FW vacation cancelled

[chunnice]

Last Friday my travel agent called and said that Disney had called and was cancelling our rez for 9/12-9/19 because of Ivan.....They said they were closing FW 2nd to this storm. I told her to call them back and let me know when they were reopening the campground 2nd to I have 2 weeks off from work and my stepson is visiting from England and that is the only reason we are going......She called back with a rez for 9/17 -9/24.....

Now I knew that Ivan was not going to hit that area....Although the weather people insisted on stressing the Florida track....They never stressed the route it has now taken even though that was the most likely...I feel sorry for the poor people in Alabama and New Orleans that are now scrambling...Maybe its because I live in the North and I am so used to them messing up our Winter storm warnings that I take them with a grain of salt....I know it was because there were two previous storms but, really its wrong to say every hurricane coming is going to hit FL....


Now,

I really want to know if FW was closed this past week...I'm not a happy camper considering I lost money on a hotel in Washington DC because we had to rearrange the Disney part of the trip! Every Storm watcher reporting from FL has been standing on the beach all week with sunshine talking about this storm and I can't help thinking I could have been at Disney enjoying my vacation...Also it peeves me a bit to see a boarded up building with Gone to Disney World spray painted on it!


If I had not already paid for my Park tickets I would have gone somewhere else but that is a lot of money to throw away...Even though the tickets don't expire...it doesn't do my stepson any good...we wanted to show him a good time at Disney...

Now...it looks as though Jean could be effecting the area around about the time they rescheduled us...... My husband and I have decided to go and Disney will have to do something with us now...If Jean is coming thats too bad for them...

I really think they did not want to have to set up more poorly campers in the precious suites....

I will never be returning to Disney Again after this... I really dont't think they care...They make so much money no matter what.....

Just my two cents...But I'm willint to bet that FW did not close and if it did it was open way before this friday...

Laura

 

[Disney Campers]

Moderator hat taken Off for this post

last Friday many Floridians thought that Ivan was going to be a direct hit to our state, fortunately that turned out not to be the case, Hurricanes are not reliable and do not always follow the projected path, Charlie was a good example of this, we in Tampa bay prepared to be ground zero for this storm in stead at the last minute the course changed and Fort Myers area took the brunt of the hit, they did not intend for that and major devastation occurred, before recovering from Charlie we were hit with Frances, by the time Ivan entered the picture I think most people had there plans perfected.

Disney did the write thing, I'm sorry your vacation was disrupted, If Florida had the choice we would gladly take tourist dollars over these devastating hurricanes.

Inland hotel rooms would have been needed for people evacuating from coastal areas.

 

[helenk]

And you blame Disney for what.....not knowing the course of the Hurricane as well as you???? Don't you think that all other camp grounds in the area were closing as well?
Considering the damage the last 2 hurricanes had done I think better safe than sorry is the best way to go.

 

[We4mickey]

If you look at an earlier post FW was closed this whole week. They did not want to reopen only to have to evacuate again. It was also stated that FW would be reopening this weekend I believe. They are only looking out for peoples safety. Not having ever been in a hurricane I can appreciate them looking out for us. If it was my vacation, yes I would be dissappointed, but at least my family is safe and I can always go again.

 

[Billmel]

I apologize in advance if I offend anyone with this response, but I had to get it off my chest (long)

Originally posted by chunnice

Now I knew that Ivan was not going to hit that area....Although the weather people insisted on stressing the Florida track....They never stressed the route it has now taken even though that was the most likely...I feel sorry for the poor people in Alabama and New Orleans that are now scrambling...Maybe its because I live in the North and I am so used to them messing up our Winter storm warnings that I take them with a grain of salt....I know it was because there were two previous storms but, really its wrong to say every hurricane coming is going to hit FL....

I read these posts just about every day and this is the first time that I have actually written back about a post because I was angry! It is obvious by reading the OP that they have never been through a hurricane. "Winter Storms"?? I have never seen or been through one that completely destroy towns, nor evacuate entire cities. Having been through several hurricanes growing up in south Florida, including Andrew, you can't take these warning with "a grain of salt..." My opinion is since you seem to know the weather so well you should have planned your vacation during a none hurricane season. If you look back at the path of this storm, it has moved all over the place. And if you look back at history of other storms, including Andrew they didn't know what path it would take until it was right at our doors....soooo unless you have lived through a catagory 4 or 5 hurricane please don't make judgements about what other people are thinking, especially the ones that have to make decisions for millions of people based on minimal information. (sorry)

Now if this is horrible and inappropriate for me to say these things please delete my post....but it really makes me angry for people to blame "Disney" or anyone else for that matter for the weather, I'm sorry your vacation was ruined, but I would rather be in your shoes than in the shoes of the people in Florida including my family that are still there that have gone through 2 storms, and are sitting on the edge of there seats, waiting for more.

