Fires affecting DLR?

[heathpack]

Hi all,

I live in Hollywood and cannot comment directly on anything going on down in the Disneyland area. Likewise, I am not a weather expert in any way.

However, with those caveats in mind, it is worth mentioning to visitors to the area that the current fires are largely caused by a very specific weather phenomenom called "Santa Ana winds." These occur in Southern California in fall and winter and have something to do with a reversal of the normal pattern of winds. Normally, LA receives cool(ish) moist air blowing west from the Pacific ocean. The Santa Ana winds are a reversal of this pattern with hot, very dry air blowing in from the Northeast deserts. I don't recall exactly why this happens, but the winds blow at very high speed, are very gusty and the hot dry windy weather pattern seriously contributes to fire threat. Any fire that starts is quickly whipped into a conflagration by the Santa Ana winds and things can get quickly out of control. Fires are extremely hard to fight in these conditions. Helicopters can't fly, fires jump fire lines, direction of spread is very erratic..

It may be helpful to know that the Santa Ana wind phenomenom tends to only occur for a few days at a time. The current pattern started Sunday and is expected to end Tuesday or Wednesday, which should greatly lessen fire risk. Of course, it may take some time to get the current fires under control. But if you are visiting next weekend and fires get under control, there will not be any greater than usual risk of fire in So Cal. Yes, it has been very dry here, but as I understand it, this is a smaller part of the problem in the past few days.

Hopefully this helps folks to understand what's been going on. Anyone out there better versed in weather, please pipe in...

Heathpack

 

[pppiglet]

The air quality is much worse today than yesterday. I would not enjoy myself at DL in this. Tomorrow is suppose to be 96 and with all this brown yuck hanging over, you should just stay indoors with the A/C on.

 

[Cheshirepixie]

We just drove back from DL. We left Anaheim around noon and the winds were very strong and the smoke was thick with ash falling. I think the weather service was calling for high wind adivsory through tomorrow. Hopefully the winds die down sooner so that the firefighters can get a better handle on the fires.

 

[Alice28]

we've been at DL since Saturday.

It is VERY windy here, and dusty/smokey. I cannot smell the smoke, as I've had a stupid sinus infection for awhile and can smell nothing, but you can see the haze in the air. My eyes have been burning.

Lots of things were closed today- they closed the pools at GC and DLH due to all the debris coming in. Lots of carts in DtD closed due to winds. Uva Bar was closed- DH had a drink there last night and the bar was covered in dust.

Trying to eat at anywhere outside at DLR was a joke- had to hold onto napkins, lightweight plates, etc, or they would blow away.

Managed to get on a LOT of rides though!

 

[imjen]

It sounds terrible. I sure hope they die down today! Is it still manageable? I hope you're still having fun! I imagine the crowds are pretty small?

 

[JadeDarkstar]

well this is to the one going wensday I hope you'll son and you have fun just get a mask for you'll son and try to stay in like at restrants or plays or something..idk hopoe he has fun im going nov and im just l;ike praying that nothing bad happines to dl before we get there and that the fires are out soon.

 

[goaliewife]

Just wanted to convey my thoughts and prayers for everyone living in SoCal with the fires all around. Please stay safe and stay indoors as much as possible. The devastation is so horrible and my heart goes out to all who have lost so much. We are all praying that this will end today and they will have the fires contained shortly.

I am in NorCal, central; prayers to everyone in SoCal. May the angles be with you all.

 

[Alice28]

It sounds terrible. I sure hope they die down today! Is it still manageable? I hope you're still having fun! I imagine the crowds are pretty small?

We are having fun. Saturday things were crowded, of course. We mostly stayed over at CA Adventure and went on most of the headliners easily with a FP (although we stood in line for about 20 minutes for Screamin). We went to DL after dinner and just went on Pirates- line was about 20 minutes.

Sunday we did Splash, HM, Pirates, Space, Buzz, Matterhorn all by about noon or one o clock (park opened at 10). Oh and we walked around the new Pirates Lair/Tom Sawyer Island. Had lunch and left for an afternoon break/swim/massage at the Mandara spa (heavenly). Pool at GC was chilly and the wind was awful- tons of dirt and leaves in the pool (which is why it was closed yesterday). Went back to DL in evening, fireworks and Fantasmic cancelled, but we went on Jungle Cruise, a couple things in Fantasyland, walked around Toontown at some point that day. Took the train for a lap. I was pretty tired as I'm still fighting this blasted cold, so we went back and did some shopping at WoD.

Monday was early entry- I cannot stress this enough if you want to ride Nemo. Get to the gates about 30 minutes before park opens. We were only about 35 people back from front of our gate. We did the 'walk thru the shops' trick to get up main st. Rope barrier at end of street. We positioned ourselves on the right, only about 3 people back....we fast walked (did not run like a lot of people did) over to Nemo (the CMs guide you all one way) and were on a sub at 9:13 AM. Done with it at 9:30. We went on a couple Fantasyland rides and got breakfast at Tomorrowland Terrace. Went on Space and Buzz again even after the park opened to the masses, line for Space was 5 minutes. Went on Indiana Jones (10 minute wait). Had lunch at some point, just sharing a sandwich at Hungry Bear. Went over to DCA around 12 and went on ToT (walk on) and Monsters. DCA was a ghost town. Went back to hotel for awhile, pool closed. Went back to DCA just to get wet on GRR, . Came back to hotel for a rest before dinner time at Steakhouse 55.

