombie apocalypse I am going to WDW underground tunnels a castle fortress

 

[Belle1962]

Not for Irma but I got stuck there when Atlanta was having snowmageddon.

 

[AngiTN]

I am really scared about staying this weekend. What is the chance of loss of life?

For folks in Orlando/WDW? Slim, especially if they heed all warnings and directions from people in charge. If it's bad and people don't listen and go outdoors? Totally different answer

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

WDW is now officially closed Sunday and Monday. Will attempt to re-open on Tuesday. (via cast member)

 

[yulilin3]

help us obi Wan @FastPasser. you're our only hope...what's the HUB saying on closures?

 

[twoplustwins]

I realize that, but I wanted to give a first person account of what's going on here.

Thank you. Sincerely. It's so hard to be far away from loved ones when something like this is going on.

 

[Lynne G]

Unless there's damage that can't be fixed fast, I assume the parks and the airport will be open as normal on Tuesday. Rode out Matthew at FQ, and my car was in the parking lot, not at DS. Thankfully, other than missing 1 and 1/2 days, and some not so good food, it was fine. Hoping no major issues in the whole Orlando area. I am so sad, was in KY last week, and the thought of Miami and those in the Keys. Hope all are safe and property too.

 

[SaintsManiac]

help us obi Wan @FastPasser. you're our only hope...what's the HUB saying on closures?

Hiro just updated the confirmed thread. Closed 9/9 at 9pm and all of Sunday and Monday.

 

[Irish_Mike]

Hiro just updated the confirmed thread. Closed 9/9 at 9pm and all of Sunday and Monday.

Yup, confirmed from several CMs