Just this past week I have watched as my neighbors, in North Carolina have lost everything to the rains and flooding from Francis, 15" of rain, in a 24 hour period. People have lost "EVERYTHING" and they are living on the kindness of neighbors, and FEMA. We are now sitting here waiting for Ivan to come through and watching the weather it looks like it will stall over our area. They are predicting 13-20" of additional rain over the next couple of days. There is nowhere for this water to go....we can only watch as our houses and businesse's get washed away and flooded again, our entire city was without water for approximately 5 days because the floods and mud slides washed away entire sections of piping that supplies the surround cities, we are talking thousands and thousands of people with nothing to drink, and the only place to get water was from FEMA.

People need to start counting there blessings.

Everything that I have read says that FW was closed through the beginning of the week and I don't think reopened until today, maybe even yesterday, but from what I have read and seen, they had alot of clean up from these 2 storms, and alot of the sites are closed.

Now I am stepping down off of my soap box. And again hope I didn't offend anyone ....but I felt I needed to say this, I have had it up to my ears with listening to people complain about what in my opinion are little things, like trying to reschedule a vacation, instead of wether or not to rebuild, repair or demolish there houses or businesses.

 

[John VN]

Billmel

No problem, no apology needed.

I was going to respond but stepped back and took a breath.

Had Charley cancel our FW stay and then he passed 12 miles to my east. Can never be 100% until the last minute. We got lucky.

John

 

[mantaz]

My sister had a vacation for last Saturday and Disney called Friday afternoon to cancel. The resort was closed since Francis came through. Granted my sister was disappointed, she was glad that Disney was looking out for everyone's safety. I am sure they lost money but who would want to be couped up in a hotel room watching the rain when you could be safe at home? Besides if the storm came through you might not have had a camper to take home. I think I would have been happy to wait for a little bit better weather. You can't blame WDW for trying to look out for the safety of its patrons. It was a noble thing for them to turn people away. I have a friend who said he had some friends getting married in Daytona, FL. They called the hotel to make sure everything was ok. Hotel said sure, come on down. Though they didn't tell them their was no water and no electricty, nor a roof on part of the hotel. How would you liked to have been them?? In my opinion Disney did the right thing.

Angela

 

[Pop-up-family]

Well this person has probably already left for Florida and I do hope they have a nice time. I do wonder though if those that insist on theme parks opening during disasters or possible disasters realize how many employees have to report to work to entertain them. These employees have family and homes to protect.

We know someone that was killed in a car accident the day after hurricane Frances came through due to a traffic signal outage, it's just plain dangerous for people to be out on the roads until they are deemed safe.

I've heard this same complaining from tourist for the past month or so, saying over reaction for hurricane Charley and Frances...yet I know people who have lost just about everything they had including a loved one. Kids that just went back to school this past week, homes that still have flood water inside of them, some still without power. Tarps on rooftops, piles and piles of dead trees.

I just wish people would realize that real people live here and work here and raise their families here; Florida is not just here for the pure enjoyment of tourist.

 

[kylara]

To the original OP, while I understand your being upset about your plans being changed, keep in mind the campground is low-lying and tends towards flooding. The hurricane would not have to have a direct hit for the campground to be affected. Even had Ivan gone up the coast (as originally tracked) WDW would have been on the dirty side of the storm and the rain and threat of tornados (which I am sure anyone in GA and NC can tell you is a very real threat right now) is enough to keep FW closed.

 

[mrsgus06]

Having survived Hugo in 89, I would much rather Disney keep people safe than try and pack them in there in the face of danger. I lived without electricity and water for 2 weeks and it was not fun. People in Florida have had a bad month with 2 major storms hitting them. I say yea to Ft Wilderness for thinking about tourist (keeping them safe) and for employees (allowing them to be with their loved ones). I am one of the biggest disney fans around and would be disappointed if I could not go, but my disappointment is nowhere near the disappointment of someone living in Florida that has no home to return to.

 

[FloridaTeacher]

On the contrary, Ivan did hit Florida - and hit it hard. Many people seem to forget that the panhandle of Florida is still Florida. I am in Walton county and we were hit pretty hard with our neighboring counties of Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, and Escambia having catastrophic damage.

I sit here in my home, feeling blessed that my family is safe and that we have only minimal damage. We, along with about 450,000 others are still without power. Thanks to our handy-dandy generator I'm able to be on this board right now.

My request is pray for those who have lost so much - many have lost everything; and don't write Ivan off as not hitting Florida.

I was counting down the days til our Disney trip, now I'm counting the hours til we have electricity again.

