HELP..leaving Sat. 8.21....will it still be magical?

[barbnjmom]

I don't mean to sound petty but with everything going on right now in Orlando after Charley I kinda feel guilty about going down to WDW for vacation. It sounds like things are still crazy down there but there is no way I can cancel with my 2 boys counting down the days until we get there.

Does anyone else have the same feeling? I know we need to spend the money to boost their economy but what is it truly like down there?

 

[jordgubben]

I'm sure it'll be fine. Go down and have a good time.

 

[WDSearcher]

Fear not! WDW is as magical as ever.

There are trees down, and some signage is a bit mangled on the roadways, and there is obvious damage to some local hotels and restaurants. But inside the MK .... wandering through World Showcase ... looking up Hollywood Blvd ... sitting in "Festival of the Lion King" ... you won't even notice. And neither will your boys.

You might have to wait a little longer for things, because some places are a little short staffed, and you may notice some big gaps in the landscaping, but please don't feel guilty about going on vacation! Those of us who work here are ready and waiting to meet & greet your family and show them a great time.

 

[hulabird]

We leave Saturday as well and I have been feeling the same way. I guess we will just have to see what happens. I am trying to get excited, but somehow after all that has happened there, it is kind of bittersweet.

 

[daisylove]

I was supposed to go tomorrow but I am postponing it until next tuesday. We are fairly close so it is not a huge hardship for us. Pixie dust to everyone and I hope you guys have a great trip.

 

[bjakmom]

barbnjmom - I know how you feel - I'm also heading down on Sat.- meeting up with my sis and her 3 boys at Universal, then going over to BWV to check them in for the week. They flew down last Friday and weathered Charley on the 9th floor of the airport hyatt (with the little guy (6) on the floor of the bathroom in tears ). They were going to spend the week before WDW with her fr-in-law in Ft. Myers and our niece in Tampa. Right now they have found a wonderful resort in Cape Canaveral and have decided to stay there until meeting me back in Orlando. Her fr-in-law came to stay with her until his electric is back on.

As hard as it is for me to now feel excited to go and 'play' where so many people are suffering, this trip is also bittersweet for us - we started planning it last fall when my sis lost her husband to west nile virus. He had been promising their youngest DS, who had never been to WDW, for years that he would take him when he turned 6 yo. He turned 6 yo a month after his dad died, so our families started then to plan this trip and give them all something to look forward to and fulfill my br-in-laws promise.

This is probably way too much info, but, in short, I plan to go, put a big smile on my face, have as much fun as I can muster (which is usually a lot), create some magic wherever I can for my sis and my nephews, proceed with lots of patience and understanding for all the CMs and locals, and leave really big tips!! I live and work in a tourist area and know how important it is to our local economy! Let's go and make the best of it and try to spread a little sunshine in the sunshine state !
Hope you have a wonderful trip!