Castaway Cay Destroyed!

[mostyn17]

As you know....the 7 day has been shortened yet again!

I asked if we would at least go to CC and she told me that is was completely destroyed! They didn't know how long it would take to repair the damages! This cruise is turning out to be a disater!

How sad!

I'm stuck yet another night paying at the GF....

The only thing I can say from this storm is...I don't think anyone got hurt. Thank God for that!

Keep safe everyone!

Travis

 

[SueEllen]

Travis,
No one has been able to assess the damage at Castaway yet. I think someone has jumped the gun giving you that answer.

However, I'm sure that there was likely extensive damage and it will be some time before the ships visit again while Disney gets it up to what it should be again.

This happened after Hurricane Floyd several years ago.

Hang tight. I know that there is a lot of stress and disappointment with the cruises that were scheduled. I wish you all the best.

Sue Ellen

 

[mostyn17]

Sorry if I got any wrong info to you guys.... They lady did tell me that they did get to CC and the damage was severe. She told me that we would not be going this Firday.

I hope this info is not true....That would be just awful.

Thanks.

Travis

 

[dzneprincess]

Originally posted by mostyn17
As you know....the 7 day has been shortened yet again!

I asked if we would at least go to CC and she told me that is was completely destroyed! They didn't know how long it would take to repair the damages! This cruise is turning out to be a disater!

How sad!

I'm stuck yet another night paying at the GF....

The only thing I can say from this storm is...I don't think anyone got hurt. Thank God for that!

Keep safe everyone!

Travis

Sorry to hear things are going badly. I must have missed something, can someone explain what changes have happened on the Magic aside from the 5 day change that was made? How has it been shortened again?

 

[westjones]

Good Point Sue Ellen. I doubt if we know anything for sure about CC for a few days.

DJ

Edit: I didn't realize they said they actually were able to go an inspect the island. This is sad to hear, but at least everyone was off of the island.

 

[MarkRG]

Most current info from DCL on cruise status is right here: http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/disneycruiseline/shared/blankpage?id=StormNotificationPage


And I am not doubting for 1 second what was told, but can't imagine anyone's been over to CC that quickly.

But I would say considering the hurricane went right over the island, it's going to be a lot longer than 1 cruise before any stop at CC again.

 

[KathyTX]

Amanda, the Magic will now sail on Tuesday, on a 4 cruise with a visit to Cozumel.

 

[goin2disneyagain]

I don't see how they could anyone could have even gotten to CC to assess the damage yet. It's too soon.

 

[MarkRG]

And, as far as esimating how severe CC got hit, read this thread thru: http://disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=638129

 

[allears]

From what I've read here, the biggest problem after Floyd was that the dock was destroyed and the harbor back filled with a lot of sand. The re-built dock was designed to survive a category 4 or 5. That being the case, as long as the docking facility wasn't severely damanged, it will speed up DCLs return to the island.

Since no disers will be getting to CC at least this week, it could be a while until we all get some first hand information. Unless some of the cast members find out something and communicate back with their families who are active on the boards.

I'm very glad everyone was evacuated from the island and were safer in Florida. We sail on the 25th, and our best friends sail on the 26th. It will be a real bummer if we all don't get to go there, but what can you do. On the bright side, it means we may go somewhere else, perhaps some place we've never been. That can be a great adventure.

I know we'll all be anxious for more information as soon as it comes out.

 

[Grumpy's Mom]

I am sure that Disney has a private jet or two, and would have gotten to CC by now.

IMHO, CC is one of the most important marketing tools Disney has for its cruises. I think they would try to get out there as soon as possible to assess and plan.

 

[allears]

Another, hopefully encouraging thought. Not only does Disney have a few private planes, but they have vast resources already at their disposal from all around the world. I'm sure they will be comitting a lot of them to getting the island at least ready to be vistited again and back to full splendor. I think this is also one of the reasons so many folks in Florida evacuated to Disney World, becasue it is a world unto itself with it's own resources and not very dependent on the outside world for pretty much anything.

They can leverage the same type of power to bring whatever and whomever they need, to CC for repairs, without having to rely solely on the local resources. Which of course are going to be strained to the max as it is.

So here's hoping that beautiful piece of Disney paradise will be open for business real soon.

 

[mrsltg]

I am sure that Disney has a private jet or two, and would have gotten to CC by now.

I doubt it. The hurricane bands were out over the Bahamas for what seemed like forever. I don't think that they'd take the chance flying a small plane into what could be serious wind, not to mention, poor light.

Erin

 

[WDWLVR]

Erin- I agree. They are going to have to make a number of visits. The first I would think would be a flyover. Then they would send out a team of engineers to check things out.

CC was in the middle of things for so long I'm sure there is damage. How much, and how long it will take to get back to what we know and love, is yet to be determined.

Yes CC is a wonderful part of the cruise experience. We missed it on our first cruise due to Floyd. I can tell you that while we were sad (we got to see it but not visit) the rest of the experience is what keeps bringing us back.

 

[goin2disneyagain]

Originally posted by allears
Another, hopefully encouraging thought. Not only does Disney have a few private planes, but they have vast resources already at their disposal from all around the world. I'm sure they will be comitting a lot of them to getting the island at least ready to be vistited again and back to full splendor. I think this is also one of the reasons so many folks in Florida evacuated to Disney World, becasue it is a world unto itself with it's own resources and not very dependent on the outside world for pretty much anything.

