Frances! Who is still going this weekend?

[Blueberry]

We are still going....flying in saturday morning for our trip. I am confident it is not going to be as bad as predicted it could be in Orlando area.....

Anyone know if Delta has announced what they are doing about flights into MCO...thanks...

 

[Meka]

We're still trying to figure out if we're going or not. I'd hate to cancel and see Frances suddenly turn away. We're just holding tight until Fri afternoon to decide (nothing like the last minute to decide)

But maybe I should have taken it as a hint when MGM called earlier in the week to cancel our Fantasmic dinner seating as the park decided it was going to close at 6 pm on Sat instead of 830 - now who knows if it will be open at all

 

[April76]

Just a "heads up" for those of you who are planning to fly in/out of MCO on Saturday.

Right now it looks like the hurricane can affect the MCO area anytime from 2 pm Saturday - 2pm Sunday. (Of course, it could be earlier or later -- afterall, predicting these things can be tough)

When Charley was upon us, MCO closed the day it hit Florida and then it took about 2 days to catch up with all the folks who were stranded -- many folks were stuck until the airline could find a way to get them out of Florida.

I wish I had more "cheerful" information, but I just wanted to let you all know that the air traffic can be affected over several days once Frances hits Florida.

(Crossing my fingers for all of you that Frances takes a turn away and out to sea -- it would sure save all of us a lot of trouble)

 

[seashoreCM]

Those on short trips would be better off cancelling. No sense arriving just for the Labor Day weekend and finding the parks closed for much of the time and doing nothing more than watching TV in the hotel room (if there is electricity) and then heading home.

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

When you reach someone's voice mail are you often guilty of sending an empty envelope?

 

[Suzanne74]

Unless some mircle happens and Frances goes away - we are rebooking tomorrow. THe saddest part to me is losing my Cinderella ressie that I called at 7am 90 days out!

I am hoping to go 11th -18th but am afraid the parks will be really crowded with everyone postponing as well. Maybe will do the week after but dd won't like that - or the fact she can not see Cinderella

They are talking about Frances possibly being a Cat 5 by the time it reaches landfall with sustained winds in the 180's! Yikes - I am not going to mess with that!! Also, Floridians need their own escape routes, groceries, hotel rooms etc - not more travelers! I think travelers heading down are asking for trouble with the aftermath of no electricity, delayed flights, disney closures or limited use, cancelations in parades, character meals etc.. from CM's who can not get to work.

Now of course, when I cancel tomorrow - I am sure it won't even reach landfall - but I will still pray for all those living there.

 

[AdventurerKat]

We were to leave early Thursday morning. We had to cancel. My friend just could not risk being stuck in Florida past Monday. Fortunately, we lost nothing other than our trip itself. We hope to reschedule to December eventually.

Hope all in Florida stay safe over the weekend.

 

[Suzanne74]

TORNADO IMPACTS... WITH THE UNCERTAINTIES OF THE HURRICANE TRACK THERE WILL BE A THREAT OF TORNADOES OVER MUCH OF EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA MAINLY ON SATURDAY WHEN THE CENTER OF FRANCES PASSES OVER THE FLORIDA PENINSULA. HOWEVER... TORNADOES ARE ALSO POSSIBLE WITHIN THE OUTER RAINBANDS OF FRANCES... MAKING THIS THE FIRST THREAT TO ARRIVE OVER THE AREA.

This REALLY scares me - I am still praying for all of you!!!

Hopefully when we rebook the weather will be nicer and no damage to anything Disney - or anyones houses for that matter.

 

[swilphil]

Originally posted by Suzanne74
Unless some mircle happens and Frances goes away - we are rebooking tomorrow. THe saddest part to me is losing my Cinderella ressie that I called at 7am 90 days out!

I am hoping to go 11th -18th but am afraid the parks will be really crowded with everyone postponing as well. Maybe will do the week after but dd won't like that - or the fact she can not see Cinderella

I think postponing your trip is the best option you have. When you do cancel, mention your Cinderella PS and maybe they can work something out for you. Good luck!!!

 

[tn_disney_addict]

We are still set to go as of right now, flying in Friday night. We switched to Friday from Saturday to try to beat the storm figuring by the time it got to Orlando, it would slow down.

I have read somewhere on here, that it is expected to hit Orlando on Sunday, but will have slowed down to a Cat 2...anyone else hear that?

I am starting to worry about going early and being there for the storm. My husband, the Non-Worrier, said we will be fine there but I need some type of reassurance! Ha.

 

[Grumpy92]

The airlines are allowing you to reschedule with no penalty. Ofcourse there are some restrictions. THat was on CNN this morning.

As for Disney they said this in the local paper.
But as of Wednesday, Disney temporarily is allowing people to cancel reservations without penalty. For every visitor who calls to cancel, Disney will make a room available for locals in need, said Jacquee Polak, spokeswoman for Walt Disney World. " If we could make it [rooms] available, we would like to," Polak said, including time-share resort rooms.

