MICKEY'S DREAMERS
08-29-2004, 07:31 AM
At 3 PM we received another message inviting everybody to remove furniture and personal effects from the balconies; in the mean time we succeeded to contact a human being :) at Disney Cruise Line (previous calls ended in answering machines) who confirmed us that (for the moment) no service disruption was foreseen, even if storm watch was now including also Port Canaveral area; most important we were able to give to DCL our coordinates, so they could be able to contact us in case of major problems.
The 5PM News confirmed that around 9 PM we would be in the eye of the hurricane, an exciting experience :scared1: that I would have been happy to avoid. By the way … there was not too much to do, so we decided to have a quick dinner at Roaring Forks. So at 7.20PM we went downstairs to find a spectral lobby with nobody around. We were approached by a cast member (from the look he was probably borrowed by the Haunted Mansion staff); he explained us that there was an evacuation in progress … after a few moment of panic we realized that only common areas of the Lodge were evacuated, to avoid accidents due to panic (e.g. due to the crash of some large windows) and everybody was forced to go back in their room.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid137/p5ca6a34f128e2a3e2272fd499620ce4a/f73cdbf2.jpg
POURING IN THE LOBBY
Of course restaurants were closed too. It was 7.28 PM; Mercantile shop was in the process to shut at 7.30 PM … we were lucky enough to grab two bananas, the last pack of bread and some cheese before it closed. This “romantic” dinner in our room was our last meal in Orlando … well … at least it was not with candle lights (power never went down) … :)
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid137/p3f22af36f477e8d1656531736c2312ec/f73cd85e.jpg
LAST DINNER
A few minutes after 8PM the hurricane hit Orlando. Following ten minutes the rain was so strong that there was no visibility at all … everything outside the window was black. Several magnificent trees in the courtyard felt down due to the wind… a few minutes more and the worst was gone … what a Friday 13th !
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid136/p698adf109811da22bac7ea1dc261f9a3/f7490200.jpg
FALLEN TREES IN THE COURTYARD
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid137/pdc950972c31cdd9775d4d3ef6cdaa26c/f73ff049.jpg
MORE FALLEN TREES IN THE COURTYARD
At 10 PM we got a message saying that the hurricane was passed (were they worried we didn’t notice that? :rotfl: ), but asking us to remain in the rooms until the assessment of damages was completed. At 11.15 another message informing us that the Whispering Canyon was opening :confused: from 11.30 PM until 1.00 AM with a buffet, for the fixed price of 10 USD; and that we were invited to help ourselves and carry the food in the rooms until assessment of damages was completed … while sleeping I was wondering how to help ourselves in a buffet and eating in the room :confused: … but maybe I was already dreaming :)
Last message was on Saturday early morning: assessment of damages was completed. Parks were normally open (but AK) and life was (almost) back to normality.
(still to be continued)
FIRST FOUR PARTS OF THE REPORTS ARE AT
http://***************/showthread.php?s=&threadid=631470 (PART1)
http://***************/showthread.php?s=&threadid=632219 (PART2)
http://***************/showthread.php?s=&threadid=633676 (PART3)
http://***************/showthread.php?s=&threadid=634247 (PART4)
The 5PM News confirmed that around 9 PM we would be in the eye of the hurricane, an exciting experience :scared1: that I would have been happy to avoid. By the way … there was not too much to do, so we decided to have a quick dinner at Roaring Forks. So at 7.20PM we went downstairs to find a spectral lobby with nobody around. We were approached by a cast member (from the look he was probably borrowed by the Haunted Mansion staff); he explained us that there was an evacuation in progress … after a few moment of panic we realized that only common areas of the Lodge were evacuated, to avoid accidents due to panic (e.g. due to the crash of some large windows) and everybody was forced to go back in their room.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid137/p5ca6a34f128e2a3e2272fd499620ce4a/f73cdbf2.jpg
POURING IN THE LOBBY
Of course restaurants were closed too. It was 7.28 PM; Mercantile shop was in the process to shut at 7.30 PM … we were lucky enough to grab two bananas, the last pack of bread and some cheese before it closed. This “romantic” dinner in our room was our last meal in Orlando … well … at least it was not with candle lights (power never went down) … :)
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid137/p3f22af36f477e8d1656531736c2312ec/f73cd85e.jpg
LAST DINNER
A few minutes after 8PM the hurricane hit Orlando. Following ten minutes the rain was so strong that there was no visibility at all … everything outside the window was black. Several magnificent trees in the courtyard felt down due to the wind… a few minutes more and the worst was gone … what a Friday 13th !
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid136/p698adf109811da22bac7ea1dc261f9a3/f7490200.jpg
FALLEN TREES IN THE COURTYARD
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid137/pdc950972c31cdd9775d4d3ef6cdaa26c/f73ff049.jpg
MORE FALLEN TREES IN THE COURTYARD
At 10 PM we got a message saying that the hurricane was passed (were they worried we didn’t notice that? :rotfl: ), but asking us to remain in the rooms until the assessment of damages was completed. At 11.15 another message informing us that the Whispering Canyon was opening :confused: from 11.30 PM until 1.00 AM with a buffet, for the fixed price of 10 USD; and that we were invited to help ourselves and carry the food in the rooms until assessment of damages was completed … while sleeping I was wondering how to help ourselves in a buffet and eating in the room :confused: … but maybe I was already dreaming :)
Last message was on Saturday early morning: assessment of damages was completed. Parks were normally open (but AK) and life was (almost) back to normality.
(still to be continued)
FIRST FOUR PARTS OF THE REPORTS ARE AT
http://***************/showthread.php?s=&threadid=631470 (PART1)
http://***************/showthread.php?s=&threadid=632219 (PART2)
http://***************/showthread.php?s=&threadid=633676 (PART3)
http://***************/showthread.php?s=&threadid=634247 (PART4)