Frances still impacting on 9/12?

[Leigh123]

I feel terrible even asking this when people could be losing their homes but hanging my head in shame I am going to ask...Will WDW be fully operational by 9/12? We fly out that Sunday morning and I don't know if I should start making alternate plans...also I dont want to go if the parks are not at a high percent of operation....thanks in advance to your help and our prayers to anyone in the path of Frances.

 

[zakatak]

I'll take a shot in the dark here by answering, but at this time nobody knows WHAT is going to happen. I see two extremes here, either WDW gets a slight wind and rain (the hurricane passes over South Florida into the Gulf), WDW gets destroyed (the hurricane passes right onto WDW and stalls there for 12 hours or more with 145 mph sustained winds) or WDW gets some damage and they're up and running within a few days.

All kidding aside, you need to just wait it out and see for yourself on Sunday morning what Florida looks like.

All our prayers should be going to the residents of Florida right now. Take Care and stay safe.

 

[LibertyBelle]

zakatak is right... at this point no one knows, right now the 5am report has put WDW on the "bad side". Keeping in mind that the path is going to shift at least 10 more times before it actually hits we have no idea what is going to happen. As zakatak said it could be as simple as Charley and everything could be cleared within hours and ready to open or it could be as bad as Andrew where everything is unrecognizable... we just don't know.

As far as asking your question... Don't hang your head in shame... I am local and we are preparing for the storm the best we can...I take absolutely no offense to you asking if your "Well deserved, I bust my butt everyday at work and want to go play at Disney World, vacation" is still going to be feasible. We all work very hard and are vacations are planned out to a tee (and well in advance). We look forward to them and for something like this to come along when it's our turn... You have every right to ask your questions... Pray for the mouse and keep all of us in your thoughts... Good luck to you, I hope that by the 12th your are able to get here and enjoy some RnR!!!

 

[Leigh123]

Thanks so much to both of you...let's all pray the pixie dust is strong enough to push it out to sea and all are safe!

 

[safetymom]

I don't think Frances going out to sea is a option at this point.

I second Liberty Belle's comments. This area will welcome you with open arms after the hurricane.

Gov. Bush asked people to postpone their visits not cancel their trips to Florida. So come on down.

 

[Leigh123]

safetymom that is my confusion, by people saying to postpone do they mean just labor day travelers or do they mean for the next few weeks?

 

[peter11435]

safetymom that is my confusion, by people sayimg to postpone do they mean just labor day travellers or do they mean for the next few weeks?

No, just labor day, after the storm we need all the tourists we can get, This helps the econonmy and therfore helpes the recovery, Disney is far enough inland that the storm should be a cat 2 at best when it reaches property. Disney should be ok other than the same type of damage they had with charley.

 

[safetymom]

Just postpone your trip until after the Hurricane passes. I am sure the businesses in FL will be happy to have customers after all of this.

 

[Shelle&Dave]

LibertyBelle and Safetymom, thank you so much for taking time out of your preparations to ease the mind of a fellow poster. Your responses were very respectful and informative. I was actually wondering the same thing as the original poster. My DFiance says we are going regardless of what WDW looks like. He will even help clean up if need be.

We are in NY and I have never been in the path of something like Frances. I keep looking at the satellite photos and they render me speachless. I wish you all the best. If I lived a little closer I would offer you a place to stay and wait it out, but it's a heck of a long drive to get here!

 

[safetymom]

I have lived in Florida for only 8 months and already am seeing my 2nd hurricane.

But Florida is still so much nicer than PA. So I will take the hurricanes, it is the price you pay to live here.

 

[disneyvoice]

My fiance and I said the same thing!! We leave for our trip on Sept. 19 so we shouldn't be affected by this particular hurricane but you never know when another one will pop up. We said the same thing - if there is extensive damage to WDW we will just roll up our sleeves and help clean it up when we get there!

 

[seashoreCM]

A reasonable prediction is two days of park closure followed by two more days of reduced services possibly including suspension of Fastpass.

If the effects of the storm are less severe, then things will return to normal sooner at WDW.

>>> No, just labor day, after the storm we need all the tourists we can get, This helps the econonmy and therfore helpes the recovery

The state has to balance getting tourists and their dollars in sooner versus having tourists taking up space on roads partly blocked by trees and utility crews and in the remaining open grocery stores that residents need. Since there is no sure fire schedule for tourists to follow, when to do this, when to do that, just use your own judgment for rescheduling your vaction.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

Does Florida have a law like Massachusetts' where street work such as by utility crews requires a police detail? If so Governor Jeb Bush should suspend that law so power can be restored faster, and also the state would provide the details in those locations they are needed.

 

[Local_Girl]

We are currently scheduled to arrive in Orlando on 9/11 and are keeping a constant eye on Frances as well. I understand what Liberty Belle says regarding Florida needing our tourist dollars more than ever after the hurricane, and I'd be happy to oblige , but we are concerned that the accomodations may be needed at that time to house displaced residents and clean up crews. Would we be more in the way than helpful?

Above all, our thoughts and prayers are with all residents in the path of this hurricane!

 

[Viki]

Because I lived in St Pete for four years, still have my mom, dad, sister, BIL, and grandparents down there, and every year we take at least one of our WDW vacations in September, I have endured quite a few hurricanes and tropical storms onsite and off.

There are, of course, many things to be concerned about, but Fast pass being down isn't one of them. Sept is such a low density time of the year that you really don't need it (and I hate standing in lines of more than 10 minutes 0 just won't do it).

Then, again, if this were my first trip and I wanted eveything to be perfect I might feel differently.

We're suppossed to fly in Tuesday and as long as we can there we'll be there. A little bit of disney is better than no disney.

Peace,
Viki

 

[lucky_bunni]

Originally posted by Leigh123
I feel terrible even asking this when people could be losing their homes but hanging my head in shame I am going to ask...Will WDW be fully operational by 9/12? We fly out that Sunday morning and I don't know if I should start making alternate plans...also I dont want to go if the parks are not at a high percent of operation....thanks in advance to your help and our prayers to anyone in the path of Frances.

Hey, I'm also heading out from Columbus, OH on the 12th. We'll probably pass each other at MCO. I'm also worried and wish it would just go away. Hoping for the best, more for the people who live in Florida than the parks. Everyone stay safe! Our prayers are with you.

 

[Nicoal13]

My friend and I are supposed to be arriving on the 11th.

I just pray that everyone in the path of the hurricane stays safe.

I will still be coming on my trip. Not sure what WDW will look like, but we will be traveling no matter what.

Stay safe!

 

[oogieboogie]

We're also scheduled to arrive on 9/10. I'm watching and praying everyone stays safe. I haven't made any alternate plans as of yet because it's too soon to tell.

Stay safe, everyone.

 

[whitley949]

Also, keep in mind. As everything else Disney did, there was always foresight. You don't build such a place in Florida without having all Hurricane contingencies in place. Buildings are built to withstand the force of the wind. The castle itself was built to withstand direct Hurricane force winds. Also, Disney is totally self-sufficent. They have their own power plant and all their own contruction crews. All of the power lines are underground. As mentioned above, as long as the Hurricane does not sit on top of WDW for a couple of hours, no matter what, they will be back up and running as soon as they can, within hours or days.

 

[Terry S]

Please also remember, although disney may be up within hours or days, and of course Disney is magical. This does not just magically happen, the CM's at WDW worked day and night before during and after Charely to make sure that everything was back up and running and I am sure that it will be the same for Frances. Kudus to all the CM's at WDW. Also, thoughts, prayers and pixie dust.

 

[whitley949]

I was never implying that any of this happens "magically"