Hurrican Wilma - Should I Cancel?

[Bambismama]

Wishing good luck to everyone that is traveling down to FL and especially good luck to those who live in FL. My thoughts are with you.

 

[MickeyNicki]

I live on Marco Island and have been planning this trip for 5 months. We are outta here! As of now we are in the direct path of a very dangerous storm and if we had not planned the trip I still would have gone to Orlando....the worse that will happen is rain and winds.....but if I was flying in from out of state I would cancel my trip to be on the safe side.

 

[mikkiwikki]

http://www.wftv.com/weather/5104186/detail.html

 

[mousemom218]

Here is a question. We are leaving Friday for WPB airport to visit my dad in Boynton Beach. Then supposed to leave early Monday morning (3 amish) to drive to Disney. Does anyone feel that we should cancel the trip to WPB and just go to Disney?

crow11ad, I live in Boynton Beach. We are in full pre-hurricane mode here. If you don't have to be here this weekend, you should really avoid and head straight to Disney on Monday.

 

[mikkiwikki]

http://www.weather.com/weather/local/33425#

Special Weather Statement from the National Weather Service:

BISCAYNE BAY-GLADES-HENDRY-PALM BEACH WESTERN-PALM BEACH EASTERN- WESTERN COLLIER-EASTERN COLLIER-WESTERN BROWARD- BROWARD METROPOLITAN-WESTERN DADE-DADE METROPOLITAN- MAINLAND MONROE- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MOORE HAVEN...CLEWISTON...LA BELLE... BIG CYPRESS SEMINOLE RESERVATION...BELLE GLADE... WEST PALM BEACH...NAPLES...IMMOKALEE... MICCOSUKEE INDIAN RESERVATION...FORT LAUDERDALE...SHARK VALLEY... MIAMI...FLAMINGO 125 PM EDT WED OCT 19 2005
...INTERESTS IN SOUTH FLORIDA SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR EXTREMELY DANGEROUS HURRICANE WILMA...

CATEGORY FIVE HURRICANE WILMA LOCATED IN THE NORTHWESTERN CARIBBEAN SEA ABOUT 600 MILES SOUTH OF SOUTH FLORIDA AT 11 AM IS MOVING WEST NORTHWEST AROUND 7 MPH. WILMA IS FORECAST TO MOVE ACROSS THE YUCATAN CHANNEL EARLY FRIDAY MORNING...THEN BEGIN TO TURN NORTHEAST OVER THE SOUTHERN GULF OF MEXICO LATER ON FRIDAY AHEAD OF A LOW PRESSURE TROUGH MOVING EAST ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES. THE HURRICANE IS THEN FORECAST TO ACCELERATE TOWARD SOUTH FLORIDA ON SATURDAY.

BASED ON THE LATEST FORECAST FROM THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER... WILMA COULD BE MAKING LANDFALL ON THE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA COAST AS EARLY AS SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND MOVE NORTHEAST ACROSS THE SOUTH FLORIDA PENINSULA SATURDAY EVENING. ALTHOUGH SOME WEAKENING IS FORECAST AS WILMA APPROACHES...IT IS STILL EXPECTED TO BE A DANGEROUS HURRICANE AS IT MOVES ACROSS THE AREA.

THE EXACT PATH AND STRENGTH OF WILMA AS IT APPROACHES SOUTH FLORIDA ARE STILL HIGHLY UNCERTAIN. RESIDENTS OF SOUTH FLORIDA ARE ADVISED TO CLOSELY MONITOR ADVISORIES AND STATEMENTS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AND THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN MIAMI IN CASE WATCHES OR WARNINGS BECOME NECESSARY THURSDAY AND FRIDAY.

SOUTH FLORIDIANS ARE STRONGLY URGED TO ONCE AGAIN GO OVER THEIR HURRICANE PLANS AND RESTOCK ON PROVISIONS SUCH AS...