As a native I would advise anyone who does not live here to stay away this weekend. Even the Governor is advising visitors not to come. This is a very big and powerful storm. It should be taken VERY seriously. It looks like it will hit late Friday or early Saturday. So if you were planning on arriving on Friday or Saturday you can forget it. They have already announced closiers of area airports

 

[renessa]

I have family that planning to travel to Orlando this weekend. They have (thankfully) decided to postpone their trip. Why take the chance of being stuck for days in a hotel room with no electricity, or not being able to return home...etc. Please rethink traveling to Florida until after the storm (and the cleanup).

For those people that are saying this is the first trip, special trip, last trip (it doesn't matter)...do you want your memories to be of a storm or a hotel room??? Please reschedule!!!!

Floridians need the shelter, food, etc. Please stay home and stay safe!!!

(This is how I convinced my family to stay home. I just want everyone to be safe. )

 

[LKS]

I was finally able to cancel my reservation at Embassy Suites LBV this morning. It was a non-refundable net direct rate, but they are refunding my money under these circumstances.

 

[madge]

Deb's site has a running list of schedule changes....

http://allearsnet.com/news/hurricane2.htm

 

[aliwolly]

I was originally supposed to be going Sept 6-13, but it looks like Frances is going to prevent us from getting there the 6th. Luckily, the boyfriend and I are able to be flexible with our time off from work, so I'm going to call the airline/Disney today to try and reschedule... I'm thinking we'll try and go the 9th through the 16th instead... give it a couple of "buffer days"...
I'm keeping my fingers crossed for everyone!!
Ali

 

[PartyofSix]

MCO will not be running flights as of 12 noon tomorrow 9-3. Just a heads up to all of you that have not cancelled yet. Please don't come into this. We are 90 miles north of jacksonville. Traffic is so heavy right now in our small town. Gas is premuim in jacksonville fl and is expected to be dry by night fall I 95 north is like a parking lot as of 7 am this morning please please rethink your plans. WE had plans to daytona beach for the weekend that looks to be a bust if this storm does'nt change course by noon tomorrow.

 

[TampaDisneyFreaks]

We are in a quandry. We are set to arrive (from home in Tampa) tomorrow, for 12 nights. We can't be flexible with our schedule, and we REALLY need this vacation (been a rough few months, and this trip was what kept us going sometimes). We are still thinking of going, as long as the weather in Tampa doesn't appear that it will be too bad to leave the house unattended (my parents live 5 min away and will be checking in on the house). Since it looks to come thru between Tampa and Orlando, I feel that if we have a window to go tomorrow, we go. Otherwise, there could be too much damage in between to get there until Monday or Tuesday. So if Tampa appears that it will be somewhat "safe" (relatively speaking, and I am a veteran of hurricane's and tropical storms), we will still head to Disney tomorrow and ride it out there. Either way, I am stuck in it, so may as well be at my vacation destination and favorite place in the world. Besides, if power is lost, I feel that Disney would get it back up quicker for their property than the power companies would in Tampa. We are just keeping a close eye on the 5 PM, 11PM, and 5 AM updates between now and tomorrow morning, and then decide for sure.

 

[tarmand]

Originally posted by tn_disney_addict
We are still set to go as of right now, flying in Friday night. We switched to Friday from Saturday to try to beat the storm figuring by the time it got to Orlando, it would slow down.

I have read somewhere on here, that it is expected to hit Orlando on Sunday, but will have slowed down to a Cat 2...anyone else hear that?

I am starting to worry about going early and being there for the storm. My husband, the Non-Worrier, said we will be fine there but I need some type of reassurance! Ha.

Please do not put your family through a hurricane. It is not fun. I am from Louisiana and have been through several and it's no way to spend a vacation. It's scary and dangerous. If you cancel, you may be disappointed, but you will at least be alive. Hurricanes, especially this large, are not to be played with. I would recommend anyone thinking of flying in before the hurricane to remember all of the lives lost from Charley - all because they didn't evacuate - and you are planning to go toward the hurricane? Don't go - it is not worth the danger you will be putting yourselves in.

 

[tarmand]

Look at this quote:

As Steve Missimer waited with about 300 people at a Home Depot to buy last-minute supplies, he summed up his storm philosophy:

"You ride down the highway at 145 miles an hour and see how fast stuff flies at you. That's what this storm is going to be like. It's not something you want to try to ride out."

 

[phamton]

Originally posted by Blueberry
We are still going....flying in saturday morning for our trip. I am confident it is not going to be as bad as predicted it could be in Orlando area.....

Anyone know if Delta has announced what they are doing about flights into MCO...thanks...

They just announced on the press report that as of Friday at noon they will not be accepting anymore commercial airlines into Orlando airport.

 

[PartyofSix]

Daytona Beach FL has a mandatory evacuation for 8am friday morning. They are not taking this lightly so please heed this. Your vacation is not worht putting your family at risk.