Are you worried about hurricanes?

[DisneyWorldWisher]

Are you afraid hurricanes will ruin your Disney trip? I was a little bit cautious, but now it seems like the season has been pretty tame. (*knocks on wood*)

Are you worried about hurricanes?

 

[ssleblanc]

I'm not. Orlando isn't right on the coast, so even if one does hit, it won't have a major impact. I've read that the parks will close for a 1/2 day or a day if it is really bad, but will open back up really fast after the storm hits. I've also read that the Disney resorts are great during the storm. These are from reports of posters here who have been at Disney when a hurricane hit.

If I stayed home and had to deal with a hurricane, I'd have to deal with a major evacuation (or even a tropical storm for us because we can't stay in FEMA trailers during a minimal tropical storm). I'd rather be in Disney dealing with a storm than at home.

 

[civileng68]

I dont worry because actually hurricanes typically CAUSE me to go to Disney.

When one comes at us down here in SW Florida, we simply go up to Orlando.

The thing is, Im not bothered by anything Category 2 and below, and even if a 3 or low 4 hits the coast up near central Florida, by the time it gets to Disney, it would not likely be stronger than a 3.

 

[THESCHULTZFIVE]

I picked they are a thing to watch, only because I want to know if one's coming. I wouldn't cancel my trip unless it was supposed to be really bad, but I want to know if we're going to be rained out. If it was supposed to rain I might add a few more days so we have a better chance of seeing what we want to see.

 

[Em_in_FL]

Based on my experience of living through the hurricanes of 2004 (we were hit directly by 3 hurricanes in Orlando)... they scare the living crap outta me!

If I were travling from out of state for vacation in Orlando... and saw a hurricane on the horizon directed for FL during my vacation time... I would DEFINITELY reschedule.

Or, better yet... just visit anytime OTHER than hurricane season!


Just look around the Disney property... 2 years later there are STILL lots of trees toppled over sideways...

 

[goofy4tink]

August 13, 2004 (Friday the 13th I might add!!)....we arrived at the Contemporary Resort the same day Hurricane Charley did. We were lucky and were able to fly into MCO that day...I believe they stopped allowing flights in shortly after we got there...that was about 7 hours before Charley got there! I have to say that Disney did an incredible job during that storm. I would not be concerned about being in WDW during a hurricane, I would be concerned with the ability to get out of, or into, MCO with a storm that was imminent.

The really funny thing about that hurricane was that it was supposed to make landfall in the Tampa area, so all those folks from Tampa scrambled out of the Tampa area and headed inland to Orlando...the hotels/motels/resorts were chock-a-block full of Floridians trying to escape Charly's wrath. All they accomplished was to flee right into the 'eye of the storm'...making it a nightmare to get back to Tampa with all the damage to the roads around Orlando.

 

[oldcrow]

I'm slightly worried because my flight doesn't actually go directly to Orlando, we have a layover in Miami . So if we are unlucky enough to actually have a hurricane hit there on our day of arrival, it would severely disrupt my planning.

 

[safetymom]

We were hit directly by 3 hurricanes the summer of Charley. I live 12 miles from the parks and we had hurricane force winds.

Almost everyone in our area lost all the shingles on their roofs and had other major damage. Not to mention no utilities for quite a while.

It isn't true that being inland is safe.

 

[mickeyfan2]

DH told me he thinks it would be a neat experience to be at WDW during a hurricane. I am afraid the reason are obvious!

 

[NeverlandClub23]

I'm worried about hurricanes only because I don't want the end of the year crowded like it was last year!

 

[lauritagoddess]

I'm a little concerned, mainly because they're talking now about tropical depression #5 and that depending on the track it might turn into the first hurricane of the season and we're leaving in 2 days. But I'm not really worried about safety, more that I'll be stuck in the resort with a restless 4 year old and that we'll be missing the fun we planned on.

 

[GEM]

I'm really only concerned about being able to get there and get home - not what would actually happen while we're there. We have an 8 night trip planned, and we've been many times before. So, while having to spend a few days in the resort room wouldn't be fun, it wouldn't completely ruin the trip. We'd still have lots of time to play.

I'm just worried that they'll cancel flights in or out and we'll be stuck either not being able to get there or not being able to get home.