They can leverage the same type of power to bring whatever and whomever they need, to CC for repairs, without having to rely solely on the local resources. Which of course are going to be strained to the max as it is.

So here's hoping that beautiful piece of Disney paradise will be open for business real soon.

I don't think people went to WDW during the hurricane because of its resources. WDW/Disney is not invinsible. Their resources are not any better than anyone elses. I think it had more to do with being in the middle of the state. Flying a small plane to CC would have been risky and dangerous.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Here's an encouraging press release. The source is the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism. Of course, this agency wants tourists to return to the Bahamas as soon as possible, but there's no reason to think the press release is not accurate.

Please notice the sentence, "Full assessments are still pending of Grand Bahama Island, Abaco, Andros and Bimini." Castaway Cay (Gorda Cay) is near Abaco. The conditions there could be very different than in Nassau.

<blockquote>Press Release
Source: Bahamas Ministry of Tourism

The Islands of The Bahamas Bounce Back from Hurricane Frances

Nassau/Paradise Island Suffer Minimal Damage; Nassau International Airport Re-Opens Sunday, September 5, 2004 at 5:00 PM AST ALERT #5

NASSAU, Bahamas, Sept. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Tourism facilities in The Islands Of The Bahamas fared considerably better than predicted after Hurricane Frances passed the 700 island-nation. Hurricane Frances rolled in as a Category 4 hurricane and left as a Category 2.

The Nassau International Airport resumed full operation as of Sunday, September 5th as have airports in the southern Bahamas. Cruise lines are scheduled to return to the Port of Nassau on their regular itineraries within the week. The major hotels and resorts in Nassau, Cable Beach and on Paradise Island, including Atlantis, Paradise Island, British Colonial Hilton, Radisson Cable Beach and Wyndam Nassau Resort & Crystal Palace sustained minimal cosmetic damage, are fully operational and are accepting reservations at this time. Hotels report no injury to guests.

Preliminary reports from Harbour Island, North Eleuthera, Spanish Wells and Exuma indicate minimal property damage with most tourism facilities returning to normal service. Full assessments are still pending of Grand Bahama Island, Abaco, Andros and Bimini.

Interviews with Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, Director General of the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, are available upon request. To schedule an interview, contact Alice Diaz of Weber Shandwick at 917-375-5514.

For frequent updates on The Islands Of The Bahamas, visit http://www.bahamas.com </blockquote>

 

[allears]

Oh absolutely the geographic location is a big factor. And no Disney World is not invinsible, but I still think their resources are a bit above what is available to the average town. They generate much of their own power, and if it fails you're not waiting for a public utility to get around to fixing it, they are the utility. And they have a tremdous infrastructure of diverse trades and skills. They don't have to alot man power, tools, trucks though out an entire county. They have their own, once of course their employees can get back to work.

And ultimately they have one of the greatest driving forces of nature, they are a commerical concern. Things get cleaned up and back up and running very quickly, or they don't make money. From what I heard on the news at least two of the parks are opening tomorrow. There are hundreds of thousands of people in the state with out power, yet the little minions of It's a Small World will be twirling and signing tomorrow. Now that's clout.

 

[goin2disneyagain]

Just remember that the entire state of Florida as well as all of the Bahamas have the same incentive. Tourism=money. They all need it, not just WDW/Disney. The parks opening are not representative of how CC faired. The hurricane was losing strength as it approached WDW and they are after all in the middle of the state, not on the ocean where damage would be worse. It was a much stronger hurricane when it went over CC. Most of the power outages are also further south in the state.

From what previous cruisers said it did take some time to get CC back to normal during Floyd. Hopefully the damage wasn't too bad but none of us know for sure yet. I am sure we will find out soon enough.

 

[allears]

Just remember that the entire state of Florida as well as all of the Bahamas have the same incentive. Tourism=money. They all need it, not just WDW/Disney. The parks opening are not representative of how CC faired. The hurricane was losing strength as it approached WDW and they are after all in the middle of the state, not on the ocean where damage would be worse. It was a much stronger hurricane when it went over CC. Most of the power outages are also further south in the state.


I'm sorry, I just don't get it, is there a really good reason you need to counter any of my points, when I'm just trying to add some encouragement to the situation.

Yes everyone has the same incentive, but does the state of Florida or the Bahamas have a world wide corporate empire to pull from to devote to an island. Nothing I said about Disney World had anything to do with how CC faired, just an example the infrastructure Disney has established. I in no way inferred that because Disney parks are opening tomorrow that the same situation would apply to CC. I watched the weather as well and know the difference between getting hit on an island with a cat 3 or 4 vs inland and 1 or 2. And so what if the power outages are mostly in the south of the state. The point was that people will be without power for some time. Disney won't, just an observation. They have to resources they have the technology, they can re-build CC, it just might not take as long as we might fear.

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

Yes, I'd read that Nassau/New Providence/Paradise Island came through better than they'd feared. But Castaway Cay is much closer to Grand Bahama which was absolutely <b><i>dumped</i></b> on. The storm stalled right in that area and it moved very slowly out of that area. I know that the airport at Grand Bahama was under water. It's not a stretch to imagine that Gorda Cay (Castaway Cay) was underwater as well.