Fort Wilderness During a Hurricane

[jaredjohn4]

We are 3 weeks into a 5 week trip and are currently at Gulf Shores State Park (Great Park!). Our check in date at the fort is Monday for 10 days before we head back north. Current maps have the eye of the storm hitting Tampa as a category 2 on Thursday at 2:00am. I imagine it will move right up the interstate to Disney. I remember a few years ago when they closed the Fort and they put every everybody in a hotel. Just looking for a little advice on what might happen. Thanks.

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

It all goes super smoothly and they are very efficient. They will give notes on your RV, Tent, Cabin etc, about the progression of the storm and what to expect and what they are wanting to do.
If it comes time to evacuate, you will be directed to head home if possible and they will refund you the rest of your stay. If that is not possible they will look to relocate you.

Yes, this CAN be a resort but it can also be a convention room with many other people (they will most likely try to avoid this route due to COVID issues but then again they may just warn you about what to expect). Keep in mind, this could be a regular Value resort and if you are in a Premium Meadows site or the like, you will have to ask them about the difference, since you paid more.


All in all we have been there through many evacuations and even as littles my kids never felt as though anything was up, because that is how smoothly and awesome it was. When transferred to another resort, you check in like normal and they will get you squared away ASAP. Each resort handles things differently as well. We have been to Deluxes during a hurricane and they had awesome activities set up for kids with characters and snacks, movies and the like. Moderates had arcades on free play as well as activities and snacks. Our family is too big for a Value but before kids when it happened and we were moved to one, they didn't do too much other than keep cast members in each building for questions and delivering flashlights to each room.
Each level of resort we have been in, has had flashlights delivered to the room, but at Values it was one, Moderates it was 2 and Club Level Deluxe it was one per person with extra batteries and Club Level Access at Moderates it was one per person.

 

[Narcoossee11]

You are correct. Fort will close due to wind and flooding.
If you don't leave, they will move you to a resort. French quarter and riverside is typically the resort.
The fort would close till it could be cleaned up. Several days.

Since you're not ci yet, they may cxl your reservation.

 

[jaredjohn4]

I've got Hoop Dee Do Review reservations and Mickeys Not So Scary Halloween Party tickets, so I don't know what might get cancelled. After Disney we have reservations at Stone Mountain near Atlanta and then Nashville for about 3 days each before the run for home. Most the parks we have been at are just about full, so not looking forward to having to change reservations, but riding out a hurricane doesn't sound like a lot of fun either.

 

[MICKIMINI]

If you let Disney cancel you may have some help with prepaid cancellations. Even if you are safe your rig might not be. Good luck and stay safe!

 

[HopperFan]

I’d have to go back and check thread of last hurricane but I believe you will have to close up your RV and move it to MK parking lot. I don’t think it can stay in campground.

 

[FtW Mike]

I’d have to go back and check thread of last hurricane but I believe you will have to close up your RV and move it to MK parking lot. I don’t think it can stay in campground.

Hopperfan you are correct about moving your RV I believe DISNEY utilized both MK and EPCOT lots and assigned those Ft W, campers staying which one to use.

I looked it up and there is a thread MERGED IMPACT IRMA ON THE FORT. dated Sept. 15 2017. It has many posts (28 pages) but as I recall some that stayed recounted their experiences as did some like PaHunter that arrived soon after WDW reopened

 

[Wendysofftoneverland]

In 2017, we had a reservation for the week after Irma hit and Disney called us to let us know the campground wouldn't reopen in time. They were nearly certain it would open 2 days into our stay, and they offered us either an All-Star or Coronado (party of 4 adults + a 1 yr old) for the first 2 nights. We stayed at Coronado Springs for 2 nights (at the price we paid for a full-hookup campsite), parked the RV in the Coronado Springs parking lot (25 ft class C motorhome), and moved to Ft. Wilderness the day it reopened. I heard some of the resort parking lots can't accommodate RVs, so it may depend on where you are relocated to, but Disney seems to be good and flexible during hurricane times. We were also there right before Dorian in 2019 and inquired about checking out early, but it turned out we didn't have to, as the hurricane didn't arrive until a full day after we left.