We've tried 3 nicer restaurants here- Catal, Jazz Kitchen and Steakhouse 55. Our favorite handsdown was Jazz Kitchen. Catal lacked in a big way, and Steakhouse 55 was OK, but nothing suburb. Should've gone to Napa Rose, oh well.

I think the crowds are quite low. We did hear a man in front of us from Malibu who evacuated his home and came here to the Grand CA for a stay to wait it out. (but what a nice place to wait it out!)

 

[jlmarr]

We did hear a man in front of us from Malibu who evacuated his home and came here to the Grand CA for a stay to wait it out.

Now that's making the best of a bad situation!

 

[imjen]

I just called the Carousel to ask about the air quality and he said you can see a smoky haze a bit in the air but no one is walking around with masks or anything. He said it's really not that bad just hot outside. He also said their pool is open. And the wind has died down quite a bit from yesterday and Sunday. Hopefully that continues to be true! Anyone want to confirm this info with their hotel?

 

[JadeDarkstar]

i think im gona buy masks just in case formy nov trip fire seson could be worse this year.. dont know

 

[minicoopercraig]

I've never experienced any fires before, but my thoughts and prayers are still with all of those being affected by this. I hope everyone remains safe and sound.
I was talking with someone today and they asked what would happen if fire ever got to Disneyland. I slapped them upside their head and told them not to say it! I couldn't imagine.

 

[pixiewings71]

i think im gona buy masks just in case formy nov trip fire seson could be worse this year.. dont know

I wouldn't worry about buying masks just yet JadeDarkstar. There is still time for them to be put out and things to clear up. Trust me, you will know if you need them, we will all be posting about it here. We leave Thursday night, I've got that nasty cold that's been going around so I am thinking about getting some masks to use.....but I always have issues breathing with smoke in the air so that's why I'm thinking of using them.

 

[cats mom]

I just called the Carousel to ask about the air quality and he said you can see a smoky haze a bit in the air but no one is walking around with masks or anything. He said it's really not that bad just hot outside. He also said their pool is open. And the wind has died down quite a bit from yesterday and Sunday. Hopefully that continues to be true! Anyone want to confirm this info with their hotel?

I think some posts are making it sound like the whole area is covered with smoke and ash. It's really not the case, especially in the Disneyland area.

As I posted earlier we didn't smell any smoke or see any ash at all in the parks yesterday afternoon.

My DH is in meetings on Harbor, just a few miles down the road from Disneyland, right now. I just talked to him and he said it's much the same today. Yes the air is hazy and there is plenty of blowing dust, yes he can see smoke, but if there is any smell it's very slight and no falling ashes that he can see.

I just got word that some folks who live about 8 miles from where I am got mandatory evacuation orders this morning. (Santiago Fire) I can't smell any smoke at all, even though I can certainly see it! It's blowing in an offshore direction right now. In fact I can see gunk in the sky in a couple of different directions, but the skies directly overhead are as clear & blue as can be.

Granted if the winds shift I'll be singing a different tune... but it just shows that the whole area is not affected in the same way.

I'm not making light of the fires, believe me I understand how serious they are! It's unbelieveable how many folks have lost everything. Things are very scary here and red flag warnings are still in effect, so the situation is certainly precarious.


If anyone had plans to travel to San Diego I'd say cancel or change them immediately and I'm sure Magic Mountain is out of the question as well. But I really think Disneyland is still do-able.

I might think twice if anyone in the group has respiratory problems though because of the air quality warnings in effect.
Some places are fine, others are terrible, but the winds can shift so quickly that things can change in an instant.

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

thanks catsmom for the reassuring post! My thoughts and prayers are also with everyone... we are looking forward to our trip tomorrow... and I have been watching the hojo webcam all day, and it looks pretty okay to me...

I'll write a TR when I get back!

--Lisa

 

[Rapunsel]

I live 4 miles from LAX, 32 miles from DL and 1 mile from the beach.. Our cars are covered in ash. The malibu fires are about 15 miles away.. The air quality is awful... They are not letting the school kids play out side and there is a brown haze in the air..

The ash and dust is there...

So the air quality is being marked as unhealthy..

 

[teacups]

I hope you are ok there, Rapunzel. How scary... We fly in tomorrow right next to you there. I hope things clear out. I live in Idaho and we get terrible fires every summer and are covered in smoke and crud for a while... but that has become the norm here I guess. Something about traveling in a plane with your kids and a couple of suitcases is scary...

 

[CoolPool]

My kids were not allowed to play outside at school today here in the San Fernando Valley. I believe this was a L.A. County-wide advisory. We can see a dark haze in the direction of Malibu but the view to the east is blue and beautiful. Traffic is always appalling, but its horrifically appalling today. I'd urge people to stay out of San Diego and Ventura counties completely.

Edit: Well what a difference a few hours make. We know have the brown air on top of us. This air is bad.