Sweating in Florida

 

[mrsgus06]

Sorry, Florida Teacher, I meant to type 3 (Charley, Frances and Ivan). The people in Florida and all other areas hit by the storms are in my thoughts and prayers daily and I hope things will go well for everyone.

 

[mrskti]

Dang, and I was worried cause the siding, the awnings, and the ceiling in our motor home port are blowing away! Silly me.....

 

[A Mickeyfan]

Originally posted by chunnice
Last Friday my travel agent called and said that Disney had called and was cancelling our rez for 9/12-9/19 because of Ivan.....They said they were closing FW 2nd to this storm. I told her to call them back and let me know when they were reopening the campground 2nd to I have 2 weeks off from work and my stepson is visiting from England and that is the only reason we are going......She called back with a rez for 9/17 -9/24.....

Now I knew that Ivan was not going to hit that area....Although the weather people insisted on stressing the Florida track....They never stressed the route it has now taken even though that was the most likely...I feel sorry for the poor people in Alabama and New Orleans that are now scrambling...Maybe its because I live in the North and I am so used to them messing up our Winter storm warnings that I take them with a grain of salt....I know it was because there were two previous storms but, really its wrong to say every hurricane coming is going to hit FL....


Now,

I really want to know if FW was closed this past week...I'm not a happy camper considering I lost money on a hotel in Washington DC because we had to rearrange the Disney part of the trip! Every Storm watcher reporting from FL has been standing on the beach all week with sunshine talking about this storm and I can't help thinking I could have been at Disney enjoying my vacation...Also it peeves me a bit to see a boarded up building with Gone to Disney World spray painted on it!


If I had not already paid for my Park tickets I would have gone somewhere else but that is a lot of money to throw away...Even though the tickets don't expire...it doesn't do my stepson any good...we wanted to show him a good time at Disney...

Now...it looks as though Jean could be effecting the area around about the time they rescheduled us...... My husband and I have decided to go and Disney will have to do something with us now...If Jean is coming thats too bad for them...

I really think they did not want to have to set up more poorly campers in the precious suites....

I will never be returning to Disney Again after this... I really dont't think they care...They make so much money no matter what.....

Just my two cents...But I'm willint to bet that FW did not close and if it did it was open way before this friday...

Laura

Gee it seems you missed the brunt of the storm, you left before Jeanne hit. It really would have been nice if you were at Disney for Charley & Francis (especially Francis when parks were closed for nearly 2 full days). Sorry to hear you are so down on Disney for doing the proper thing. I was born and raised in NY, then moved to CT in a "snow belt" section. I now live in FL (for the last 13 years), if you think the hurricanes are like storms up north, please feel free to fly down to me to experience one first hand. You can sit in my closet with me and my family while 140 mile an hour winds are blowing parts of my house away. There is no comparison in the two weather events. I am about 15 miles south of Punta Gorda, the town that Charley completly destroyed. Maybe you would like to help me get my.... pool cage, roof, garage door, side door, water softner ( as well as 2 TV's, 1 telephone, 1 stereo that were surged from when the electirc came on after days without any) my soffit, the ceiling in my garage (not to mention that I think there may be mold growing in my attick now), a bird bath, a screen door & a basketball hoop all replaced or repaired. I am sure the money you lost is nothing next to what I have to put out (as well as many other Floridians that are worse off than I am at this point). Yes, I do have insurance, but unlike up north, there is such a thing as a "hurricane deductible" which means that no matter what deductible you choose for your homeowners insurance it will not apply when a hurricane hits, that will run you either 2% or 5% of the value of your house.... I do think we here in FL have lost much more than a hotel stay & a "good time" at Disney... Sorry if I sound harsh but the wording of your post is uncalled for in a time like this. Next time, don't book in "value season" spend a little more money and come when you will not have the chance of getting hit by a hurricane. By the way, had you been at FW when Jeanne hit, they may have put you up in one of the other resorts & gave you a flash light in the event of loss of power, what more would you like them to do for you..., You are correct is saying Disney won't miss you, neither will us Floridians, we will have many other guests that show compasion for what we are going thru coming to our state. We will welcome them with open arms too.

PS:...., next time you are looking at a map, the land that extends west off the northen part of the peninsula of FL where Ivan hit, IS FL! Ivan came in through Fl and destroyed towns in that section. Roads are washed away & people are left homeless so what weather station did you watch where it showed Ivan not hitting Fl?

 

[Whosemom]

WOW! I'm thinking OP was some one trying to stir up their own storm for "fun". There's no way I can believe anyone quite THAT selfish!

If not, and you were "for real", Laura, I'm sure you've had second thoughts by now. Don't let the heat of the moment and the anonimity of the medium let you to forget the readers who are REALLY effected! God bless you, honey, we all learn from our mistakes.