BATTERIES FOR RADIOS AND FLASHLIGHTS DRINKING WATER CANNED OR DRIED FOOD FIRST AID SUPPLIES PRESCRIPTION MEDICINE CASH...CREDIT CARDS AND ATM'S MAY NOT WORK WITHOUT POWER FUEL FOR AUTOMOBILES...GENERATORS AND CHAIN SAWS.

PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY MAY NEED TO BE INITIATED OVER ALL OF SOUTH FLORIDA DURING THE DAY ON THURSDAY...ESPECIALLY IF AND WHEN A WATCH IS ISSUED.

 

[SweetMelisa]

I'm also planning a weekend trip to Disney .. but I live only 3 hrs away in Ft Lauderdale. It's hard to say where in Fla the hurricane will hit. . it's still too early.

Does anyone know what the refund policy is for hotel reservations (a downtown disney hotel) or Cirque du Soleil La Nouba tickets in the event the hurricane does hit the Orlando area??

 

[sweet maxine]

I'm looking at cancelling now. The car rental rates to add a day or so are at $100/day. I just can't afford that and the cost of a room for another day or two.

 

[DianeV]

Maxine, I was able to change my flight and have also found if you go in with a whole new code and reservation you end up better then trying to add days. For example use the KISS rate with Dollar and you may get an overall decent deal

 

[kelmac284]

My dad is saying he doesn't want to go BEFORE now that he would rather go after. What do people think about getting in late Monday night? Do you think it could be past by then? And if it is what about damage to Orlando airports and such. If the storm is past could we still possibly not get in because of flooding etc?

 

[sweet maxine]

I tried Dollar and Thrifty, and for my dates it would be around $600 or greater (11 days as I had to add 2 days to flight dates). This is not looking good. I wonder if they will cancel the MNSSHP for Sunday?

 

[crow11ad]

crow11ad, I live in Boynton Beach. We are in full pre-hurricane mode here. If you don't have to be here this weekend, you should really avoid and head straight to Disney on Monday.

If I could avoid it I would. I am visiting my Dad and step mom. We fly in Friday night. From the looks of it, late Saturday and Sunday could be the bad days. We will have a rental car. SO needless to say, if we have to leave earlier and drive to Orlando, we are doing it.

 

[sweet maxine]

Is there a chance the MNSSHP will be cancelled for Sunday?

 

[ruttie]

Monday would be a great day to come down. storm should be long gone.....

 

[GODreigns]

What are the chances of Orlando being evacuated?

 

[Uncleromulus]

Let's not be hasty here--just saw the 5:00 PM Wednesday National Hurricane Center briefing. Now seems to be yet ANOTHER "model" showing the storm slowing, and missing all but extreme S. Florida.
Right?
Wrong??
Who knows!!
"Uncertain" was the operative word during that briefing. Appears that at this time, they really have no clear idea where--or when--this storm might impact Florida.

 

[dvcgirl]

What are the chances of Orlando being evacuated?

Orlando doesn't get evacuated. The only people in our area who would need to evac would be people in mobile homes....and that's only if we are going to get hurricane strength winds...which we are not forecast to get.

In fact, there was just a big announcement from the NHC...they slowed the progress down significantly and really have low confidence in their track. It looks like she's stalling in the Carribbean for awhile. I suspect that we may see very little in the way of this storm, if anything at all.

 

[crow11ad]

Just to let everyone know. My dad who lives in Boynton Beach stated that they maybe closing the airports friday. Or at least West Palm Beach airport. Key word is MAYBE. It looks as though we may change our flight from Friday to tomorrow. That is what it is saying on the news where he is. At least there will be no charge to change

 

[dvcgirl]

Monday would be a great day to come down. storm should be long gone.....

Well, not so fast....people need to montior the comments from the National Hurricane Center. They just announced that they have very little confidence in the forecast and slowed the arrival of the storm down. Where will she arrive? They really don't seem to know....

 

[micknpluto]

We are still flying out on saturday morning arriving in orlando 935am. I doubt they will close orlando airport at that time. If anyone thinks differenly please let me know... Thanks

 

[Tinkerchele]

I suspect that we may see very little in the way of this storm, if anything at all.

That is the most positive thing I heard all day. I hope it works out that way.