 

[JRawkSteady]

I'm not worried either, but none of the polls reflect my feelings. I'm not worried about hurricanes because I don't go in the summer months or September. I only go during the colder months (or May for SWW). Next year, I'll be going in October, and I'm not worried at all.

 

[Evil Queen]

I picked they are to watch. I'm already in Florida, so I watch them anyways. But one wouldn't keep me from going to Disney either.

I didn't go with the inland thing, because I believe that causes a false sense of security. I'm on the SE coast of Florida, Wilma came in from the SW coast, and it was horrible still by the time it got to us.

First time I used my safe room, I thought my house was going to fall apart. Noises I had never heard before. I lost a window in the first half, almost lost my front door in the 2nd half and don't know how my sliding glass doors made it through the entire thing.

I wouldn't worry too much about them. Just watch for them, educate yourself about them. If one is heading your way, have some supplies, listen to officials, and you will be fine.

 

[Evil Queen]

I'm not worried either, but none of the polls reflect my feelings. I'm not worried about hurricanes because I don't go in the summer months or September. I only go during the colder months (or May for SWW). Next year, I'll be going in October, and I'm not worried at all.

Not trying to worry you, but Wilma was an October hurricane, so it does happen. Last season there was still stuff brewing into the new year of 2006.

 

[Lisa_Belle]

I dont worry because actually hurricanes typically CAUSE me to go to Disney.

When one comes at us down here in SW Florida, we simply go up to Orlando.

LOL - this is why I chose "hurricanes are a thing to be watched." I'm not nervous about any actual storm upsetting my vacation; I just don't want herds of people crashing it. (Although I've heard they bring cooler weather. That would surely be welcome.)

 

[civileng68]

We were hit directly by 3 hurricanes the summer of Charley. I live 12 miles from the parks and we had hurricane force winds.

Almost everyone in our area lost all the shingles on their roofs and had other major damage. Not to mention no utilities for quite a while.

It isn't true that being inland is safe.

Well the thing is, "concern" is relative. Actually Orlando is much safer than an area where I live (SW Fla, right on the coast). When I speak of concern, Im not talking about slight damage to homes, vegetation and infrastructure. Im talking about home destruction with high possibility of death.

I personally, by my opinion of a concern, think Orlando is MUCH safer. Though you may experience hurricane force winds, if they're below a category 3, chances are, the building is going to stand (except if it's not built to the newer codes, and near water) and you will be safe if indoors.

 

[Tissa]

They are something to watch for, my main concern is because we are driving it could be a problem getting home and really I didn't pay a lot of money to ride out a hurricane at Disney I can do that at home for free.

I agree with not getting a false sense of security because Disney is inland. My uncle lives 200 miles from the coast here in Texas and he got it bad with Rita last year, it took them a month to get power back on.

 

[civileng68]

LOL - this is why I chose "hurricanes are a thing to be watched." I'm not nervous about any actual storm upsetting my vacation; I just don't want herds of people crashing it. (Although I've heard they bring cooler weather. That would surely be welcome.)

It's true, in October we escaped from Naples to avoid Wilma, and after Wilma came through (even though in Orlando it was only TS force winds, since the storm came ashore in Naples/Marco Island) the weather was actually pretty cold. It went from pretty warm even at night to in the 30's.

 

[civileng68]

The really funny thing about that hurricane was that it was supposed to make landfall in the Tampa area, so all those folks from Tampa scrambled out of the Tampa area and headed inland to Orlando...the hotels/motels/resorts were chock-a-block full of Floridians trying to escape Charly's wrath. All they accomplished was to flee right into the 'eye of the storm'...making it a nightmare to get back to Tampa with all the damage to the roads around Orlando.

True, however, it was VERY minimal (Charley). The "eye" did come over (what was left of it) but, the storm itself was nearly a tropical storm by the team it got to Orlando. It came ashore all the way down in Punta Gorda.

Just before landfall it was a category 4 (It was actually a category 5 about 30 minutes before landfall) and by the time it got to Orlando, it was struggling to stay at even a cat 1.

Now, I was jus outside of the strongest part of Charley (just south).

If you want to feel your heart skip a beat, you have to be sitting there, watching it on the news, literally living right on the shore, and seeing the radar sending it up to Tampa and suddenly it stops dead in its tracks and starts sending it directly towards you. I literally felt hearbroken for a few minutes when that happened.