 

[a1tinkfans]

The food situation over there is abysmal at best. The service at crockets tavern was poor, the new set up is awful, the food was like junk fast food. It was beyond a waste of money and they need some serious help over there, food trucks are not cutting it Closed restaurants several days a week is crazy for families. Very dissatisfied with a quick visit there one afternoon.

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

The food situation over there is abysmal at best. The service at crockets tavern was poor, the new set up is awful, the food was like junk fast food. It was beyond a waste of money and they need some serious help over there, food trucks are not cutting it Closed restaurants several days a week is crazy for families. Very dissatisfied with a quick visit there one afternoon.

What does that have to do with a hurricane????

 

[StormyCA]

Some very good info in here! Our next trip is Oct 2023 and hopefully we won’t be impacted by a hurricane but it’s good to know Disney has contingency plans.

Two questions if anyone knows:

1- how well does Disney accommodate dietary restrictions during a hurricane? I’m gluten free and would prefer not to have to survive on plain potato chips and Hershey bars or plain salad.

2- If a hurricane is coming but the path is still undetermined, do you have to wait for Disney to determine the need to evacuate in order to get a refund of your unused costs or can you leave when you personally feel you should (ie to get ahead of evac traffic, your way home may be in the path etc)?

 

[Narcoossee11]

Some very good info in here! Our next trip is Oct 2023 and hopefully we won’t be impacted by a hurricane but it’s good to know Disney has contingency plans.

Two questions if anyone knows:

1- how well does Disney accommodate dietary restrictions during a hurricane? I’m gluten free and would prefer not to have to survive on plain potato chips and Hershey bars or plain salad.

2- If a hurricane is coming but the path is still undetermined, do you have to wait for Disney to determine the need to evacuate in order to get a refund of your unused costs or can you leave when you personally feel you should (ie to get ahead of evac traffic, your way home may be in the path etc)?

Question 1... Food is a box meal , pre prepared. Grab, pay, go.
You would need to plan ahead to purchase food and keep it in your room at hotel. If at camp ground , must more to hotel

Question 2..... Area must be under a hurricane warning.

 

[Teamubr]

I heard some of the resort parking lots can't accommodate RVs, so it may depend on where you are relocated to, but Disney seems to be good and flexible during hurricane times.

We arrived right after Irma rolled through. We left before the hurricane hot and we had been in vontact with Fisney who said come on down since our arrival date was after the planned hurricane. The Fort was still closed. We ended up at Old Key West in a 2 br villa due to the make up of our group of 5. We were there 3 or 4 days until the Fort opened. Old Key West is really tight with parking. They had us drop our 5er at Port Orleans- Riverside. There were several other campers there already.

j

 

[wdw_dine_junkie]

Nervous over here just east of Tampa, we'll see how a travel trailer holds up to hurricane winds. Printed out our insurance policy just in case. We'll load up the water tanks so it's as heavy as possible in the driveway and hope for the best.

 

[bama_ed]

Nervous over here just east of Tampa, we'll see how a travel trailer holds up to hurricane winds. Printed out our insurance policy just in case. We'll load up the water tanks so it's as heavy as possible in the driveway and hope for the best.

Hopefully, @wdw_dine_junkie, the Hurricane will swing out further to the west of you (and the Orlando area).

My fingers are crossed for everyone.

Bama Ed

 

[BarbLynnM]

We were already on our way down, having been at a wedding in Georgia prior, and paid for tickets. We're to be there tomorrow, not sure whether to risk it, but Northern Michigan is a long drive home to not have at least tried. Rain I can handle. Not so sure about winds/flooding. Oi.

 

[jaredjohn4]

We check in tomorrow (Monday) and have MNSSHP tickets on Thursday and HoopDeeDoo Review on Friday. I hate to miss those, but the weather is what it is. I hope it turns West up to the panhandle. Then if we have to we can make a run up the East coast before heading back to Illinois.

 

[FtW Mike]

Over on AllEars.net they have a run down of when WDW had closures for hurricanes over the years. Basically a list of the storms name , when they closed and when the resumed PARK OPERATIONS

 

[BarbLynnM]

I just saw a news report about panic buying of gas. My guy could chance the weather but not running out of gas. Unless something moves Ian away from land, looks like we're turning around

 

[wdw_dine_junkie]

I would not come IMO.. stay safe